ELIMINATING THE ‘OFFICE COLD’
Steve Nurdin, marketing manager for Cannon Hygiene UK, outlines how facilities managers can help prevent the spread of colds and flus in an office this winter.
Winter is here and the sound of thousands of uncovered coughs and sneezes is already echoing across the country, with one in four people not covering their mouths, according to a study from Otago University in New Zealand. An increase in colds is inevitable, but the rise in more serious illnesses like Norovirus – a million cases are expected by the end of year, according to Public Health England – makes preventing the spread of such bugs even more vital.
The average office sees hundreds of people spending eight hours in the same, often poorly ventilated, building, which creates the perfect conditions for germs to spread. Once one person falls ill the rest soon follow and avoiding the ‘office cold’ can be a near impossible task. This isn’t helped by ‘presenteeism’ – when staff members feel obligated to come into work despite being ill.
As each round of illness passes through the office, staffing and productivity are all negatively affected. To ensure this doesn’t happen, facilities managers should employ a vigilant hygiene strategy across the building to prevent the spread of germs as much as possible.
36 | WINTER MAINTENANCE
Hand-to-surface transmission is one of the most common ways bacteria can be circulated around an office. A study conducted by The University of Arizona found that traces of a harmless virus placed on an office door handle spread to half of the surfaces in the same office within just four hours. With this in mind, measures should be taken to ensure both hands and surfaces are kept clean.
Making sure hand rubs are readily available, either by installing dispensers at doorways or providing bottles of gel to keep on desks, is an excellent way to promote good hand hygiene. And, products specifically designed to kill bacteria on door handles and other ‘germ hot-spots’ such as telephones and keyboards are available. By targeting these areas and providing hygiene solutions, facilities managers can make a real difference.
In washrooms, ensuring that suitable hand washing facilities are provided is non-negotiable. Using ‘no-touch’ technology where possible, from toilet flushes to soap dispensers, can help stop the spread of bacteria from person to person. Hand drying is equally important. Germs thrive on wet hands and can be easily
transferred onto surfaces, acting as a catalyst for transmission. Whether through automatic dryers or paper towels, providing suitable hand drying solutions is essential to slowing the spread of bacteria.
Airborne bacteria can also cause serious problems in an office, particularly if people don’t properly cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. Most buildings use air conditioning, allowing stale air – germs included – to recirculate and create a fast track for bacteria. To prevent this, aircare technology has been developed that can actually clean the air. Installing these products in shared spaces can make a significant difference to an office’s health and cut down on transmission of bugs.
A rise in seasonal illnesses is always to be expected in winter and although best practice would be to stop sick people coming into work, this is not always practical. Developing a vigilant hygiene policy that will prevent viruses spreading across a business allows facilities managers to get on the front foot in protecting their staff and their workplace from the threat of illness this winter.
www.cannonhygiene.com twitter.com/TomoCleaning
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