R400.8251 Hand washing

Rule 251 (1) – (2)

1. All program staff and volunteers shall wash their hands at all of the following times:

1. On arrival for the workday at the center.
2. Before care of children.
3. Before and after preparing and serving food and feeding children.
4. Before and after giving medication.
5. After each diapering.
6. After using the toilet or helping a child use the toilet.
7. After handling bodily fluids from sneezing, wiping, blowing noses, mouths, or sores.
8. After handling animals and pets and cleaning cages.
9. After cleaning or handling garbage.
10. When soiled.

2. Program staff and volunteers shall ensure that children wash their hands at all of the following times:

1. Before and after meals, snacks, or food preparation experiences.
2. After toileting or diapering.
3. After contact with any bodily fluids.
4. After handling animals and pets and cleaning cages.
5. When soiled.

 

Rationale

Prevents contamination and the spread of disease.

Best Practice

Liquid soaps are preferred to bar soaps. Bar soaps can stay wet and sit in water. They can then grow bacteria. Soil stays on the soap bar when it is not rinsed properly, and the next user gets the soil on their hands.

If program staff, volunteers, or children use hand sanitizer after washing their hands, the following best practices are recommended:

• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing 60% to 95% alcohol.
• Monitor children using hand sanitizers to make sure they are using it right.
• Do not use hand sanitizers with children under the age of 2.
• Tell parents if hand sanitizer is used by children in care.

Rule 251 (3)

3. Guidelines for hand washing must be posted in food preparation areas, in toilet rooms, and by all hand washing sinks.

Rationale

Educates and reminds child care staff members and children of the proper techniques for hand washing.

Prevents contamination and the spread of disease.

Best Practice

• Have a clean, single service towel.
• Turn on the water to a comfortable temperature (between 60^o F to 120^o F).
• Wet hands with water and apply soap.
• Rub hands together for 20 seconds. Rub strongly and make a soapy lather.
• Rub between your fingers, around your nails, , under fingernails and jewelry, and the back of your hands.
• Rinse hands under running water until there is no more soap and dirt. Leave the water running while drying hands.
• Dry hands with a clean, single service towel (or other approved hand drying device).
• Turn off the water using the single service towel (If the faucet does not shut off automatically).
• Put the single service towel in a lined trash container.

Additional Hand Washing Information

• Using the single service towel to turn off the water keeps hands from being contaminated.
• Shared cloth towels can pass along diseases.
• Water faucets that turn off automatically or that can be turned off without using hands prevents recontamination.

Resources

• American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 4th ed. Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2019. Caring for Our Children.

Rule 251 (4)

4. Program staff may wash children’s hands with non-toxic disposable wipes in the following situations:

1. When the child is too heavy to hold for hand washing.
2. When the child cannot stand safely at the sink.
3. When the child is not developmentally ready to hold their head up.
4. When the child has a special need, so the child is not able to wash their own hands.

Rationale

To provide an alternate method for cleaning children’s hands when the above situations are present.

Best Practice

Rule 251 (5)

5. When soap and running water are not available during an outing, hand sanitizers containing not less than 60% alcohol, or single-use wipes may be used as a temporary measure.

Best Practice

Parents should be told if children use hand sanitizer.

Tell parents the brand and type of wipes used.