Hand Washing Sink Regulations – North Carolina

Like many states, North Carolina regulates hand washing sinks to ensure the population stays healthy and safe. Interestingly, one department sets the rules for nearly every business in North Carolina, while inspection and enforcement are handled by local officials.

Who Oversees Hand Washing Sink Regulations in North Carolina

North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for developing hand washing sink regulations and reviewing agency inspection plans through the Food Protection Program. However, local county health departments carry out the inspections and code enforcement.

While the North Carolina Food Code Manual governs most businesses, some are subject to different standards. However, many of those standards are based on the Food Code Manual, and the local health department also inspects these businesses. 

Regulations for Food Establishments

Most food service establishments are subject to the North Carolina Food Code Manual rules for hand washing sinks. This includes restaurants and commercial kitchens, as well as hospitals and prisons.

Food service employees are required to wash their hands using proper hand washing techniques:

• After touching bare human body parts that aren’t someone else’s clean hands and arms.
• After using the bathroom
• After coughing, sneezing, blowing their nose, smoking, eating, or drinking.
• After handling dirty equipment or utensils
• When switching between working with raw and prepared food.
• As often as necessary to prevent cross-contamination.
• Before putting disposable gloves on.

The Food Code also states that food service workers must wear gloves when serving ready-to-eat foods. However, businesses can have this requirement waived if there is an easily accessible hand washing station near the food serving station to enable staff to wash and dry their hands just before working with the food.

The Food Code Manual also details what a hand washing sink should provide. In addition to it being a sink that’s used only to wash hands in, the hand washing sink should:

• Dispense water that’s at least 38 degrees Celsius or 100 degrees Fahrenheit through a mixing valve or combination faucet.
• Hand washing sinks with automatic faucets must dispense water for at least 15 seconds.
• The business has to provide at least one hand washing sink in the food prep area, one in the food dispensing area, and one in the ware washing area, as well as at least one hand washing sink in or right next to the bathroom.
• All employee hand washing sinks must be easily accessible to staff.
• Each hand washing sink or group of two hand washing sinks must provide soap (in liquid, powder, or bar form).
• Each hand washing sink must include a way to dry hands. That can be single-use paper towels, an air dryer, a continuous towel system, or a jet air dryer. If you provide paper towels, you must also provide a waste basket.
• Every hand washing sink must have visible signs that remind staff to wash hands before returning to work.

Regulations for Food Trucks and Mobile Food Units

Food trucks and other mobile food units in North Carolina are subject to a specific set of hand washing sink regulations.

Every food truck or mobile food unit must have a pressurized potable water system that dispenses hot and cold water for handwashing. The sink must provide water through a combination faucet, soap, and single-use towels.

Regulations for Childcare Centers

Though North Carolina childcare centers are overseen and licensed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education, local health departments are responsible for inspecting facilities for proper hand washing sinks.

Staff are required to wash their hands:

• When arriving for work
• Before feeding, handling, or serving food
• Before using utensils
• After using the bathroom
• After handling bodily fluids
• After changing a diaper
• After being outside
• After handling animals or their cages
• After removing disposable gloves

Children must wash their hands:

• On arrival at the facility
• After using the toilet or having their diaper changed
• Before and after eating
• Before and after water play
• After being outdoors
• After touching animals

As a rule, staff and children cannot use hand sanitizer in lieu of washing their hands. The one notable exception to this rule is when staff and children are outside. It’s acceptable to use hand sanitizer to quickly clean hands when everyone is outside, provided they wash their hands as soon as they come inside.

Childcare facilities are also required to provide a separate hand washing sink in the food prep and kitchen areas. And all sinks in children’s bathrooms must be installed at child height.

Regulations for Tattoo Shops

Tattoo and body art shops are subject to a distinct set of hand washing sink regulations.

Every shop must provide at least one hand washing sink for every five artists. However, this sink can be used to wash hands and utensils. The hand washing sink must be for artists only, provide pressurized hot and cold running water, and artists must be able to get to and from the sink without touching anything.

Regulations for Home-Based Food Processors

North Carolina allows people to prepare food in their home kitchens to sell to others. However, you must be licensed to do that, and that requires an inspection and compliance with hand washing sink regulations.

Home-based food processors can’t use their kitchen sink for hand washing. They must have a dedicated hand washing sink in the kitchen, or they can use the bathroom sink. That hand washing sink must be easily accessible from the kitchen and provide adequate hot and cold running water.

Help Your Business Comply

No matter what kind of North Carolina business you’re running, there’s a good chance you need a proper hand washing sink to pass inspection. And when adding a plumbed sink is out of your budget, a portable sink can help your business comply with hand washing sink regulations.

Ozark River Manufacturing portable sinks have hot and cold running water, a place for towels and soap, and are perfect for:

• Bars
• Beauty, Day Spas, & Wellness
• Commercial
• Construction & Job Sites
• Daycare
• Classrooms
• Events, Concerts, & Weddings
• Farms & Barns
• Restaurants & Food Service
• Garages & Workshops
• Healthcare & Clinics
• Patio & Home Use
• Retail Stores
• Science Labs
• Tattoo Shops

Contact us today to see what Ozark Manufacturing’s portable sinks can do for your business.