(1) Early learning providers must comply with the following handwashing procedures or those defined by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and children should strongly be encouraged to:
- (a) Wet hands with warm water;
- (b) Apply soap to the hands;
- (c) Rub hands together to wash for at least twenty seconds;
- (d) Thoroughly rinse hands with water;
- (e) Dry hands with a paper towel, single-use cloth towel, or air hand dryer;
- (f) Turn water faucet off using a paper towel or single-use cloth towel unless it turns off automatically; and
- (g) Properly discard paper single-use cloth towels after each use.
- (2) An early learning provider must wash and sanitize cloth towels after a single use. Soiled and used towels must be inaccessible to children.
- (3) To prevent children from being burned, air hand dryers must have a heat guard (barrier that prevents user from touching heating element) and turn off automatically.
(4) Early learning providers must wash their hands following the handwashing procedures listed above:
- (a) When arriving at work;
- (b) After toileting a child;
- (c) Before and after diapering a child (use a wet wipe in place of handwashing during the middle of diapering if needed);
- (d) After personal toileting;
- (e) After attending to an ill child;
- (f) Before and after preparing, serving, or eating food;
- (g) Before preparing bottles;
- (h) After handling raw or undercooked meat, poultry, or fish;
- (i) Before and after giving medication or applying topical ointment;
- (j) After handling or feeding animals, handling an animal's toys or equipment, or cleaning up after animals;
- (k) After handling bodily fluids;
- (l) After using tobacco or vapor products;
- (m) After being outdoors;
- (n) After gardening activities;
- (o) After handling garbage and garbage receptacles; and
- (p) As needed or required by the circumstances.
(5) Early learning providers must direct, assist, teach, and coach, children to wash their hands, using the steps listed above:
- (a) When arriving at the early learning premises;
- (b) After using the toilet;
- (c) After diapering;
- (d) After outdoor play;
- (e) After gardening activities;
- (f) After playing with animals;
- (g) After touching body fluids such as blood or after nose blowing or sneezing;
- (h) Before and after eating or participating in food activities including table setting; and
- (i) As needed or required by the circumstances.
(6) Hand sanitizers or hand wipes with alcohol may be used for adults and children over twenty-four months of age under the following conditions:
- (a) When proper handwashing facilities are not available; and
- (b) Hands are not visibly soiled or dirty.
(7) Children must be actively supervised when using hand sanitizers to avoid ingestion or contact with eyes, nose, or mouths.
- (a) Hand sanitizer must not be used in place of proper handwashing.
- (b) An alcohol-based hand sanitizer must contain sixty to ninety percent alcohol to be effective.
[WSR 18-15-001, recodified as § 110-300-0200, filed 7/5/18, effective 7/5/18. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.215.070, 43.215.201 and chapter 42.56 RCW. WSR 18-14-079, § 170-300-0200, filed 6/30/18, effective 8/1/19.]