Health & Hygiene Office

Health & Hygiene Office

In this day and age of virulent flu strains and other Infectious disease outbreaks, it should be no secret that the public is concerned about cleanliness and hygiene.(The flu and the common cold were the health issues that 80 percent of people in a recent survey said they were most concerned about.) In fact, people go to such great lengths to avoid germs that they perform like contortionists in public toilets – flushing toilets with their feet, pushing doors open with their shoulders, dispensing towels with their elbows, and doing anything necessary to avoid germ-laden surfaces. For office building in-charge, this heightened germ awareness means it’s more important than ever to provide sanitary and hygienic

working conditions for staff.

In The Toilet

Nothing says “unhygienic” more than a dirty toilet. Unfortunately, office building Toilets don’t rate high on the public toilet cleanliness scale, according to a survey in which only 18 percent of people polled chose office building toilets as

the most clean and hygienic (compared to 42 percent who chose public toilets in hotels). A separate survey supports this: whether it’s from paper litter on the floor,noxious odors, or lackadaisical cleaning, dirty toilets topped the list of office building staff complaints.

A couple of quick tips to keep germs at bay in your section…

• Identify “hot zones” for germ transmission.

The toilet, the floor surrounding the toilet, the sink and counter, and high-touch objects such as handles and levers (found everywhere from water faucets and paper towel dispensers to the door you open on the way out of the toilet) can all harbor germs just waiting for the next pair of clean and unsuspecting hands to pick them up.

Tip: According to one of the seminal

studies on microorganisms in public toilets, the hot water tap may be more likely to harbor germs than even the toilet seat!

• Stop germ transmission in its tracks by employing no-touch systems. No-touch technology can be employed in toilet flushers,water faucets, and dispensers for toilet paper, soap and hand towels. No-touch technology is especially crucial for hand towel dispensers, since towels are typically used once hands are clean, after having been washed and rinsed.

That is the most important time for staff not to touch potentially germ-laden surfaces.

Tip:Look for towel and tissue dispensing systems with “interleaved” paper, so users only need to touch the towel or toilet paper they use without fishing around inside the dispenser, thus reducing the risks of contamination. Or look for completely “touchless” roll towel dispensers that don’t have levers or cranks.

• Encourage proper handwashing. Handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Educate staff on the importance of proper handwashing.

Tip: Make sure there’s always plenty of mild hand soap and soft, absorbent hand towels in every toilet. Nothing is more disconcerting to people who want to “do the right thing” by washing up, only to find no handwashing supplies. If supply run-out is a problem, consider a high-capacity dispenser and remember – high-capacity doesn’t need to mean industrial. Find a high-volume dispenser that lends a

little class to your toilets.

Around The Office

Although 39 percent of office workers polled in a recent survey said they want their administration to establish a policy requiring employees with contagious infections or diseases to stay home from work until they’re better, the fact is

that people do come to work when they’re sick.However, there are some easy things that building owners and Head of Office can do to help stem the spread of infections….

• Identify “hot zones” for germ transmission.-Just as in toilets, germs can be spread any time someone touches something that has been touched by someone else. Desks,phones, elevator buttons, and door handles are just some of the commonly touched surfaces that can serve as a link in the transmission of germs. Proper surface sanitation and hand

hygiene are crucial elements in the fight against germ transmission.

Tip: Choose a surface sanitizing system that’s portable and easy to carry for spot-cleaning activities, particularly important during peak cold and flu times. And to help staff keep their hands sanitized and free from germs,provide alcohol gel hand sanitizers, which can be found in a variety of pump or wall-mounted dispensers for use throughout the building, especially in high-traffic areas.

• Don’t forget the break room- This can be an ideal spot for the spread of germs, including foodborne illness germs. Giving tenants handand surface-sanitizing products can help avoid problems with cross-contamination.

Tip: Provide canisters of disposable surface sanitizer wipes for staff to wipe down food contact surfaces. If the break room doesn’t have a sink, install alcohol gel hand sanitizers. If it does have a sink, post handwashing reminders so staff wash up before they eat.

Includes some common-sense measures anyone can apply to help lessen the severity of colds, the flu and other infections that can be spread via respiratory droplets or hand contact.

Ideas include:-- Instructing people with symptoms of a respiratory infection to cover their noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.- Making hand hygiene products and tissues available.

- Providing designated containers for disposal of used tissues.

Tip: During the height of cold and flu season, create a “staff care package” with lotionized facial tissue, for extra comfort against

sore, runny noses and portable hand sanitizer gels,for on-the-spot de-germing.

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