Last month, I left you at the hand sink with some good soapy lather, warm running water, a nail brush at the ready, and some discussion on how to best remove the transient pathogenic bacteria and viruses from your hands that may cause foodborne illness.

Head over to one of your handwashing stations, maybe one by the main kitchen entrance. Lok at the area, and, assuming you are in operation, see if the station is stocked appropriately, the basin is wet, and there are used disposable paper towels in the trash can. We’re looking for signs of activity.

If your operation has embraced the use of nail brushes, see if the brush is wet. If it is, that is a good sign. If not, that may be sending another message. Certainly, if you touch the brush, now it is time to wash your hands as well (see the question of the month for data related to nailbrush use). Modeling the correct and desired behavior for your staff is one of the most important activities for any manager.

Again, assuming you are in operation and the main hand sink is dry, what does that say to you? Maybe all the personnel used another sink. Possibly there was no need to wash their hands yet (a very low probability of this being the case). Both of these explanations are hard for me to feel comfortable with. If you think the sink should have been used by now, the next question is: why has it not been used and, by extension, what are the barriers to handwashing in your operation?

Is It a Training Issue?
Over the years, as I’ve shared my thoughts with you, I’ve stressed the need for, and importance of, training and coaching. There is probably no topic more important to cover early in an employee’s orientation and training than handwashing basics. Should an employee be allowed to handle food and prepare beverages before they understand why, how, where, and how often to wash their hands?

Is It a Motivational Issue?
Assuming training was done appropriately, your personnel have been allowed to practice the techniques with supervision, and they have demonstrated the appropriate technique. Failure to wash their hands is now a motivational issue. Motivation is a tricky area in any operation. What will motivate your staff to wash their hands? What are potential disincentives to hand washing?

On the motivation side, leading by example is critical. All supervisory staff must practice appropriatehandwashing techniques and follow your operation’s established policies, all the time, each day, and every day. Handwashing must be an integral part of practice, not just when time permits. Positive reinforcement is needed. See a good practice, acknowledge it. Praise early and often.

Another possible reason for lack of handwashing is improper use of disposable gloves (vinyl, latex, polyethylene, etc.). Common sense tells us if your hands feel dirty, you tend to try and clean them off. Proper training shows the worker the actions/activities that must be followed by proper handwashing, even if the hands do not feel dirty.

Gloves are, by design, a barrier between a worker’s hands and the product they are handling or the process they are conducting, just as a utensil or delipaper are. Gloves do not prevent cross-contamination. So, what is getting protected and what is not? We know gloves harbor and transfer transient pathogens on their surface, just as your hands can. We know gloves can leak, allowing pathogens to enter and exit the glove’s warm-and-friendly interior environment. That interior environment is warm (in or near the “danger zone”), moist, and a breeding ground for bacteria, especially if the worker has not properly washed his hands between glove changes.

Handwashing also removes the normal bacteria on your skin that effectively competes with transient pathogens. That moist environment is potentially irritating the skin, especially if the worker is required or elects to wear gloves for extended periods of time. Hands must be thoroughly dried before donning another pair of gloves. Allergies to latex or latex byproducts that have adhered to the powder in the gloves cause skin irritations. Most of us will not wash irritated skin as often. Include in your training some tips on maintaining appropriate skin condition.

We know gloved hands should not be washed. (Remember, they are disposable gloves.) Gloves must be changed often, just as hands must be washed often and after predetermined activities. If the gloves are not disposable, say pot and pan gloves, I suggest issuing gloves to individuals and not sharing them. Multiple pairs should be available to allow for maintaining a dry interior area. Wash, sanitize, and air dry as needed.

If hand sanitizers are available, a false sense of security is created, just as with gloves. Hand sanitizers may dry the skin and cause irritation. Hand sanitizers are not formulated to clean hands and do not sanitize in the presence of organic matter.

Select them carefully. Training and proper reinforcement are required to assure proper use.

Let’s consider an employee’s failure to properly and appropriately wash their hands given this basic equation: Performance = Ability x Motivation. This assumes you consistently have available the needed facilities, tools, and supplies.

If an employee knows how to but will not consistently follow established policies and guidelines, even after coaching (motivation), you must make some hard decisions. The health of your customers, reputation, and operation’s future depend on it. Should this employee be allowed to continue to handle, prepare, and/or serve food and beverage to your customers?

Keep those hands washed and those gloves changed.

Norm Faiola, Ph.D., is associate dean and associate professor, Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management, Syracuse University. Email Dr. Faiola with questions or comments: nafaiola@syr.edu.