Facilities managers advised to encourage hand washing

Regular soap and water use can significantly reduce incidents of illness

Hand sanitisers, as long as they contain “at least 60% alcohol” can be somewhat helpful when it comes to controlling illness spread in a building. Even so, it is perceived as the poor relation when it comes to really effective hand hygiene, because “soap and water are usually best”, according to a recent report on the Cleaning and Maintenance Management (CMM) website. 

Hand hygiene awareness raising can make an enormous difference within a facility when it comes to reducing levels of illness spread, according to author Patricia LaCroix, who reveals some very pertinent statistics reportedly obtained from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Education regarding effective hand washing “plays a critical role in disease prevention” she writes.

“According to the CDC, hand hygiene education within a community can reduce the number of people with diarrhea by as much as 40%, illness in people with weakened immune systems by 58%, and illnesses, such as colds, in the general population by as much as 21%.”

When soap and water is the only viable option

The report reinforces the need for soap and water hand washing – carried out properly, for the appropriate duration. Under certain circumstances it is the only viable hand cleaning option.

“Keep in mind that while hand sanitizers can reduce a number of germs in some situations, it’s not right for all situations, especially in terms of removing noroviruses and chemicals, such as pesticides and heavy metals like lead.”

Providing effective soap and water washing – at the point of need

The challenges facing facilities managers here is to be able to provide hand washing where it will do the most good. Which is where mobile handwash stations come in.

Being able to position them in areas where they will not only be particularly effective, the uptake of hand washing will be greatly increased by the “convenience factor” (with people not having to walk somewhere else to wash) and the fact that they can be placed where they are highly visible, reinforcing their importance and the need to use them.

How Facility Managers Can Encourage Better Hand Hygiene »

Effective mobile hand washing for everyone – wherever it’s needed!

Teal produces a comprehensive range of mobile sinks and portable basins for every type of hand washing situation for use by anyone who needs to wash their hands effectively, whether they’re in an office environment, temporary accommodation or out in the field on a daily basis.

The image at the top shows the CliniWash (left) and the MediWash: both handwash stations have a timed washing sequence to ensure that hands are washed effectively.

There are vehicle mounted, wall mounted, mains powered and free standing hand wash stations as well as mobile sinks for use with pre-heated hot water.

The Teal range of mobile sinks includes the MediWash, Hygienius and Hygienius ProWash, BigSynk, Super Stallette, TEALwash, Handeman Xtra, Compact Classic, HandSpa, CliniWash – and now the new WashStand Xtra.

The handwash units shown above are the Teal MediWash (top) and the Hygienius.