In all positions, when should you wash your hands?

• A. Before starting tasks
• B. After finishing tasks
• C. When you change tasks
• D. Only when the job is complete

Answer: (C)

In food safety, you wash your hands at moments where you could transfer contaminants to the next thing you touch. Changing tasks is exactly such a moment, because your hands may carry residues from the previous task into the next step. Wiping or washing between tasks clean resets your hands so you don’t cross-contaminate surfaces, utensils, or food as you switch duties.

Washing before starting tasks is essential, but it doesn’t cover the times you switch from one activity to another during a shift. Waiting until the job is done leaves a window where contaminants can be carried into subsequent work. Waiting until after finishing also risks spreading residues while you’re still handling other items. Washing only when the entire job is complete misses all the mid-shift transitions that happen throughout a shift.

So, washing your hands when you change tasks best supports consistent cleanliness and helps prevent cross-contamination across everything you handle.