Hand Hygiene in Food Manufacturing: Best Practices for Clean Hands & Safer Products
In food production, clean hands aren’t just common sense—they’re a compliance requirement. Proper handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of viruses, bacteria, and foodborne pathogens. Yet even when policies are in place, execution often falls short due to outdated routines or overlooked procedures.
As California’s food manufacturing industry ramps up for a busy season, now’s the time to reinforce proper hand hygiene across your facility. Below are practical steps and tools to ensure your team’s handwashing efforts are thorough, effective, and compliant with FDA food safety standards.
1. Set Up Proper Handwashing Stations
It may seem obvious, but accessible, clean, and well-stocked handwashing stations are often the first line of defense against contamination. A poorly maintained sink or soap dispenser can contribute to cross-contamination rather than prevent it.
Make sure your facility includes:
- ✔️ Warm, running water
- ✔️ Antibacterial soap dispensers
- ✔️ Touchless or low-contact paper towel dispensers
- ✔️ Hand sanitizers as an added safety layer
Remember to post signage reminding employees of proper technique. Visual cues at each station help reinforce consistent behavior and meet labeling and signage requirements.
2. How to Properly Wash Hands
Use these FDA-recommended steps as the gold standard for your food plant training and onboarding:
- Wet hands thoroughly with warm water, covering all surfaces.
- Apply soap and lather palms in lateral and circular motions.
- Interlace fingers and scrub between each digit.
- Scrub under fingernails and into creases on the palm. Switch hands and repeat.
- Clean the tops of hands, thumbs, and wrists—frequently missed areas.
- Rinse for at least 20 seconds and dry with a clean paper towel.
Hand hygiene is only as strong as your team’s consistency. Include proper handwashing as part of your employee SOPs, and revisit it regularly in safety meetings.
3. Keep Safety Top of Mind
Want to go deeper on safety protocols for your facility? Here are a few excellent resources to help you train your team:
Need Help Building Your Hand Hygiene Program?
Techniclean Products supports food processors across California with top-tier hand care systems, dispensers, and hand sanitizers—plus same-day shipping when you order before 2 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday.
Get in touch with us today ➝ Contact Techniclean to speak with our experts and find the proper hygiene solutions for your operation.
