Questions about making our bar more Barista healthy?

Great advice, all round… wisdom from years of slogging it out in the field.

I do have one comment, though… the antibacterial hand sanitisers? NOT a good idea at all. These are nasty concoctions, bad for long term health, and have been heavily implicated in the rapid rise of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. The comples alcohols used in most of them are hard on the cleansing organs of the body, liver, spleen, etc. and have deleterious effects long term on skin health. Be aware, there are billions of HELPFUL bacteria on our skin, just as in our digestive tracts. The wide spectrum antibacterial “sanitisers” are non-specific… they WILL kill the beneficial bugs along with any bad ones happen to pop round. This leads to immune system deficiencies and a general susceptibility to systemic infections of various sorts. The microorganisms on the skin are important parts of our overall immune system.

For hand cleaning, use a basic detergent such as a handwashing pot and pan product… I like the Joy brand, cuts grease and oils well, no scent, basic chemistry, gentle on hands. Cheap, too, at about twelve bucks the gallon at Casn and Carry, Restaurant Depot. Goes a long way.

But get rid of those nasty alcohol compounds we see everywhere. They are bad news. I NEVER use them anywhere. If true disinfecting is needed for some specific reason, simple cheap rubbing alcohol works… and is nowhere near as harsh on the body inside or out as the hand sanitisers.