Wednesday October 28, 2015
A three year study into the effects of hand washing on reducing illnesses has proved that the practice really does work. The study, which involved 20,000 adults, is the first large-scale randomised test to confirm that increased hand washing leads to lower rates of infection.
During the trial a group of adults were given access to online materials asking them about their hand washing practices. The materials provided education on the spread of germs and viruses, including details of the best times to wash hands. This group saw a 15 to 25 per cent reduction in infections compared with the control group.
In the catering industry, hand washing is vital to prevent and control the spread of illnesses and food poisoning. During daily work tasks and particularly when handling food, it is very important to keep hands clean and free of contamination. Germs accumulate on hands when surfaces and objects are touched, which can get into foods and drinks as they are prepared or consumed. In certain conditions germs will multiply, contaminating food further and spreading bacteria to the customer.
Always wash your hands before:
- Preparing food
- Eating
- Touching eyes, nose and mouth
- Treating wounds
Always wash your hands after:
- Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry
- Using the toilet or changing a diaper
- Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands
- Handling garbage, chemicals, or anything that could be contaminated — such as a cleaning cloth
- Shaking hands with others
- Treating wounds or caring for a sick or injured person
Our exclusive brand of hand hygiene produ
cts, PRISTINE, makes it easy to keep hands clean in the workplace. As it dispenses, PRISTINE soap is infused with air, creating a foam that gives a rich and luxurious creamy lather. Bactericidal foam soap from PRISTINE is ideal in the workplace because it gives greater coverage on hands, whilst also providing more washes per refill. The dispensers are aesthetically pleasing and come as either a manual push dispenser or a touch-free dispenser with a reactive sensor. Refills for the dispensers are protected from contamination because, unlike other models, they are factory sealed and use a fresh nozzle for every refill. By using a powerful cleaning system like PRISTINE, employees can easily remove bacteria as they follow proper hand washing procedures.
Video created by the Food Standards Agency to show how to wash hands properly as part of food safety procedures.
Read more about the Southampton University hand washing study
