Keeping a safe and hygienic workplace is good for business

Attention to detail with respect to the health and safety of employees and customers is an upfront reflection of how a business is run. It’s not just good manners, its good business as reducing or eliminating health and safety risks keeps health care costs down, decreases absenteeism and improves productivity.

• The CDC has flatly concluded that hand-washing – or lack thereof – is the # 1 source of spreading bacteria
• Colds and flu, skin infections, blood and intestinal diseases are spread by hands – in restrooms and into workplaces
• 80% of infectious illnesses are transmitted by touch
• In the US people are sick more than 4 billion days each year at a cost of $950 billion in direct medical costs
• Colds account for 22 million missed work days and 7.9 million doctor visits each year
• Almost a third of people avoid using public restrooms out of fear of germs and over 60% try not to touch fixtures in restrooms
• Hepatitis can live on a restroom surface for up to 7 days and more than 6 million people in the US have Hepatitis

(Figures from the National Center for Health Statistics and Centers for Disease Control)

Within the restroom: The number one hot spot for germ transfer is the traditional sanitary bin in the women’s restroom. These bins require hand contact to operate and risk exposure to used products and contaminated surfaces. The old style bins are a priority for replacement with a hands-free feminine hygiene disposal system to increase safety for restroom users, children and custodial staff. Freedom Hygiene offers a safe and preferred method for disposal of feminine hygiene products.

Offices and workspaces: Do you know someone that eats snacks or lunch at their office desk? University of Arizona studies show that your office desk can harbor 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat! A small area on your desk or phone can host millions of bacteria that can cause illness.
Studies confirm that surfaces in personal work spaces such as offices or cubicles have higher bacteria levels than surfaces in common areas. Here’s the hard evidence, sample numbers of bacteria found per square inch:

This study concluded… ‘One good way to kill bacteria at your desk and help stop the spread of germs is to regularly clean your personal workplace.’

To enable employees to effectively clean and disinfect work surfaces, Freedom Hygiene provides workplace sanitizing wipes for use by employees. The wipe dispensers are stationed in central areas together with informational instructions to encourage appropriate use. This is both an efficient and effective means of controlling disease causing bacteria.

Hands spread germs: If you care about productivity you need to know that studies demonstrate that 80% of germs are transmitted by hands. Hands spread germs; germs cause illness and illness results in absenteeism which impacts productivity (and funding for schools). Nothing stops the spread of germs like good old fashioned hand washing, yet up to 25% of people leaving the restroom don’t wash their hands and of those who do wash only about half use soap.

‘Hot spots’ for ‘hand-to-hand’ germ transfer are anywhere people congregate and may not have been able to wash hands easily between engagements. For example, conference rooms, cafeterias, outside elevators, reception areas and employee break-rooms. Freedom Hygiene offers sanitizing hand foams and gels which are placed in any area of concern with directions to encourage appropriate use. On-site hand sanitizers are a quick and easy way to ensure personal hand hygiene between meetings.

The added value of these Freedom Hygiene services is the regularly updated educational signage that is posted to encourage appropriate use. It is only when these sanitizers are properly used in the workplace that they can positively contribute to absenteeism and productivity. In addition to the signage, our proven track-record of service will give you the confidence that the units are always clean and available for use. When employees see their employer taking this initiative for their wellbeing they are more likely to participate.

A clean seat every time: When it comes to using the restroom many people reach for a toilet seat cover. This might provide a psychological feeling of protection; however they add to the solid waste entering the sewer system and often contribute to blockages. Freedom Hygiene offers a more effective (and more cost effective) means of making a restroom visit more hygienic. A spray unit in each stall provides a fast acting, non-irritant fluid which is sprayed on toilet tissue to wipe the toilet seat free from germs.

Safeguarding baby changing stations: If you have employees or visitors who use baby changing tables within your facility then try putting yourself in their shoes for a moment. Did you know that the average baby changing table is a ‘germ-fest’? Would you want to change your precious new-born on a surface that you’re not confident is germ free? Freedom Hygiene offers an inexpensive service that provides a spray system to enable the user to clean and sanitize the baby changing table effectively before use so that they can be sure it is hygienic.