TOP 5 GERMIEST PLACES IN THE WORKPLACE.

Up to 80 percent of all infections are spread through our environment by hand contact with contaminated surfaces, as well as through direct human contact.  Fortunately, knowing what surfaces provide the greatest risk for disease transmission at work allows us to put a proactive plan in place to implement effective cleaning practices, which can help reduce these risks and minimize infections.

1. Telephones.

 In many workplaces, telephones are still used by multiple employees. Office phones can harbor more than 25,000 germs per square inch. Users should be instructed to wipe off handsets and keypads with sanitizing wipes after using them and periodically throughout the day.

2. Elevator buttons. 

Scores, if not hundreds, of people use elevators every day, many times before they have a chance to get to their workstations or wash their hands. Avoid direct contact with elevator surfaces if you can. Consider using your elbow rather than your hand to push the buttons. (Want to guess the number one place in the elevator for harboring bacteria and germs? It's the "one," or first floor, button.)

3. Water fountains.

Public drinking fountains can harbor as many as 2.7 million bacteria per square inch on the spigot. As an alternative, bring water from home in a sports bottle or buy bottled water during the worst flu outbreaks.

4. Keyboards.

As with telephones, PC keyboards are often used by more than one person, making their use a common way to transfer germs. In fact, keyboards can actually have more than 200 times as many bacteria as a toilet seat.

5. Bathrooms.

Tagged as the "epicenter of cross-contamination" and the "bio-hazardous waste transfer station," facility bathrooms are one of the germiest places of all. E. coli and other fecal toxins are often found on nearly every surface; folks who wash their hands before leaving are nonetheless presented with germy door handles. As a solution, use paper towels to turn faucets off and on, to close the toilet lid before flushing, and to open the door before exiting.

To clean effectively to kill and remove germs and soil, consider a shift to a nightly health-focused, hygienic cleaning system. Studies have shown that employing an effective surface disinfecting and cleaning protocol can reduce absenteeism as much as 50 percent. Cleaning with an aggressive hand hygiene program provides a hygienic barrier to help reduce the risk of illness and improve the quality of work life for all building occupants. Stress effective handwashing and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and keep sanitizing stations visible and well stocked. By combining effective hygienic cleaning and worker hand care education, you will reduce health risks and improve your chances of weathering the cold and flu season with a minimal loss of manpower.
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Author:Peter J. Sheldon

At Executive Building Maintenance, our aim is to exceed our customer's expectations as the quality leader in providing environmental-friendly cleaning services for commercial, industrial, professional and retail facilities. ​

We are a full-service janitorial cleaning company.

Serving the entire Lower Mainland of British Columbia, offering high-quality janitorial work, specialized window cleaning, intensive carpet and floor care, pressure washing and various other cleaning requests as specified by our customer's individual needs.

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