Scores on Doors and Hand Washing
Scores On Doors imposes significant penalties on food establishments that fail to ensure proper handwashing by staff. Dirty hands are a major source of cross-contamination and germ spread, making it crucial to monitor this practice closely. The points related to handwashing are currently:
- Wash and dry hands thoroughly using hand wash facilities - 4 Points
- Wash hands when contaminated, before and after work, and after specific activities - 8 Points
- Ensure hand washing facilities are easily accessible and used only for washing hands, arms, and face - 1 Point
- Provide hand washing facilities with warm running water, a single spout, single-use towels, and soap - 4 or 8 Points
A reminder that if you get 8 points on a single section it’s an immediate failure. So not only is it possible to score 18 points for incorrect hand washing, it is possible to have two automatic failures.
What can a business do to ensure they aren’t penalised?
Start with simple tasks that don’t involve people directly. Remember, easy doesn’t always mean cheap, but it does mean less hassle for you and your workers. Make sure facilities are not just present but also accessible and functional, consider:
- Adding extra sinks for food preparation.
- Install a fixed hand wash dispenser near the basin.
- Choose a hand wash that's gentle for frequent use, like OxyBAC.
- Clearly outline in your procedures when staff should wash their hands.
Now for the hard part – convincing your staff to wash their hands. Telling staff they need to wash their hands, and policing it are both important, but you have to convince staff that it is in everyone’s best interest to regularly wash their hands.
We recommend Glow 2 Show for training. It is a fun way to show people how poorly they wash their hands, and how they can’t assume they know how to wash their hands.
