FEATURE HYGIENE DISPENSERS Having the correct dispensers in place, which are tailored to specific sectors and buildings, is one of the easiest ways for organisations to ensure their employees’ hands are clean and the chances of spreading bacteria are greatly reduced. All soap dispensers need to be reliable, regularly filled and be designed with the environment in mind. Ideally, they should be evenly distributed among the minimum number of legally required washbasins in order to maximise their use. Automatic soap dispensing units and taps, which operate without the need for touch, deliver the ideal amount of soap each and every time. No-touch dispensers also limit the chance of cross-contamination particularly in washrooms with high footfall. It’s also equally important to install hand driers so wet hands, which carry more bacteria than dry ones, can be suitably dried as part of a thorough hand-washing regime. Paper towels, roller towels and automatic air driers all aid hand drying in hygienic ways and can help guarantee effective and complete hand-washing. There are also sector-specific needs that need to be considered. For example, businesses with a strong duty of care, such as hospitals, dental practices, GP surgeries, and care homes should use hermeticallysealed dispenser refills. These reduce the potential of bacteria finding its way into the valve, whereas products without this seal are at risk of bacteria moving into the 12 FEBRUARY 2016 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY soap reservoir, contaminating the soap and making further use potentially unhygienic. Washroom service providers can also issue new nozzles with each refill to further help reduce the potential of this happening and enable businesses to remain hygienic. TAILOR YOUR NEEDS Naturally, washroom facilities need to reflect the volume of usage. For example, in busy environments, such as hospital wards where people are constantly washing their hands, hygiene equipment needs to be able to withstand high use. Whereas the requirement for a smaller business will be much less, but still as important. From a financial and staff resource point of view, larger businesses may benefit from a managed washroom service provider, which can oversee the management of its facilities, and a small firm may want to hand control of their washroom to a third party also in order to concentrate on more pressing business matters. Importantly, businesses also need to consider the end user. For example, in a high end hotel or restaurant, where brands aim to provide high quality in everything they do, a high quality washroom fitted with attractive dispensers that provide a foam soap containing moisturisers complements the level of service these businesses need to deliver. Feminine hygiene is also hugely important. It is no longer just a case of providing specialist units to collect feminine hygiene waste in washrooms; businesses should invest in products that include effective germicides which kill viruses and ensure the waste inside is harmless, while also delivering a pleasant fragrance to combat malodours. BEYOND THE WASHROOM As well as having properly functional and maintained washrooms, businesses should also consider hygiene throughout their premises especially given the prevalence of shared working environments and cost efficiency. Research has shown the rapid spread of germs in the workplace, which can very easily result in spates of absence among staff. In a study by Dr. C Gerba of University of Arizona, a harmless virus was put on a door handle in an office. Within four hours this virus had spread to half of the surfaces in that office. With the spread of germs so closely linked to hand-washing, and it often being done incorrectly, this potential issue has led to us developing our CannonTouch door handle sanitiser system. These dispensers are installed above horizontal or vertical door handles and spray a fine, sanitising mist onto the handle to clean it in preparation for the next user. This means those people who wash their hands effectively are not undoing good work by touching a surface that someone not quite as considerate has made contact with before them. They are one of the extra ways businesses can further prevent bacteria cross contamination becoming an issue. Making alcohol hand sanitiser available outside of the washroom, for example at reception areas or shared workspaces, can help to kill germs quickly, without the need for drying amenities. This is especially useful in workplaces where there’s a lot of movement between areas. The key for any business is to find the right approach to washroom hygiene for everyone. By doing so, the washroom will play a central role in overall hygiene management. It’s rather simple: reducing the spread of germs will ultimately create healthier environments, which in turn can have a direct, positive impact on operations. “ The World Health Organisation recommends a 12-step method for cleaning hands thoroughly in order to protect against infection. ”
CHT February 2016
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