Paper towels or hot air hand dryers?
Businesses often base their decision
on financial and hard-to-quantify
environmental considerations, but some
experts say they should discount these
factors and instead focus on what is
best for employees’ health.
Six microbiologists and hygienists working in
hospitals and universities in Belgium, Germany,
Italy, Sweden and the UK claim there is evidence
that hand drying with towels is associated with
lower numbers of microbes than using warm air
dryers or high velocity air dryers.
They have signed an eight-point consensus
highlighting the importance of hand drying and
noting that air drying blows water containing
microbes off the hands and can contaminate
anyone standing nearby. They also note that air
dryers are less effective at drying hands than
towels and that microbes that remain on hands
after washing spread more easily if hands are not
dried adequately.
The experts’ observations are based on scientific
literature including studies sponsored by the
European Tissue Symposium (ETS) undertaken by
Eurofins-Inlab in Germany and the University of
Westminster in the UK.
Research by the University of Westminster
found that after washing and drying hands with a
warm air dryer, the total number of bacteria was
found to increase by 194% on finger pads and by
254% on palms. Drying with a jet air dryer resulted
in respective increases of 42% and 15%. However,
after washing and drying hands with a paper towel,
the total number of bacteria reduced by 76% on
finger pads and by 77% on palms.
Separate studies by Eurofins-Inlab in Germany
have found that driers and surrounding areas are
more likely to be contaminated with germs. It
showed that users of jet air driers are likely to be
exposed to 1,000 times more micro-organisms
than users of a paper hand towel dispenser;
and that users of a jet air drier are likely to be
exposed to 800 times more potentially harmful
Staphylococci.
Floors under jet air driers are on average 20
times more contaminated than floors under paper
hand towel dispensers, while floors under jet air
driers have 27 times more Staphylococci.
Ideal office a blend
of good IT and good
working conditions
Environmental factors are more
important to the happiness of
office workers than the quality
of office technology, according
to a new survey by Loudhouse for
independent engineering, IT and
facilities services company NG
Bailey.
More than half (59%) of
respondents said that noise, lighting
and temperature are key for their
happiness in the workplace. In
comparison, less than one third (31%)
believe that having the right hardware,
software and networking drive
satisfaction in the office.
However, the tables are turned
when it comes to productivity, with
over half (53%) of respondents stating
that good IT is the most important
factor, compared to over a third (35%)
who believe having the right bricks and
mortar provisions is what counts.
Even so, more than half (59%)
of workers feel that the right
office temperature can boost their
productivity; and 60% say they are able
to do their job better if it isn’t too noisy.
agenda
01732 759725
magazine
05
Paper towels best for health
Do you work for Britain’s
healthiest company?
The hunt is on for Britain’s healthiest company. Organised
by PruHealth with Vitality and Mercer, Britain’s Healthiest
Company 2014 aims to find and celebrate those
organisations that do most to look after the health and
well-being of staff.
The competition is open to businesses with more than
50 staff, and each entrant will receive a Corporate Health
Report detailing the main health and lifestyle risks facing their
organisation; tailor-made recommendations on how to improve;
and benchmarking against other companies.
Participating employees will receive a Personal Health
Report with recommendations on lifestyle changes. Health
Reports will be produced by the University of Cambridge and
RAND Europe.
Satino Black, the sustainable brand of Dutch
washroom company Van Houtum, has introduced
the world’s first Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) recycled
plastic dispensers for toilet paper, paper towels,
soap, alcohol gel and toilet seat cleaner. C2C
certification shows that the dispensers are free
of harmful chemicals and suitable for technical
closed-loop recycling. They are made using 100%
green electricity. Van Houtum also produces C2C-
certified paper for toilet rolls and paper towels. The
100% recycled paper carries the FSC recycled and
European Eco-label marks.
Good lighting is as important as
the latest technology for happiness
and productivity (photo courtesy of
Humanscale)
A UK health map shows stark
variations in the health and
lifestyles of the British working
population. Analysis of 10,000 UK
employees reveals London to have
the healthiest workers andWales
the least healthy.
