Not Your Mother’s Hand Sanitizer caused by repeated application of alcohol sanitizers and researched the connection between dry or irritated hands and increased risk of exposure to easily-trans-mitted pathogens. Consequently, many facility managers have migrated to well-documented and well-researched non-alcohol hand sani-tizer products, as these products have proven to be: Equally, if not more, effective insofar as killing pesky pathogens when com-pared to alcohol-based products Hand Hygiene The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using hand san-itizers — either gel or foaming — to rid one’s hands of potentially harmful germs and bacteria when washing with soap and water is not a viable option. The CDC cautions against using hand sanitizers as a replacement for proper and fre-quent hand washing because hand sanitizers are not effective in removing soils from hands. By reducing the number of microorganisms on the pads, palms and other areas of the hands, sanitizers can effectively reduce one’s chance of contracting infections associ-ated with touch point contamination. For optimal results, one should use hand sanitizers after thoroughly washing with soap and warm water and completely drying hands. Visit the CDC at www.cdc.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) at www.who.int for more information about hand sanitizers and for hand hygiene tips to keep you and your building occupants healthy. With the wealth of knowledge available and the increasing number of companies offering hand sanitizing products, ignorance and excuses are not justified. Safer to the skin Non-flammable Non-destructive to materials such as industrial floor wax, paint or clothing More persistent Two to three times more cost efficient, as non-alcohol, foam-formatted prod-ucts require less frequent application. Take The Good With The Bad Before reviewing the comparisons of any particular alcohol-free brands to alcohol-based alternatives, it is critically important to put the topic of hand sanitizers into proper perspective. The more informed are inclined to ask, “What are the negative ‘features’ of benza-lkonium chloride?” Or, the very informed reader might be familiar with a memorandum submitted in 2003 by GOJO Industries Inc. to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), in which GOJO solicited the FDA to prohibit the registration of benzalkonium chloride-based hand sani-tizer products. This request, which was denied by the FDA, suggested, but failed to demonstrate, that benzalkonium chloride-based products were “ineffective and potentially dangerous.” The potentially negative effects of alcohol-free, benzalkonium chloride-based hand sanitizers include notions that: Certain studies have found that while Circle Product Information no. 203 on page 32 benzalkonium chloride is one of the safest organic compounds, exces-sive inhalation can have a negative effective on those suffering from asth-ma — merely proving the common wisdom that too much of anything is not good. While benzalkonium chloride has been the active ingredient in contact lens solutions for some time, enough studies have found that excessive application within eye drops can have negative effects on the cornea. Most responsible manufacturers of benza-lkonium chloride-based hand sanitizer products caution against their prod-ucts coming into contact with eyes. One need not be a trained health care professional to opine on the impact of applying an alcohol gel to the eyes. Select independent laboratory studies have found that certain pathogens develop a resistance to benzalkonium chloride when applied in high doses and with excessive frequency. Again, it confirms that too much of anything is potentially harmful. Washing with soap and water remains the most effective hand hygiene protocol. However, when soap and water is not readily available, one need not be an epi-demiologist to recognize that certain non-alcohol hand sanitizer formulas are more pragmatic than alcohol. CM 26 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • May 2010
CMM – Archives May 2010: 26
