Employees Must Wash Hands!

Whenever one uses a public facility this admonition can be found, in one form or another, over the sinks.  It seems like a pretty straightforward statement, simple and adequate to the task it is assigned.  But perhaps employees need a bit more explanation since one could interpret the simple statement above in a couple of ways.  It doesn't establish when this event is to occur - does one scrub before or after using the facilities?  Attempts to clarify timing of the wash added a little more detail, e.g. Employees must wash hands before returning to work.  The problem here is it still doesn't establish the timing of the wash in relation to the event that brought said employee into the room.  Hence some additional detail - Employees must wash hands before returning to work: after using the facilities, or whenever they are soiled.  That seems to cover it.

However - Sometimes the attempt to be specific can lead to really bizarre instructional signs such as this one -

 One could ask if the employee is the one tasked with the operation or some person whose assignment is to wash the employee's hands.

Then there are the graphics that dictate the precise operation to be performed like these two -

Humanity has an innate ability to complicate even the simplest activities.  If you know how and when to wash your hands, none of this matters.  If you do not, none of this matters.

Here's a treat for those of us who revel in the silliness of signs.

Until next time.