Hand hygiene plays a pivotal role in preventing the spread of infections. Around 80% of infections are transmitted through hands, underlining the importance of implementing effective hand hygiene practices at work.
Employees use their hands for various tasks, from handling documents to greeting clients, making it crucial to combat the spread of germs and bacteria.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hand hygiene is the most important measure to avoid the transmission of harmful germs. Providing hand sanitizers and placing them in strategic locations within the office can promote better hand hygiene and create a safer and healthier work environment.
Here are some key locations where hand sanitizer should be placed:
1. Entrances & Exits:
Door handles are known hotspots for germ activity. Install hand sanitizer dispensers at the main entrance and exit doors and other high-traffic doorways, such as those leading to restrooms and shared meeting rooms.
2. Meeting Rooms:
Meeting rooms often bring people together from different parts of the building or even from other companies, making them high-risk areas for germ transmission. Provide hand sanitizer stations outside the meeting room doors or on meeting tables to ensure germ-free interactions.
3. Break Rooms and Eating Areas:
Shared kitchens and break rooms are known to harbor germs. Maintaining clean hands and a hygienic environment is essential to minimize the risk of illness.
4. Individual Desks:
Desks, phones, and computer accessories are hotspots for germs due to frequent contact. Since employees spend a significant portion of their day at their desks, where they may also eat, drink, cough, and sneeze, providing individual hand sanitizer bottles at desks can encourage regular hand hygiene.
5. Elevators and Touchscreens:
Elevator buttons and touchscreens offer ample hiding spots for germs, even when cleaned regularly. Placing hand sanitizer dispensers next to these spots can reduce the risk of contamination.
When choosing hand sanitizer for the workplace, it is crucial to select the right type. Opt for an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with a minimum alcohol content of 70% or alcohol free hand sanitizer with active ingredients such as benzalkonium chloride. Additionally, choose sanitizers that contain moisturizing ingredients to prevent skin dryness.
Maintaining good hand hygiene in the workplace is essential to create a safer and healthier environment for employees. By strategically placing hand sanitizer and selecting the right type of sanitizer, companies can play a vital role in reducing the transmission of infections and ensuring the well-being of their workforce.
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