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Massachusetts has extensive handwashing sink regulations, most of which are overseen by one government agency, the Department of Public Health. These regulations define which businesses must have a handwashing sink and what the sink must provide. But even businesses the Department doesn’t oversee have handwashing sink regulations they must follow that are overseen by other government agencies.
A majority of businesses are subject to the handwashing sink regulations outlined in the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR), specifically under 105 CMR. It’s a compilation of regulations overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and outlines the minimum sanitation standards these businesses must meet. The standards apply to an array of industries, including:
Because 105 CMR sets the minimum standards, local governments can adopt and enforce higher standards than what DPH looks for.
Retail food establishments, like restaurants, are subject to handwashing sink regulations. At a minimum, all retail food establishments must have:
Though commercial food kitchens also prepare food, their handwashing sinks are not required to meet the minimum heat standards for hot water that a retail food establishment does. However, these handwashing sinks cannot have water hotter than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Massachusetts defines mobile food establishments (MFE) as any “movable, motor driven or propelled vehicle, portable structure, or watercraft” that can change locations. All MFEs are subject to handwashing sink regulations under 105 CMR but must meet different sink regulations.
All MFEs must have access to a handwashing facility during food preparation and along travel routes. When vendors are handling exposed foods, there must be a handwashing sink within 25 feet of the MFE. If handwashing sinks aren’t available and food exposure is limited, you can substitute chemically treated towelettes to clean hands. However, this substitution is subject to local approval.
Vendors who sell food items at farmer’s markets are required to have a handwashing sink unless they sell commercially prepackaged foods that are in the original container. They can use chemically treated towelettes provided there are no hand washing sinks and local authorities approve, but only if the vendor:
If a vendor is required to have a hand washing sink, employees must have easy access to at least one. This includes all employees who handle, prep, or cook the food or are responsible for reheating or cooling it.
The hand washing sink must have a hand cleaner, single-use disposable towels, a trash bin, and signs reminding employees to wash their hands after using the toilet and before returning to work. The sink must provide potable water that’s heated to at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit through a mixing valve or combination faucet.
Cottage food establishments and non-exempted bed and breakfasts (B and B’s with fewer than three guest rooms) are required to have at least two handwashing sinks.
The kitchen sink can be used for handwashing. If it is, there must be a soap dispenser and paper towels. It can also be used to prepare food and wash soiled utensils if it’s cleaned and sanitized before and between hand washes.
However, the kitchen sink cannot be used for hand washing after using the toilet. Therefore, these businesses must also have a handwashing sink in the bathroom.
Body art facilities must provide hand washing sinks for all artists. Each artist must have their own hand washing sink that isn’t in the bathroom and:
While not required, the guidelines state that it’s preferable to provide hand washing sinks that are operated by the wrist or foot.
Daycare facilities also have hand washing sink regulations in Massachusetts, but they fall under 606 CMR and are overseen by the Department of Early Education and Care. Facilities licensed after January 22, 2010, must have handwashing sinks no more than one floor away from the program space and have to provide one sink for every 20 children.
If children have to use adult sinks, meaning sinks that aren’t mounted at child height, the daycare center must provide a safe way for children to get to the sink (like a stepstool). Handwashing sinks must provide hot water that’s no hotter than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Daycare centers are allowed to use portable sinks, provided they meet the sink requirements outlined in the Code and are approved by the Board of Health.
Interestingly, recreational camps for children are subject to 105 CMR guidelines for handwashing sinks, not 606 CMR.
Day camps must provide at least one handwashing sink for every 30 people at the camp, while residential camps must provide one sink for every 10 people. Campers with special needs must have easy access to at least one handwashing sink wherever they are.
Every handwashing sink must provide pressurized hot water that’s between 110 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit. They must also have an adequate supply of soap and either disposable towels or hand drying devices. If the camp uses paper towels, there must also be a wastebasket with a cover.
In locations where additional toilets are available but there isn’t plumbing, camps can use hand sanitizer as an alternative to hand washing with soap and water.
Massachusetts’s extensive and detailed hand washing sink regulations ensure every business understands the minimum requirements that help keep staff and patrons safe. Recognizing that traditional plumbing doesn’t work in every situation or for every business, Massachusetts allows portable sinks to meet these guidelines.
Ozark River Manufacturing has portable sinks that can help you provide the handwashing sinks you need for your business. Our sinks have pressurized hot water, can be child-height, and can include fixed paper towel dispensers and are perfect for:
Contact us today to see what Ozark River Manufacturing’s portable sinks can do for your business.
Ozark River Manufacturing designs and delivers top-quality, NSF-certified portable sinks. Since 2006, our inventive and bold team has ensured health compliance with quick-connect tanks and instant hot water. With over 55 models, we provide solutions for every need, backed by exceptional customer support and timely delivery. Healthy people matter, and we make a positive impact every day.
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