HEALTHCARE HYGIENE
The importance of hand drying
Paul Mulready, Marketing Manager of Northwood Hygiene Products – a leader in Away-from-Home (AfH) professional paper hygiene and wiping products – talks about the role of hand drying in healthcare settings.
It’s well documented that hand washing is an effective way of maintaining hygiene standards in the healthcare sector. However, hand drying is often overlooked, but it is indeed a vital part of the hand hygiene process.
Modern air dryers may not be as hygienic as you think, because they could spread more germs and viruses around the washroom than paper towels. A study by the University of Westminster found that a warm air dryer increases the amount of bacteria on hands by 254%. The same study also found that drying with hand towels was quicker, typically taking 10 seconds, compared to warm air dryers which took 47 seconds.
Optimal drying
Washroom users may be reluctant to use air dryers for hygiene reasons and because they take longer to dry hands, meaning people might dry their hands on their clothes or leave them to dry naturally. This can hinder the success of washing hands in the first place as damp hands can transfer far more bacteria than dry hands, whilst wiping hands on clothes can add bacteria to hands if the clothes are not clean.
Paper towels are critical to proper hand hygiene in healthcare environments, as they provide the best solution for both hand and overall washroom hygiene. Compared to air dryers, single-use paper towels are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Plus, given that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) estimates that 300,000 patients a year contract a Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI) as a result of care in the NHS, it is essential that hands are kept scrupulously clean in healthcare settings wherever possible.
Effective hand drying is an essential element of personal and washroom hygiene in healthcare environments, and providers should specify hand drying systems that promote good hygiene, whilst also being sustainable.
Washroom facilities are instrumental in any healthcare 54 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING
setting, but with costs rising, providers need to control the use of disposable products, such as soap and towels. Preventing overuse is vital, so providers should look for high-capacity, controlled-use dispensers that restrict the use of consumables. Not only does this help to reduce costs, it also reduces waste and is therefore more environmentally sustainable.
Sustainable solutions
Thinking sustainably, providers should always ensure that paper products are made only from raw materials that have been responsibly sourced – either from recycled materials or from sustainably managed forests. Furthermore, buying British-made products where possible helps to reduce international transportation and help the environment.
Northwood Hygiene, for instance, uses Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper within its UK manufactured Raphael range, as well as offering 100% recycled paper options.
Our Raphael proprietary washroom system helps washrooms to provide superior hygiene, whilst offering strong environmental benefits. Widely used in healthcare settings, Raphael delivers cost-in-use, performance and sustainability.
The high-capacity Raphael collection includes four hand towel dispensers, which can provide contactless dispensing for added hygiene. The roll towel dispensers hold up to 250 sheets each, providing around 500 dries, with some offering stub-roll transfer to ensure zero waste. The hand drying systems dispense flat sheets one at a time to avoid overuse, and the folded towel dispenser has a 1,000-sheet capacity. To reduce overuse, the dispensers do not to free roll.
Hygiene remains vital in healthcare settings and providers can help to optimise hand hygiene, whilst also reducing the environmental impact of their washrooms with a little thought and the right products.
For further information, please call 01952 236 930 or visit the website below.
www.northwood.co.uk twitter.com/TomoCleaning
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