Keeping Your Office Germ-Free
When you work in an office, you’re bound to come in contact with some unwelcome visitors, otherwise known as germs. Yet, with all the sneezing and coughing an employee deals with on average, you’ve just got to wonder, just how clean is your office?
THE STATS:
- 70% of keyboards contain more bacteria than a toilet seat.
- Office desks are 400 times dirtier than a toilet seat.
- 20% of workers do not clean their desk before eating.
- There are over 25,000 microbes per square inch on the surface of a telephone.
- Within an hour of use, public restroom surfaces accumulate 500,000 bacterial cells per square inch.
- 26% of office refrigerator door handles need to be DEEP cleaned and disinfected daily.
- 75% of office sink faucet handles display high degrees of bacterial contamination.
While the findings are startling, it doesn’t mean that your office is a biohazard. What it does mean is that, whether you are an employee or an employer, you should be more aware of your surroundings and what you can do about them.
OUR RECS:
- Wash your hands with soap and warm water for a FULL 20 seconds.
- Use antibacterial hand gel after using the office kitchen and bathroom.
- Do not come into work when you’re ill. Seriously. Stay home.
- Keep disinfecting wipes on your desk and disinfect your workstation daily. Having them in arms-reach acts as a constant reminder to get wiping.
- Speak with your employer about having your office deep cleaned. Dust is a major source of bacteria – so doing a full-sweep of the workplace is a move in the right direction.
Taking these little steps can make a big difference in your well-being and sick days needed. Remember, it’s up to you to create a happier, healthier and more productive work environment.
Photo credit: tinafranklindg / Foter / CC BY
