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SAFE FOOD FACT SHEET BUTTE-SILVER BOW HEALTH DEPARTMENT 25 West Front Street Butte, Montana 59701 Office Number: (406) 497-5020 Fax Number: (406) 497-5096 HANDWASHING One of the most important things you can do to prevent the spread of foodborne illness is to wash your hands. By frequently washing your hands, you wash away germs that you have picked up from other people or from contaminated surfaces, and you prevent the spread of disease. When should you wash your hands? • After using the restroom; • After touching bare human body parts other than clean hands, and clean exposed portions of the arms; • After caring for or handling support animals, or other animals in display cases; • After coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief, or disposable tissue; • Using tobacco, eating, or drinking; • After handling soiled equipment or utensils; • During food preparation, as often as necessary to remove soil and contamination and to prevent cross-contamination when changing tasks; • When switching between working with raw food and ready-to-eat food; and • After engaging in any other activity that can contaminate the hands, such as clearing tables, handling dirty dishes, taking out the trash, etc.