4.3.2.1 - Placement of Hand Washing Stations
Hello everyone,
My question concerns the placement of handwashing stations for SQF level 2 certification for per food.
I know the code reads (4.3.2.1) "adjacent to all personnel access points and accessible locations throughout" but what does adjacent mean?
Can the sink be 5 feet away, 40 feet away, in the midpoint of 2 access doors?
I am installing a new sink but the drain is not immediately outside the access door, maybe 40 feet away. Breaking concrete for a new drain is not an optaion right now.
Any input is welcome.
Thanks!
Sharon
This is a subject of great debate. This goes to what you can argue if challenged by an auditor and what they observe.
If the sink is far away and you don't want to install another one (far being not next to the door), you can use signage to direct them to the faucet. You can use a rope way to do it as well. If it's within eyeshot of the door and your employees walk straight to it every time they walk in and the auditor sees they are well trained little mice then they may overlook a distance issue.
:oops2:
btw :Welcome: to IFSQN!!!! :doctor:
First :welcome: .
Without "seeing" how the area is laid out it can be hard to give you good advice, however what Mr. Incognito said is correct there is a great deal of debate as to what a suitable distance is. It may very well be based on the layout of your facility the distance is not an issue. I would agree with his advice.
adjacent
adjective /əˈdʒeɪ.sənt/ formalC2 very near, next to, or touching:
They work in adjacent buildings.
They lived in a house adjacent to the railway.
Here is some additional language in an SQF guidance document 11.3.2.3
The following additional facilities shall be provided in high risk areas: hands-free operated taps, hand sanitizers "
(m) No hands free taps used at hand wash stations in high risk areas
(m) No hand sanitizer used at hand wash stations in high risk areas"
A sign instructing people to wash their hands, and in appropriate languages, shall be provided in a prominent position. "
(m) No signage available for personnel to wash their hands
(m) Signage for hand washing is not located in prominent position"
Personnel shall have clean hands and hands shall be washed by all personnel, including staff, contractors and visitors on entering food handling or processing areas, after each visit to a toilet, after using a handkerchief, after smoking, eating or drinking, after handling wash down hoses, dropped product or contaminated material. "
(M) Personnel observed in food handling area with dirty hands
(M) Personnel observed not washing hands upon entering processing area
(M) Personnel observed not washing hands upon leaving restroom
(M) Personnel observed not washing hands after handling hoses or trash
(M) Personnel observed not washing hands after eating, drinking, or smoking"
When gloves are used, personnel shall maintain the hand washing practices outlined above. "
(m) Personnel seen using gloves instead of following hand washing requirements
(m) Facility policy on gloves does not require proper hand washing protocols"
I am going to guess they MAY be sticklers for adjacent.
I know the code reads (4.3.2.1) "adjacent to all personnel access points and accessible locations throughout" but what does adjacent mean?
Can the sink be 5 feet away, 40 feet away, in the midpoint of 2 access doors?
As others have indicated above
IMEX the best description of 'adjacent ' in this case is 'close enough to make the auditor believe it is a workable solution' !
Mike
FDA says "Easily accessible", whatever that means. Local county health departments sometimes define distances in building codes - 25 ft, 24ft, "within the room" - for resturants etc
http://www.maricopa....ablishments.pdf
Kind of difficult to find and they seem to be different departments for each county - sometimes building codes, sometimes health department, sometimes environmental department. Never strictly for food manufacturing, more for food service, but 25 ft seems to be a pretty standard guideline for those serving food.