When should a food worker double wash their hands?

Double washing hands is essential in ensuring food safety and preventing the spread of pathogens. The correct situation for a food worker to double wash their hands is after using the toilet and after blowing their nose. This is because these activities are critical points where harmful bacteria or viruses can be transferred to the hands.

Using the toilet can introduce various pathogens from bodily waste, making proper handwashing crucial to prevent foodborne illnesses when handling food afterward. Similarly, blowing the nose can also transfer germs from respiratory secretions. The process of double washing—washing hands twice—ensures that any contaminants are thoroughly removed, providing an added safety measure for both the food worker and consumers.

While it is also important for food workers to wash their hands before preparing food and after eating, these actions do not emphasize the need for double washing as strongly as the situations involving potential contamination from bodily functions. Although a food worker should wash their hands whenever they feel they are dirty, this is more of a general guideline than a specific protocol that requires double washing.