Hand Washing Are Men Guilty Of Not Doing It?
By kickapoo
@kickapoo (50)
United States
September 17, 2007 10:32pm CST
I'm wondering if anyone has heard about this issue lately about men who work handling food in restaurants or produce in the grocery store not washing their hands? I read about a recent study that reports men are less likely to wash their hands after going to the toilet than women are. Do you think that this is true?
When I'm eating out I think about wheather or not the people who are serving me and the people who cook the food have washed their hands when they go to the restroom. I know they have posted signs in the restroom telling them to do so. I also know that they are aware that they are supposed to pratice this, but do they?
My local news has a seagment called "Dirty Dining" and they go to different restaurants that have low ratings and report just how unclean these places are. I have also seen TV shows like dateline that plant hidden cameras showing just how dirty people can be in these places. I would think that everyone should be concerned about preventing disease, but I have been in public restrooms and have personally witnessed women who use the restroom and they come out of the stall heading straight for the door. I've also seen this happen in the restrooms at work. So I know that there are people who don't wash their hands after using the toilet for whatever reason they may have.
But are men more guilty of not practicing hand washing than women are?
If this is true then my question is why? I would like to get some answers from the men if they are willing to be honest about it and willing to share. I think it's a pretty disgusting subject myself but I would just like to know if men are any less concerned about health,hygiene,germs and disease? Do they want people who do not wash their hands preparing their food? Anyway, what do you think about the subject? Hopefully it will be taken as food for thought. At least that's my intentions. Thanks
6 responses
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
18 Sep 07
First, I am male.
Second, when I defecate which requires me to wipe a relatively dirty part of my body with multiple pieces of paper, yes, I most definitely wash my hands afterwards.
Thirdly, if I just have to urinate, if all I am touching is my organ and no liquid splashes on me, here I don't see the need. If I need to wash my hands just because I held it, then I have a more severe hygiene problem that will not be solved just by washing my hands.
Now I never directly observed a human female urinate, but I imagine it is not as messy as defecating. If a female is able to clean herself with adequate amount of paper without coming into contact with any body fluids, again there is no issue.
In my opinion, of course.
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
20 Sep 07
Good heavens, no. I am sure it is a health code violation in California not to wash hands anytime you do anything in the restroom when your job is handling food for public consumption. But I've seen kitchens in restaurants and the cooks are always washing their hands, practically between dishes. At the cafeteria at my workplace, they use some kind of thin plastic glove - probably vinyl since some people are allergic to latex.
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
19 Sep 07
I wouldn't be surprised if workers in general didn't wash their hands. Yours truly ended up with nausea at 4 in the morning, I ate out a few hours beforehand =/
Personally I wash my hands often, I even use sanitizers.
@brimia (6581)
• United States
10 Oct 07
I remember seeing a news story where they tested the amount of bacteria on the edge of plates and on toilet seats at restaurants and they found more bacteria on the plates. It's so gross...I guess a lot of food service personnel don't wash their hands. I didn't go out to eat for a long time after seeing that but then after a while I just forgot about it. I've seen women leave the restroom without washing their hands. I hate to even touch the faucet or door handle in a public restroom so I usually use a paper towel.
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
18 Sep 07
I'm a guy and I've worked on some respected restaurants here in our country, also to some foodchains. We are always taught to maintain cleanliness, throguh preparing and handling foods. But this does not end for me when I'm at home. I also cook, so I make sure that I also clean my hands before I use it.
Our hands is the most dirtiest part of our body, since it is exposed and used in many times of the day. So whatever I do, I make sure that I clean my hands -eating or not eating.
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
19 Sep 07
I first read about this sometime last night, and frankly couldn't believe that this was so prevalent.
I wash my hands many times a day, and not only just after using the restroom, although I always wash after that.
I am one male who does wash.
@butterfly39 (3904)
• Philippines
18 Sep 07
I think so...but my husband is more conscious about hand and body hygiene.
Maybe all of us should be more concern about hygiene...
