Wait … HOW Often Should I Sanitize My Hands?
Over the past decade, people have been instructed they should frequently wash their hands with soap and water and use hand sanitizers in between. Even still, there is much debate about whether using hand sanitizers and the frequency of their use does anything to help control the spread of diseases, illnesses, and bacteria.
We have all seen obsessive-compulsive hygiene individuals who are armed with hand sanitizer bathroom products and carry them wherever they go, with a sufficient stock to sanitize the entire community. We have also seen over-protective parents who also carry sanitizing wipes and wipe down every inch of surfaces around where their baby or children will be eating or playing, as well as making sure they sanitize their hands, toys, and their playmates.
We have even experienced some of our co-workers who take things a bit far, especially during the cold and flu season, and who are constantly wiping down their work surface, applying hand sanitizer every ten minutes, and not letting people into their office until they also sanitize their hands.
Whether you are an avid hand sanitizer or do so only during certain times of the year, there are certain types of work environments where it is important and should not be shrugged off. Some of the more common ones where frequent sanitizing is highly recommended and encouraged include:
- Food Service/Restaurants
- Hospitals
- Hospices
- Nursing Homes
- Doctors’ Offices
- Clean Room Environments
- Urgent Care/Emergency Rooms
- Co-working/Shared Office Environments
- Cruise Ships
- Casinos
- Cashiers
In each of these above work environments, the spread of germs can be much higher. Just think about how many different things we touch with our hands every single day. You open and close doors, drawers, touch keyboards, mice, smartphones, shake hands, and more. Plus, we may cover our faces with our hands when we cough or sneeze.
Now imagine the vast numbers of people in the world and the vast numbers of items and objects that get touched! When we are not touching other items, we use our hands to rub our eyes, blow our nose, brush our teeth, and eat. Think about all those surfaces we have touched, plus the likelihood they were touched by others. Do you really want to rub your eyes or even pick up that hamburger and take a bite without sanitizing your hands?
In fact, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan, four out of five germs that cause disease and illness are spread by our hands! Given this information, hand sanitizing is good for us. So that co-worker who seems like they are a bit OCD when it comes to sanitization may be onto something, especially if he or she never takes a sick day at work.
While you don’t have to go to the extremes they do, a good rule of thumb is to sanitize your hands about once per hour, unless otherwise required for your job, and whenever you do not have access to soap and water to wash your hands. To ensure you have plenty of sanitizer on hand at your business, order directly from Prudential Overall Supply today by calling (800) 767-5536.
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