Lunch rooms, break rooms, and rest rooms must be separate from laboratory areas. Laboratory personnel should remove all PPE before exiting the laboratory and should wash their hands before entering other areas.
Keeping hands clean through improved hand hygiene is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 70% alcohol to clean hands. Wash your hands for at least 15 seconds.
When should you wash your hands?
Hand washing is a primary safeguard against inadvertent exposure to toxic chemicals or biological agents.
- Always wash hands before leaving the laboratory, even though gloves have been used.
- Wash hands after removing soiled protective clothing, before leaving the laboratory, and before eating, drinking, smoking, or using a rest room.
- Wash hands periodically during the day at intervals dictated by the nature of work.
- Wash with soap and running water, with hands held downward to flush the contamination off the hands. Turn the tap off with a clean paper towel to prevent re-contamination, and dry your hands with clean towels.