7420F - HAND WASHING PROTOCOL

Hand washing and personal hygiene are important measures for use to prevent illness and communicable diseases. Hand washing with soap and warm water for a minimum of twenty (20) seconds, paying close attention to the surfaces between the fingers and on the back of the hands, is best for removing dirt and germs.

Students and staff should wash their hands with soap and water in the following situations:

1. after using the restroom; 
2. before and after eating;
    
3. if hands are visibly soiled; 
4. upon encounter with chemicals or other items, such as soil, in a science lab, art room, career/tech facility or other activity that may soil hands; 
5. upon encounter with chemicals during cleaning processes; 
6. after cleaning animal habitats, and before and after handling animals; 
7. before and after food preparation activities in family science or other integrated class; 
8. after athletic practices and games;
9.  upon encounter with bodily fluids (e.g. blood, nasal discharge, mucous from coughing, etc.); 
10. after recess; 
11. after sneezing or coughing.

When soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly soiled waterless disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizer (that contains at least sixty percent (60%) alcohol can be used for staff and older children who can safely use hand sanitizer) may be used in place of hand washing, however, not all sanitizers are effective.

Proper education in hand washing and hand hygiene shall be provided and good hand washing habits shall be encouraged.

© Neola 2020