FEATURE HYGIENE The best way to structure an educational programme is the adherence to a dedicated three-step programme for skin care, which identifies three crucial moments: using protection cream before work; appropriate hand cleansers after hands become contaminated; and restorative creams at the end of the day. Specially formulated to leave a protective layer on the surface of the skin, protective creams can reduce direct contact with specific types of physical contaminants, help retain natural lipids and moisture in the skin, improve comfort and skin strength when wearing gloves, and make the skin quicker and easier to clean. Restorative products are as important. Applied at the end of the day, they moisturise, nourish and condition the skin, improving its strength and preventing it from becoming dry or damaged. If outdoor working is involved, facility managers should also take into account UV radiation. Prolonged unprotected exposure to the sun does not only cause skin damage; ultimately, we know it can increase the risk of skin cancer. If UV protection is integrated into staff education on skin care – ideally combined with sun cream that is widely available to workers – a huge step can be taken towards protecting workers from this threat. Skin care education should not be a oneoff event, but an ongoing conversation. To help them in their efforts, facility managers can get help from organisations specialising in the issue. Materials such as leaflets, 12 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2016 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY posters, and information boards are widely available to help increase awareness. Regular staff meetings are a good way to keep skin care on everyone’s mind on a day-to-day basis. But educating employees on hand hygiene protocols is futile if the correct skin care products are not present in the workplace. Facility managers must ensure that accessible, easy-to-use dispensers filled with appropriate skin care products are placed in critical locations to encourage hand hygiene compliance from all employees. Different working environments have their own specific requirements, and any products should always be sourced from a reputable company who offer advice and guidance on the use of the products. By taking into account the potential hazards the skin might come into contact with, as well as the specific nature of the work, skin experts are able to suggest the right cleansers and creams. The installation of specifically designed, sealed cartridge dispensers for use with soaps, skin cleansers and creams is strongly recommended. Such dispensers provide the most hygienic skin care system, by reducing to a minimum the risk of cross-infection that can occur if a number of people extract the product from an open or communal container. Dispensers also assure that the correct amount of product is used – minimising waste and optimising cost in use. Facility managers should also look for BioCote marked dispensers; a market leading antimicrobial technology supplier proven to achieve up to a 99.99 per cent reduction in bacteria, mould and fungi over a 24 hour period. The presence of BioCote’s logo on dispensers reassures employees and customers that excellence in hand hygiene procedures is of paramount importance. Regular site audits can help to make sure a hand hygiene regime continues to be effective. Do our facilities comply with hand hygiene regulations? Is the cream dispensing equipment as accessible as it could be? Are we using the right products? Regular skin audits, meanwhile, are crucial to assure that the health of employees remains a priority. If facility managers take the issue seriously, they can go a long way to keep the skin workers both protected, and healthy. Skin care education should not be a one-off event, but an ongoing conversation.”
Cleaning Hygiene Today October-November 2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above