Study: Break rooms and kitchens are ‘hot-spots’ for workplace germs
It’s not the office restrooms that you have worry about, but rather that microwave oven door handle that hasn’t been cleaned in who-knows-when.
A study by Kimberly-Clark Professional and Dr. Charles Gerba, professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona found: “The place where U.S. workers eat and prepare their lunch topped the list of office germ “hot-spots.” Sinks and microwave door handles “were the dirtiest surfaces touched by office workers on a daily basis.”
The study tested office buildings accommodating 3,000 workers in a variety of businesses, including manufacturing facilities, law firms, insurance companies, call centers, and…you guessed it…healthcare companies.
According to the study, office surfaces found to have high levels of contamination include:
- 75% of break room sink faucet handles
- 48% of microwave door handles
- 27% of keyboards
- 26% of refrigerator door handles
- 23% of water fountain buttons
- 21% of vending machine buttons
While personal space items such as computer mice and desk phones had lower levels of contamination, the study found that 50% of these items were in need of cleaning.
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John Palmer
John has written 1347 posts.
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“you’ve got time to lean; you’ve got time to clean”.
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