03 Jul Wash Your Hands – Hand Washing

Wash Your Hands – Hand Washing

Hand washing is one of the simplest ways to reduce exposure to harmful substances and prevent the spread of germs and contaminants. Workers may come into contact with dirt, chemicals, oils, biological materials, and other substances that can remain on the hands and be transferred to the mouth, eyes, food, tools, equipment, or other people.

Good personal hygiene and proper skin protection can help prevent occupational skin disorders, illness, and unnecessary exposure to workplace contaminants.

Guide for Discussion

When to Wash Your Hands

Workers should wash their hands:

• Before eating, drinking, or handling food.
• Before touching the eyes, nose, or mouth.
• After using the restroom.
• After handling chemicals, waste, contaminated materials, or potentially infectious substances.
• After removing protective gloves.
• After performing work that leaves the hands dirty or contaminated.
• Before leaving work when contaminants could otherwise be carried into vehicles or homes.

Proper Hand Washing

Effective hand washing requires more than quickly rinsing your hands.

• Wet hands with clean running water.
• Apply soap and thoroughly lather the hands.
• Scrub the palms, backs of the hands, between the fingers, around the thumbs, under the fingernails, and around the wrists.
• Scrub for at least 20 seconds.
• Rinse thoroughly under clean running water.
• Dry hands using a clean towel, disposable towel, or approved hand dryer.

When soap and water are not immediately available, an appropriate hand sanitizer may be useful for routine hygiene. However, sanitizer does not replace proper washing when hands are visibly dirty or contaminated with substances that must be physically removed.

Gloves Are Not a Substitute

Protective gloves may be required when handling chemicals, contaminated materials, sharp objects, or other workplace hazards, but wearing gloves does not eliminate the need for good hand hygiene.

• Select gloves appropriate for the specific hazard.
• Inspect gloves for tears, punctures, deterioration, or other damage before use.
• Replace damaged or contaminated disposable gloves.
• Clean reusable gloves according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Avoid touching your face, personal items, or clean surfaces with contaminated gloves.
• Remove gloves carefully to avoid contacting contaminants on the outside.
• Wash your hands after removing gloves.

Protect Your Skin

Frequent contact with chemicals, oils, solvents, detergents, cement, and other irritants can damage the skin. Cracked or irritated skin may make additional exposure more likely.

Use appropriate gloves and other protective measures to minimize contact with harmful substances. Skin creams may help maintain healthy skin when appropriate, but they should not be considered a substitute for required protective gloves or other exposure controls.

Prevent Taking Contaminants Home

Contaminants on your hands can be transferred to steering wheels, phones, food, clothing, and family members. Wash thoroughly before eating and before leaving the workplace when the job involves hazardous substances.

Remember

Clean hands protect more than your skin. Regular and thorough hand washing can reduce the spread of illness and prevent harmful workplace substances from entering your body or being carried away from the jobsite.