In short
- What the rule is
- Food handlers wash their hands whenever they are likely to contaminate food, and at set moments such as after the toilet and before ready to eat food after raw food (clause 15).
- Who it applies to
- Every food handler. The business provides hand basins that handlers can reach easily where they work.
- What you need to do
- Teach the moments to wash, keep each basin stocked and clear, and keep it for washing hands, arms and face only.
- What this does not require
- The Code names no hand washing time and asks for no record of each wash. The 15 second scrub and the steps are guidance.
What the rule says
Clause 15 of Standard 3.2.2 sets when a food handler washes their hands. At all times, they wash:
- whenever their hands are likely to be a source of contamination
- immediately before working with ready to eat food after handling raw food
- immediately after using the toilet
When handling unpackaged food, they also wash:
- before starting to handle food, or going back to it
- immediately after smoking, coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or tissue, eating or drinking
FSANZ's advice for businesses sets out the other half, from Standard 3.2.2 clause 17 and Standard 3.2.3 clause 14: hand basins that are easy to reach where handlers need them, with warm running water, soap and single use towels, used only for washing hands, arms and face.
Who it applies to
Everyone who handles food or surfaces that food touches, in every food business. Personal hygiene is also one of the four topics a food safety course under Standard 3.2.2A covers.
By sector: Cafés and Bakeries, Education and Childcare
What it looks like in practice
Guidance, not law
FSANZ's advice for handlers: wet your hands under warm running water, lather with soap and scrub fingers, palms, wrists, the backs of your hands and under the nails for about 15 seconds, rinse, turn the tap off with a paper towel or your elbow, and dry well with a single use towel.
Put the basin where the work happens. A basin behind a closed door or across the kitchen tends not to be used, and one stacked with dishes cannot be.
Check each basin at the start of service: soap, towels and warm water.
FSANZ's advice for businesses is to tell every handler about their health and hygiene duties. A poster at the basin is one way to do it.
What you are not required to do
- A set time for each wash. About 15 seconds is FSANZ guidance.
- A record of each hand wash. Hand washing is not one of the nine prescribed provisions in Standard 3.2.2A.
- A poster in particular. Telling handlers their duties is what counts, and a poster is one way.
Doing it in Hospitality Shield
A check that every hand basin is stocked can sit on a daily list in Hospitality Shield, and a short training video covers when and how to wash. Both are the venue's to keep, change or remove.
30 day free trial.
Asked about this rule
How long should we wash our hands for?
The Code names no time. FSANZ's advice is to scrub for about 15 seconds, then rinse and dry well with a single use towel.
Do we have to record hand washing?
No. It is not one of the prescribed provisions in Standard 3.2.2A, so there is no record to keep for it.
Can staff wash their hands in the prep sink?
The hand basin is for washing hands, arms and face only. FSANZ's advice is to use the sink provided just for hand washing.
Does coughing or eating mean washing again?
Yes, for a handler working with unpackaged food. Clause 15 lists smoking, coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or tissue, eating and drinking.
Sources
- Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, Federal Register of Legislation
- Health and hygiene: advice for food handlers, Food Standards Australia New Zealand
- Health and hygiene: advice for food businesses, Food Standards Australia New Zealand
- Standard 3.2.2A Food Safety Management Tools, Federal Register of Legislation
General information about the rules in Western Australia. It is not legal advice. Your local government's environmental health officer decides how the rules apply to your premises.