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Universal Precautions: Handwashing

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Proper hand washing is crucial to preventing the spread of infection, and staff and volunteers are encouraged to wash their hands several times a day and are instructed to do so before and after each shift and after handling any used supplies.

To hand wash properly: jewelry on the hands or wrists (such as rings and stones) should be removed prior to washing. Use running water, soap lather, and friction to clean all surfaces of the hands for at least 30 seconds. Next, rinse well with running water and dry one’s hands with paper towels. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer of at least 70% isopropyl alcohol with the understanding that it is not as effective as hand washing.

Featured Hacks

These featured hacks highlight creative, practical solutions from harm reduction leaders on the ground. From DIY tools to clever workarounds, each one reflects the ingenuity, care, and real-world experience that keeps this movement alive. 

Hacks for Reaching Affirmation & Accord

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One of the main goals of active listening with an agitated person is reaching affirmation and accord. You are looking to try and find ways to agree with the person who is agitated. Even if you don’t entirely agree with the person, try to find at least a small way in which they may be right, or in which you can be on the same page, or team, with them.
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Edie Springer’s Worker Stances for Clients Who Use Drugs & Harm Reduction Worker: Best Practices

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Harm reduction immediately resonated for Edie, who was herself a former drug user and methadone patient. Faced with the devastation of HIV’s impact on drug-using communities, Edie fully embraced harm reduction and trained hundreds of harm reduction workers who have carried her legacy with them. She developed these worker stances in 1996 and they have been shared among many of us in the harm reduction community for generations.
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