Are you meeting hand washing regulations in your classroom? Because hand washing is such a valuable part of a child’s hygiene routine, it’s important to have sinks readily available for children of all ages. In fact, it is actually a legal requirement for many childcare facilities. If you are in charge of a classroom, whether this is a preschool, daycare, Head Start program or grade school - you’ll need to know what is required, and then how to get the tools you need. Here are a few guidelines and requirements in regards to classrooms and sinks.

Does Your Classroom Need a Sink?

Health.gov states in their Bureau of Child Care Sanitation Inspection Guidelines for Licensed Group Child Care Homes, Licensed Child Care Centers, and License-Exempt Child Care Facilities that child care rules require one sink for every 20 children. If there is a capacity in your facility or 25 children, you will need to have 2 hand washing sinks.

Hand Washing for Child Care Providers

The hand washing rules for early childhood providers is much more strict than in elementary school. There needs to be a sink in each classroom, which can mean a lot of plumbing work (unless you get a portable classroom sink!). Many places will suggest that if you are just starting out to put a sink in each room in case you change the ages of the classroom, however, if you use portable sinks, you can save the cost of installation and plumbing.

The information above is strictly for classrooms, but if your preschool will have a kitchen, there is a whole new set of rules. Many regulations require a dishwashing sink to have three compartments AND a separate hand-washing sink. It’s important to check your local and state requirements before ordering a portable sink.

The rules and regulations will alter a bit depending on the state that you are located, but you can be sure that one thing will still remain - a portable sink can save you a lot of time and money when starting up a preschool, daycare, or HeadStart facility.

Portable Hand Sanitation

In a pinch, hand sanitizer will be sufficient, but many experts have shown that it is no comparison to washing your hands with soap and water. Here are a few classroom style portable sinks that we have available at All Portable Sinks.

Jonti-Craft Clean Hands Helper 26" Portable Sink Plastic Basin and Top

A great option for schools and daycare centers that need to add a sink that operates without plumbing! Extremely popular with expanding Head Start operations. Child height to encourage hand washing habits and help keep everyone healthy while meeting licensing requirements with our Clean Hands Helper 26” 1370JC portable sink by Jonti-Craft.

Ozark River Lil' Premier Splash Portable Child Height Sink-Blue with White or Stainless Steel Basin

The Ozark River Lil’ Premier is an award-winning portable hand washing station for children, recognized for its durability, quality, age appropriateness, and safety. The 30” height of this unit is just the right size for out-of-the-way, under-the-counter storing in a classroom short on extra space. 

Child Diaper Changing Station with Portable Sink by Ozark River

The Kiddie Station combines a self-contained portable hand washing station with an attractive maple laminate changing table with ample room to change a child in one convenient, mobile product.

Time To Get Started

As teachers wrap up their 2018-2019 school year, the 2019-2020 school year is already on their minds. Now is a great time to start preparing your classroom, making adjustments, and thinking ahead for what you need. All Portable Sinks is proud to offer individualized pricing and volume discounts for those needing more than one sink. This is the perfect solution for brand new businesses who will need a sink to meet regulations. Visit our website to learn more, or give us a call at the number below to get bulk pricing information.

All Portable Sinks - Making Clean-Up Easier!