WASHROOM HYGIENE
The importance of washroom dispensers
Cleaning and hygiene systems specialist SEKO examines how soap and paper towel systems play a vital role in building management.
With hygiene, cost control and visitor satisfaction all vying for the attentions of facilities managers, the function of washroom soap and paper towel dispensers in public buildings cannot be understated.
Hygiene standards
The HSE’s approved Code of Practice for workplace health, safety and welfare states that ‘toilet paper should be provided in a holder or dispenser’. Without a dispenser, toilet roll is usually placed on a cistern or other surface, where it is unprotected from splashes and can harbour and transmit bacteria.
Despite the known risks, it’s still common to find toilet paper provided in this way, so by housing toilet paper within a dispenser, operators can immediately enhance hygiene standards. Meanwhile, upgrading from manual to automatic touch-free soap dispensers means users’ hands do not need to contact any part of the unit, which improves infection control.
Waste and sustainability
Interleaved paper towels are designed for dispensers, but it’s still common to see these placed in baskets or elsewhere on countertops. With these towels being difficult to separate, users generally take more towels than they need while the pile inevitably becomes damp, causing towels on the top to be discarded, which creates further wastage.
A purpose-built dispenser protects towels from splashes as well as delivering towels individually for a significant reduction in waste.
Cost
While many operators choose to install low quality dispensers based on price, this approach is not in fact cost-effective due to the regular expense of repair and replacement when compared to the far greater lifespan attained from more reliable systems.
With the prices of consumables continuing to rise, well- functioning soap and sanitiser dispensers play a significant
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role in helping operators keep costs down by dosing accurately and consistently, as well as preventing leaks.
Meanwhile, despite its relative low cost, building managers still frequently report toilet tissue being stolen from public washrooms, while the lack of a dispenser inevitably leads to excessive use. Therefore a secure, lockable toilet paper dispenser can help to deter theft as well as wastage.
User experience
The washroom is, more often than not, reflective of a business’s overall hygiene standards, with unsightly hygiene facilities giving users a negative perception of the brand in the retail, food service and leisure sectors.
In public and commercial washrooms, manual soap dispensers are often subject to heavy-handed operation such as levers being repeatedly pumped with excessive force – especially when product is running low.
For subsequent users, attempting to operate a broken or malfunctioning soap dispenser provides a frustrating, negative experience, which is why building managers should ensure systems are robust enough to withstand heavy use rather than be tempted by the cheapest option, which is likely to be lightweight and fragile.
Brand promotion
Most dispensers can now be supplied with a company’s choice of logo and colours, and while customisation may appear to be a luxury option, it’s an opportunity to reinforce branding and help deliver a positive, professional impression within the washroom.
For operators of multiple sites, such as hotel and restaurant chains, this ensures dispensers blend in with their surroundings while helping to provide brand consistency in every branch.
In a world where even small details can make a big difference, you should never underestimate the role of the humble washroom dispenser.
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