by Summary of proposed hand hygiene solutions
The biennial meeting of The Conference For Food Protection (CFP) opens this week in Orlando. So many disparate views are represented within the ranks of the CFP but all share a single goal – to protect home and away-from-home public health. Breakdowns in hand hygiene systems remain perhaps the #1 unresolved food safety issue. It appears as a contributing factor in most all outbreak investigations.
Five years ago, as an extension of CDC’s famous quote, Handwashing is the single-most important means of preventing the spread of infection, Handwashing For Life reviewed outbreak documents and interviewed many food safety professionals. We came to the conclusion that Handwashing is the #1 cited contributing factor in foodborne outbreaks. No one has challenged this view. This is the background to our series of seven CFP hand hygiene related issues discussed over the past seven weeks as part of the “The Issue Incubator” series. Our pre-CFP review on this website seeks to stimulate collaborative solutions from open-minded well-informed leaders. For those who have been following these weekly postings, we have added a new video demonstration for issue III-020.
We also added a link for a demonstration of issue III-017. Please excuse brand names. No one sells SaniTwice. It is a PROTOCOL, not a product. It works with all sanitizers, paper towels and gloves:
- Double Barrier Gloving
- SaniTwice® Protocol
Handwashing For Life expects all CFP attendees to collaborate in enhancing the Model Food Code as a base on which operators build enduring risk-based solutions. Please look up our Executive Director, Jim Mann, at the CFP to add your perspective to these proposed advances.
Council I: Issue I
033 Expansion of Scheduled Inspections
Let’s not go on wasting the valuable time of 30,000 inspectors. We can also open the door to recruiting food safety coaches with less emphasis on enforcement.
Council III: Issues III
012 Establish a Standard for Handwashing Effectiveness
It’s in the Appendix. It is time to move it into the Code.
013 Hand Hygiene Definitions
Definitions help establish research and facilitate the process of innovation.
015 Lower Handwash Water Temperature Minimum
Maximize handwashing frequency by saving time. Focus inspectors on priority issues. Save water.
016 Hand Drying with Disposable Paper Toweling
Complete hand cleaning with the friction factor of single-use toweling.
017 Hand Cleanse-Sanitize Protocol Not Requiring Running Water
Temporary venues do not have to compromise on hand hygiene. This protocol also facilitates glove changes at catered events.
020 Double Barrier Gloving Exception
“Shake-off” mitts (worn over an under-glove) are now available and in use to facilitate this process innovation.
