The effectiveness of different wash basins in reducing the microbial load on the hands of food handlers

In Victoria, hands free wash hand basins in food preparation areas were a regulatory requirement introduced under the 1984 Health (Eating House and Food Premises) Regulations. The food safety standards introduced in January 2001 replace existing state, territory and local government food hygiene regulations and the provision of a hands free wash hand basin is no longer prescribed (Australia and New Zealand Food Authority 2001). The aim of the pilot study was to investigate the hypothesis that there is no difference between the effectiveness of hands free wash hand basins and manual tap operated basins in reducing microbial flora on hands. Thirteen premises with manual hand basins and a comparison random sample of 19 premises with hands free basins were selected from the City of Yarra in Melbourne, Australia. Data collection involved an Environmental Health Officer visiting the premises, conducting a survey and swabbing the food handler’s hands prior to and post washing. The impact of variables, including the temperature of water supplied to the wash hand basin, number of food handling employees, types of food handled, time the sample was taken and approximate number of meals sold per hour, were also investigated. The results indicated that the mean percentage reduction in the number of colonies compared for the manual and hands free hand basins showed no significant difference (Manual mean = 58%, Hands free mean = 79%, p = 0.163). Overall, there was large variability in pre and post microbial counts for both basins and considerable variability in the temperature of water to wash hand basins. No clear association, however, was found between the number of employees, temperature of wash hand basin, meals served or use of either facility, with the percentage reduction in the microbial load. The pilot study has indicated that there is no difference between the use of either a manual or hands free wash hand basin for a small group of food retailers. Consideration should be given to a range of factors which might have impacted on this study, including frequency of hand washing, types of foods handled, length of mechanical wash, and number of manual wash hand basins available for the study. Education regarding the need to maintain the temperature of the wash hand basin water between 22-40°C should also be investigated among food retailers as well as strategies for the correct washing of hands.