FAQ - Can we force employees to wash their hands after using the washroom facilities?
Q. Â Is it an OSHA requirement for ALL employees to
wash their hands after bathroom use at work? Â
I know if you work in the food industry you must do this. Also is it required
to post a message to employees that they must wash their hands?
A. Â From what I
have found, there is no provision in the OSHA legislation that requires people
to wash their hands after using the bathroom. Â
The only mention of hand washing in the OSHA pertains to those working
in agriculture or doing field work or working with biological hazards (such as
doctors and nurses), who are required to wash their hands at specified times
and who are required to have hand washing facilities nearby. Â However, you should really contact OSHA to
get more detailed information about this. You can obtain their contact
information from the below listed URL:
http://www.osha-slc.gov/html/Feed_Back.html
You might
also want to have a look at the OSHA website to see if they have any additional
information that may help your situation.
Since
there doesn''t seem to be any legal provisions forcing people to wash their
hands after using the bathroom, you might want to try increasing awareness of
this problem in your organization. One option is to circulate a memo or
pamphlet stating the medical conditions that can be contracted or passed on by
not washing your hands after using the bathroom. Â In addition, you could also post notices in the bathrooms, much
like they may do in restaurants, instructing people how to "wash their
hands properly." To further encourage hand washing, you could also provide
hygiene products such as anti-bacterial soap, automated hand dryers, and the
like.
There is
really no way of forcing people to wash their hands after using the bathroom
nor can you accurately monitor if people are doing so. The best thing you could
probably do is tell your employees in a group meeting that there have been
concerns over the health, safety and hygiene of the group as a whole, partly
due to the fact that some employees have noticed that other individuals are not
washing their hands. This is not to say that you should attack hand washing
after using the bathroom as the main source of unsanitary conditions, but that
it is one of the main factors. Â Then, if
you inform them about the possible illnesses and infections, (etc) that can be
contracted and how quickly germs may spread, you will have at least raised
awareness and might even have made those people who know they are
"culprits" feel a bit more conscientious of their actions.