Arrival of Cold and Flu Season Shouldn’t Mean Departure of Employees; Worker Absenteeism can be Reduced with Proper Cleaning
Addison, Texas -- Every year in the United States, it is reported that up to 20 percent of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications; and about 36,000 people die from flu. Annual flu costs the U.S. economy more thab $10 billion in worker absenteeism and lost productivity, but it doesn’t have to.
“By taking simple steps to kill germs and bacteria in the office, worker absenteeism can be reduced,” say’s Mark Regna, director of healthcare services for Jani-King International, the world’s largest commercial cleaning franchise company.
According to Regna, washing your hands is one of the most effective means of reducing the spread of germs throughout the office. “At our global headquarters, we have installed alcohol handrinses and waterless antiseptic handrubs in all of the restrooms.”
“In addition to handwashing, proper cleaning by the janitorial staff is critical to the overall health of the employees in a building,” says Regna. “High-touch points such as doorknobs and handrails need to be wiped daily. Another effective way to keep employees healthy is to make sure there are written procedures for the janitorial staff to wipe down desks, keyboards and phones on a routine basis.”
Regna also suggests employing technology to help the fight against colds and flu. “Microfiber cleaning towels trap and hold the bacteria so that they are not spread across the desk when it is wiped down. Also, vacuums with HEPA filters are proven to greatly reduce the amount of dust lifted into the air. Make sure that your cleaning company or janitorial staff uses the latest cleaning technology and changes air filters throughout the building on a regular basis. Following these procedures will help keep employees on the job and not at home sick.”
The days are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping, and the cold and flu season is beginning. Many people have started taking vitamin C tablets as a precautionary measure. But research has shown that vitamin supplements do not provide nearly as much protection as other measures, like frequently washing your hands -- and that high doses can even be harmful. The ...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite the threat of getting sick during cold and flu season, fewer Americans say they are regularly washing their hands. The fourth Clean Hands Report Card®, issued by the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), gives Americans a “C-minus” for their hand hygiene habits, the same grade they received back in 2006. The Report Card is based on a ...
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The HCA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Nashville-based hospital company Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), today announced the launch of the Clean Hands are Cool Hands Back to School campaign to prevent the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).HCA teamed up with popular teen actor and recording artist Mitchel Musso, best known for his role as "Oliver" ...
Studies show good hand hygiene practices can reduce illness, absenteeism and associated costs by up to 50 percent. Ahead of the next cold and flu season, Deb SBS has launched a program called “Infection Control in the Workplace” to provide added weapons in the fight against microbes. Hand sanitizers and stand-alone dispensers are key elements in the infection control program. ...
Some students are wearing surgical masks on the University of Michigan campus and in the dormitories starting this week as the second year of the M-Flu study gets underway, now that the first confirmed flu case hit campus. Students from four dormitories on the Ann Arbor campus volunteered to participate in the study, which looks at the efficacy and feasibility ...
Bacteria and viruses are the microscopic organisms – otherwise known as germs -- that are responsible for causing and transmitting illness and disease. These microbes are so small, that according to the American Society for Microbiology, if the smallest of all microbes was the size of a baseball, an average bacterium would then be the size of the pitcher's mound, and just one of the millions of cells that make up your body would be the size of the ballpark!
