Hand Hygiene – Get it Right

Good hand hygiene is the primary, most important method of preventing cross-contamination and the spread of germs and bacteria.

Handwashing is particularly important when carrying out cleaning in areas such as care homes, schools, and hospitals. You should never underestimate the importance of hygiene in the workplace. It is normal practice throughout the cleaning and catering industries to provide protective gloves to staff when carrying out most tasks. What should not be overlooked is the fact that hands should be thoroughly cleaned before and after gloves are worn.

Why is Hand Hygiene so Important?

Effective hand washing removes or destroys harmful bacteria picked up by the hands and also reduces the number of bacteria that are normally present on the skin. The aim of good hand washing practices is to ensure your own protection and prevent the transfer of any harmful bacteria to other people. The important thing to remember is that good technique is more important than the type of hand cleanser used.

Remember ALWAYS wash your hands whenever:

• You have had contact with any bodily fluids
• You have used or cleaned the toilet
• You have sneezed, blown or wiped your nose
• You have covered your mouth with your hand while coughing or sneezing
• Before eating, handling, and preparing foods
• Your hands feel or look dirty
• You have handled or cleaned up after any animals

The correct hand-washing technique. When washing hands, the following points should be included and adopted by all staff:

• Remove any jewellery from hands and wrists to allow effective cleaning. Wet hands with clean water.
• Apply enough cleanser to ensure it produces a good thick lather.
• Rub hands to produce lather, palm to palm, right palm over the back of the left hand and vice versa.
• Intertwine the fingers of the right hand over the left and vice versa. Pay particular attention to the areas between fingers and fingernails.
• Rotationally rub backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of the right hand in the left palm. Change hands and repeat.
• Rotationally rub the right thumb clasped in the left palm, change hands, and repeat.
• Grip the left wrist and work the cleanser into the skin. Do the same with the right wrist.
• Rinse off all traces of lather with clean water.
• Dry hands thoroughly with a disposable paper towel.
• Discard paper towels in the waste bin, avoid touching the bin.