Revving Up Hygiene

First off, let me say that the newly-opened Triumph Grill is very well done…well-designed, well-appointed and well-executed…about as well done as you’d ever expect a motorcycle-themed restaurant to be. That being said, Triumph may become as famous for what’s in its kitchen as what comes out of it. It’s the first restaurant--local or otherwise--to test the Clean Hands Advanced Hand Washing Monitor, a revolutionary and patented monitoring system designed to make sure—100% sure—that employees are washing their hands and doing so properly. The inventor, Raymond Johnson, is a St. Louisan; Clean Hands’ offices are in Olivette. Johnson came up with the idea after observing a grocery store employee leaving the restroom (without washing his hands) then heading for the butcher department where he began handling raw meat. That observation happened 10 years ago…the Clean Hands prototype is just now being beta-tested at Triumph. A glitch is still being worked out but basically here’s how it works: The employee “clocks in” by washing at a hand sink equipped with a Clean Hands Monitor. The gadget first identifies the employee’s hands and then he/she is prompted to lather up (with antibacterial soap) and perform a 7-step hand washing technique (including fingernails). The system even knows if adequate soap has been applied. Using “a robust algorithm,” it observes the entire procedure and issues a pass or a fail. Employees are instructed by management to wash at pre-determined intervals (Triumph’s will do so every half-hour, unless food prep situations dictate otherwise). For whatever reason, should the employee forget to do so, the system can send a “reminder” chit to the computer printer nearest to where the employee is working, telling him basically, “Hey, Joe, go wash your hands.” Compliance reports are sent to management for evaluation. How’s that for cool? With increasing occurrences of Hepatitus A and especially E. coli throughout the food service industry, the Clean Hands system is certainly a timely and welcome innovation, one that St. Louis can be proud to claim. – George Mahe