--- title: Why Hand Health is Important for Food Safety description: Hand health is a crucial factor in how proper hygiene is maintained in a food processing facility. Healthy hands are clean hands. image: https://www.meritech.com/hubfs/Why%20Hand%20Health%20is%20Important%20for%20Food%20Safety.png --- [ Skip navigation menu ](https://www.meritech.com/blog/why-hand-health-is-important-for-food-safety#content) [![meritech-logo-tagline](https://www.meritech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/lafferty-website-2026/global-assets/meritech-logo-tagline.png?width=200&height=74&name=meritech-logo-tagline.png) ](https://www.meritech.com/) - [ Hygiene Systems ](https://www.meritech.com/products/hygiene-solutions) Show submenu for Hygiene Systems - [ Automated Hand Hygiene ](https://www.meritech.com/products/hand-sanitation-stations) - [ Boot Scrubbers and Footwear Sanitation ](https://www.meritech.com/products/boot-scrubbers) - [ Industries ](https://www.meritech.com/markets) Show submenu for Industries - [ Food Processing & Manufacturing ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/food-processing) - [ Healthcare ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/healthcare_medical) - [ Hospitality ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/travel_leisure) - [ Education ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/education) - [ Gyms and Public Facilities ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/gyms-and-public-facilities-meritech) - [ Cleanroom and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/pharmaceutical-cleanroom) - [ Grocery ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/grocery) - [ Municipality and Correction Facilities ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/municipality-and-correction-facilities-meritech) - [ Why Us ](https://www.meritech.com/why-meritech) - [ Support ](https://www.meritech.com/services/technical-support) Show submenu for Support - [ Resources ](https://www.meritech.com/resources) - [ Blog ](https://www.meritech.com/blog) - [ Technical Support ](https://www.meritech.com/services/technical-support) - [ Success Stories ](https://www.meritech.com/meritech-cleantech-testimonials) [ Contact ](https://www.meritech.com/contact/) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ** Toggle main navigation - [ Hygiene Systems ](https://www.meritech.com/products/hygiene-solutions) Show submenu for Hygiene Systems - [ Automated Hand Hygiene ](https://www.meritech.com/products/hand-sanitation-stations) - [ Boot Scrubbers and Footwear Sanitation ](https://www.meritech.com/products/boot-scrubbers) - [ Industries ](https://www.meritech.com/markets) Show submenu for Industries - [ Food Processing & Manufacturing ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/food-processing) - [ Healthcare ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/healthcare_medical) - [ Hospitality ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/travel_leisure) - [ Education ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/education) - [ Gyms and Public Facilities ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/gyms-and-public-facilities-meritech) - [ Cleanroom and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/pharmaceutical-cleanroom) - [ Grocery ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/grocery) - [ Municipality and Correction Facilities ](https://www.meritech.com/markets/municipality-and-correction-facilities-meritech) - [ Why Us ](https://www.meritech.com/why-meritech) - [ Support ](https://www.meritech.com/services/technical-support) Show submenu for Support - [ Resources ](https://www.meritech.com/resources) - [ Blog ](https://www.meritech.com/blog) - [ Technical Support ](https://www.meritech.com/services/technical-support) - [ Success Stories ](https://www.meritech.com/meritech-cleantech-testimonials) [ Contact ](https://www.meritech.com/contact/) # Why Hand Health is Important for Food Safety [Meritech](https://www.meritech.com/blog/author/meritech) Jun 9, 2022 3 min read ![](https://www.meritech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Why%20Hand%20Health%20is%20Important%20for%20Food%20Safety.png?width=1600&height=900&name=Why%20Hand%20Health%20is%20Important%20for%20Food%20Safety.png) [Hand health](https://www.meritech.com/blog/what-is-hand-health-and-why-is-important) is an often-overlooked aspect of hand hygiene. People think that a simple hand wash eliminates all pathogens that can pose a risk to food safety. The truth of the matter is that unhealthy hands such as dry, cracked, or chapped. hands are more prone to accumulating harmful pathogen buildup which can make hand washing less effective for the afflicted person. That is why hand health must be a part of food safety conversations in the workplace. ## Resident Pathogens and Hand Health Our skin contains up to 1,000 different species of bacteria at any given moment. Luckily, larger portions of these are helpful and they are known as [microbiota](https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/Skin-Microbiota.aspx). They compete with the harmful pathogens for nutrients on our skin and helpt to limit the growth of those harmful pathogens. They also help to trigger immune system responses when there is a wound on our skin to fight off those harmful bacteria. ![hand health for food safety](https://www.meritech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/kira-auf-der-heide-QyCH5jwrD_A-unsplash.jpg?width=315&name=kira-auf-der-heide-QyCH5jwrD_A-unsplash.jpg) The symbiotic relationships between humans and [microorganisms](https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/skin-bacteria-are-your-friends/) ensures the benefit of both parties in maintaining overall health for each other. That is why it is of utmost importance that we as humans do not try to kill these helpful microbiotas with hand sanitizer since this can lead to the overgrowth of the harmful pathogens.  [Learn more about hand health](https://www.meritech.com/blog/what-is-hand-health-and-why-is-important) ## How Hand Health Can Affect Food Safety Frequent hand washing is required to ensure a safe environment for food handling. Unfortunately, frequent hand washing can dehydrate hands very easily. Even employing the use of [hand sanitizer stations ](https://www.meritech.com/blog/food-safe-sanitizers-convenient-isnt-always-effective)can have negative effects since they are high in alcohol content that expedites hand dehydration. Dehydrated hands represent a threat to overall hand health since hand skin that is overly dry or damaged is not an environment that is ideal for helpful resident microbiota. It is important that after employees are washing their hands, they are moisturizing the skin to maintain an adequate level of good microbiota. This will keep the risk of spreading harmful pathogens around the facility at a minimum. [Learn more about the industries affected by hand health](https://www.meritech.com/blog/who-is-hand-health-important-for) ## Automated Hygiene is the Best at Maintaining Hand Health ![CleanTech® for hand health](https://www.meritech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Traditional%20Medicinals%20in%20Sebastopol%2c%20CA.jpg?width=445&name=Traditional%20Medicinals%20in%20Sebastopol%2c%20CA.jpg)[CleanTech® Automated Handwashing Stations](https://www.meritech.com/products/handwashing-systems) have revolutionized how food processing facilities handle hygiene. On top of only removing harmful pathogens in only 12 seconds, our stations use a hand washing solution called [UltraPure](https://www.meritech.com/products/hygiene-solutions/) that safeguards hand health because it contains synthetic lanolin which keeps hands soft and hydrated. [Many leaders in the food industry ](https://www.meritech.com/meritech-cleantech-testimonials)have noted that hand hygiene compliance among their employees has skyrocketed since the adoption of CleanTech® automated hygiene. That means healthy and clean hands are packing and processing food for consumption across the globe. [Learn more about why automation is the best for food safety](https://www.meritech.com/downloadable-resources/why-automation-ebook) ### Get The Latest Posts in Your Inbox ## Related Posts - ![](https://www.meritech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/What%20Is%20Hand%20Health%20and%20Why%20Is%20It%20Important.png?width=500&height=375&name=What%20Is%20Hand%20Health%20and%20Why%20Is%20It%20Important.png) [Hand Hygiene Resources](https://www.meritech.com/blog/tag/hand-hygiene-resources) ### [ What Is Hand Health and Why Is It Important? ](https://www.meritech.com/blog/what-is-hand-health-and-why-is-important) You've always been told to wash your hands: by your parents, by your teachers, by your employers. Obviously, it's ... Read more - ![](https://www.meritech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Copy%20of%20Why%20are%20the%205%20Moments%20of%20Hand%20Hygiene%20Important%20%281%29.png?width=500&height=375&name=Copy%20of%20Why%20are%20the%205%20Moments%20of%20Hand%20Hygiene%20Important%20%281%29.png) ### [ How Does Hand Health Affect Overall Food Safety Hygiene? ](https://www.meritech.com/blog/how-does-hand-health-affect-overall-food-safety-hygiene) Clean hands are undoubtedly important for anyone working in the food processing industry , but did you know that ... Read more - ![](https://www.meritech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Who%20is%20Hand%20Health%20Important%20for.png?width=500&height=375&name=Who%20is%20Hand%20Health%20Important%20for.png) ### [ Who is Hand Health Important for? ](https://www.meritech.com/blog/who-is-hand-health-important-for) The simple answer to this question is everyone, but there are some industries where hand washing is frequently ... 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