Description
Hand Washing Workplace Hygiene Poster
Promote proper hand hygiene and help reduce the spread of germs with the Hand Washing Workplace Hygiene Poster. This easy-to-read workplace poster reminds employees to wash their hands and reinforces proper handwashing practices in restrooms, food preparation areas, employee break rooms, and other workplace locations.
Regular handwashing with soap and water is an important part of maintaining a clean and healthy workplace. Employees should wash their hands at appropriate times throughout the workday, especially after using the restroom and before eating or preparing food.
How Should Employees Wash Their Hands?
Proper handwashing involves more than simply rinsing hands with water. Employees should use clean running water and soap and thoroughly clean all areas of the hands.
Important handwashing practices include:
- Wet hands with clean running water
- Apply soap and lather the hands thoroughly
- Clean the palms, backs of the hands, between the fingers, and under the fingernails
- Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds
- Rinse thoroughly under clean running water
- Dry hands using a clean towel or air dryer
When Should Employees Wash Their Hands?
Employees should practice good hand hygiene throughout the workday. Important times for handwashing can include:
- After using the restroom
- Before eating or preparing food
- Before and after work breaks
- After coughing, sneezing, or blowing the nose
- After handling garbage or waste
- After cleaning or disinfecting work areas
- After touching potentially contaminated surfaces or materials
- Whenever hands are visibly dirty
Why Is Hand Washing Important in the Workplace?
Hands can pick up germs from people, objects, equipment, and frequently touched surfaces. Proper handwashing helps remove germs and contaminants from the hands and can help reduce their spread to other people and surfaces.
Providing employees with visible handwashing reminders can help reinforce workplace hygiene procedures and encourage consistent handwashing habits.
OSHA Workplace Washing Facilities
OSHA addresses workplace sanitation and washing facilities under 29 CFR 1910.141. For permanent places of employment covered by the standard, OSHA requires lavatories to be available and washing facilities to be maintained in a sanitary condition.
OSHA's sanitation standard also requires lavatories to have hot and cold running water, or tepid running water, along with hand soap or similar cleansing agents and appropriate hand-drying methods.
Hand Washing and Food Safety
Proper hand hygiene is particularly important in workplaces where employees prepare, handle, process, or serve food. Employees should follow applicable food safety procedures and federal, state, and local requirements for handwashing and sanitation.
Handwashing reminders placed near sinks, restrooms, food preparation areas, and employee work areas can help reinforce good hygiene practices throughout the workday.
Where Can a Hand Washing Poster Be Displayed?
The Hand Washing Workplace Hygiene Poster can be used in many types of workplaces, including:
- Employee restrooms
- Restaurants and commercial kitchens
- Food preparation and processing facilities
- Healthcare and care facilities
- Schools and childcare facilities
- Offices and administrative workplaces
- Manufacturing facilities
- Warehouses and distribution centers
- Retail businesses
- Employee break rooms
Is a Hand Washing Poster Required by OSHA?
OSHA establishes workplace sanitation and washing-facility requirements, but this particular Hand Washing Workplace Hygiene Poster should be used as a supplemental employee hygiene and awareness resource and should not be represented as a universally required OSHA workplace poster.
Employers should determine whether additional handwashing signs or notices are required for their particular industry, workplace, state, or local jurisdiction.
Hand Washing Poster Specifications
- 8.5"W x 11"H
- Portrait orientation
- Printed in full color
- Laminated with high-quality laminate
Workplace Policy and Compliance Resources
Labor Law Compliance Center provides employers with labor law posters, workplace policy posters, safety posters, specialty postings, and compliance resources for businesses throughout the United States. Browse our Workplace Policy Posters for additional employee policy and workplace awareness materials.
