How Many Hand Wash Sinks Should a Commercial Kitchen Have?

Having a sink in establishments such as butcher shops, fish shops, industrial kitchens is mandatory by law. In addition, it must be operated by foot, elbow or knee, avoiding contact with the hands (to avoid cross contamination).

The characteristics that these hand washers must have are very varied depending on things such as the work that the users of the establishment do, necessary hygiene conditions, etc.

In general, a sink should be made of stainless steel and after washing your hands you should not touch what you have touched with dirty hands.

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How many sinks should a commercial kitchen have?

Among the different areas of your business, you will find the dirty area and the clean area. Generally, it is considered sufficient to have a general purpose washing sink to operate with the elbow, but when passing from one area to the other, it is necessary to place a wash hand to eliminate germs and bacteria.

There should be an industrial stainless steel hand washer with hot and cold water at the entrance or exit of each independent area of the kitchen, which is operated by hand (foot, elbow, knee). It is more like when you have a soap dish and paper to dry later. Sometimes it is even advisable to have a nail brush at hand.

knee sink

It is mandatory to have a handwashing sink in all cases, are there any exceptions?

Hand washing is mandatory by law in all establishments handling food, there are no exceptions to the requirement for sinks in commercial kitchens, all regulations require it, and neither should the replacement of the hand sink with the kitchen sink be considered, as they are elements for independent use.

Can you use the dishwashing sink to wash your hands?

You cannot wash your hands in a sink that is used for dishwashing, they are different processes, the dishwashing sink is an area where food waste is handled and you will always have to touch the faucet to turn on the water, it is not advisable or hygienic to use the dishwashing sink to wash your hands.

What is a substitute for proper hand washing?

There is no substitute for hand washing, even if you use gloves in the kitchen you still have to wash your hands. This is a question that abounds, perhaps people are looking for options to streamline costs and not buy several sinks, but with the global pandemic we are currently experiencing, it will be clear the extreme importance of hygiene, not only in kitchens, but in everyday life.

How much does a commercial sink cost?

A stainless steel sink could be a considerable investment in a commercial kitchen, but I was surprised to see on Amazon stainless steel sinks of acceptable quality from 100 to 135 USD, these sinks are wall-mounted and include the faucet, although ideally they should be hand-held.

What should you consider when choosing a sink for your kitchen?

The work to be done (depending on whether you work with grease or other things, choose cold water or two waters). To make it easier to remove the germs from the hands.

If you want it standing upright or on the wall, these are less resistant.

Of the dimensions that you have to locate it, being able to put from the smallest 40 x 40 cm to the largest.

Of the system you want to drive the water, here are several systems:

Electronic tap: when you bring your hands close to the tap, the running water is activated, and within seconds of separating your hands from the tap, the water stops automatically.

Foot-operated pedal: with this system, as soon as you take your foot off the pedal, the water stops flowing.

Lever operated with the knee, moving the rod with the leg or knee opens the tap.

By pressing a knee switch, the water flows for a certain time and then stops.

At the market you can find self-contained wash sinks, which need neither running water nor drainage nor electricity to function.

You just have to fill a tank with clean water and after using it, empty the used water tank.

These almost always have wheels to make them easier to transport, and are used in places such as consultations, special events, and places where it is difficult to carry running water or drainage.