Attention: Drying your hands thoroughly is as important as washing them.
We have already talked about the importance of washing hands well to prevent the spread of diseases in the workplace . Whether at home, on the street or in the work environment, doing hand hygiene is extremely important to our health, however, do you know if you are doing it the right way?
A survey by the BBC network in the UK pointed out that when asked, 99% of respondents claimed to wash their hands after using the toilet, but in practice, the research showed another result . Using a device that records the use of the taps in a bathroom revealed that only 32% of the men washed their hands, compared with 64% of the women who performed the procedure.
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Asked about his hand hygiene moments, computer instructor Washington Santos was categorical: "I wash my hands after going to the bathroom and before handling food. Other than that, only when it's visibly dirty or a bit sweaty, " he commented.
Even though the instructor ignores the dangers of contamination in his work environment, Washington states that when washing hands he always makes soap and then dries them well with paper towels when they are available.
Daily alert
The hands are always in touch with the environment around us: in the collective, on the stair railing, on the elevator buttons, when opening doors and holding money. We also put our hands to our mouths when we sneeze or wipe the secretion from our nose. These are just a few of the examples of how we can contaminate or spread harmful germs around us. For this reason, it is so important to maintain hand hygiene, but it is not enough to just wash well with soap and water, you must dry them well so that there is no proliferation of bacteria with damp skin.
In busy environments such as shopping malls and businesses, people can wash their hands using paper towels, or with electronic devices that blow hot or cold air. With regard to the elimination of viruses and bacteria, which product offers more quality?
Electric dryers are modern and seem to be more efficient since there is no direct contact with the appliance, however, what appears to be a safe way to end sanitation is a real health hazard. This is what studies show at the University of Westminster in Leeds, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and other papers published by the Journal of Applied Microbiology.
Attention: Drying your hands thoroughly is as important as washing them. According to research, the air jet launches more bacteria and viruses to the hands, increasing the number of microorganisms by 117% . In comparison to paper dryers, air-jet machines also release more bacteria into the environment. As for air-jet appliances, they spread 60 times more bodies than hot air appliances, and 1,300 times more than paper towels.
Another negative factor of the blowers is the delay in drying their hands, taking 30 seconds of action. During the survey the volunteers gave up before the end of time: the men were the least patients leaving the device in 19.6 seconds, and the women gave up after 25.4 seconds. With the sheet of paper the time spent is only 11 seconds.
Research shows that the use of paper towel is more efficient, reducing by 24% the amount of virus and bacteria in the skin. It is important to use quality papers that do not smear or tear in the hand, and that can actually dry your hands.
Although good handwashing is important to eliminate the microorganisms in the skin more efficiently, the most important thing is to clean properly using soap and water or antiseptic products.
When to wash hands
Keeping your hands clean is an important attitude to prevent the spread of diseases, since the transmission of viral and bacterial infections can occur through contact with other people. With the hygiene of the hands the person contributes to prevent this process of contamination.
The social educator Sara Maria is attentive to avoid this type of contamination in the work. Every day, Sara is in contact with adolescents in an NGO in the city of Vitória, Espírito Santo. In addition to receiving the young people who arrive at the project, the educator also performs tasks in the administrative sector by organizing documents.
Being exposed to thousands of microorganisms, Sara Maria affirms to maintain the hygiene of the hands washing them whenever an activity ends. This measure helps to reduce the contamination of common infections such as colds, flu, hepatitis A, conjunctivitis, scabies and many others. This measure should be redoubled mainly by those who have close contact with infants, the elderly, and debilitated people.
Care should be taken to maintain personal hygiene by washing hands in the following situations:
- Before and after preparing meals;
- Before you start eating;
- Before treating any wound or injury;
- Before and after contacting any sick person;
- After using the bathroom;
- After changing diapers or cleaning up any children who have gone to the bathroom;
- After blowing nose, coughing, sneezing, combing hair or having contact with any type of bodily secretion;
- After shaking hands with another person;
- After contacting animals;
- After handling garbage;
- Every time the hand is neatly with some dirt.
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To preserve the wellbeing and health of employees and customers of each company, Wesco has a variety of products that meet your needs, promoting a safe environment that is free of contamination that could harm the work environment and decrease the effectiveness of production.
The line of dispensers for soaps is easy to use with precise release, avoiding product waste, and making it easier for children and the elderly. Towel dispensers deliver proven savings of up to 33% in paper consumption compared to all other systems on the market, avoiding waste during use . Can be installed in any environment, the gel alcohol dispenser is excellent for quick hand hygiene, since there is no need to rinse.
Companies that offer more quality of life at work generate a greater bond with their employees by promoting a more welcoming environment, which helps motivate activities and increase productivity.