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Posted By Patrick Teyhan
Esteemed Colleagues, your thoughts and comments on the above would be most welcome with regard to their Hygenic rating?
Whether I have absorbed too much mercury from age old saucepans or dental filling my memory serves me to believe that Roller towels (even when freshly replaced) are not totally Hygenic and could contaminate hands after washing.
I also recall that Hot Air Dryers are not hot enough to kill bacteria on the hands but in fact stimulate bacterial growth.
Would I be correct in thinking that disposable paper towels are more hygenic than that of the other two options.
I look forward to any responses. If I am to be rebuked please be gentle.
If I am correct could someone point me in the right direction to pulling information from the internet so as to support my case for the reinstatement of disposable papers towels in our bathroom facilities
Regards
Patrick
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Posted By Paul Leadbetter
Patrick
Richard Rycroft (consultant dermatologist and EMAS) did some work on this some years ago. I don't have the details, I'm afraid, but perhaps Google will help you out.
Paul
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Posted By Kathy Smith
Our infection control advisors recommend that paper towels are the preferred option after handwashing. Warm air dryers are also an option if for some reason paper towels are not available.
I believe that so long as your handwashing regime is effective (thorough washing in running warm water with soap for about 15 seconds) should get rid of much of the bacteria on your hands. If this is the case then the warm air dryer would not be required to 'kill' any bacteria, just to dry your hands.
I wouldn't recommend roller (linen) towels. If you subsequently find guidance that contradicts mine then please let me know as I don't profess to be an expert.
It might be worth looking on the website of the Infection Control Nurses Association (ICNA) to see if they have any guidance on this. The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has a big handwashing campaign on at the moment so they might have some info as well.
Best of luck
Kathy
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Posted By Jonathan Breeze
Patrick,
I cannot answer your question, but I do have an anecdote that may help you decide...
Way back in the dim mists of time when I was but an humble trainee, the company I worked for used roller towels.
It was a manufactuing company & staff would regulary use the towels to wipe grime off their hands without washing them.
The towels would run out and no one would have the wit to replace them, but they would continue using the hanging rag end until someone would call me saying "elf'n'safety, that's your job innit?"
At which point I was expected to remove the offending item and replace it with a clean one.
Needless to say, as soon as I qualified and was given a budget by the new management, I replaced the bl**dy things with hot air hand dryers.
So I am no fan at all of roller towels.
I guess the real question you need to ask is, what is the job role the staff are doing and how hygienic do their hands need to be?
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Posted By Frank Rodrigues
Roller towels no because they always get stuck, they are usually grotty anyway.
Paper towels great but try and used recycled paper.
Hot air driers great for warming hands (especially if employees operate vibrating tools). I have read somewhere that they can increase bacterial growth but you could counter that with a bactericidal gel/lotion as used in many hospitals. The main problem is that if you have large numbers of people all washing up at the end of the shift, either ques develop for the driers or people only partly dry their hands or not at all.
I have noticed a decline in hot air driers in recent years and a comeback of paper towels but this might be purely coincidental.
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Posted By David Kimmins Patrick The answer is by far, paper towels. roller towels lead to cross contamination, hot air dryers if button operated can lead to cross contamination. The issue with hot air dryers is not that they leave bacteria on the hands, because as a previous respondent pointed out, their hands should have had bacteria removed by soap and hot water. The issues is hand dryers are too slow and people walk impatiently away with still moist hands which could be a breeding ground for bacteria from future contamination. Some useful links are below http://www.wmin.ac.uk/~r...esearch/WADsummary98.htmhttp://www.aromacaring.co.uk/hand_washing.htmPS. I have in my life used one hot air hand dryer that was as quick and efficient as paper towels. It was in the Nikko hotel in Mexico City. You lowered your hands into it and pulled them up slowly. It blew your hands so hard it looked like an astronauts face experiencing many G's. It was great, but as I said, I have seen one.
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Posted By Descarte
Was there not an issue with hot air blowers drying hands creating vapours / mists containing bacteria and thus spreading them all over? maybe I am just making stuff up now.
We unfirtunately use Towel rolls in most of our buildings (along with hand dryers) I did suggest paper sheets and our maintenence department said "only if you keep picking the buggers up", as if often the case, an odd one gets dropped, then another and you are for ever picking them up every day (Slip hazard on polished floors)
The other reason why I don't like hand towel rolls is that people can use them to hang themselves. Important in my line of work. Not everyones I guess.
Descarte
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Posted By Ron Impey
The other advantage of using a paper towel is that if the water flow to the basin is not automatic or it is not fitted with elbow taps, etc., you can use the towel to turn off the water after drying your hands on it.
Otherwise if you touch the taps after washing your hands, you will recontaminate them with whatever was on them originally.
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Posted By J Knight
Hot air hand dryers stand with electric car windows as one of the most useless and irritating inventions in history. Paper towels get my vote every time,
John
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Posted By wesley james mason
I would go for paper towels every time due to the reasons previously discussed. But also consider this.
Hand driers contain filters, which generally stay warm throughout the day, warm (rather than hot which kills bacteria) which can encourage bacteria growth. You press the button to turn the hand drier on and where do the bacteria go......straight on to your clean hands. This is one of the reasons why hand driers cannot be used in food preparation areas.
I am not an expert in this field but during my University days I undertook a food hygiene course. We were told of a study which showed that there was more bacteria on people's hands following the use of a hand drier, than there was on a hands of a persons running their hands round a toilet seat! I do not know who undertook this study and have not seen the study at all, so do not quote me on it!
But since being told that (which was also confirmed by a doctor who I had the same conversation with) I refuse to use hand driers and stick to paper or failing that dont dry them at all. Just be cautious about shaking siomeones hand after leavig the toilet, as they may think that something other than water is on your hands!
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Posted By Eric Burt
Ron..............
Then after all the rigorous hand-washing and drying you have to use the same door handle as everyone else to open the door!
Nuff said!
Eric
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Posted By Lumpy
So what are you saying ..... we should dry our hands on a toilet rim ?
Anyway, I agree with the previous posting. If you look at the inlet to most air blowers that have been in use for some time you will see a hair, dead skin, dust etc. Add to this moisture and warmth and you have an ideal breading ground.
Back in the 80s I was involved in a study looking at cleaning hands. I had to dip my hands in a bacterial solution (Bacillus Subtillis for those interested), allow them to dry then wash and dry them using various techniques .... I don't go near hot air blowers now ... unless they have just been installed.
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Posted By jackw.
Hi may help. For kitchen staff Our local EHO indicated that whilst they like to see disposable paper hand towels being used they had no real objections to hot air hand dryers. As has been said the real issue is regular and proper washing of hands. Also remember whilst very important.. good personal hygiene is only one aspect of infection control.
cheers
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Posted By Ron Impey
That's correct Eric.
Just takes some dirty beggars to not wash their hands at all after doing a 'number 2' and you'll get coliforms of faecal origin over a lot more than just the door handle.
Remember that.
And people wonder why tummy bugs spread around the workplace so quickly.
There should really be basins within WC cubicles. Think about it!
But it is quite hygienic for men not to wash their hands after just urinating. Trust me I'm a microbiologist.
If anyone would like some posters on handwashing, please drop me an e-mail.
The 'golden shower' is also good for jellyfish stings.
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