During the week of May 5th, people around the world come together to recognize the importance of clean hygiene and sanitation.
As a portable sanitation company based in Dallas, Texas, we understand how essential proper hygiene is for public health, safety, and comfort. Learn more about World Hand Hygiene Day and discover best practices for maintaining clean, sanitary environments at events, job sites, and public spaces.
What Is World Hand Hygiene Day?
Each year from May 5th to May 9th, there is a global celebration to raise awareness for hand hygiene. World Hand Hygiene Day teaches everyone how hand cleaning can prevent infections.
Billions of people strive to improve sanitation by following handwashing best practices and supplying clean stations to everyone. Keeping clean is everyone’s responsibility, even outside of health care facilities.
Why Is Hand Hygiene So Important For My Event or Job Site?
Imagine how many people touch the door to a bathroom on your job site or event venue. A hundred? A thousand? Now think about how many individuals are touching that same door while you are touching it.
Our hands spread bacteria everywhere we touch. Once someone drops bacteria onto a surface, or their mouth/open wound, it can drastically spread to others. Construction job sites and events typically spend time outdoors where there is no plumbing. That is why making sure you have proper sanitation when hosting is vital.
Having enough toilets and handwashing stations is huge when thinking about guest or employee satisfaction. If someone visits your BBQ cook-off in Bastrop or rock concert in Lubbock and they cannot locate a hand washing station prior to eating, they are more likely to get ill from the food they consume.
Not only do guests leave with a negative review in their mind, but businesses can be fined for not following proper sanitation rules. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has numerous rules and regulations when running an event or business with wastewater and trash management.
Supplying your crew or guests with proper sanitation will help prevent those common winter illnesses from taking out your construction team or customers.
Tips to Help You Wash Your Hands The Correct Way Every Time
We all know how to wash our hands, but are you washing them correctly? Most people believe they are clean when they have only scrubbed their hands for a few seconds. Bacteria can be killed by taking the correct measures to hand washing. Follow the steps below to ensure you and your guests are following the best practices.
How To Properly Handwash
- Turn on warm water and apply soap.
- Create a lather by rubbing your hands together.
- Count to 20 while rubbing your hands. You can also sing Happy Birthday twice from beginning to end.
- Rinse with water.
- Dry with a towel or air dry.
If you do not have access to soap and water, there are hand sanitizers that will suffice. Hand sanitizer should only be used if you do not have clean water to wash your hands.
When working with heavy machinery or construction materials, you want your employees to be able to lather under their nails and around their wrists. Supplying enough hand washing stations and hand sanitizer will only help if you place them in the correct spots around your active work area.
Where to Position Handwashing Station Rentals
Running an event or construction job can be very stressful. There are thousands of little things you may think about beforehand. If you are managing a construction project in Dallas, Texas, the last thing you want your crew doing is traveling across the job site to find a hand washing station.
Every minute they spend walking to the restroom is time taken from their day that they could be billing your customer. Installing restroom pods and handwashing stations on every floor will eliminate these unnecessary travels.
Whereas an event will have the opposite problem, too many people. When servicing festivals in Texas or even county fairs, you can be serving thousands of guests throughout the weekend. With large crowds, you will also have food vendors. Each hygiene station should be strategically based on traffic patterns. Some examples of high traffic areas:
- Food courts or vendors that include dining options.
- Immediately outside your portable restroom pods.
- Near the petting zoo or entrance ticket booths.
- Entrances to your festival or event grounds.
But by providing your guests or customers with hygiene stations, you are killing two birds with one stone. No one wants to feel like they are camping when they are at a concert or spending time with family on vacation.
Signs, Banners, & Visual Solutions
One way to start your culture of cleanliness is by utilizing signs. Signs can help remind guests and employees that they should be washing their hands. Many people avoid public bathrooms altogether. Some may feel awkward speaking to a restroom attendant or even waiting in line for the bathroom. A fear of public restrooms is officially known as paruresis, also known as shy bladder syndrome.
Partner With Texas Johns | Texas Handwashing Specialists
World Hand Hygiene Day serves as an important reminder, but maintaining clean and sanitary conditions should be a year-round priority.
- Are your portable restrooms and handwashing stations properly supporting your event or job site?
- Do you have enough handwashing stations in relation to your porta potties?
- Are essential supplies like soap and paper towels consistently stocked throughout the day?
- And is there a clear plan in place for monitoring and refilling units as needed?
If any of these questions raise concerns, it may be time to reassess your sanitation setup before your next event or project begins.
Contact Texas Johns today to ensure you have the right portable sanitation solutions in place. From standard porta potties to ADA-compliant units, restroom trailers, and handwashing station rentals, we provide everything you need to keep your site clean, compliant, and fully supported.
