Alabama Handwashing Sink Regulations

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) oversees all public health-related functions in the state, including handwashing sink regulations. Interestingly, sanitation rules are set by the Division of Food, Milk and Lodging (FML) and apply to a diverse array of industries, including:

• Restaurants
• Grocery stores
• Food manufacturing plants
• Tattoo and body art facilities
• Hotels
• Prisons and jails
• Summer camps
• Crab and shellfish processors

While most of these sectors must comply with the same set of handwashing sink regulations, some have specific rules they must meet.

Handwashing Sink Regulations for all Alabama Food Establishments

Handwashing sink regulations in Alabama are outlined in Chapter 420-3-22 of the Alabama Administrative Code. These regulations are based on the 2013 version of the FDA Food Code and apply to all food establishments.

The general rules are that handwashing sinks must:

• Be exclusively for hands
• Provide water that’s at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit through a mixing valve or combination faucet
• Run for at least 15 seconds if the water comes through an automatic faucet
• Have powder, liquid, or bar soap
• Provide single-use paper towels, an air dryer or air knife system, or a continuous towel to dry hands
• Have a waste basket for paper towels at every single sink or group of two sinks
• Be at or near the food preparation, food dispensing, dishwashing, and bathroom areas
• Have appropriate signage reminding employees to wash their hands before returning to work

While every food establishment must have a handwashing sink that meets these minimums, some food service establishments have additional or distinct regulations they must comply with.

Specific Handwashing Sink Regulations for Mobile Food Units in Alabama

Alabama mobile food units, which include any mobile food establishment (like a food truck), unit, or pushcart, must have a “handwashing facility” on the said mobile food unit. The facility must include a handwashing sink with:

• A soap dispenser
• A towel dispenser
• Hot and cold water that comes through a mixing valve
• The ability to heat handwashing water to 100 degrees Fahrenheit
• A waste water tank that’s 15% larger than the clean water tank

Additionally, the fresh and waste water tanks must be secure, meaning they won’t tip over during transport. And all mobile food units must have a commissary or other “home base” where the operator can fill the fresh water tanks and empty the waste water tanks.

Alabama Handwashing Sink Regulations for Concession Stands

Handwashing sink regulations for concession stands in Alabama also have a slight variation from the standard rules. At a minimum, the handwashing sink must provide:

• Warm running water
• Soap
• Paper towels
• A waste water basin or bucket

In some cases, a gravity-fed system is an acceptable handwashing sink facility. However, there are exceptions to the exceptions. For example, Alabama’s rules specifically state that while using a jug or tea urn to dispense warm water is acceptable, these vessels can’t be operated by a push button to dispense the warm water.

Specific Handwashing Sink Regulations for Alabama Dairy Plants

Dairy plants are another food establishment with distinct exceptions to the general handwashing sink regulations in Alabama, and those exceptions apply differently to different types of dairy plants.

Dairy plants that handle milk, frozen desserts, and other dairy products must provide handwashing facilities in the bathroom, receiving rooms, or truck unloading areas. These handwashing sinks must have:

• Hot, cold, and warm running water
• Soap
• Individual towels or an approved hand drying device; continuous towels are not allowed

Dairy plants that produce milk must have dedicated handwashing sinks in the milkhouse or milking barns with:

• Soap
• Hot and cold running water
• Individual paper towels

Alabama Handwashing Sink Regulations for Crab Processors

The Crab Sanitation Program is also overseen by the ADPH, which has rules for handwashing sinks in these facilities. The only guidelines, though, are that handwashing sinks must have pressurized hot and cold water and provide soap.

Handwashing Sink Regulations for Alabama Body Art Shops

While tattoo and body art shops are not a food establishment, the ADPH is responsible for ensuring tattoo shops maintain high levels of sanitation and safety, which includes handwashing sinks. All body art facilities in Alabama must have at least one dedicated handwashing sink for every three operators or work areas with:

• Pressurized hot and cold running water that comes through a mixing valve without an aerator
• While not required, faucets should have wrist or foot-operated controls
• Liquid soap in a disposable container
• Disposable paper towels

Alabama Handwashing Sink Regulations for Alabama Daycare Facilities

Daycare centers in Alabama are overseen by the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR), Child Care Services Division. The handwashing sink guidelines apply to licensed and approved facilities. Those include:

• Supplying one handwashing sink for every 15 children with warm running water, soap, and single-use paper or cloth towels
• Providing at least one handwashing sink in the diaper area
• Bathroom sinks must be child height or easy to get to with a platform
• The water can’t be hotter than 120 degrees Fahrenheit 

Ozark River Manufacturing Portable Sink Solutions

While Alabama doesn’t have different handwashing sink regulations for most industries, there are exceptions for some, and these exceptions can mean the difference between passing and failing an inspection. That’s where an Ozark River Manufacturing portable sink can help.

Our sinks arrive fully assembled and ready to go right out of the box. They include an attached heating element, secure fresh and waste water tanks, and built-in soap dispensers, making access to safe, clean handwashing easy. Ozark River Manufacturing’s portable sinks are the perfect solution for:

Contact us today and learn how our portable sink solutions can help your business thrive, or browse our full line of portable sinks and accessories.