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As a founder member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Private Organisations for Patient Safety group, GOJO is a strong advocate of the ‘total solution’ strategy to making hand hygiene second nature to everyone in a healthcare setting. This approach recognises and combines a trio of principles to successfully influence behaviour: Access; Formulations, and Signage.
Hand hygiene systems in care environments should incorporate easy-to-use dispensers, which are widely available.
High-traffic areas such as the entrance/exit to the facility, reception and waiting areas, beside liſts, and eating areas or canteens are all touch points with a high risk of contamination. Supplying hand sanitiser dispensers in these areas – wall-mounted, free-standing, or in pump bottles placed on tables – can reduce the threat.
Washrooms are also central in combatting infection. The provision of pleasant and effective soap, in dispensers that are simple to operate and built to last, is vital. Touch-free dispensers have also become increasingly popular – intuitively sensing the presence of hands, they dispense just the right amount of product every time. The fact that they are touch- free also increases their hygiene rating.
A hand sanitiser dispenser at the washroom exit can also improve hygiene. If people have not washed their hands properly, germs can be spread onto the door handle and other surfaces that they touch when they leave the washroom. Did you know, for example, that one single contaminated door handle can infect up to 60% of the occupants of a building within just four hours? Placing a sanitising dispenser at washroom exits offers that extra opportunity for hand hygiene.
When you consider the high frequency with which hands should be washed or sanitised, it is clear that the formulations of soaps and sanitisers are incredibly important. They must be mild and gentle to skin, yet still have the power to eradicate dangerous pathogens such as the flu virus. Choose soaps and sanitisers that comply with key hospital norms EN 1500, EN 14476 and EN 12791. If selecting a hygienic hand rub, ensure it is formulated with at least 70% ethyl-alcohol, which has been clinically proven to kill germs within seconds.
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CLEANING & HYGIENE
“The simple act of hand washing can
make a huge difference to health, helping to
prevent the spread of germs.”
Factory-sealed refills for soaps and sanitisers can also help in the fight against infection – these products simply snap into place on site and are a smart, safe and sustainable option. The product inside is protected from contamination as it is sealed at the point of manufacture. This means that the soap or sanitiser is never open to the environment and so cross- contamination from the air or other sources is prevented.
Actively promoting and reminding care workers, residents and visitors to use the hand hygiene facilities can boost compliance. Eye-catching signage such as posters and other visual displays can be very effective as a prompt, especially at key germ hotspots such as washrooms. Not only do they remind people to wash or sanitise their hands, they can also illustrate the correct technique to achieve best practice.
By providing access to effective and attractive hand hygiene systems, incorporating soaps and sanitisers that appeal to the senses of touch and smell, and proactively encouraging compliance, care environments can lessen the impact of the flu virus and boost the health and well-being of everyone at their facilities this winter.
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