Is A Separate Hand Washing Sink Required? – All You Should Know

“Is a separate hand washing sink required?” is now a frequently asked question these days.

With all that has been happening in the world over the past few years, who can truly blame anyone for wanting to be safe? 

We all know the importance of regularly washing our hands and how it keeps germs away and helps us prevent a lot of diseases.

This is why we should have a hand-washing sink designed for just that.

So in answer to the question above, a separate hand-washing sink is required in some situations. And especially with all that is going on these days, I know you agree with me too.

Is A Separate Hand Washing Sink Required, And Why?

Washing hands regularly is a good practice. And thanks to COVID, we understand the importance and no longer have a problem doing that anymore. 

To be able to wash our hands regularly, we need a hand-washing sink specifically dedicated to this purpose. 

As I said earlier, a separate hand-washing sink is required in some but not all situations.

Here are some of those instances where a separate hand-washing sink is required.

Example #1: At Work

All employees should have unlimited access to hand-washing sinks at their workplace.

This is essential, especially in jobs that involve overexposure, like in the hospital, schools, malls, and the like. 

This means there should be more than enough hand-washing sinks situated at every corner of your workplace.

Note: We have to keep a healthy and sanitary environment, especially when we work.

Example #2: Public Places 

Amusement parks, zoos, supermarkets, and stores are all examples of places that are always packed with people, old and young.

In places like that, it is important to have places where they can clean their hands without having to go too far. 

This is why it is important to have a hand-washing sink in places like that. 

Tip: Providing sinks for washing hands all around will help parents prevent their children from carelessly putting dirty hands in their mouths.

Example #3: Schools

A school is one of those places that need hand washing sinks at almost every corner because of the number of students that go in and out daily.

So there should be one stationed everywhere in the school so the students would remember to wash their hands as often as possible.

Example #4: Restaurants 

It is also important to have a handwashing sink in restaurants, not just for hygienic purposes.

There are some meals that require you to use your hands to enjoy them fully. In a case like that, a hand sanitizer won’t be enough. 

You would need to have a place to wash your hand, which would be in the bathroom.

Also, due to the cooking, eating, and relating to lots of customers, a hand washing sink is required to be in the restaurant.

Example #5: At Home

Since the outbreak of coronavirus a while back, I’ve been obsessed with having as many cleaning stations in my house as possible. 

In the garage, kitchen, at the entrance, you name it, it’s all there. You don’t have to go all the way to your kitchen or bathroom before you can wash your hands.

Note: It is important to have a hand washing sink in your house asides from the normal kitchen sink most people would normally use.

Example #6: Hospitals 

The hospital is more or less a battleground for humans and pathogens. Hence, no matter how clean and sterilized they keep it, there would still be germs. 

After visiting a sick loved one or whatever it is you want to do in a hospital, it is normal to want to disinfect your hands.

This is why we need not only hand sanitizing stations but also hand washing sinks.

Note: Hospitals mandatory need hand-washing sinks

Where Exactly Should You Place A Hand Washing Sink?

Now that we know the situations where having a separate hand washing sink is required, we can now move on with the other parts of the article.  

The position of the hand-washing sink is really important. This is so because the placement goes a long way in protecting us from a disease-causing organism.

Location #1: At The Entrance 

The most ideal place to place any hand-washing sink is at the entrance of a place, you can never go wrong with that. 

When we leave our house, we are faced with a lot of germs due to exposure. And this is why you have to place your washing hand base at entrances. 

It could be at the entrance of places that are frequented, like your house, schools, restaurants, gyms, and the like.

That way, the germs you might have caught by touching some surfaces will be eliminated before having the chance to spread further.

Tip: It doesn't necessarily have to be a washing hand base, it could be a hand sanitizer station.

Location #2: Inside And Outside The Toilet

I don’t think we even need to talk about why a hand-washing sink should be needed in the toilet.

On the other hand, we need to talk about why it should be outside. 

There are some places like a bar or a club, for example, where you need to just simply wash your hands, but there’s a long queue for the restroom.

In cases like that, having a hand washing sink outside would come in handy for a lot of people.

Location #3: Outside The Kitchen 

Our foods are always at risk of being contaminated from being exposed to air alone and that doesn’t include touching.

It is really easy to get germs on our hands compared to any other part of our body.

And because of that, it is really important to have washed before and after touching food.

It is especially important if the kitchen is in a restaurant because of the number of customers you deal with. 

So there should be a place in the kitchen specifically for cleaning your hands and a place outside for those who want to come in.

With all that has been said, one can help but ask the question: is a separate handwashing sink required for food handlers?

The answer is yes, a separate hand-washing sink is required for food handlers specifically. 

As I said earlier on in this article, food is one of the things that are easily contaminated, which means one has to be very careful when handling it.

And that includes washing your hands properly even before entering the kitchen.

Location #4: Inside The Kitchen 

Some food though exceptionally delicious, can leave a particular odor on your hands, especially if you don’t make use of a glove. 

Thankfully, there’s a stainless steel soap bar that gets rid of those odors.

But one would need a proper hand-washing sink to make use of it or any other soap for that matter.

Don’t be afraid to have as many hand-washing sinks installed in your house or kitchen. And make sure to put enough soap and sanitizer there. 

I know some might think it is entirely unnecessary. But if there’s one thing we’ve all learned, it is that anything involving sanitation is totally necessary.

The one thing I haven’t mentioned so far is that it is wrong to wash your hands at other specifically designated sinks. 

This could include your dishwashing sink or your cooking sink and the like. It is totally against the health codes, which is why you have to get a sink specifically for washing your hands.

Conclusion

I remember dropping my cousin off at school after the lockdown and there were hand-washing sinks and sanitizer stations everywhere.

We never truly got the importance of washing our hands regularly until covid hit us. 

So is a separate hand washing sink required? Yes, my dear reader, it is required as it is important for our safety and that of our loved ones.

We have finally gotten to the end of this article and I hope it has been helpful. Thank you very much for your time and patience. Stay safe!

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