Running Water, Soap And 20 Seconds scientists at the University of Colorado in Boulder examined the microbial biogeogra-phy of public restroom surfaces in 2011 and found 19 bacterial phyla invading these ar-eas, Dommisse states. Some bacteria were found on toilet seats and floors, but much of the bacterial expo-sure in public restrooms occurs during the handwashing process. In fact, the exteriors of soap dispensers contain more bacteria than toilet seats. This is another example of how clean-ing workers and managers can address a trouble-spot and decrease infection risks in a restroom. Finally, speaking of germ aversions, Dom-misse says the survey also found that 76 percent of Americans are most concerned about somebody not washing their hands in restaurants vs. only 65 percent worrying about a hospital or healthcare office. couraging workers and occupants to wash their hands. Since a clean and organized restroom may lead to an increase in handwashing, Dom-missee recommends durable handwashing fixtures and well-maintained and stocked restrooms. “Make sure garbage is picked up, counter-tops are clean, floors are dry and use air fresh-eners to keep a good-smelling environment,” Dommisse says. “So, not only is a hand hy-giene or handwashing program a good idea, it’s also a good idea for building maintenance staff and management to be hyper-aware about the condition of their restrooms.” Another applicable advance would be touchless fixtures; these are gaining impor-tance because they reduce the number of touchpoints in germ-laden restrooms. These fixtures help users avoid touching restroom surfaces, reduce the transmission of germs and bacteria from users’ hands and improve overall hygiene as users leave the re-stroom and enter other parts of the building, Dommisse states. Today, touchless faucets, soap dispens-ers, hand dryers and towel dispensers are available. The CDC offers materials that facility man-agers and BSCs can use to encourage hand-washing and hygiene as well. The agency’s website (www.CDC.gov) contains numerous downloads including checklists, videos, podcasts, posters, fact sheets and social media resources. As the U.S. moves deeper into cold and flu season, JanSan operations and departments can utilize cleaning improvements, hand-washing tips and educational materials to help prevent absenteeism, boost occupant health and improve worker output in their facilities. 1 World Health Organization (WHO) 2 Curtis V, Camicross S. Effect of washing hands with soap on diarrhoea risk in the com-munity: A systematic review. Lancet Infect Dis. 2003;3(5):275-81 Encouraging Handwashing Based on his company’s survey findings, Dommisse offers a few tips for further en-3 Rabie T, Curtis V. Hand washing and risk of respi-ratory infections: a quantitative systematic review. Trop Med Int Health. 2006;11(3):258-67 CM The first high-speed automatic scrubber to clean and polish all types of floors. The IPC Eagle ECS high-speed automatic scrubbers are uniquely designed to mechanically clean and polish sealed and non-sealed floors. This chemical free mechanical cleaning approach physically removes the soil as it polishes the surface drastically cutting the cost of labor and chemicals while eliminating frequent burnishing. Visit www.ipceagle.com/ECSHighSpeed for more information. 3650 Dodd Rd Eagan, MN 55123 800.486.2775 www.ipceagle.com FREE INFO: Reader Service 210 or CMMOnline.com/freeinfo FREE INFO: Reader Service 209 or CMMOnline.com/freeinfo 16 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • November 2013
CMM – Archives November 2013: 16
