Your Mom may have told you to wash your hands before you eat. This reminder was more important than you might think. Keeping your hands clean is the most important method to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to other people at your place of work. Many diseases, flu, and common colds are spread by employees not washing their hands with soap and water in the workplace.
The following instructions will help you to wash your hands properly. Wet hands under clean, running water. Apply soap and lather by rubbing your hands together. Lather the backs of your hands, between fingers and under nails. Scrub your hands for at least thirty seconds. Rinse your hands under clean, running water and dry using a clean towel, paper towels or allow them to air dry.
Here are reasons why hand washing is so important:
Germs Make People Sick
People, especially children, frequently touch their eyes, mouth and nose. Germs can travel from the hand and get into the body, which can make us sick. People and pets spread germs like Salmonella, E. coli and norovirus, which can cause flu-like symptoms and may cause respiratory infections. Some germs can be life threatening, especially for those with pre-existing health conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), proper hand washing can significantly reduce the number of people who get sick.
Cross Contamination Can Make You Sick
Germs have few limits. They don’t care whether you’ve handled food or your computer. Germs spread easily. To prevent cross contamination in the work environment, proper cleaning of surfaces with a disinfectant is the best method to reduce workplace illness. Regular office cleaning with services provided by Executive Image is one of the best methods to reduce the threat of cross contamination.
When to Wash Your Hands
Hand washing should become second nature. You should wash your hands frequently because you never know when you’ve encountered germs. Wash your hands after using a tissue, dumping garbage, before eating, during food preparation, after changing a diaper or after shaking hands. Basically, wash your hands frequently.
Liquid soap is the best choice. Bar soap, especially if used by numerous people can become contaminated. The bar of soap tends to sit in a pool of water and germs can linger on the bar. A dried out bar of soap can develop cracks that allow harmful germs and dirt to get inside. Generally, most people prefer to use liquid soap. Hands-free dispensers are the best.
Germs Can Transfer to Other Objects
There’s a reason why germs spread like wildfire through day care centers and schools. Germs are easily transferred to objects like toys, smart phones, laptops and handrails. That means that anyone who hasn’t washed their hands properly can potentially contaminate anything they touch.
Properly washing children’s hands is vital to stop the spread of germs, but you’ll also need to disinfect toys and surfaces regularly to prevent the spread of infection. This means that you need to disinfect anything that little hands touch, like doorknobs, benches, handrails, toys and chairs. It may seem like a daunting task, but it will help to keep everyone germ free.
When to Use Hand Sanitizer
Washing with soap and water is the best method to combat germs, however, sometimes you may find yourself in a situation where you don’t have access to clean water and soap. That’s when hand sanitizers are most useful.
Studies have found that hand sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 60 and 90 percent are most effective. Non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not work as well. They only reduce the growth of germs rather than killing them. To get rid of grease and germs, good old fashion soap and water are the best choice versus hand sanitizers. You can also wash your hands followed by using a hand sanitizer.
