Hand Hygiene Tips for National Handwashing Awareness Week

Cincinnati, Ohio — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), proper handwashing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of germs that cause infection and illness. In honor of National Handwashing Awareness Week (Dec. 6 – 12), Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS) offers four handwashing tips to help maintain a healthier workplace this cold and flu season.

National Handwashing Awareness Week aims to “spread the word not germs” by promoting the importance of proper handwashing. To help promote proper hand-hygiene practices, consider the following:

1. Know when to wash. While it’s important to regularly wash your hands, it’s even more important to wash your hands after certain activities such as using the toilet; before, during and after preparing food; touching an animal; blowing your nose; coughing; or sneezing. It can also be beneficial to wash hands after coming into contact with frequently touched items, such as door handles or light switches.

2. Don’t skip the soap. Washing hands with soap and water is the best and most effective way to reduce the number of microbes and germs on hands. Studies show that you should scrub your hands, including areas between fingers and around the base of your hands, with soap for a minimum of 15-30 seconds in order to effectively remove germs.

3. Dry hands completely. According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, hand drying is essential to staving off bacteria after handwashing as germs are more easily transferred to and from wet hands.

4. Dry hands with paper towels. Studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic (Minn.) and University of Westminster (London) show that paper towels can help remove bacteria, unlike air dryers which can increase bacteria counts. Paper towels are also less likely to contaminate other restroom users as air dryers have also been shown to spread bacteria between three and six feet from the device.

Even if employees practice proper hand hygiene, it’s important for facilities to plan for additional cleaning and disinfection during winter months. Combat cold and flu season by using the proper cleaning tools, cleaning chemicals and cleaning processes to keep employees healthy and safe.

To complement a handwashing program, businesses should disinfect high-tough surfaces such as door handles, elevator buttons, desks, keyboards and phones regularly. Because viruses and bacteria are estimated to remain on hard surfaces for up to 18 hours, be sure to use a combination of anti-microbial cleaners and disinfectants to remove and kill pathogenic micro-organisms that thrive in these areas. Also remember to use separate microfiber mops and towels between zones to remove bacteria and reduce cross contamination.

Featured

  • New Kent State Academic Building Earns LEED Silver Certification

    Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, recently announced that its newest academic building, Crawford Hall, has earned a LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The facility was recognized for its innovative design, water conservation technologies, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable construction materials, among other features.

  • California Boarding School Opens New Inquiry Collaborative Facility

    Cate School, a boarding school in Carpinteria, Calif., for students grades 9–12, recently announced that it has finished renovating a historic dining hall into a new academic hub, according to a news release. The school partnered with Blackbird Architects and Tangram Interiors on the two-story, 16,000-square-foot Inquiry Collaborative.

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.

  • Three U.S. Universities Install Acre Security Access Control Platform

    Cloud-native physical and digital security solutions company Acre Security recently announced that it has deployed its access control platform at three major universities in the U.S., according to a news release. Acre partnered with Atrium Campus to provide coverage for more than 69,000 students at the University of Virginia (UVA), George Mason University, and Rockhurst University.