The Importance of Hand Hygiene

Global Hand Washing Day is just around the corner on the 15th of this month, so it's time to make a splash for better health! This global advocacy day is all about spreading the word on the power of handwashing to keep diseases at bay and save countless lives.

Did you know that in just one minute, an average adult can come into contact with 30 objects that are teeming with bacteria and viruses? Various newspaper articles have highlighted to us over recent times that your office desk, computer keyboard, mouse, and even your phone is more contaminated than the good old toilet seat in your bathroom. It has been said that while a toilet seat may have around 49 germs per square inch, your desktop is potentially crawling with a mind-boggling 21,000 germs per square inch! And wait for it... your phone is even worse, with over around 25,000 germs per square inch!

And as we use our phone and desk more frequently than the toilet, it is crucial to regularly clean our hands with soap and water. The average person only washes their hands for around 6 seconds, but the suggested handwashing time is actually 20 seconds. Most smart watches have a hand washing timer, or you can sing along to Happy Birthday twice to reach that 20 second goal!

However, even with diligent hand hygiene, germs can still pose a risk, as our hands are responsible for 80% of common infectious diseases.

Let's take a look at our workplace washrooms;

Bulk Fill Soap Dispensers

Consider bulk fill soap dispensers, commonly found in public toilets, office washrooms, schools, and hospitals. These dispensers, holding soap in a refillable reservoir, were preferred over bar soaps and lotion bottles due to their cost-effectiveness and cleanliness. However, the decision to opt for bulk systems solely based on budgetary considerations often overlooked the problem of bacterial contamination.

Bulk systems are not sealed and can be contaminated by the environment or by the person refilling them. 'Topping off' dispensers, refilling them without proper cleaning, can contaminate the new soap with old - potentially germ-infested soap.

Faecal bacteria are present on 26% of hands in the UK

[study published on the National Institute of Health, taken from a sample of 404 people in 2010]

Hand Dryers

There is a continued argument as to what is more hygienic; hand dryers or hand towels. This a clearly won debate on the side of hand towels according to scientific research*;

Jet-air dryers can increase germs on fingers up to 42%

With this in mind, your hands may actually be more contaminated than before you washed them.

Jet-air dryer surfaces can harbor more bacteria

Jet-air dryers can have up to 1,000 times more bacteria on their surface compared to paper towel dispensers.

Jet-air dryers disperse water droplets

When drying your hands with a jet-air dryer, water droplets that could contain bacteria and germs are blown into the air, travelling as far as 2 meters, and lingering in the air for up to 15 minutes.

In light of the COVID pandemic, the World Health Organisation issued crucial global guidelines pertaining to hand hygiene in Health Care facilities. These guidelines emphasise the use of paper towels as the preferred method for drying hands after washing. In fact, the WHO's recommended hand washing technique explicitly states the importance of rinsing hands with water and ensuring thorough drying with a single-use towel.

Take a look at our website for products designed to help you achieve the best hand hygiene possible and take a step towards helping keep yourself and others protected from germs.

Clean hands are within reach.

*Hand Dryers vs Hand Towels - Scientific Talking Points by Kimberly Clark