EDUCATIONAL & SCHOOL FACILITIES EASY AS A, B, C
Certain infectious illnesses spread like wildfire in closed environments such as schools and hospitals. GOJO Industries- Europe Ltd explains why encouraging healthy hand hygiene behaviour can help to reduce absenteeism and is critical in educational environments.
Students are extremely susceptible to picking up communicable diseases and viruses, as any parent or carer will attest. A number of risk factors can contribute to this, but the fact that they come into regular close contact with each other is high on the list when analysing reasons for the spread of infections amongst this group of people.
“Not only is it unpleasant to be under the weather, but being ‘off school’ always means having
to catch up on missed learning time.”
Infectious illnesses such as influenza, diarrhoea and vomiting are leading causes of absenteeism from work, schools and other educational facilities. Not only is it unpleasant to be under the weather, but being ‘off school’ always means having to catch up on missed learning time. In fact, over an extended period of time, illness-related absences have been shown to have a long term negative impact on educational and economic outcomes.
Handwashing is one of the most important factors in controlling the spread of micro-organisms and in preventing the development of these infections. There have been several published studies on the effect handwashing has on reducing absenteeism in educational settings. In particular, the studies demonstrated a 50% reduction in absenteeism within primary schools after a comprehensive hand hygiene programme was implemented.
50 | Tomorrow’s Cleaning July 2016
Additionally, a 43% reduction in absenteeism was observed within higher education facilities after a similar comprehensive hand hygiene programme was applied.
These studies illustrate the importance of not only providing access to handwashing facilities for students to use frequently but the necessity of running an educational programme alongside. This should involve teachers dedicating brief moments within their classes, on a regular basis, to discuss the importance of good hand hygiene and to advise on the best methods of efficient handwashing. Furthermore, clear signage should be incorporated into education programmes when trying to change behaviour and develop healthy hand hygiene practices.
Further studies have proven that by adding hand hygiene instruction to existing hand hygiene practices, attendance at schools improves throughout the academic year, including flu season. Informing young people about healthy hand hygiene behaviour, and providing them with the right products to make the activity pleasant rather than a chore, is therefore crucial in educational settings. Investing in this area brings many benefits including:
• Academic success improves – less absenteeism amongst pupils and staff means increased chances for learning and knowledge development, making for higher grades
• Better service to students – measures to help reduce the risk of virus outbreaks mean less disruption to teaching and exam timetables
• Cost savings – Viruses can spread amongst pupils and staff, which can result in increased spend to bring in supply teachers
“By adding hand hygiene instruction to existing
hand hygiene practices, attendance at schools
improves throughout the academic year, including flu season.”
Equally important in the fight against the spread of germs, is the clear understanding that in the absence of handwashing facilities, alcohol-based hand rubs (hand sanitisers) can and should be used. It is important that younger children are supervised when carrying out handwashing.
The evidence is clear, encouraging and maintaining good hand hygiene is important for educational establishments. By investing in the best hand hygiene solutions, this can help improve the well-being of its pupils, students and employees – helping young people achieve more.
www.gojo.com
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