Tips To Consider On World Hand Hygiene Day

Most common viruses are easily spread by hand. Knowing when and how to wash hands can help minimize the spread of germs. In honor of the World Health Organization’s World Hand Hygiene Day, which is celebrated today and every May 5, Cintas Corporation is encouraging businesses to explore the best hand hygiene best practices.

“Everyone plays a role in helping to prevent the spread of illness with proper hand hygiene,” said Christiny Betsch, marketing manager at Cintas. “Providing the necessary tools helps promote a healthier environment and shows employees, customers and other building occupants that facilities take hand hygiene seriously.”

Hand hygiene essentials facilities may wish to consider, according to Cintas Corporation, include:

Placing hand sanitizer stands in high-traffic areas

Making hand sanitizer readily available in high-traffic areas can help remind and encourage customers, employees and others to clean their hands regularly. Consider installing hand sanitizer stands near entrances to help prevent germs being brought in and out of facilities.

Choosing products carefully

Some hand soap and hand sanitizers contain skin-irritating ingredients, which can lead to skin disorders like irritant contact dermatitis (ICD). Choosing products made with mild ingredients and without harmful chemicals helps lessen this issue.

Implementing touchless features

Installing automatic hand sanitizer, hand soap and paper towel dispensers in restrooms limits direct contact with surfaces. This helps reduce the risk of spreading illness and addresses heightened public concerns for cleanliness.

Equipping restrooms with paper towels

It’s important to remember that poor drying techniques can easily compromise freshly washed hands. Studies have shown that hands dried with air dryers are more likely to contaminate surfaces than those dried with paper towels. Provide paper towels near exits so patrons can use them to open doors without compromising clean hands.

Keeping restrooms appropriately stocked

A lack of restroom supplies makes it more difficult to follow proper hand hygiene protocols, and it’s also a common customer complaint. Make sure to find a steady, reliable supplier of restroom essentials, including hand soap, paper towels and toilet paper.