The FDA Food Code does not require a hand sink to be hands-free. It requires a hand sink that gives warm water, and it sets a rule for self-closing and metering faucets, but a faucet with ordinary handles is allowed. Some state and local codes go further, so the local health department has the final say.
If an older hand sink needs a new faucet, see this commercial hand sink faucet for 4 in. centers.
Where there is no wall to mount on, a free standing hand sink with a foot pedal faucet keeps hands off the handles.
What the Food Code says about hand sink faucets
The Food Code section on handwashing sink installation covers three things that matter here. We read the wording today in Virginia’s food regulations, which reproduce the Food Code text.
- Water temperature. The sink has to deliver water of at least 85 degrees F through a mixing valve or a combination faucet. This is the figure in the 2022 Food Code. States that still use an older edition may enforce a higher number.
- Self-closing faucets. If the faucet is self-closing, slow-closing or metering, it has to run for at least 15 seconds without being pressed again.
- Automatic handwashing facilities have to be installed the way the manufacturer says.
Nothing in that section says the faucet must be operated without hands.
Why manual handles are still allowed
The Food Code handles the dirty-handle problem with procedure instead of hardware. Its handwashing procedure says that, to avoid recontaminating clean hands, employees may use a disposable paper towel or a similar clean barrier when touching surfaces such as manually operated faucet handles. In plain terms, you dry your hands and turn the water off with the towel.
When hands-free is required anyway
A state, county or city can adopt stricter rules than the Food Code, and a plan reviewer can ask for hands-free operation on a new build or a remodel. We have not listed which places do, because that changes and it has to come from the department itself. Ask this question before you buy: does your code require hands-free faucets at hand sinks, and if so, in which areas? Get the answer in writing if you can.
Hands-free options and what they involve
There are three common ways to run a hand sink without touching a handle. All of them are on our site.
- Foot pedal. Our hands-free pedestal hand sink has a foot pedal faucet and is built from 18 gauge 304 stainless steel. The pedestal is 34 inches tall and the backsplash adds 8 inches, for 42 inches overall. It stands on the floor, so it needs floor space but no wall bracket.
- Knee pedals. Our 15 by 17 inch wall mount hand sink comes with knee pedals and two side splashes in 18 gauge 304 stainless steel. It keeps the floor clear for mopping.
- Converting a sink you already have. A dual knee pedal valve or a dual foot pedal valve, each with separate hot and cold control, can be added by a plumber to many existing sinks. Both are listed with our commercial sink faucets.
Sensor faucets are a fourth route. They need power or batteries, so plan for that at the sink location.
Is hands-free worth it if it is not required?
Common practice in new kitchens is to choose pedal or knee operation at the busiest hand sinks, such as the cook line and the dish area, and plain gooseneck faucets elsewhere. The reasons are practical. Staff wash more often when it is quick, and the handles do not get coated in raw food. The costs are a slightly more involved plumbing job and one more part that can wear.
If you stay with handles, the 12 by 12 inch wall mount hand sink on our site comes with a gooseneck faucet, a basket drain and a wall clip, and has an 8 by 10 inch bowl that is 5 inches deep.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming the answer is the same in every county.
- Using a metering faucet that shuts off after a few seconds. If it is self-closing, it has to run at least 15 seconds.
- Mounting a pedal sink where a cart or a trash can will block the pedals.
- Forgetting the rest of the station. Soap, paper towels or a dryer, and a waste container are part of what inspectors look for at every hand sink.
What to buy
Compare pedestal, wall mount, corner and underbar models in hand sinks. Pedal valves and replacement faucets are in commercial sink faucets and faucets and plumbing supplies, and bar models are under bar sinks. Express KitchQuip stainless steel hand sinks are NSF certified, and freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price. We cannot promise that any sink will pass a particular inspection, so confirm the faucet type with your health department first.