SEPTEMBER 2011

L ATES T TECHNOLOGIES

Their role in raising

hygiene standards in

public places

HEALTH SC ARES

What are the hygiene

risks we should be

concerned about?

EC J Hygiene for Health

A supplement t o European C leaning Jour nal

Reports

5 Reducing public sickness risks

Ann Laffeaty looks at the latest health scares,

and how cleaning can make an impact.

8 A healthy and happy workforce

A hygienic workplace makes for a healthy and

happy workforce, writes Hartley Milner.

13 Efficient hygiene

Modern scrubber dryer technology can

increase efficiency in hygiene-critical areas.

17 Step up to the sink

Hand hygiene is very much a public health

issue, as it is one of the most effective ways

to prevent cross-infection.

20 Calling in the outbreak busters

What happens when there is an illness

outbreak in an enclosed space, such as a

cruise ship? Ann Laffeaty finds out.

23 Visually clean, or hygienically clean?

A look at how mopping systems have an

important role to play in hygienic cleaning.

27 Spreading the hygiene message

Should the industry seek to educate the

public on personal hygiene, or leave it

to impartial experts?

31 First line of defence

Cleaning chemicals and disinfectants play a

vital role in the provision of public health.

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Features Writer

Ann Laffeaty

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ISSN 0968-901X

© Criterion Publishing Ltd 2011

Hygiene for Health is a supplement

to European Cleaning Journal which

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Cover story

10 SCA

The company is leading the way in the

promotion of hygiene awareness.

E U R O P E A N

CLEANINGJ O U R N A L

September 2011

EC J Hygiene for Health

Contents

Sponsored by

F O R E W O R D

Hygiene for Health September 2011 3ECJ

The words 'hygiene' and 'health' have become inextricably linked in the

public’s consciousness over the past few years.

The swine flu pandemic of 2009 followed by the recent terrifying outbreaks of EHEC in France and Germany have alerted us all to the need to adhere to good hygiene practices in order to stay fit and healthy. While the threat to our health is constantly changing, however, the advice we receive in the wake of each outbreak remains more or less the same. The need for good hand hygiene is stressed in all prevent-ative advice given out by the major health organisations.

Hygiene is a global responsibility. We owe it to ourselves and to others to stay healthy to avoid spread-ing infections and viruses. Poor hygiene at work can lead to absenteeism, a loss of productivity and a detri-mental effect on staff morale. When hygiene is neglected at a school or pre-school, meanwhile, vulnerable children are put at risk of contracting infections and viruses.

And in a hospital or care home where the patients may be elderly or frail, any compromise in hygiene standards can lead to life-threatening diseases.

More of us are beginning to understand this and the hand hygiene message appears to be getting through – but it is also making us anxious. At SCA we recently commissioned an attitudinal survey into hand hygiene practices across nine countries, with the results forming the basis of our 2011 Hygiene Matters Report.

The survey revealed that seven out of 10 of us admit to being concerned about contracting an illness due to poor hygiene. The swine flu pandemic has obviously had a marked effect on us since most respondents claim to be more worried about this now than they were in 2008.

Meanwhile in all but a few countries taking part in the survey, parents felt that personal hygiene was the most important lesson they could teach their children.

It is up to hygiene companies such as ourselves at SCA to spread the 'hygiene for health' message even further and impart unbiased information on the importance of hand washing and drying for the good of the general public.

We also have a duty to provide easy-to-use products that enable good hygiene practices to be carried out by everyone – including the most vulnerable sections of society such as the elderly, the infirm and the very young.

By spreading the word and by facilitating good hand hygiene practices to those who are potentially most at risk – and by promoting good hand hygiene regimes to new generations from pre-school age and up – we can help to ensure a healthy future for us all.

Rolf Andersson

Fellow scientist hygiene/microbiology

SCA

Foreword

H E A LT H : H Y G I E N E S C A R E S

Continued page 6

Reducing public

sickness risks

Ann Laffeaty looks at the latest

health scares and finds out

how far the risks to the public

can be reduced through better

cleaning measures and higher

standards of hygiene.

Over the past few years our soci-

ety has been confronted by

one health scare after another.

MRSA, C.Dif f icile, swine flu,

E.Coli – whether these conditions target

closed communities such as hospital wards

or affect the wider population, their effects

can be deadly and we are all terrif ied of

catching them.

Experts are constantly urging us to wash

our hands thoroughly and to clean all sur-

faces to avoid contamination. But do such

simple measures really make a difference in

reducing these threats to our health?

E. Coli

In June the French authorities linked

sprouting seeds supplied by a British com-

pany to an E.Coli outbreak that left eight

people in hospital in France.

This came hot on the heels of an out-

break of a new strain of E Coli that killed at

least 48 people in Germany and left 3,700

ill. Beansprouts were identified as the most

likely cause here.

But seeds are not the only potential risk

when it comes to E.Coli. Last year an out-

break of E.Coli at a 'petting farm' in Surrey,

England, affected more than 90 people and

left 17 children with kidney failure. So it

seems that avoiding beansprouts alone will

not necessarily keep us safe.

According to the Health Protection

Agency, E. Coli is usually acquired by ingest-

ing contaminated food or water. Some

strains live harmlessly in the intestine while

others cause diarrhoea and can lead to life-

threatening complications.

Person-to-person transmission can occur

through the oral-faecal route, which is

why petting farms are particularly vulner-

able. Visitors to open farms are urged to

take greater care to avoid any contact with

animal droppings.

George Griffin, professor of infectious dis-

eases and medicine at St George's, University

of London, led an inquiry following the out-

break of E.Coli at Surrey’s Godstone farm

last year. He concluded that an overhaul

of safety and hygiene was needed at open

farms. “Hand washing alone is not enough -

and reducing the chance of visitors touching

animal faeces is the priority,” he said.

He claimed that farm operators needed

to review the layout of public areas and that

Hygiene for Health September 2011 5ECJ

'deep bedding' pens, in which animal faeces

are allowed to accumulate, should be sited

away from the public and should be cleaned

out every few days rather than every three

months as occurs in some farms.

He added that more education on the risks

of E.Coli was required. The O157 strain is

particularly dangerous for children and those

over 76, for example: it can cause kidney fail-

ure, brain damage and even death.

According to the World Health Organisation

(WHO), outbreaks linked to sprouting seeds

may be a result of seeds becoming contami-

nated with faeces from domestic or wild

animals during cultivation or handling. The

organisation recommends adherence to

its five basic hygiene 'Keys' to reduce the

risks of infection – namely, to pay attention

tion of sinks should be the long-term strat-

egy. However, WHO concedes that alcohol-

based hand rubs are ineffective against

Clostridium Diff icile spores. It therefore

recommends washing the hands with soap

and water after glove removal when caring

for patients with diarrhoea during a C.

Difficile outbreak.

The Health Protection Agency agrees

that good hand washing practices by staff

can help restrict the spread of Clostridium

Difficile. The agency also advocates the rou-

tine use of alcohol gels between patients,

but advises that visibly soiled hands should

be washed with soap and water before thor-

ough drying with a paper hand towel.

Norovirus

The Norovirus, better known as the 'winter

vomiting bug'. Is chiefly transmitted through

the faecal-oral route, either by consumption

of faecally contaminated food or water or by

direct person-to-person spread. The virus

can spread very rapidly in semi-closed com-

munities and as few as 10 viral particles may

be sufficient to infect an individual.

Most foodborne outbreaks of Norovirus

are likely to arise though direct contamina-

tion of food by a food handler immediately

before its consumption. Outbreaks have fre-

quently been associated with consumption of

cold foods including salads, sandwiches and

bakery products. Liquid items such as salad

dressing or cake icing that allow the virus

to mix evenly are also often implicated as a

cause of outbreaks.

Food can also be contaminated at its

source, and oysters from contaminated

waters have been associated with widespread

outbreaks. Meanwhile, waterborne outbreaks

of the Norovirus in community settings have

often been caused by sewage contamination

of wells and recreational water.

According to Dr Stephanie Dancer,

enhanced cleaning and surface disinfection

with bleach-containing products can reduce

the spread of Norovirus. “Such cleaning is

essential for the rapid resolution of an out-

break,” she said. “Insufficient cleaning, or

the mistiming of a cleaning intervention,

encourages the re-emergence of cases.”

The Health Protection Agency agrees with

this verdict, adding that particular attention

should be paid to the toilet areas. Cleaning

up any vomit rapidly will also help to reduce

the risk of environmental contamination.

The HPA adds that good hygiene meas-

ures should be observed during outbreaks.

The hands should be washed thoroughly

with soap and water af ter coming into

contact with someone who is ill and after

using the toilet, especially for those suffer-

ing from symptoms.

General advice also includes the use of

alcohol-based hand sanitisers as an adjunct

method of hand hygiene.

September 2011 Hygiene for Health6 ECJ

H E A LT H : H Y G I E N E S C A R E S

to personal hygiene; to separate raw and

cooked foods; to thoroughly cook all foods

that are meant to be served hot; to keep food

at safe temperatures and to use safe water

and raw materials.

Meanwhile, the Food Standards Agency

advises all equipment that has come into

contact with raw sprouting seeds should be

thoroughly cleaned after use. Consumers

should also wash their hands after handling

seeds intended for planting or sprouting.

Swine flu

The advent of swine flu in 2009 alerted us

all to the importance of washing our hands.

In the panic that surrounded the first few

outbreaks, the advice was unanimous: better

hand hygiene could help prevent the spread

of illness.

The US Center for Disease Control (CDC)

was very specific in its guidelines. It recom-

mended that hand washing should take place

for a period of 15 to 20 seconds and that

alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel

sanitisers should be used when soap and

water were not available.

The CDC also revealed that the swine flu

virus could survive on surfaces and remain

active for up to eight hours. A number of

antibacterial wipes and cleaning products

claiming to be active against swine flu were

launched following this revelation.

The World Health Organisation, too, rec-

ommended that frequently-touched sur-

faces should be cleaned on a regular basis

with household detergents. However WHO’s

guidelines concentrated chiefly on the need

for frequent hand washing with soap and

water and on using a tissue to cover the nose

and mouth when coughing or sneezing, then

binning the tissue immediately afterwards.

WHO also recommended hand rubbing with

alcohol as a supplement to hand washing

where available.

MRSA

M R S A – o r M e t h i c i l l i n - r e s i s t a n t

Staphylococcus aureus – has been a global

problem in hospitals since it was first identi-

fied in the 1960s. According to the Health

Protection Agency (HPA), MRSA spreads from

patient to patient via the hands of carers.

However, it can also survive in dust which

means it is important to maintain high

standards of general cleaning.

The HPA recommends thorough and regu-

lar hand washing among medical staff to

prevent the spread of MRSA. It also suggests that a patient's clothes and linen should be washed in the hottest possible cycle and if possible tumble-dried or ironed.

Visitors do not need to wear protective clothing but they must wash and dry their hands thoroughly after contact.

According to Dr Stephanie Dancer, con-sultant microbiologist for NHS Lanarkshire, dust-associated microbes such as MRSA tend to settle on rarely-cleaned or inacces-sible surfaces such as shelves, highly-placed equipment and computer keyboards.

She said a study in an Irish intensive care unit showed that cleaning a bed space using

a detergent-based product followed by a one

per cent hypochlorite solution was initially

effective in eliminating MRSA.

“However, the site soon became re-con-

taminated,” she said. “It is possible that

high-risk surfaces in areas such as intensive

care units will require four-hourly cleaning

attention in order to control recontamina-

tion by specific pathogens, such as MRSA.”

C.Difficile

The World Health Organisation is now

placing higher emphasis on alcohol-based

hand rubs as an international standard

in healthcare. According to its website: “At

the present time, the most efficacious, well-

tolerated and well-researched product which

can be placed ergonomically and safely at the

point of care is an alcohol-based hand rub.

“Soap and water hand washing is less

efficacious, more time-consuming, and less

well tolerated by skin than alcohol-based

hand-rubbing.”

WHO recommends alcohol rubs as a short-

term strategy in countries where access to

sinks is limited, although adds that installa-

Cela a commencé avec le SARM, puis il y a eu la grippe porcine. Depuis lors, de nombreux cas d'apparition du norovirus et la bactérie E.coli ont été signalés, sans oublier le risque constamment présenté par les germes Colostridium difficile et Listeria. Nous examinons de récentes alertes sanitaires pour établir dans quelle mesure des régimes de nettoyage et une hygiène personnelle améliorée pourraient réduire ces risques.

Erst MRSA, dann die Schweinegrippe. Dann gab es Norovirus- und EHEC-Ausbrüche - ganz zu schweigen von den permanenten Gesundheitsrisiken durch Clostridium difficile und Listerien. Wir betrachten die jüngsten Gesundheitsrisiken und beurteilen, in welchem Maße Reinigungsregime und verbesserte persönliche Hygiene zur Minderung der Risiken beitragen können.

Prima c’è stata la MRSA; poi l’influenza suina. Da allora ci sono stati scoppi di norovirus e E.coli – senza parlare dei rischi sempre presenti per la salute causati da Colostrum difficile e Listeria. Prendiamo in esame gli allarmi per la salute pubblica più recenti e valutiamo fino a che punto i regimi di pulizia e una migliore igiene personale possano essere d ’aiuto nel ridurre i rischi.

www.dysonairblade.co.uk

Usage based on 2 towels per dry (data from Dyson internal research – Sept 2008). 1600W machine shown. Calculations include standby power. Cost based on

1 pence per paper towel (data from Dyson internal research – Jan 2010) and £0.1194 per kWh (data from Eurostat 2009 Semester 2 – published March 2010).

Paper towel dispenser and Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer purchase costs are excluded from comparison. 10 second dry time based on NSF protocol P335.

Costs £1,460.00 per year to run.

Based on 100 people visiting a

washroom twice a day, a paper towel

dispenser will get through 146,000

towels a year.

That’s a cost of £1,460.00.

Costs £39.76 per year to run.

For the same use, the Dyson Airblade™

hand dryer costs just £39.76 to run.

It works in only 10 seconds and its

HEPA filter cleans the air before it

reaches hands.

It’s fast, hygienic and a fraction of

the cost of paper towels.

September 2011 Hygiene for Health8 ECJ

H E A LT H : W O R K P L A C E H Y G I E N E

A healthy andA hygienic workplace means

a healthier and happier

workforce, with lower

absenteeism due to illness and

higher productivity. Hartley

Milner explores how the

cleaning industry is promoting

this message to office and

facility managers.

The telephone – probably no means

of communication has done

more to revolutionise office life.

Unfortunately, it is also a great

communicator for less welcome entities that

are keen to get in contact with us.

Phones are the dirtiest items of equipment

in the average office, putting you in touch

with up to 25,127 germs per square inch

lurking in the mouthpiece.

“Right then, I will just have to use email

more often,” may be your response. Sorry,

there’s no escape – a computer keyboard can

host as many as 3,295 bacteria per six square

cms and a mouse 1,676 per six square cms.

The typical office desk is a playground for

over 10 million of these little bugs and is 400

times more contaminated than a lavatory

seat. An unguarded sneeze can propel cold or

flu viruses at 150km per hour, to a distance

of almost two metres. And other nasties can

lead to headline-making outbreaks of hepa-

titis A, salmonella, dysentery, cryptosporidi-

osis and Legionnaires’ disease.

These are some of the less pleasant reali-

ties of off ice life that organisations con-

cerned with health and safety are striving to

get over in their drive to convince more busi-

nesses about the benefits of implementing

good hygiene practices at their sites.

Dr Kathryn Bellamy, senior policy and

technical adviser at the Institution of

Occupational Safety and Health, said:

“Maintaining a clean, tidy and hygienic

workplace has benefits for all, making any

environment more enjoyable and safe to be

in – boosting morale and the productivity of

staff. If managers promote a clean and tidy

workplace, employees are often empowered

to follow suit. Clearly, working in a clean

environment is a great deal more pleasant

than in an untidy, dirty one.

“Improved hygiene can help to reduce

infections and, therefore, absenteeism.

Keeping a clean and tidy showroom or office

space also does a great deal for a company’s

reputation. If your workplace is clean and

tidy and customers or potential clients are

visiting, you are portraying a positive image

of your workplace values.

“For example, if a client walks in and

notices that the reception area is dusty and

the waiting room is full of old magazines and

newspapers, chances are they have already

made a negative judgement about your busi-

ness. But if it smells fresh, has today's paper

and is kept clean and tidy, their experience

with your business is already a much more

positive one.”

Personal protection and hygiene prod-

ucts supplier Kimberly-Clark Professional

has launched the Healthy Workplace Project,

showing how taking a few simple steps, such

as tackling poor hand hygiene habits, can

help eradicate harmful germs and cut absen-

teeism while raising staff satisfaction and

productivity levels.

Costly absenteeism

Absenteeism is estimated to cost more

than 800 euros per employee each year in

the UK alone. A recent study involving office

workers at FedEx found that the use of a hand

sanitiser and simple education programme

reduced absenteeism by 21 per cent.

The Healthy Workplace Project of fers

advice and practical support to enable com-

panies to install the best hygiene systems

around the workplace and, most importantly,

inspire staff to use them regularly. The pro-

gramme is being rolled out in the UK fol-

lowing a successful launch in the US and at

Kimberly-Clark’s own sites across Europe.

Businesses that sign up are offered a com-

prehensive assessment of their whole work-

ing environment, from reception desks to

individual workstations. Following a visit,

the team makes tailored recommendations

on where to place products such as hand

sanitisers and desk wipes. Companies receive

an engagement activation pack comprising

stickers, posters and other material carrying

messages about good hygiene.

“The materials in the pack have been care-

fully designed to attract the attention of

employees and encourage them to use the

hygiene products made available by their

employer, helping to achieve a long-term positive change in their behaviour,” said Richard Millard, EMEA office building seg-ment manager at Kimberly-Clark.

“We believe the Healthy Workplace Project could also help businesses demonstrate to their employees that they genuinely care about their welfare, which is an important step towards helping staff feel their employ-er is a good company to work for.”

A Healthy Workplace team recently ran an assessment at the London head off ice of personal protection equipment provider Greenham – with some startling findings.

Greenham purchasing director Glenn Miller explained: “We did have some anti-bacteria equipment within the business and are aware of the need for good hygiene, but what the launch event was all about was actually hav-ing people experience a clean desk environ-ment, a clean mobile phone environment and the level of bacteria that was present on their keyboard or desk phones.

“We had never monitored the amount of bacteria before and people became quite alarmed by the level of germs present on their desks and phones – and knowing they were taking that bacteria home. Some other worrying scores were recorded on door han-dles, especially in the men's toilet. The toi-lets were one of the areas where it was shown you should be careful. It was brought home to us that it is vital everyone who uses the toilets should wash their hands afterwards.”

The visiting team took swab samples at specific locations, mainly workstations, to test for adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule found in animals, plants and food particles that harbours and grows bacteria. The level of ATP on the swab is measured and compared to the following criteria – 1-10 the area is perfectly clean, 0-30 it is clean enough, 30 and above the area is a hot spot and measures need to be taken.

A mobile phone was found to be the worst offender with a reading of 1,419, but just 62 when treated with a sanitising wipe. The lowest for a mobile was 12. Other readings included:

Test sites Highest Lowest

Desk phones 289 43Keyboards 361 112Desks 93 36

Employees were advised to use the sani-

H E A LT H : W O R K P L A C E H Y G I E N E

Hygiene for Health September 2011 9ECJ

happy workforce

tising wipers and hand sanitisers that were

located at contamination hot spots and were

also issued with individual anti-bac packs.

They were also cautioned against ‘snack-

ing’ at their workstation. The company now

has bacteria monitoring equipment on every

floor and plans to roll out the measures to all

its 23 branches.

“We expect to see a benefit from these

measures within the next 12 months, but

I can definitely see a change in behaviour

already – people have the got anti-bacs in

their desks and have their little sprays, which

they carry in their handbags or in their cars,”

added Miller.

Skin hygiene specialist GOJO offers solu-

tions through its Workplace Wellness pro-

grammes and toolkit, which are tailored to

meet the needs of a range of markets, includ-

ing the healthcare, manufacturing, education

and leisure sectors. These combine products,

dispensing technology and science-based

education programmes encouraging healthy

skin care behaviour, supported by employee-

targeted posters and a simple guide to effec-

tive hand hygiene – all measures the com-

pany has introduced at its own sites.

Plus its team of experts trains employ-

ers in good hygiene practices that are then

passed on to staff. They adopt a ‘day in the

life’ approach towards identifying skincare

needs or compliance issues and guidance is

offered to help identify potential hazards,

such as those associated with open refillable

Un lieu de travail hygiénique aboutira à une force de travail à la fois mieux portante et plus heureuse, avec moins d'absentéisme pour cause de maladie et une productivité plus élevée. Hartley Milner examine comment le secteur de la propreté fait parvenir ce message aux gestionnaires de bureaux et de bâtiments.

Ein hygienischer Arbeitsplatz bedeutet gesünderes und zufriedeneres Personal bei gleichzeitig geringeren krankheitsbedingten Fehlzeiten und höhere Produktivität. Hartley Milner untersucht, wie die Reinigungsindustrie bei Büro- und Betriebsleitern für diese Botschaft wirbt.

Un luogo di lavoro igienico significa personale più sano e più soddisfatto, con meno assenteismo dovuto a malattie e una più alta produttività. Hartley Milner esamina come il settore del cleaning stia promuovendo questo messaggio con i manager di uffici e strutture.

soap dispensers.

“Hand washing is an effective method to

stop the spread of germs, but may not be the

most convenient,” explained Mike Sullivan,

managing director of GOJO Industries Europe.

“Today’s employees are working longer hours

and taking less breaks, which is compro-

mising good hand hygiene. According to a

collaborative study by the American Society

for Microbiology and the Soap Detergent

Association, one in four people do not wash

their hands before they leave toilet areas.

Trigger good behaviour

“Easy access to desktop sanitisers is need-

ed for busy workers who don’t have time to

wash their hands frequently during the day.”

Following its success in the States, GOJO

has now launched PURELL Perfect Placement

in Europe, a concept aimed at optimising the

position of hand sanitiser dispensers in the

workplace. This involves placing dispensers

on walls by washroom exits between 90 cms

and 1.1 metres above the floor – the perfect

height to trigger good hand hygiene behav-

iour and prevent the transmission of germs

from door handles.

And the company has designed a compli-

ance system with a range of colour-coded

dispensers in a bid to help prevent foodborne

outbreaks, which led to 4,356 hospital admis-

sions and 46 deaths across the 27 EU member

states in 2009. Colours and visuals are used

to distinguish soap and hand sanitiser dis-

pensers, along with posters explaining their

use. “Colour coding helps to avoid misuse of

hygiene products and as a result reduces the

risk of cross-contamination,” said Sullivan.

“Our new programme has been launched with

quick and clear messaging which will help

educate workers in an industry where current

labelling and language used may not be easy

to translate or understand.”

While the cleaning industry is keen to pro-

mote the benefits of best hygiene practice

against just basic cleaning, getting the mes-

sage over to target markets can be a chal-

lenge, explained Andreas Lill, director gen-

eral of the European Federation of Cleaning

Industries (EFCI).

“In hospitals, it is understood you have to

have the highest quality of hygiene possible,

clean wards etc, because they have ill people

with special requirements,” he said. “But in a

building with only offices it is not so common

that a client will ask for higher standards in

terms of hygiene, even if they should do.

“Most cleaning contractors and prod-

uct manufacturers have a special knowl-

edge of fighting against hygiene problems.

Unfortunately, all this knowledge cannot

really be delivered because for the highest

standards you have to pay more and most

employers are not willing to pay this price,

especially in these austere times when the

trend is to cut costs, not increase them.

“The pr ice can be relative, however,

because if you pay for a better product you

may save money in the long term because

you reduce the level of germs in the work-

place – and, therefore, absenteeism due

to infections.”

User-friendlyHand washing and drying

can make a real difference in keeping us healthy. And

to be truly effective, a hand hygiene solution should

be as user-friendly as possible. SCA explains how its new Tork foam

soaps have been developed to be easy to use even

for the most vulnerable sections of our society

such as small children, the frail and the elderly.

New Tork foam soap

dispenser is designed for all

Wherever we go we are reminded of the importance of maintaining a good hand hygiene regime if we want to stay healthy.

Following the swine flu pandemic of 2009 and the recent E.Coli outbreak we were told by every major health organisation that thorough hand wash-ing with soap and water was vital if we wanted to stay safe. But studies show that there are still some gaps in the public’s hand hygiene compliance.

No-one can be forced to wash their hands, just as none of us can be made to give up smoking or take other measures to safeguard our health against our will. But anyone who actually wants to practice good hand hygiene should be enabled to do so. And it is a sad fact that hand hygiene is easier for some of us than

C O V E R S T O R Y

for others. People with reduced hand strength

may find it difficult to turn on taps and use modern soap and tissue dispens-ers, for example. This group may include the very young and the elderly – both of which are among the most vulnerable sections of society.

We at SCA recognise the need for making good hand hygiene accessible to all. This is why we have specifical-ly designed our new Tork foam soap dispenser to be easy to use for peo-ple with reduced hand strength, such as young children and elderly people who may be suffering from rheumatic or arthritic conditions.

In developing the Tork foam soap dispenser we enlisted the aid of Unicum, an organisation dedicated to creating products for universal use. Unicum has a “Design for All” phi-losophy which recognises that there is no such thing as an average person and that we are all unique - with our own abilities and limitations. Unicum aims to improve the quality of life for those consumers who face specific challenges without using costly spe-cial needs solutions or post-manufac-turing adjustments.

Unicum was founded 12 years ago by industrial designer Lena Lorentzen. “We started by looking at ways of making products that would be more accessible for people with reduced hand function,” she said. “But we have now developed methods for testing products for people with other disabili-ties, such as those with poor eyesight and reduced cognitive skills. In fact we have new testing methods coming on stream all the time.

“Our aim is to support those com-

September 2011 Hygiene for Health10 ECJ

was devised by Unicum and carried out in association with the Swedish Rheumatism Association. A panel of testers – all of whom who had reduced hand function due to rheumatoid or neurological conditions - were enlisted to try out the dispenser for themselves.

Participants were asked to go through a series of handling stages and then grade each step on a scale from one to nine where one signified “extremely difficult” while nine denoted “extremely easy”. For example, they were asked to score the dispenser on how easy it was to access the soap inside; whether they could unlock the dispenser with ease, and whether were able to open and close the dis-penser to replace the soap bottle.

Products needed to reach at least level five in order to be approved by the Swedish Rheumatism Association. Results for the Tork foam soap dis-penser ranged between 6.4 and 7.9.

“We evaluated every aspect of the Tork foam soap dispenser and found that it performed very well,” said Lena. “Anything above five is approved by the Swed ish Rheumat i sm Association, but a score of six or above is excellent.”

Development manager for the Swedish Rheumatism Association Leif Hansson confirmed: “The Tork foam soap dispenser was very easy to use and posed no problems at all. It is quite unusual for a product to perform at such a high level.”

Accessible products

He says the association is com-mitted to helping manufacturers to develop accessible products and packaging, and it is working with other European organisations with the aim of helping to make improvements across the continent.

“There are currently around 70 mil-lion people in Europe who have a problem with reduced hand function,” said Leif. “And with an increasingly aging population there will be even more as time goes on. These people simply want to be able to manage their day themselves and handle eve-ryday activities just like the rest of us.

“SCA has been one of the pioneer

panies that are striving to make their products and packaging more inclusive and easier to use.”

Unicum is based in Sweden and works with companies from all over the world. “We have a data-base of 650 people with dif-ferent kinds of disability and we employ them to help us with our tests,” said Lena.

The test method for the Tork foam soap dispenser

organisations in putting forward its products for testing in an effort to make them more accessible to every-one. We are very glad that companies are beginning to see the importance of designing their products in this way.”

It is a laudable aim of the Swedish Rheumatism Association to help make the world an easier place to live in for the elderly and infirm. But it is crucial that we – as a responsible hygiene company – also help to put hand hygiene within their grasp since any compromise in this area could be detrimental to their health.

Foam soap dispenser passes

the pre-school test

Tork foam soap has been trialled at several pre-schools in Sweden – with unanimously positive results. SCA installed prototypes of the new Tork Foam Soap dispenser containing Tork Extra Mild Foam Soap in the staff and pupil washrooms of a number of pre-schools. These replaced the previous liquid soap dispensers.

hygiene systems

“We received very positive feedback from the staff,” said Inger Andersson, SCA product development for dis-pensers. “It was much easier for the children to access soap from the Tork foam soap dispenser because the push force is much lower than with a regular soap dispenser. The staff liked this because it meant there was no need for them to help the pupils wash their hands and they were free to carry out other activities.

“The children also found the actual process of hand washing easier with Tork foam soap. A shot of liquid soap can slip between small fingers and

C O V E R S T O R Y

Hygiene for Health September 2011 11ECJ

result in the child washing their hands with no soap at all. But Tork foam soap is easy to see and is much easi-er to spread around the hands.”

Tork Extra Mild Foam Soap is fragrance-free and contains no sul-phates that could irritate the eyes. This makes it particularly suitable for environments such as schools and hospitals where a mild formula-tion is required.

Foam soap fun

All Tork foam soaps are housed in a container that holds 2,500 doses of quality foam soap – around double the number as is contained in a liquid soap dispenser of the same size. This means that refilling time is halved and the soap is as cost-effective as a liq-uid soap.

Tork Extra Mild Foam Soap is one of three new soaps in the new Tork foam soap range. Tork Antimicrobial Foam Cleanser is effectively a soap and disinfectant in one and contains 40 per cent ethanol which means it destroys bacteria, viruses and fungi. This makes it particularly suitable for use in the food and healthcare industries where a germicidal action is often preferred. Tork Mild Foam Soap contains natural skin lipids to prevent dryness.

Besides the fact that Tork Extra Mild Foam Soap was found to be easy to use in the pre-school trials, pupils also liked it because it was fun, according to Inger.

“For the first few days the children enjoyed playing with the foam soap,” she said. “The novelty soon wore off, but there are obvious advantages to a system that makes hand washing fun for children since this can only help to promote good hand hygiene practices.”

Les solutions pour l'hygiène des mains dfevraient être aussi conviviales que possible, raison pour laquelle les nouveau savons mousse Tork de SCA ont été conçus pour un usage aisé, même au sein des sections les plus vulnérables de notre société. Le distributeur a été homologué par l'Association suédoise du rhumatisme car une très faible pression suffit pour en extraire le savon. Les savons mousse Tork ont maintenant subi des essais dans plusieurs écoles infantiles en Suède, avec des résultats partout positifs.

Handhygienelösungen sollten so benutzerfreundlich wie nur irgend möglich sein, und die neuen Tork Schaumseifen von SCA wurden gezielt auf einfache Verwendung hin entwickelt - auch durch die hilfsbedürftigsten Personen in unserer Gesellschaft. Der Spender wurde vom schwedischen Rheumatismusverband anerkannt, da nur wenig Kraftaufwand zur Betätigung erforderlich ist. Tork Schaumseifen wurden in mehreren Vorschulen in Schweden getestet - mit einhellig positiven Ergebnissen.

Le soluzioni per l’igiene delle mani dovrebbero essere il più semplice possibile, e i nuovi saponi in schiuma Tork prodotti dalla SCA sono stati sviluppati per essere facili da usare anche per le sezioni più vulnerabili della nostra società. Il dispenser è stato approvato dall’associazione svedese per i reumatismi (Swedish Rheumatism Association) in quanto richiede una forza minima per premere il pulsante che permette di accedere al sapone. I saponi in schiuma Tork sono stati testati in numerose scuole materne in Svezia con dei risultati positivi all’unanimità.

H E A LT H : C L E A N I N G M A C H I N E S

Continued page 14

Efficient hygiene

The fact large areas also need to be cleaned in accordance with

the increased demands on cleanliness does not mean that hygiene

and efficiency represent conflicting aspects. Modern scrubber

dryers use various technologies to increase efficiency without

reducing the quality of the results of cleaning - explains Hako.

Corridors and open areas in public

buildings play an important role

– they serve as connecting ele-

ments between parts of buildings,

represent communication routes for custom-

ers in shopping centres or meeting points

and information areas for visitors in muse-

ums and hospitals. However, they can only

fulfil their function when the people in them

feel at ease. The cleanliness of the floors is

an important factor here, quite apart from

the basic legal requirements in respect of

hygiene and cleanliness which are becoming

increasingly strict.

In order to maintain the cleanliness and

hygiene of these areas at a constantly high

level, solutions to economic problems are

necessary: eff icient machines with which

large areas can be cleaned in as short a time

as possible without cleanliness and hygiene

being affected.

The demand for cleanliness in buildings

is constantly increasing and one trend is

more routine cleaning, less basic cleaning.

As in the past, cost saving has top priority,

meaning shortening cleaning times to reduce

wage costs. This has created completely new

conditions with regard to the demands made

of cleaning machines. All improvements to

cleaning machines which could result in

the reduction of periods of operation are

appreciated by the customer and required

during the machine selection phase. Which

machines offer short set-up times and long

operating times? How can you save on initial

costs as well as costs for water, power, clean-

ing agents and wearing parts in the interest

of the environment?

Manufacturers of commercial cleaning

technology take all this into account dur-

ing machine development and offer product

ranges with modular designs and increased

options for deployment.

Tailor-made customer upgrading options

are also provided as well as plug-and-clean

machines which are supplied ready to use.

Reducing set-up times

Today there are many more of sensitive

applications where cleaning machines must

be used several times a day. In the case of

machine for wet cleaning, focus is set on

reducing set-up times to increase efficiency:

eg, through further developments in bat-

tery technology and quick-charge systems

on offer. They offer solutions with which

machines can be recharged to continue oper-

Hygiene for Health September 2011 13ECJ

larger in the same time.

Economic cleaning agents

Costs for cleaning agents is a factor which must not be underestimated in respect of routine cleaning. The costs for this can be reduced considerably, however, because the use of chemical agents is often unneces-sary or only necessary within a minimum scope. Manufacturers have developed various solutions for cleaning floors with machines whereby the amount of cleaning agent used is reduced or can be dispensed with alto-gether without affecting the quality of the results of cleaning.

Cleaning agent dosing systems add only as much cleaning agent to the water as neces-sary. These systems are available as station-ary systems or as onboard solutions. The lat-ter system is comprised of a regulated pump in which the feed rate of the cleaning agent is dependent on the water flow rate. The system can also be installed in machines without a water pump. The concentration adjustment is

ation in about 30 minutes.

The batteries used are maintenance-free

and, due to their special design, can be

charged with high currents enabling inter-

mediate charging at any time. The chargers

only require a nominal voltage of 230 V/AC

– meaning that charging is possible from any

power socket. This results in a particularly

high level of machine utilisation and almost

permanent availability. Also, as a result of

the long life of the batteries, it is an environ-

mentally friendly and economic system.

Increased coverage with same size

Smaller, more manoeuvrable and bet-

ter arranged manual scrubber dryers with

a broad working width are already on the

market, providing higher levels of efficiency

for larger floor surfaces. If a small scrubber

dryer equipped, for example, with a circular

brush unit with a working width of 51 cm

provides a theoretical area coverage of up

to 2,300 square metres per hour, the same

machine equipped with a 65 cm brush unit

can clean a surface area which is 25 per cent

Protecting the environment

Positive ef fects of the measures to

increase efficiency: many have a direct, posi-

tive effect in respect of environmental pro-

tection and saving resources, such as the

reduced consumption of water and cleaning

agents. Environmental protection does not

start with use of the machine - an increas-

ing number of customers put emphasis on

machines being not only designed with effi-

ciency in mind but are also for a sustained

future. The entire product life cycle of the

machine is considered here. From design to

production, naturally to product utility and

on to recycling and disposal. By selecting the

construction materials carefully, many com-

ponents on correspondingly designed scrub-

ber dryers can be reused or recycled without

any problems. An important aspect within

the scope of sustainability is the service life

of the scrubber dryer. A machine can only be

used for a long time and thus, be efficient

when high quality materials are used in its

construction. This relates to impact resist-

ant plastic tanks, aluminium brush heads

or stainless steel squeegees and also to an

overall stable, maintenance-friendly design.

Such constructions offer a further advan-

tage, in view of the trend towards continu-

ous daily cleaning, cleaning machines today

operate increasingly under the watchful eye

of passers-by and customers. The machine

is then often an advertisement for the com-

pany or institution for which it is used. By

using high quality materials, the appearance

of the machine is retained for a long time

and the machine, in turn, projects a positive

company image.

Acceptance by operators

Since the machine must be used as fre-

quently and regularly as the demands on

cleanliness and hygiene require, it must

also be accepted by the operators. A major

condition for this is that the scrubber dryer

provides an ergonomic workplace. Sprung,

comfort seat, optimum view of the work area

and sufficient legroom enable longer periods

of operation. Simple operation is an impor-

tant aspect ensuring the machine is used

willingly and frequently -electronic controls

have made great progress in this respect. The

driver no longer needs to manipulate various

switches, levers and knobs but can operate

the entire range of machine functions via a

single knob. It is often the case that indi-

vidual cleaning programmes can be input so

that the machine can be adapted optimally

to the respective building characteristics.

Another important condition for com-

bining hygiene and eff iciency is that the

scrubber dryer must suit the building. Only

a tailor-made solution can be efficient and

effective at the same time. It is then possible

to cover large areas, leaving them in a clean,

hygienic condition and at reasonable costs.

September 2011 Hygiene for Health14 ECJ

H E A LT H : C L E A N I N G M A C H I N E S

continuously variable and remains constant

even if the operator increases or reduces the

water supply. This prevents overdosing or

underdosing. Too much or too little cleaning

agent leads to suboptimal cleaning results

which, in extreme cases, can necessitate re-

cleaning - in the event of overdosing it also

represents an extra burden on materials and

the waste water. Costs are increased, too.

Highly concentrated cleaning agents for

daily, routine cleaning are undergoing devel-

opments to further improve economic use of

cleaning technology. Tests showed that using

this type of agent, for example, brought con-

siderable savings in cleaning agent costs

and, consequently, for transport, storage

and disposal. These cleaning agents are pro-

vided in packages which fit the onboard dos-

ing systems and thus ensure additional sav-

ings in valuable working time because time-

consuming refilling is dispensed with.

Reduced water consumption

Various measures developed also help to

reduce water consumption: eg, by attach-

ing a water retaining ring to the brushes.

The water retaining ring keeps the cleaning

media on the area to be cleaned for a long-

er period, the dirt is loosened reliably and

flushed away. At the same time, electroni-

cally regulated pumps ensure exact dosing to

the cleaning equipment according to driving

speed. This enables savings of up to 50 per

cent in water and cleaning agents.

Under certain circumstances, cleaning

agents can be dispensed with altogether: in

such cases, the operator has the option of

using the CoD process (Chemical on Demand)

to complete cleaning using normal tap

water. In the case of heavier soiling, a clean-

ing agent can be added to the water at the

touch of a button just before the brushes are

applied. This means that the clean water tank

can be maintained free of any chemicals.

Cleaning without chemicals

This effect is reinforced when deminer-

alised water is used for cleaning. In this

case, all the minerals present in normal tap

water (organic salts, ions) are removed.

Demineralised water is particularly soft and,

as a result, can flush out particles of dirt

on the floor very well, loosens it better and

clears it up. The water dries without leav-

ing any residues or streaks and limescale

marks. In addition, re-soiling is reduced dra-

matically because particles of dirt no longer

have any adhesion opportunities on residual

surfactant, soap or lime. This process has been used for a long time in other branch-es, such as cleaning glass and facades. Comprehensive tests have shown that the use of demineralised water also achieves good cleaning results when cleaning floors with machines.

This effect can be even further enhanced by the use of special scrubbing tools (spe-cial brushes/microfibre pads/diamond pad system). This means that when elastic floors are cleaned using diamond pads, coating and thus, conventional basic cleaning can be dispensed with. When used in combination with non-chemical cleaning, excellent clean-ing and shining results can be achieved while also preventing environmental pollution.

Hygiene-critical areas

Cleaning agents cannot, however, be dis-

pensed with everywhere, eg, when cleaning

is required to comply with the HACCP concept

such as in clinics, retirement homes, can-

teen kitchens or in the food processing and

storage sector. In this case, antibacterial

waste water tanks provide an option which

can increase hygiene levels during cleaning

without using any additional cleaning agent.

If the interiors of waste water tanks are not

cleaned thoroughly after use, contamination

can develop over the course of time which

would then represent a particular risk, espe-

cially in sensitive areas such as clinics, resi-

dential homes and nursing homes. In order

to counter this, the waste water tanks are

produced using plastics with special addi-

tives. These additives reduce bacterial and

fungal development dramatically; meaning

the use of disinfectants can be reduced sub-

stantially when cleaning the tanks.

Sur les grande surfaces fréquentées par le public, les machines de nettoyage jouent un rôle clé pour le maintien de la propreté. Nous faisons le point des avancées technologiques qui ont rendu des machines beaucoup plus conviviales, hygiéniquement sûres et appropriées pour servir sur des aires très peuplées.

In großen öffentlichen Bereichen spielen Bodenreinigungsmaschinen eine ausschlaggebende Rolle bei der Aufrechterhaltung der Sauberkeit. Wir betrachten die technologischen Fortschritte, dank derer sie benutzerfreundlicher, hygienisch sicherer und auch für den Einsatz in Ballungsgebieten besser geeignet sind.

In aree pubbliche di grandi dimensioni, le macchine per la pulizia dei pavimenti giocano un ruolo fondamentale nel mantenimento della pulizia. Prendiamo in esame i vantaggi tecnologici che le hanno rese più facili da usare, igienicamente sicure e sostenibili per essere utilizzate in aree altamente popolate.

H E A LT H : H A N D H Y G I E N E

Continued page 18

Step up to the sink

Hand washing with soap

is in fact among the most

effective and inexpensive

ways to prevent the spread of

a whole host of viruses, such

as Norovirus, Rotavirus and

Influenza, as well as diarrhoeal

diseases and pneumonia.

Kimberly-Clark Professional

explains why hand hygiene

really is a public health issue.

When Swine Flu broke out

in the UK in 2008, a major

public information cam-

paign from the Department

of Health warned: "To reduce the risk of

catching or spreading the virus you should...

wash your hands regularly with soap and

water." You could also use a hand sanitiser

gel where soap and water are not available, it

recommended, although hand washing with

soap was the preferred option.

It was a time of panic and the advice was

eagerly embraced by the public. Hand sani-

tiser sales sky-rocketed in the wake of the

publicity, with some brands seeing sales up

as much as 1,500 plus per cent.

Hand washing with soap is in fact among

the most effective and inexpensive ways to

prevent the spread of a whole host of viruses,

such as Norovirus, Rotavirus and Influenza,

as well as diarrhoeal diseases and pneumo-

nia. These sort of viruses and germs can get

into the body by touching eyes, ears nose

and mouth - and that is something everyone

does frequently. In one study in 2008 adults

were found to touch their face (eyes, nostrils

and lips) an average of 15.7 times per hour.

The viruses are also passed from person to

Hygiene for Health September 2011 17ECJ

involved in the event in more than 100 coun-tries worldwide. The event is also endorsed by many governments, international institu-tions, civil society organisations, charities, private companies, and individuals.

The next Global Handwashing Day takes place on October 15 this year.

This year scientists from the London School of Hygiene will be putting together a 'mobile phone map' of the UK, analysing the level of

person up to six times which means they can

infect up to seven people first and then six

more people. However, the data would sug-

gest the public health message that proper

hand washing with soap is a simple route to

preventing disease spreading has yet to hit

home with everyone.

Although people around the world may

wash their hands with water, many do

not wash their hands with soap at critical

moments, including after going to the toilet

and before handling or eating food, research

suggests. A rather unsettling study in 2008

found that more than one in four commut-

ers had bacteria from faeces on their hands.

Scientists from the London School of Hygiene

and Tropical Medicine swabbed 409 people at

bus and train stations in five major cities in

England and Wales to arrive at that statistic.

Great Br itain's 12 million cases of

Norovirus, Gastroenteritis, MRSA, E.Coli and

Swine Flu infections are mainly down to dirty

hands, it concluded three years ago. The

study marked the first Global Handwashing

Day, an annual event particularly aimed at

children and schools, aiming to inspire good

hand washing practice at an early age.

Each year over 200 million people are

September 2011 Hygiene for Health18 ECJ

H E A LT H : H A N D H Y G I E N E

germs on people's mobile phones.Another hand washing project focused

on children is the EU funded E-bug project, which aims to ensure that children from all over Europe leave school with an under-standing of hand and food hygiene. Teaching packs are made available online for both pri-mary and secondary school children.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also has hand washing on its agenda, focusing on the healthcare sector. It has held its annual global campaign called 'Save Lives: Clean Your Hands', advocating good hand washing practice among carers, since 2009.

Good hand washing practice is particularly important when dealing with the elderly or vulnerable as they are most susceptible to germs. So this campaign targets healthcare workers in a bid to improve hand hygiene and control the secondary spread of disease, such as MSRA and E.Coli.

Most healthcare-associated infections are preventable through good hand hygiene – cleaning hands at the right times and in the right way saves lives, is the message.

Sanitisers are very also useful if hospitals and food processing facilities to offer added protection to kill germs in areas at high risk, WHO says.

The challenge everyone is facing is how to make hand washing with soap, or using

sanitiser where soap and water are not avail-

able, an automatic behaviour carried out in

homes, schools, workplaces, hospitals and

communities. What all these sorts of public

environments have in common is that they

offer germs the ideal environment to multi-

ply, as lots of people are in contact with the

same surfaces. Doors, stair railings and lift

buttons in particular are touched repeat-

edly by everyone in the building. And even

in more 'personal' areas germs are breeding.

A study by the University of Arizona in 2002

which found that the average desk harbours

400 times more bacteria than the average

toilet seat.

Richard Millard, office building segment

manager, EMEA at health and hygiene solu-

tions company Kimberly-Clark Professional,

says: “We are targeting the workplace sector

with the clean hands message, capturing an

audience which was not brought up on hand

hygiene messages in the same way that chil-

dren have been in the past few years”.

Ideal environment for germs

He comments: “Bacteria such as the influ-

enza virus can live on surfaces for 24 to 48

hours. Recent research shows that most ill-

ness-based absence from the workplace is

caused by colds, flus and stomach upsets.”

Absenteeism through these sorts of ill-

nesses costs businesses an estimated 800

euros per employee per year, and with staff

either absent or performing below par and

spreading their germs there will be a nega-

tive impact on a company’s overall productiv-

ity and profitability.

Kimberly-Clark Professional recently

launched The Healthy Workplace Project in

the UK following success with the project

in America. The scheme offers companies

advice and practical support to enable them

to install the best possible hygiene systems

around the workplace and, most importantly,

inspire staff to use them regularly – steps

Hygiene for Health September 2011 19ECJ

H E A LT H : H A N D H Y G I E N E

Le rôle de l'hygiène des mains pour prévenir la propagation de virus et d'infections est universellement reconnu. Des organisations internationales et des entreprises de produits d'hygiène pour les mains ont été très actives, ces dernières années, dans la diffusion d'orientations en réaction à diverses épidémies Welche Rolle die Handhygiene spielt,

wenn es darum geht, die Ausbreitung von Viren und Infektionen zu verhindern, ist allgemein anerkannt. In den letzten Jahren waren aufgrund von verschiedenen Krankheitsausbrüchen internationale Organisationen und Handhygienefirmen besonders aktiv an der Erstellung von Richtlinien beteiligt.

Il ruolo dell’igiene delle mani nell’aiutare a prevenire la diffusione di virus e infezioni è stato universalmente riconosciuto. Negli ultimi anni, le organizzazioni internazionali e le aziende di produzione di prodotti per l’igiene delle mani sono stati particolarmente attivi nel dare consigli in seguito agli svariati scoppi di malattie.

that could help prevent the spread of germs

that cause a range of illnesses and the result-

ing costs to the business of absenteeism.

Businesses who sign up will be offered the

opportunity to receive an assessment of their

whole working environment, from reception

desks to individual workstations. They are

then given tailored recommendations on

where to place products – including hand

sanitisers – that could make a real difference

to overall hygiene levels in the workplace.

Richard Millard says that a company which

had two buildings with around 500 people

each in the same city took part in a pilot of

The Healthy Workplace Project in America,

with some interesting findings. One of its

buildings adopted the project and the other

did not. After 10 weeks, they building taking

part was experiencing absenteeism levels of

45 per cent less than the control building.

On top of that, three quarters of employ-

ees involved in the trial reported that their

morale was boosted by their employer having

taken an interest in their welfare.

A study in Ohio with FedEx office workers

also demonstrated that teaching staff good

hand hygiene practices can have a marked

impact on staff sickness levels.

The study found that usage of a hand san-

itiser and a simple education programme

reduced absenteeism by 21 per cent versus a

control group.

The evidence suggests that much progress

has been made in the last few years on get-

ting the message out to the public on the

importance of hand washing with soap. But

there is still work to be done.

Expert microbiologist Sally Bloomfield,

honorary professor at the London School of

Hygiene and Tropical Medicine tells Hygiene

for Health: “I think public awareness of the

importance of proper hand washing is a long

way up on 10 years ago, but there is no sci-

entific data available at the moment to back

that up. When there is a scare such as that

elicited by the flu outbreak people will listen,

and afterwards awareness drops back.”

The good handwashing guide

You should spend the same amount of

time washing your hands as singing Happy

Birthday twice.

Step 1: Wet your hands

Step 2: Apply soap

Step 3: Work soap into a lather

Step 4: Ensure all areas of the hands are

rubbed with lather, taking care to cover

commonly missed areas such as fingertips,

around the nails, between fingers, in the cup

of the palm and round the back of the hands.

This step should take around 10 -20 seconds

to complete

Step 5: Rinse hands well under clean

r u n n i n g w a t e r t o r e m o v e a l l t h e

remaining lather

Step 6: Dry hands with a paper towel.

Drying your hands with paper towels removes

up to 77 per cent of bacteria on them

Step 7: Ensure that hands are fully dry,

between fingers and around finger nails.

Hand rubbing with sanitiser. Not to be

used as a replacement for good hand wash-

ing and drying. It does help to keep hands

clean as an additional step after hand wash-

ing or where water, soap and towels are not

readily available.

September 2011 Hygiene for Health20 ECJ

H E A LT H : O U T B R E A K S

Calling in theWhen an outbreak of disease

occurs in an enclosed space

- such as on a cruise ship

or in a hospital ward - the

management has to act fast

to eliminate any risk to other

passengers or patients. Ann

Laffeaty finds out how

to go about cleaning up

after an outbreak.

When an outbreak of illness

occurs we all feel vulner-

able. But in an enclosed

space – such as in a hospi-

tal ward or on a cruise ship – the danger to

our health is potentially greater.

Both types of environment face particu-

lar challenges. A hospital will house a high

proportion of people who are frail and ill who

will be particularly vulnerable to infections.

Resources are thinly stretched which means

that curbing an infection will be a challenge.

However, dedicated infection control

teams will be on hand and the sight of staff

wearing protective clothing and face masks

will reassure patients and visitors that the

problem is being dealt with efficiently.

On a cruise ship, on the other hand, pas-

sengers may be alarmed and discomforted

to see the crew wearing personal protec-

tive equipment and sealing off sections of

the ship. Here any outbreak needs to be han-

dled carefully to avoiding ruining people’s

holidays and blackening the cruise compa-

ny’s name.

But on the plus side, a shipping line will

probably have sufficient funds to train and

deploy dedicated cleaning teams in the

event of an outbreak. And the fact that most

passengers are healthy to begin with means

they are potentially less vulnerable than hos-

pital patients.

But cruise ships by their very nature are

particularly susceptible to outbreaks of ill-

nesses such as Norovirus. Consultant for

steam cleaning company Osprey Deepclean

Mike Rollins said: “Managing a cruise ship is

a nightmare because of the open-all-hours

feeding that goes on. Cruise lines have

become wise to this and tend to rotate the

opening hours of their restaurants and have

planned closures to allow for cleaning.

“But as we know, Norovirus can strike

swiftly and with a vengeance. And when

i t does t here are cer t ain sensible

measures that can be carried out to prevent

it from spreading.”

He said that ideally the contaminated

areas should be closed for thorough clean-

ing and disinfection. “Infected cruise ship

patrons should then be restricted to their

cabins until symptoms clear, which would be

around 72 hours,” he said.

Cleaning teams should then backtrack to

ascertain that all affected areas of the ship

are cleaned and disinfected, said Rollins. He

recommends cleaning the entire area from

floor to ceiling using a hypochlorite solu-

tion. “Particular attention should be paid

to the toilet area and cleaning up any vomit

since this will help to reduce environmental

contamination,” he said.

pared with conventional janitorial cloths or

wipes,” he added.

OCS has had many years of experience in

supporting healthcare clients after infection

outbreaks. Cleaning director Paul Thrupp

said: “Hospitals are in constant use so after

an outbreak we would generally provide

a thorough surface clean using a hypochlo-

rite solution.” In a typical-sized ward this

would take around four hours and the ward

would be immediately available for use

on completion.

Fogging option

He says fogging systems can also be

used to kill harmful pathogenic organisms,

whether these are airborne or on surfaces.

“However, fogging should be used only in

non-populated areas,” he added.

OCS uses the Otex sanitising unit which

converts oxygen into ozone, a naturally-

occurring disinfectant. “If using a hydro-

gen peroxide fogging system the ward would

need to be vacated during cleaning and for a

minimum of four hours afterwards,” he said.

“However with the Otex fogging system the

area can be inhabited as soon as the process

is finished.”

The challenges involved in cleaning up

after a cruise ship outbreak are entirely dif-

ferent from those involved in a hospital ward

says Mark Phelps, company microbiologist

for ISS facility services healthcare UK.

“Hospitals contain ill patients and can

house a host of pathogens from viruses

and bacteria to multi-drug resistant Gram-

negative rods and others,” he said. “Cruise

ships on the other hand are generally associ-

ated with viruses such as Norovirus.

“The main intention is to remove the

offending pathogen from the environment,

but micro-organisms have varying survival

rates. Respiratory viruses are highly trans-

missible at the time of the outbreak but will

die out when the source of the organism

(people) is no longer present.

“On the other hand, the spores of

C.Diff icile can survive for extremely long

periods - and in a busy hospital with a high

bed occupancy a robust deep cleaning regime

will be required.”

The type of cleaning method used depends

on the needs of the customer, he says.

“Chlorine dioxide-based products are gaining

greater popularity with some hospital trusts,

while the use of fogging systems - using

According to Rollins soft furnishings such

as carpets, curtains and upholstery are dif-

ficult to surface clean since a hypochlorite

solution could damage them. “In these

cases, steam cleaning would be effective

since Norovirus is inactivated at tempera-

tures above 70 degrees C,” he said.

He claims a hospital would be somewhat

easier to disinfect. “In a hospital ward there

are not so many complex surfaces and the

infection control teams are well prepared,”

he said. “Deep cleaning would be carried

out around the patients and anyone infected

could be isolated. Staff would be equipped

with personal protective equipment and

would bag anything soiled or contaminated.”

According to Rollins, steam cleaning and

fogging systems are becoming more popular

since they provide a reassurance that disin-

fection is taking place. “Disposable microfi-

bre cloths also provide a greater efficiency

and effectiveness in surface cleaning com-

H E A LT H : O U T B R E A K S

Hygiene for Health September 2011 21ECJ

outbreak busters

either hydrogen peroxide or ozone - are also

particularly useful in clinical areas exposed

to a nosocomial pathogen such as C.Difficile.

“The use of microf ibre is also gaining

momentum as this is an excellent tool for

cleaning the patient environment and is a

very 'green' solution. Steam cleaning may

also be used for difficult-to-clean items such

as beds.”

According to Phelps it is impossible to

clean and disinfect every surface and piece of

equipment with conventional cleaning. “The

only technology capable of achieving this is a

‘whole room decontamination’ system using

a vapour or fog,” he said.

After a major outbreak, a ward would need

to be sealed off and taken out of service

and a thorough deep clean would take sev-

eral days, says Phelps. “If a fogging system is

used, this would take the best part of half a

day depending on the size of the area, labour

resources and whether there is somewhere to

temporarily house the patients,” he said.

“A cruise ship would also be very variable

since the contaminated areas may be either

the passengers’ cabins or the public areas

of the ship, which would be more difficult

to decontaminate.”

Mike Rollins agrees that the decision

whether or not to take a stricken cruise ship

out of service would depend on the size of

outbreak. “Cruise ship companies are well

aware of the Norovirus hazard and have

trained personnel to cope with the threat,”

he said. “So usually, only known contami-

nated areas would have to be restricted

until the decontamination process has

been completed.”

Quand une maladie se déclare dans un epace confiné, par exemple dans un navire de croisière, une maison de retraite ou une salle d'hôpital, la direction doit agir rapidement pour éliminer toute poursuite du risque sur les occupants. Ann Laffeaty explore les techniques les plus récentes de nettoyage à la vapeur, entraînement par brouillard et oxydation qui pourraient neutraliser les risques après qu'une maladie se soit déclarée.

Wenn eine Krankheit in einem begrenzten Raum ausbricht - beispielsweise auf einem Kreuzfahrtschiff, in einem Pflegeheim oder auf einer Krankenstation - dann muss die Verwaltung schnell handeln, um jegliches Risiko für zukünftige Passagiere, Patienten oder Bewohner zu eliminieren. Ann Laffeaty informiert sich über die neuesten Dampfreinigungs-, Zerstäuber- und Oxidationstechniken im Handel, mit denen die Risiken nach einem Ausbruch neutralisiert werden können.

Quando si verifica lo scoppio di una malattia in uno spazio circoscritto, per esempio una nave da crociera, una casa di riposo o un reparto d ’ospedale, l’amministrazione deve agire rapidamente per eliminare qualsiasi rischio per passeggeri, pazienti o residenti futuri. Ann Laffeaty scopre quali sono le più nuove tecniche di pulizia con vapore, nebulizzazione e ossidazione disponibili sul mercato che possono neutralizzare i rischi dopo lo scoppio di una malattia.

Specialist agent

One recent example of an outbreak at sea

occurred in July 2009 when the Marco Polo

– a passenger liner operated by Transocean

Tours of Bremen – was hit by an outbreak of

Norovirus as the ship cruised around the UK

coast. Hundreds of passengers and crew were

infected and the operator had to end the

10-day cruise after only a few days at sea.

Infection control specialist SitexOrbis was

responsible for decontaminating the ship.

According to head of marketing Debansu Das:

“Using our fogging service we were able to

totally disinfect 375 staterooms on 11 decks

as well as public spaces, lifts and communal

areas in just five hours once the ship was

back at Tilbury docks. This type of cleaning

task would take days using more traditional

methods.”

The SitexOrbis fogging system works

by irreversibly binding, penetrating and

immobilising bacteria, viruses and fungi

so that they cannot replicate, says Das. It

is said to be non-toxic, non-irritant and

non-corrosive.

“The vaporisation machine produces a

fine mist of a specialist cleaning agent that

breaks through the cell wall of the microbe,”

said Das. “The fact that the system produces

a vapour means it can penetrate hard-to-

reach places.”

The chemical – DuoMax - is said to be

effective against bacteria, fungi and yeasts

including E.Coli, Clostridium Difficile, H1N1

Swine Flu and the Norovirus.

SiexOrbis has also been called upon to

deep clean hospitals, care homes and hotels.

“Following an outbreak in a hotel there is

often no need to shut,” said Das. “For exam-

ple, 60 guests were infected after a Norovirus

outbreak at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough.

Fogging removed the outbreak and there

were no further cases of infection reported

from the staff or guests.”

He says there has been increasing demand

for the company’s deep cleaning services -

and that this may be partly due to new, more

stringent legislation.

“Contractible diseases are not exempt

under law,” he said. “This means an organi-

sation will be guilty of an offence if a per-

son’s death is caused through the way the

company has been managed. Organisations

take this very seriously and want to be seen

to be taking every precaution possible.”

Easy hygiene with

the Shopster Des Tub

Effective floor wiping with

the Twix double mop system

VERMOP Deutschland GmbH

Tel. + 49 9342 878-800

info@vermop.com, www.vermop.com

F l o o r C l e a n i n g

TWIX® 30 CM

H E A LT H : M O P P I N G E Q U I P M E N T

Continued page 24

Visually clean, or

hygienically clean?

Often, consciously or unconsciously, the assessment of cleaning is

based only on the visual result. Surfaces and floors are considered

clean when no dirt or smears are evident. But mopping systems

specialist Vermop asks, is this always enough? Is a more

differentiated approach needed in individual areas? Is 'apparently

pristine' the same as hygienically clean?

Appearance is an important aspect

in assessing whether cleaning

has been carried out correctly.

When there is no evidence of dirt

or smears, the area is considered clean. This

often applies even in hygienically-sensitive

areas such as hospitals, residential facilities

for the elderly and nursing homes.

But the number of hospital-acquired infec-

tions is rising steadily from year to year and

altered microorganism habits are reported on

a regular basis. For this reason, it is impor-

tant in assessing hygienic cleaning to include

criteria other than, and more detailed than,

a clean appearance alone.

These are, for example, the cleaning proc-

esses and methods used, the organisation

of the cleaning procedure in the individual

areas, the frequency of cleaning, the organi-

sation of the cleaning trolley and the level

of knowledge of the cleaning staff regarding

cleaning and hygiene.

All these points should be subjected to a

risk assessment. This ensures that bacterial

contamination in cleaning is reduced or even

made impossible.

Many hospitals are faced with the problem

of rising infection rates so they assess indi-

vidual areas intensively and critically in order

to get the resulting problems of resistant and

altered microorganisms under control. This is

where cleaning has a significant influence.

When patients are admitted, it is not usu-

ally clear whether or not they are the carriers

of infectious diseases. This can only be deter-

mined through time-consuming tests. While

they are waiting for results, regular general

cleaning is carried out without special stand-

ards or safety measures.

Habits of microorganisms

The spread of microorganisms can only be

understood when their fundamental habits

are familiar. The most significant feature of

microorganisms and bacteria is their tiny

dimensions. They are only a few thousandths

of a millimetre in size. The bacterial cell con-

tains very little space for the storage of dif-

ferent enzymes or proteins. However, the

high adaptability of the microbial metabo-

Hygiene for Health September 2011 23ECJ

as the natural reservoir for microorganisms. These can be passed on by sneezing or cough-ing, for example, through hand and skin con-tact or through the excretion of urine, blood and faeces. The germs which cause influenza are transmitted via the air we breathe. E.Coli, for example, is passed on through the gas-trointestinal tract and Staph. Aureus via the skin. These are just a few examples from the

lism means that it is always able to produce

the enzyme required to process a nutrient.

There are many nutrients for bacteria, eg,

dirt, the dregs of beverages and body fluids.

At the same time, their requirements in terms

of variety are low.

Humans as carriers

In the transmission of infectious diseases,

humans play a major and very significant role

•How is cleaning carried out?

•How frequently is cleaning carried out?

Pictures and pictograms make the plans

easy to read and understand.

Cleaning method

A fur ther step toward reducing the

spread of germs is the selection of the clean-

ing method.

From a hygiene and ergonomic perspec-

tive, it makes sense to use pre-wash process

with pre-soaked cloths. The cloths should be

stored in a closed box or bucket with a lid in

order to avoid cross-contamination. When

cleaning cloths are repeatedly dipped into

the same cleaning or disinfection solution,

microorganisms detach themselves from the

cloth and remain in the solution. They can

then contaminate the next cloth dipped in

and be transferred to other areas - where

they can lead to infection.

When surface cleaning is completed in

a patient room, the cleaning cloths must

be hygienically collected in a laundry net.

Under no circumstances may they be left

lying around on the cleaning trolley. This is

the only way of avoiding the spread of germs

and contamination.

When choosing the cleaning method for

the floor, the following points are decisive:

•The method must be simple and

easily learned

•The spread of germs should practically be

ruled out by the use of this cleaning method.

Over the years, cleaning methods in which

the cleaning covers are pre-soaked in the

cleaning liquid or disinfectant solution have

proved their worth, particularly in hospitals.

For this pre-wash process, the covers are

placed in a box and a defined quantity of

the cleaning or disinfection solution poured

over them. The cleaning operative then

attaches the covers directly from the box to

the holder, ergonomically and without touch-

ing them.

The choice of method should be based

on hygiene considerations. Sources of error

should be ruled out to the greatest possible

extent. The use of cleaning systems which

allow two-stage wiping with a double-sided

mop are to be recommended.

This means that dirt particles and microor-

ganisms can be loosened with one side of the

cleaning cover and then removed from the

floor with the other side. After cleaning, the

covers are discarded without direct contact.

The mop should be discarded into a sack with

a lid, so that here too the spreading of germs

is reduced.

Hygiene benefits of this cleaning method:

•Cover change is carried out without

direct contact with the cover

•The removal of microorganisms and dirt

is more effective than in the one-stage wip-

ing process

•The spread of germs is reduced.

September 2011 Hygiene for Health24 ECJ

H E A LT H : M O P P I N G E Q U I P M E N T

huge range of microorganisms.

The danger of microorganisms being

spread through cleaning staff is particu-

larly high. They come into contact with many

patients, medical staff and visitors as well as

passing through numerous rooms, areas and

wards. And they do so with above-average

frequency. Therefore a high level of personal

hygiene is particularly important for clean-

ing staff.

Cleaning material as a carrier

A cleaning sponge which is used in a

number of areas offers bacteria a huge res-

ervoir in which microorganisms can multiply

particularly freely. In order to curb reproduc-

tion, these points have to be observed in the

selection of cleaning utensils:

•Cleaning utensils may offer no breeding

grounds for microorganisms

•Cleaning utensils should permit disinfec-

tion or be washable at 95°C. Critical items

are, for example, wooden handles

•It should be possible to remove dirt and

microorganisms easily and thoroughly from

the surface.

Hygiene fundamentals

It is particularly important to minimise

the further spread of germs through clean-

ing. With regard to cross-contamination and

the spread of germs, special consideration

should be given to the organisation of clean-

ing processes.

Important points for hygienic cleaning:

•Cleaning should ensue from the top

down and from the back to the front, ie, to

the exit door.

•Surfaces are only considered hygieni-

cally clean when they have been wiped with

a cloth. Microorganisms can only be removed

by being wiped away. This principle also

applies for the cleaning of floor coverings.

Through correct cleaning alone, germs can

be reduced by up to 80 per cent .

•Fresh cleaning covers and cleaning

cloths should be used for each patient room.

•Patient rooms which may be the source

of infection should always be cleaned and

disinfected at the end of a cleaning day.

Course of action for hygienic cleaning in

a hospital room:

Cleaning the sanitation area:

•Pour sanitary cleaner into the WC bowl

and allow it to work

•Remove refuse

•Clean the WC bowl and the direct vicin-

ity with a clean cloth in the predetermined

colour (eg, red)

•Clean other surfaces with a clean cloth in

the predetermined colour (eg. yellow)

•Clean the floor with a clean sanitary

cover.

Cleaning a patient room:

•Remove refuse

•Clean the areas furthest from the patient

first, then those close to the patient. Clean

the floor with a fresh cleaning cover which

moistens the floor area and then lifts the

loosened dirt.

Cleaning surfaces

The surfaces in the patient room of a hos-

pital are divided into near-patient areas and

those further removed from the patient. The

deciding factor is how frequently skin and

hand contact occurs (eg, door handles, light

switches, bed frame, bell, bedside locker,

table, chairs).

Such surfaces as door handles and light

switches, with which people frequently come

into contact are always to be regarded as

critical and must therefore be given particu-

lar consideration.

An important aspect when cleaning sur-

faces is the transmission of microorganisms

through cleaning equipment or textiles. A

chain of infection from the human to the

object and then back to the human is a very

real possibility. This route of transmission is

interrupted only though hygienic cleaning

and disinfection. In order to prevent micro-

organisms spreading, special emphasis must

be placed on this interruption.

Cleaning textiles made of microfibre have

a better mechanical effect on the surface

than other materials. As a result, a larger

number of microorganisms and dirt particles

can be removed than with other textiles.

Therefore cleaning cloths and covers with

a microfibre content should be chosen in

preference to other materials.

Cleaning and disinfection plans

For all cleaning in hygienically-sensitive

areas, cleaning and disinfection plans are

absolutely necessary, and are actually man-

datory in some countries. These plans should

be displayed directly on the cleaning trol-

ley. Furthermore, the cleaning staff must be

trained in the use of this plan at least once

a year.

The plan should be structured into the fol-

lowing areas:

•What has to be cleaned?

•What is used for cleaning?

Hygiene for Health September 2011 25ECJ

H E A LT H : M O P P I N G E Q U I P M E N T

Le balayage humide constitue une opération essentielle au sein de tout espace public, et les producteurs de systèmes dans ce domaine ont fait de grande progrès, ces dernières années, dans l'élaboration de solutions plus viables, ergonomiques et sûres. Nous examons le rôle important tenu aujourd'hui par les systèmes de balayage humide pour le maintien des normes d'hygiène.

Das Moppen ist eine wichtige Tätigkeit in jedem öffentlichen Bereich, und die Hersteller solcher Systeme haben in den letzten Jahren beträchtliche Fortschritte bei der Entwicklung von nachhaltigeren, ergonomischeren und sichereren Lösungen gemacht. Wir untersuchen die entscheidende Rolle, die moderne Moppsysteme bei der Aufrechterhaltung der Hygienestandards spielen.

La pulizia con il mop è un’operazione fondamentale in ogni area pubblica e i produttori di tali sistemi hanno fatto grandi progressi negli ultimi anni per sviluppare soluzioni più sostenibili, ergonomiche e sicure. Esaminiamo il ruolo fondamentale che i moderni sistemi di mop giocano nella manutenzione degli standard di igiene.

A further interesting cleaning process is

that involving a disinfectant tub and a two-

sided cover. Cleaning solution or disinfectant

solution is added to a disinfection tub with

dosing unit. By operating a pedal with the

attached mop, the lower side of the mop is

saturated with moisture. The second mop

side, which is on the top, remains dry. The

floor area is cleaned with the moistened side

and then the mop is turned so that the dry

side can lift the loosened dirt. After the floor

has been cleaned, the mop is discarded into

the laundry sack.

Hygiene benefits of working with the dis-

infection trolley:

•Cover change is carried out without

direct contact with the cover

•The removal of microorganisms and dirt

is more effective than in the one-stage wip-

ing process

•The moisture in the cover can be

flexibly regulated

•The spread of germs is reduced.

The colour system

One fundamental principle of hygienic sur-

face cleaning is the use of a consistent colour

system. The cloths in different colours are

assigned to the individual cleaning areas

(WC, area around washbasins, surfaces). In

this way, faecal germs which are normally

found around the WC cannot be transferred

to the patient’s bedside locker.

Hygiene benefits of the colour system:

•The danger of the cloths being mixed up

is reduced

•The instruction of cleaning staff who

speak different native languages is simpli-

fied as the method is so easy to understand

•The spread of germs is reduced

•The trolley is clean and hygienic

•Ergonomics are improved as staff do not

have to wring out the cloths

•Exact dosing cuts down on the consump-

tion of water and cleaning chemicals

It makes good sense to always park the

cleaning trolley directly in front of the door

of the room to be cleaned. This makes it a

signal for staff in the building, patients and

visitors. Caution – cleaning in progress in

this room. The floor covering could be wet

and slippery. The cleaning trolley does not

get in the way in the room to be cleaned.

Fewer germs are spread from room to room.

The cleaning trolley

The calling card in hygienic cleaning is the

cleaning trolley which should also be set up

in accordance with hygiene considerations:

•Easy to clean and, where necessary,

to disinfect

•No hard-to-reach corners and niches

•Use of a chemical centre to store chemi-

cals so they are not freely accessible

•Covered disposal sacks.

•Clean and tidy cleaning trolley. It should

only be stocked with items which are really

needed for general cleaning.

Regular hygienic cleaning lowers infection

rates, cuts costs and reduces human suf-

fering. Only responsible, well-trained staff

guarantee appropriate hygiene. This is the

principle which should apply for all staff

training. Only in this way can be spread of

germs be minimised and contained.

H E A LT H : E D U C AT I O N

Continued page 28

Spreading the

hygiene messageShould the industry seek to

educate the public on personal

hygiene, or should they leave

this to impartial experts?

We ask hygiene companies

whether they are spreading

the 'hygiene for health'

message – and if it is really

their place to do so.

Everyone seems to be a hygiene

expert these days. Since the recent

E.Coli outbreak in Germany and the

swine flu pandemic in 2009 it has

become all too easy to gen up on personal

hygiene because everyone – from the World

Health Organisation to our local soap manu-

facturer – is telling us how and when we

should be washing our hands.

Some organisations are posting informa-

tion on their websites; others are holding

hand hygiene workshops and yet others are

going into schools and demonstrating to

children how to wash their hands. Obviously,

the more people who can be reached via

these channels the better. But since hygiene

manufacturers have a vested interest and

products to sell, is it really their place to

educate the public?

The potential for bias is obvious, particu-

larly if a hygiene company promotes its own

products in these messages. But as experts

in their field, many hygiene companies feel

strongly that they have a responsibility to

give out such information.

Among these is Tork manufacturer SCA.

The company of fers hygiene advice and

information on its websites as well as via

printed material and PR, says SCA European

communication manager Alexandra Grubb.

“We do this to increase awareness of the

positive effects that hygiene can have - both

on our customers and on their clients,” she

said. “We also include a hygiene section in

our business school as part of our external

customer training, and we provide hygiene

information and educational campaigns in

schools, offices and other environments.”

SCA has a policy in place to step up its

hygiene information following any public

health scare. “Since the public’s attention

is much higher at such times it is an ideal

opportunity to increase general awareness

of hygiene,” says Grubb. “We link in to offi-

Hygiene for Health September 2011 27ECJ

cial health sites as well as producing our

own web content, PR and relevant studies

and research.”

SCA does not focus on any specific prod-

ucts in its hygiene information, says Grubb.

“We are convinced of the hygiene benefits of

using paper towels for the mechanical drying

of hands, but in general we tend to focus on

hygiene practices so we do not advocate spe-

cific products,” she said.

Deb offers information in the learning

zone of Deb Group’s website while a Deb

Support Package includes education and

training materials to raise skincare aware-

ness and encourage appropriate use and

compliance. “Latest news is also uploaded

on to our site and there are newsfeeds within

the learning zone section,” said Freeman.

Well-researched

Hygiene information is also available from

the ISSA says Keith Baker, ISSA’s director of

European services. “We proactively encour-

age our members to provide well-researched

web content to inform, educate and advise

the public,” he said.

Through its alliance partners, ISSA in

Europe supports hygiene courses managed

by organisations such as BICS International

and PIGC (Poland) and is currently cham-

pioning an initiative in Germany whereby

kindergar ten children will be taught

about hygiene.

The association also steps up its informa-

tion after an outbreak. “For instance, the

recent E.Coli scare in Germany led to ISSA

publishing authoritative accounts about

good hygiene practices on our European

website,” said Baker. “We also update our

news feed daily so that any topical issue,

such as a pandemic, is quickly identified and

information for guidance and help is readily

available,” he said.

The association feels that releasing

heightened hygiene information following

a health scare is completely justified. “ISSA

acknowledges that part of its role in promot-

ing its members and their products may lead

to a commercial opportunity,” said Baker.

“But we would rather that eventuality, than

to not provide good and authoritative infor-

mation on public health and hygiene.”

So, is it ethical for a hygiene company

to give out hygiene information following

a health scare, or could this be seen

as scaremongering?

According to Baker: “All ISSA mem-

bers sign up to a code of ethics and this

includes social responsibility. Providing

information and education helps to fulf il

that responsibility.”

And SCA’s Alexandra Grubb adds: “I

believe it is highly ethical and part of our

responsibility to produce useful advice for

general health - particularly at times of

heightened concern.

“We have the knowledge and the expert

sources to enable us to talk credibly to the

public about the importance of good hygiene

practices. However, the purpose should be

to alleviate concern and provide information

on how people can reduce the risks to them-

selves and others rather than increase their

anxiety in an attempt to sell more products.”

September 2011 Hygiene for Health28 ECJ

H E A LT H : E D U C AT I O N

hand hygiene and the importance of washing

and drying the hands well,” she said.

Ve c t a i r m a r ke t i n g m a n a g e r M a t t

Wonnacott sees no problem in mentioning

the company’s products in hygiene messages

if they are relevant to the customer.

“If we receive an enquiry as to how our

products can help in the battle against a

certain health scare, we would provide the

customer with relevant information on those

products,” he said. “For example if an inter-

ested party is looking to reduce the threat of

MRSA due to a recent outbreak and asks what

we can supply them - and we have a proven

product that can actually reduce the threat

of MRSA - then why should we not inform

them of this?

“If proven facts link in with information

from WHO then I see no issue in advocating

certain products.”

However he says Vectair does not condone

'scaremongering' following a health scare.

“Placing more emphasis on a health scare

than is entirely necessary should be avoided

since this can cause unnecessary panic and

may increase the likelihood of panic-buying,”

he said. “We never wish to promote scare-

mongering in any shape or form.”

The company keeps a digital file of impar-

tial advice on how hygiene can help keep

people healthy. “Customers do require infor-

mation on hygiene from time to time and this

file is available upon request,” he said. “It

outlines the key measures that people must

help in the reduction of illnesses contracted

through poor hand hygiene - typically soap,

single-use hand towels and more recently

sanitisers and sanitising wipes,” said Richard

Millard, off ice building segment manager

EMEA at Kimberly-Clark Professional.

Responsibility to inform

“As a supplier of hygiene products we are

seen as being experts in this field and there-

fore have some responsibility for helping to

inform about the benefits of good hygiene.

“All our campaign materials are generally

available to be read or downloaded from our

websites with no obligation to buy the prod-

ucts. Users can choose to read our informa-

tion and then buy from other sources.”

Kimberly-Clark Professional has launched

a Healthy Workplace Project designed to

increase awareness of the benefits of good

hygiene to office-based staff. During health

scares the company also offers information

to customers to support government advice

on maintaining good personal hygiene lev-

els. Links to WHO are included on the KC

website and specific products are referred to

in this information.

Deborah Freeman, PR and corporate com-

munications manager of Deb, feels that it has

become widely accepted for hygiene compa-

nies to advocate the use of their own prod-

ucts to ward off health threats. “However,

our main aim is to educate people on the

importance of learning to adopt good hand

De nombreux fabricants de produits hygiéniques diffusent aujourd'hui une information sur la manière d'enrayer la propagation de maladies gâce à des régimes d'hygiène améliorés. Ils s'y emploient en recourant à leurs sites Internet, à des séances de formation et à des campagnes dans les écoles. Mais comme ils sont évidemment intéressés, leur appartient-il vraiment d'éduquer le grand public ? Dans quelle mesure leur information est-elle impartiale ? Ne seraient-ils pas mieux avisés de confier ce travail de sensibilisation à des experts du dehors?

Viele Hersteller von Hygieneprodukten verbreiten Informationen darüber, wie die Ausbreitung von Krankheiten durch verbesserte Hygieneregime gehemmt werden kann. Dies erfolgt über Websites, durch Schulungsveranstaltungen und Kampagnen in Schulen. Da diese Unternehmen jedoch ein starkes Interesse daran haben, fällt es dann tatsächlich in ihr Ressort, die Öffentlichkeit aufzuklären? Wie unausgewogen sind die von ihnen ausgegebenen Informationen, und sollten sie stattdessen die Hygieneschulung unparteiischen Fachleuten überlassen?

Molti produttori di prodotti per l’igiene stanno diffondendo informazioni su come lo scoppio di una malattia possa essere limitato migliorando i regimi di igiene. Queste informazioni vengono diramate attraverso i siti web, con sessioni di training e per mezzo di campagne nelle scuole. Ma, visto che hanno un interesse acquisito, è veramente loro il compito di educare il pubblico? Quanto obiettive sono le informazioni che forniscono e non dovrebbero invece lasciare l’educazione d ’igiene a degli esperti imparziali?

take to ensure they maintain

optimum hygiene levels.”

Following the 2009 swine

flu scare the company sent

out emails stating f acts

and f igures from external

sources. “We closely follow

information from WHO and

whatever warnings they

issue, we follow these in

our communications to our

clients, colleagues and con-

tacts,” said Wonnacott.

K i m b e r l y - C l a r k

Professional also sees no

issue with mentioning its

own products in general

hygiene messages. “We men-

tion those products that can

H E A LT H : C L E A N I N G C H E M I C A L S

Continued page 32

First line of defence

Cleaning chemicals and disinfectants play a vital role in the

provision of public health; they are the first line of defence

against harmful viruses and bacteria. Their safe and

effective use in public areas is therefore key to infection

prevention and control, writes Diversey.

Recent global outbreaks such as

the H1N1 virus, norovirus and

MRSA have illuminated the impor-

tance of infection prevention

and control, and illustrate just how quickly

disease can spread at both a national and

global level. As these outbreaks have dem-

onstrated, the social and economical impact

can be significant.

The risk and spread of infection is high-

er in institutions where there is increased

human contact such as schools, restaurants

and hospitals, to name just a few. This risk

remains throughout the year, with the public

at particular risk in the winter months as dry

air from heaters is suspected to affect the

mucus membranes in the nasal passages,

making them more vulnerable to pathogens.

Ensuring the public and organisations are

aware of the steps they can take to minimise

the risk of infection is therefore central to

safeguard public health.

Educating and raising

awareness of effective hygiene

and cleaning processes

For organisations to effectively arm them-

selves and the public against infection, it

is important that staff are trained to use

the right chemicals for the correct purpose

and surface. A well trained workforce will

help improve cleaning standards and ulti-

mately create a safer environment, whilst

also improving team commitment and

understanding. Specialist training cours-

es exist to serve such purposes, such as

the ones Diversey is offering, which aim

to increase hygiene aw areness and

product familiarisation.

Educating and raising awareness of

hygiene measures amongst the public is

equally important to minimise the risk and

spread of infection. This can be achieved

for example, by clearly advertising in public

spaces (through the use of posters, leaf-

lets, etc) the simple steps that can be taken

to ensure adequate hygiene standards are

maintained alongside the provision of

appropriate cleaning products, such as

hand washes and alcohol gel. Proper

h a n d h y g i e n e r e m a i n s t h e m o s t

e f f e c t i ve c o u n t e r m e a s u r e a g a i n s t

infection and the spreading of bacteria and

viruses, so it is important this message is

clearly communicated and emphasised

where possible.

Hygiene for Health September 2011 31ECJ

cleaned to minimise the spread of infection.

This is why it is critical that hands are sani-

tised regularly, especially after contact with

frequently touched surfaces. To thoroughly

disinfect hands, a Diversey product such as

Soft Care Med+ or Soft Care Des E is recom-

mended. Effective hand hygiene in combina-

tion with effective environmental cleaning

procedures will ensure the risk of infection is

minimised significantly.

Diversey offers advice and a wealth of sup-

port material to guide customers in defining

their hygiene protocols, and a wide range of

products for surface cleaning and disinfec-

Importance of hand hygiene and

environmental hygiene combined

In the last 25 years, there has been a

plethora of studies that have demonstrated

the effectiveness of hand hygiene to reduce

the risk of infection. Viruses like influenza for

example, are commonly transferred from per-

son to person or from surfaces via the hands.

Even individuals that do not fall ill can carry

and transfer viruses to others. Furthermore,

some viruses, for example influenza, can live

on surfaces for two hours or longer1 so it is

important to ensure all surfaces, particu-

larly those touched regularly, are thoroughly

product is suitable for a particular surface

and purpose.

Diversey, a leading global provider of

hygiene solutions, has a range of industrial

cleaners and disinfectants. Diversey prod-

ucts have been extensively tested and are

effective against a wide spectrum of bacteria

and viruses, to help you effectively arm your

organisation against infection.

The company has also launched a new

infection prevention campaign, Are You

Ready?, in an effort to raise awareness of

influenza and other illnesses. The initiative

will highlight the importance of infection

control and prevention and includes a range

of materials and tools to effectively support

and prepare organisations for potential out-

breaks. The campaign will cover a period of

16 months, commencing in September 2011.

Further information on infection, prod-

uct information, promotions and resources

on effective hygiene are available at: www.

cleanerandhealthier.com.

While we are seeing an increasing number

of targeted and effective cleaning prod-

ucts emerge, an important consideration

to ensure the sustainability of our environ-

ment is the role of green technology in pro-

viding a greater choice of environmentally-

friendly products.

Green cleaning technologies

Preserving environments has become a pri-

ority for businesses, with issues such as glo-

bal warming being so topical. Subsequently,

pioneering innovative green technologies

is becoming a necessity in order to protect

our environment, whilst of course protecting

organisations. Cleaning for health and the

environment takes more than products alone;

it also requires the right practices. There are

specially devised programmes to ensure staff

are adequately trained in green cleaning,

such as Diversey’s Healthy High Performance

Cleaning programme. In addition, a number

of Diversey’s chemical products are rigorous-

ly tested and certified by independent organ-

isations, such as Green Seal, Environmental

Choice, GreenGuard, EU Flower and Nordic

Swan. These products include glass cleaners,

general purpose cleaners, restroom cleaners,

industrial degreasers, carpet cleaners, floor

finishes/sealers and floor finish strippers.

Above all, it is important to remember that

simple cleaning measures can make a sig-

nificant difference to the provision of public

health. Ensuring staff are adequately trained

on the disinfectants available and their cor-

rect applications and equally, educating the

public on personal hygiene, will ensure the

risk of infection is minimised.

References

1.Centres for disease control and preven-

tion. 2009 H1N1 Flu ('Swine Flu') and You.

Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

qa.htm [Last accessed August 2011]

September 2011 Hygiene for Health32 ECJ

H E A LT H : C L E A N I N G C H E M I C A L S

tion for different application areas, as well

as a wealth of other support. More details

can be found on the cleaner and healthier

website: www.cleanerandhealthier.com.

Simple hygiene procedures

Surface hygiene procedures should focus

on the cleaning and disinfection of regularly

touched surfaces as this not only helps to

prevent infection but also helps to break the

chain of infection, in combination with a

good hand hygiene protocol.

Clean and disinfect all the sur faces

that are frequently touched on a regular

basis, including:

•Handles

•Telephones

•Light switches

•Furniture

•Lift buttons

•Keyboards

Different disinfectants will be effective

against different pathogens, so it is impor-

tant that the correct product is used for the

correct purpose.

Disinfectants

A range of disinfectants are available

on the market today, many with specialist

formulations or actives for specific surfac-

es/applications. Not all formulations are

effective against every microbe; different

disinfecting agents have different ways of

inactivating various microbes. Bacteria, bac-

terial spores, viruses and fungi are all differ-

ent – some sanitisers will attack the cellular

structure for example, while others act in a

different way. Therefore, it is important to

ensure the right disinfectants are selected

according to the situation.

The ideal disinfectant is:

•Ef fective against a broad spectrum

of pathogens

•Fast acting and acts in the presence of

organic material

•Compatible with detergents

•Low toxicity

•Should not corrode/degrade instru-

ments, metallic surfaces, rubbers, plastics or

other materials

•Odourless

•Economical.

Disinfectants vary according to their

ingredients or actives. The active in a disin-

fectant will help you to decipher whether the

Les produits de nettoyage chimiques jouent un rôle crucial pour le maintien de normes d'hygiène dans des aires publiques. Il est également vital de disposer de personnels bien formés, qui utilisent correctement les produits chimiques qui conviennent dans des situations données. Nous examions les points principaux à observer.

In öffentlichen Bereichen ist die Rolle von Reinigungschemikalien bei der Aufrechterhaltung von Hygienestandards ausschlaggebend. Außerdem ist die Anwesenheit von gut ausgebildeten Mitarbeitern, die die richtigen Chemikalien zweckmäßig und bestimmungsgemäß einsetzen, unerlässlich. Wir untersuchen die wichtigsten Punkte, die es zu beachten gilt.

Il ruolo dei detergenti chimici nel mantenere gli standard di igiene nelle aree pubbliche è fondamentale. È anche indispensabile avere del personale ben addestrato che utilizzi i giusti prodotti chimici per il corretto uso e nel modo giusto. Prendiamo qui in esame i punti più importanti da tenere in considerazione.

Please tick just one box in each section.

Your company’s main business activity:❑ Factory & industrial premises❑ Offi ces & commercial premises (including banks)❑ Contract cleaning/cleaning services❑ Distributors/wholesalers❑ Health authorities/hospitals/nursing homes❑ Central and local government❑ Hotels/catering/recreation (including leisure centres)❑ Education establishments (including universities, schools & colleges)❑ Other (please specify)

Number of company employees:

Are you personally responsible for purchasing

or specifying machinery, materials, products,

equipment or support services used in the

cleaning and maintenance of non-domestic

establishments? ❑ Yes ❑ No

❑ None of the above.

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