We all like to think of home as a place that’s clean and sanitary; a place where our families thrive, our children play and on the whole where we live contented and healthy lives. But do these standards extend to our work places? We’d hope that our place of business is clean, and that the right image is projected in order to impress prospective clients, customers and visitors alike, as well as reaching the standards where duty of care to employees isn’t compromised.
So if we take a closer look, and burrow down under the surface, is everything as it seems? Are hygiene practices being followed? To the naked eye, everywhere could look sparkling, but what bugs and bacteria are present that we can’t see? Here are our top 5 danger hot spots where infection could be lurking, ready and eager to spread among your unsuspecting workforce!
The Office Microwave
This could be the hottest hotspot! Accidentally spilt meat and vegetables, and other food particles will combine with heat and moisture which allow bacteria to multiply at alarming rates, causing potential health risks. Consider how many people are using the appliances at your place of work. Far more than at home, which means they’ll harbour far more germs and bacteria.
The Office Fridge
The fridge may be at the other end of the heat spectrum to the microwave, but it is still refuge to germs and bacteria that can thrive beautifully! Unless cleaned regularly, dropped or even forgotten food can gather bacteria and mould spores which will still multiply at a swift rate. Here’s some ‘food for thought’ – the average fridge can contain over 7,000 bacterial colony forming units per square centimetre.
Your Desk
How many of us eat our lunch in the toilets? None, would be our guess. Yet shockingly, the surfaces of our desks can contain more bacteria than a toilet seat. In some cases up to 400 times as many! The same goes for our phones, keyboards and other computer equipment. Maybe a lunch break in the toilets isn’t as silly as it sounds…?
Stationery
Keeping your pens and pencils under lock and key could seem like a radical idea, but they can soon become communal items if you don’t. Think about all the unwashed hands that may have handled your paper clips! How many mouths might your favourite ball point pen have entered before it makes its way back to your possession? You yourself may be a pencil chewer – what kind of bacteria could be making its way into your mouth? This all brings new meaning to the phrase ‘caring is sharing’!
The Water Cooler
It’s good practice to stretch your legs every couple of hours and head to the water cooler to get a drink of water. This can also be the best place to catch the office gossip – but be careful that’s all you catch! The dispensing button on water coolers can contain over 2 and a half million germs per square inch. Best remember to wash your hands straight afterwards!
There are several ways in which we can all help each other to combat the spread of bugs and germs at work, but none are more effective than regular investment in professional cleaning services like Brightr. Call us anytime for advice or a free quote on 01604 55 66 77.
