WASHROOM
START IN THE WASHROOM Hand washing is a three-step
process; wash, dry and sanitise. Installing hand wash stations with liquid or foam hand wash and water, as well as hand sanitisers will help ensure that this process is followed. People rarely wash their hands for long enough (20-30 seconds is the recommended length of time) and do not always dry their hands properly, and yet damp hands spread 1,000 times more bacteria than dry hands. Facts like these mean that it is a good idea to display posters with hand washing and drying guidelines so that the correct techniques are practiced by everyone in the facility, from staff to visitors.
“COMPANIES SHOULD UNDERTAKE A
PROFESSIONAL DEEP
CLEAN AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR TO PREVENT THE BUILD-UP OF HIDDEN EMBEDDED DIRT.”
Consider adding a splash of colour to the washroom, which will help to make hygiene stations stand out in a positive, engaging way. Coloured washroom products are designed to harness the power of colour psychology to provoke improved hygiene habits. For example, turquoise is considered the most inspiring colour to promote cleanliness as in our sub-conscious it’s reminiscent of a clear ocean on a sunny day; provoking fresh, clean thoughts that motivate improved hygiene behaviours.
In making your desired washroom behaviours visible through new signage and by following scientifically-accepted colour principles, FMs will greatly improve the quality and cleanliness of washroom facilities. However, it’s important to ensure that it’s easy to practise good hygiene in the rest of the building too, for reputational purposes as much as from a wellbeing point of view.
www.tomorrowsfm.com
FOUR STEPS FOR MAINTAINING PERFECT HYGIENE
1. HAND SANITISERS AT THE READY
Aside from encouraging staff to regularly wash and then dry their hands thoroughly, hand sanitisers should always be available. The most effective sanitisers are those not based on alcohol. Initial’s UltraProtect forms a gentle, long- lasting and invisible barrier across hands, inactivating germs for hours after use and protecting against a wide range of bacteria and viruses, including Campylobacter and Norovirus. We recommend that hand sanitiser dispensers are available in reception, corridors, the office space and in the kitchen. No-touch models are available in both soap and sanitiser dispensers to help break the cross-infection pathways.
2. REGULAR CLEANING REGIMES
Ensure regular, thorough cleaning takes place in communal indoor spaces like tea/coffee making and breakout areas, washroom facilities and corridors. It is recommended that companies undertake a professional deep clean at least twice a year to prevent the build-up of hidden embedded dirt and contamination, and the associated microorganisms.
“ENSURE STAFF WHO CONTRACT A VIRAL
OR BACTERIAL ILLNESS STAY AWAY FROM THE OFFICE FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS.”
Ensure table tops, shelves and any shared equipment are cleaned regularly using anti-bacterial surface wipes.
3. INTRODUCE SCENTING PRODUCTS
High footfall makes corridors and
common areas germ hotspots. Scenting products will help control and minimise odours arising from general human activity. Malodours are mostly created by bacteria, particularly in damp or small environments like washrooms or changing rooms. Quiet, fan-driven air disinfection units will also help reduce airborne microorganisms, odours and cross-infection.
“CONSIDER ADDING A
SPLASH OF COLOUR TO THE WASHROOM TO HELP MAKE HYGIENE STATIONS STAND
OUT IN A POSITIVE, ENGAGING WAY.”
4. REDUCE VIRUS SPREAD Ensure staff who contract a viral or bacterial illness stay away from the office for at least 48 hours after the symptoms have disappeared to avoid wider workforce contamination. Ill individuals are normally still infectious, and should be persuaded to get better first despite their willingness to return to work.
FINAL THOUGHTS While altering the colour of
washroom equipment may be considered superficial and purely for the benefit of the aesthetics of the washroom, this small change can have a direct impact on washroom behaviour, which will in turn significantly reduce the chances of bacteria and viruses spreading among the workforce via cross-contamination.
Hand and surface hygiene is critical to reduce the spread of microbial infections, and preventing an outbreak of illness within a business can provide significant cost savings in reducing absenteeism. If you’d like to seek advice on the cleanliness in your facility, or are unsure about the UK regulatory requirements surrounding hygiene standards then it’s best to seek the advice of an expert.
www.initial.co.uk TOMORROW’S FM | 23
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