FEATURE SAFE HANDS
One of the biggest barriers to handwashing is the risk of skin irritation. Chris Wakefield, Vice President, European Marketing & Product Development at GOJO Industries, discusses how to optimise skin health, in order to boost adherence.
Health and safety in the workplace has always been important. Indeed, by law, employers have a duty of care for their workers. Now, as the lockdown loosens, and businesses welcome staff back to work, they must ensure their workplaces are COVID-19 secure. In other words, effective measures must be put in place to minimise the risk of infection spreading.
Hand hygiene is one such measure that will be dialled up in the ‘new normal’. In fact, the pandemic prompted huge awareness of its power to prevent the spread of germs. As a result, people have become more diligent in handwashing practice. It is critical that this continues as restrictions relax, because, pre-pandemic, many studies showed that people did not wash their hands as often or as effectively as they should.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the most common barrier to good hand hygiene technique amongst healthcare professionals is skin irritation. This could well be true of the general public too, when you consider that 60–70% of women and 50–60% of men report having sensitive skin to some degree.
CARING FOR HARD-WORKING HANDS Given the frequency that people must now wash or
sanitise their hands, businesses must take skin health into account when implementing a hand hygiene programme. After all, skin irritation is more than just a discomfort; it can cause cracks on the hands, making the sufferer even more vulnerable to infection. This can, in turn, impact productivity and output.
The very first thing to consider is the choice of product. To positively influence good hand hygiene behaviour, products must be a pleasure to use. Companies should, therefore, opt for trusted formulations that are both effective against germs and gentle on the skin
The handwashing process should be completed by ensuring all soap product is rinsed off and hands are dried thoroughly with paper towels.
Chris Packham, Dermatologist at Enviroderm, explains: “Much attention has been given to the correct application of the soap and water, but relatively little has been given to the process of rinsing the skin. Yet if this is not done properly, a soap residue will remain on the hands and contribute to skin damage. Furthermore, incomplete rinsing will result in active viruses remaining on the hands thus largely negating the whole process.”
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Frequent exposure to water causes swelling and shrinking of the stratum corneum, drying out the skin, and can lead to hand dermatitis. Applying moisturiser rehydrates and replenishes oils, helping to reduce the risk of skin shedding, which can cause additional irritation. Therefore, to maintain optimal skin health, businesses should also consider supplying hand cream to use afterwards.
With this in mind, hand sanitiser makes a good alternative to soap and water, where hands are not visibly soiled. PURELL Hygienic Hand Rubs are trusted by the NHS and are clinically proven to maintain skin health. What’s more, they don’t have to be restricted to washrooms or kitchens. Discreet sanitising dispensers can be positioned in high traffic areas, whilst bottles can be placed on desks and workstations.
Hand hygiene is only an effective infection control measure if everyone performs the recommended techniques regularly. It’s therefore in a business’ best interests to influence positive, hygienic behaviour. Supplying proven and effective products that won’t irritate is just one important way to help achieve widespread compliance.
www.GOJO.com
www.tomorrowshs.com
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