Workplace Hygiene

HAND WASHING

Wash hands for 20 seconds. Dry hands for 20 seconds.

Steps for clean hands

1. Wet your hands under clean running water. Use warm water if available.
2. Put soap on your hands and wash for 20 seconds. Liquid soap is best.
3. Rub hands together until the soap makes bubbles.
4. Rub on both sides of both hands ...
5. and in between fingers and thumbs ...
6. and round and round both hands.
7. Remember Hand Washing is a chemical reaction and product needs time to work (dwell time).
8. Rinse all the soap off under clean running water. Use warm water if available.
9. Dry your hands all over for 20 seconds. Using a paper towel is best (or, if at home, a clean dry towel).

Always wash and dry your hands ...

Before

• Eating or preparing food. 

After

• Sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose (or wiping children’s noses)
• Gardening (or playing outside for children)
• Having contact with animals
• Going to the toilet or changing nappies
• Looking after sick people. 

https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/good-hygiene/hand-washing

HOW TO HANDWASH poster - Issued by WHO (World Health Organisation)  

HYGIENE at WORK

Workers can be exposed to germs, infections and infestation in a number of ways, depending on the nature of the work. A common way for infections to be transmitted is through poor hygiene practices.

How are workers and others harmed?

Workers and others can be exposed to infection in number of different ways, including: 

• Airborne infections – which are spread through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or speak. Air-conditioning can escalate the spread of the infection.
• Contact infections – which are transmitted through direct or indirect contact with bacteria or viruses. Direct contact can include physical contact with an infected person, or contact with blood and body fluids.
• Indirect contact infections – which involve touching an object or surface that has been contaminated by an infected person. 

What can you do? 

First you must always eliminate the risk where you’re reasonably able to. Where you’re not reasonably able to, then you need to consider what you can do to minimise the risk. 

Apart from the general hygienic practice, workers should adopt basic infection control measures. Here are some examples to consider:

• Have an infection control plan. 
• Provide clean hand washing facilities.
• Offer waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizers when regular facilities are not available.
• Clean surfaces at least daily
• Frequently touched area such as escalator handrails, elevator control panels or door knobs should be cleaned more often subject to the frequency of use.
• Regular pest control should be carried out.
• Undertake worker health monitoring.
• Making sure ventilation systems are working properly.
• Provide personal protective equipment like gloves and face masks where necessary.  

You need to select the most effective controls that are proportionate to the risk, and appropriate to your work situation.  

 

GERMS & INFECTIONS

Diseases, such as mumps, chicken pox, or the flu, are spread through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or speak.

How are workers and others harmed?

Workers and others can be exposed to infection in number of different ways, including: 

Airborne infections – which are spread through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or speak. Air-conditioning can escalate the spread of the infection.

Contact infections – which are transmitted through direct or indirect contact with bacteria or viruses. Direct contact can include physical contact with an infected person, or contact with blood and body fluids.

Indirect contact infections – which involve touching an object or surface that has been contaminated by an infected person. 

What you can do? 

First you must always eliminate the risk where you’re reasonably able to. Where you’re not reasonably able to, then you need to consider what you can do to minimise the risk. Here are some examples:

• Ensure workers wash their hands regularly.
• Clean and disinfect spills.
• Practise cough etiquette and encourage workers and others to do the same. 
• Provide personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves.
• Dispose of tissues and other rubbish effectively.
• Encourage workers to stay home if they are unwell.
• Provide vaccinations to workers. 

You need to select the most effective controls that are proportionate to the risk, and appropriate to your work situation.

https://worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/health-and-hygiene/