According to new research from Germany, clean hands are good corporate policy:
Nils-Olaf Hübner and a team from Germany analyzed absenteeism and symptom data from 129 participants. He said, “Our study found that hand disinfection reduced the number of episodes of illness for the majority of the investigated symptoms.” In the study, the participants were divided into two groups. The control group were told to maintain normal hand washing behaviour, whilst the intervention group were supplied with hand disinfectant and instructed to attempt to use it at least five times during a working day. Disinfectant use was encouraged, especially after activities which were likely to facilitate bacterial or viral transfer, such as toilet use and nose blowing.
Whilst the effect of hand disinfectants in medical facilities and non-clinical settings such as child day -care centres had already been documented, its effectiveness in improving employee health in open community work places had not been assessed. The study also found a reduction in symptoms of illness during times when participants were not absent from work, suggesting that hand disinfectant use can reduce on-the-job-productivity-losses, increase workplace health levels, and therefore improve overall productivity.
Hand sanitizer. Image courtesy Heather Kennedy.
It’s charming to see that someone still uses “whilst.” Whilst this work is certainly interesting, I would have liked to see another control group that was told to use ordinary soap and water to wash their hands. Alcohol-based sanitizers are useful when there is no water available, but they tend to irritate skin after prolonged use. Soap and water might be more sustainable, and they’re generally available at the office. In any case, it’s another reminder that simple measures can pay big dividends in public health.
