Skills Hub
food-safety-hygiene
Handwashing
Always tested on the ServSafe
Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and running water.
About this skill
The single most effective food-safety practice. Wash hands before starting work, after raw meat handling, after using the restroom, after eating or smoking, after taking out trash, and after any contamination event.
9 total steps
5 critical steps
Time limit: 1 min
What graders are watching for
- 1Lather for at least 20 seconds
- 2Use a nail brush
- 3Use the paper towel to turn off the faucet
Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- !Lathering for fewer than 20 seconds
- !Not using the paper towel to shut off the faucet
- !Skipping the handwashing after raw meat
Practice this skill step-by-step
The static walkthrough above is the marketing overview. The full step-by-step interactive practice (with critical-step highlighting, per-step "why this matters" rationale, and what graders watch for on each individual step) is unlocked with a subscription.
Related food safety hygiene skills
Glove Use
Use single-use gloves correctly and change them at the required times.
Avoiding Bare-Hand Contact with Ready-to-Eat Foods
Use a barrier (gloves, tongs, deli paper) for all ready-to-eat food contact.
Exclusion and Restriction of Sick Employees
Exclude or restrict employees with vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat with fever.