Is
Your Workplace a Clean Space?
The average work space can contain millions of
microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, molds and fungi, which
can spread in a matter of minutes.
These microorganisms can grow at a geometric rate.
That means that your desktop can be contaminated with
millions of bacteria in just a few minutes.
Just how bad is it? According to Dr.
Charles Gerba, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of
Arizona, “For bacteria, a desk is really the laptop of luxury.
They can feast all day from breakfast to lunch and even dinner.”
The bacteria that are crawling all over your telephone, mouse and
keyboard may include hundreds of different types that can cause stains, odors
and mildew.
“We don’t think twice about eating at our
desks, even though the average desk has 100 times more bacteria than a kitchen
table and 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet,” says Dr. Gerba.
Just to give you an idea, here are relative microorganism densities of
frequently touched office equipment according to Dr. Gerba:
Phone: 25,127
microorganisms per square inch
Desktop surface:
20,961 microorganisms per square inch
Keyboard: 3,295
microorganisms per square inch
Mouse: 1,676
microorganisms per square inch
Fax Machine: 301
microorganisms per square inch
Copy machine: 69
microorganisms per square inch
Toilet seat: 49 microorganisms per square inch
Fighting back
How can we fight back?
One way is to regularly clean these surfaces as well as
disinfect them. In
order to properly disinfect these surfaces you can use a
disinfecting wipe made specifically for this purpose every day.
Another way is to frequently wash your hands with soap, for
a minimum of 15-30 seconds. Unfortunately,
research shows that although 95 percent of people say they wash
their hands after using a public restroom, only 67 percent really
do, and just 33 percent of those use soap, while only 16 percent
of those who wash their hands do so long enough for it to be
effective (15-30 seconds or as long as it takes to sing Happy
Birthday).
Silver based antimicrobial products
That is why Dr. Gerba believes that additional
measures are needed. One such
solution is to use products with antimicrobial protection.
Gerba believes that products that incorporate a silver based
antimicrobial technology are especially effective.
These products are treated with antimicrobial protection that is bonded–at the molecular level–to
the product during manufacture. This
antimicrobial technology is a delivery system for silver ions, which have been
proven to have antimicrobial properties. The
breakthrough is that the antimicrobial technology serves as a “time release”
mechanism that controls the migration of silver ions to the surface where they
can help prevent the growth and migration of microorganisms for the life of
the product. It will not wash
off or wear off. The antimicrobial
technology is designed to serve as a major line of defense in combating
microorganisms. When coupled with
other hygienic measures, it provides an extra layer of protection.
This technology makes antimicrobial treated products perfect for use in
offices, hospitals, schools, long-term care facilities, food service operations,
commercial uses and more.
Antimicrobial treated products can keep surfaces
cleaner and fresher between routine cleanings and also help control stains and
odors. Examples of products
available that have been treated with antimicrobial protection include: Sheet
Protectors, Keyboards, Mouse and Mouse Pads, Scissors, Pencils, Pens, Project
Folders, Magazine Covers, Telephones and Cell Phones to name a few.
Although we shouldn’t become paranoid, it does make good sense to
exercise some caution to keep our workplace a clean space.
Frequent hand washing and cleaning are paramount.
The use of antimicrobial treated products will provide an extra layer of
protection.
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