Part one in a series of Food Safety articles in support of Food Safety Month.

Addressing the importance of hand washing may seem like a no-brainer. Of course, you need to wash your hands while you’re preparing food. Unfortunately, some of the most obvious things can be the most overlooked and the easiest to shrug off. Handwashing is easy when you’re in the comforts of a restaurant or hotel with a nearby sink, but what do you do when you’re serving food elsewhere?

When you’re at an event…

Whether you’re catering an outdoor wedding or attending a food expo, you’re not likely to find a sink that’s conveniently near your work station. Providing a handwash station at off-site events shows customers and health inspectors food safety is of the utmost importance to your business. Cambro offers a handwash accessory to convert your Camtainer into a handwash station. Soap, paper towels and water are all kept in an organized and clean environment to help you and your employees throughout service.

When you’re serving food samples…

Food demonstrators are commonly seen at supermarkets and warehouse stores serving up samples of different foods to entice you to buy the whole package. Some people (certainly not us…) even plan their trip to Costco around when these prized samples are given out. In some states, like Washington, demonstrators are required by law to have accessible hand washing facilities within 25 feet of their table or booth. It is suggested by the Food and Drug Administration (and probably your local health department) that hand washing facilities be directly located at the table or booth.

“I think it’s a great idea for demonstrators out on the floor, easy to wash their hands. A lot of health inspectors are asking demonstrators to have [handwash systems] on the floor, nearby the work station. I deal with a lot of those in my business and I just think this is a great setup,” said Mike Sanchez with Costco Wholesale.

Again, this transparency eases the minds of consumers and health inspectors alike. Make sure your demonstrators are always prepared and compliant with proper hand washing stations.

When you’re at the Fair…

For visitors, the fair is an exciting place filled with food, games and rides. However, many food safety dangers can be found amongst all the fun. If you find yourself working the booth alone, your tasks will likely include both cooking and taking money from customers. Once you get a rush, it can be easy to forget to wash your hands between tasks. Keep your handwash system near the register for easy access after handling cash. When working in teams, designate one person to solely handle money to keep any accidental contamination from occurring.

Have electrical capabilities where you’re remotely serving? The CamKiosk® Hand Sink Cart is perfect for stadiums or events with a nearby power source. Filling its two 5-gallon fresh water tanks guarantees enough hot or cold water for up to 70 hand washings. The cart features double stainless-steel sinks, two 7.5 gallon waste water bins, a hand soap dispenser and a paper roll holder. Some might say this cart is better than the real thing!

Connect with your Cambro rep for this and many other food safety solutions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER AT CAMBRO.