Is Your Office Safe for Work?

SAFE FOR WORK? Keeping clean and healthy in the office may be harder than you think. Dirty places O Really dirty places 78% of workers say they wash their hands often IN 3 office workers have witnessed co-workers leaving restrooms without washing their hands. 79% of vending machine buttons are dirty TIP: 21% Keep hand sanitizer in the break room to reinforce hand hygiene. of them are REALLY gross The average person touches 300 30 surfaces every exposing themselves to 840,000 minutes germs. TIP: Keep hand sanitizer at your desk and use it immediately after every meeting or conference. Diligent washing, wiping and sanitizing can help office professionals reduce their rates of cold and flu by as much as 80% 72% 55% of workers say they feel guilty when they call in sick. of Americans typically go to work when they are sick. 3% skip meetings where sick people are in attendance. ORL'S BEST BOSS 53% of Americans don't wash their hands after exchanging money. TIP: Use disinfectant wipes to clean your desk at least once a day. 15% of workers avoid shaking hands with people to avoid germs. TIP: Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer when you get to work, especially after riding mass transit, such as trains or buses. Just how dirty is my office? Researchers swabbed about 5,000 surfaces in office buildings, including law firms, insurance companies, healthcare offices, call centers and factories. The swabs were analyzed with a device that measures adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is a molecule found in all animal, vegetable, bacteria, yeast and mold cells. High ATP levels are present in food or other organic residues left on surfaces. The more ATP found on a surface, the more likely it's flourish- ing with bacteria and viruses. An ATP reading of over 100 suggests a surface could use a scrub-down. Readings of 300 or higher are con- sidered officially dirty and at high risk for spreading illness. ATP counts of 100 or higher ATP counts of 300 or higher Break room sink faucet handles 75% Break room sink faucet handles 91% Microwave door handles 48% Microwave door handles 80% 69% 27% Keyboards Keyboards Refrigerator door handles 69% 26% 23% 21% Refrigerator door handles Water 53% Water fountain buttons fountain buttons S1% S1% 48% 43% Vending machine All computer mice buttons All desk phones All coffee pots and dispensers Vending machine buttons MENNGSE SOURCES TIME Yahoo Tork PR Newswire BestChoiceReviews.org