Section 738.550  Hand-Washing Facilities

a)         Adequate and readily accessible hand-washing and sanitizing facilities shall be provided in the plant for employees who may handle unprotected food, unprotected packaging materials, and food contact surfaces.  Such facilities shall be furnished with running water at a suitable temperature for hand-washing, effective hand cleaning and sanitizing preparations, sanitary towel service or suitable drying devices, and, where appropriate, refuse receptacles constructed and maintained in a manner to prevent product contamination.  These facilities should also be equipped with water control valves so designed and constructed as to prevent recontamination of clean, sanitized hands.

b)         Readily understandable signs directing employees handling unprotected food, unprotected packaging materials, or food contact surfaces, to wash and sanitize their hands before starting work, after each absence from post of duty, and when their hands may have become soiled or contaminated shall be conspicuously posted in the processing room(s) and in all other areas where employees may handle such materials and surfaces.

c)         Management shall maintain sufficient control to ensure that employees handling unprotected food, unprotected packaging materials, or food contact surfaces wash and sanitize their hands before starting work, after each absence from post of duty, and when their hands may have become soiled or contaminated.