Working safely in offices
during COVID-19
By Grange Europe | 02 March 2021
An office desk can be a breeding ground for germs and viruses like COVID-19.
In fact, an article published in 2019 before the pandemic posited that Your desk has more bacteria on it than a toilet seat Now with the ongoing threat of viruses like Covid-19, it’s more important than ever to keep your office environment safe hygienically clean – even if you’re just popping in once a week.
The article found that many of the surfaces in the workplace harbour more bacteria than a toilet seat. Whether you are working at home or going to an office - there is a new hygiene protocol that's essential to follow.
The key areas on desk are desktop phones (especially if used by more than one person), desk itself then keyboard and mouse.
Next hotspot is the canteen or kitchen where all frequently touched surfaces - microwaves, fridge doors, taps and surfaces generally are all breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses.
Pictured: Our Wipepod Wipes Dispenser (On Desk )
New Threats, New Measures
Even though many of us are still in lockdown right now, essential workers and those that can't work from home are still going to the office. The germs don’t go into furlough when you do – they’re still out there. So, you’ve got to up your game if you’re going to stay safe. Masks and gloves are common practice now, but what about hand and surface wipes
According to The Hygiene Company, sanitizer alone isn’t enough to keep you safe. Ideally you should be using hand and surface antibacterial wipes made specifically for your hands or your surfaces to kill and REMOVE all germs that could be lying dormant in this germ-breeding space.
Pictured: Our Wipepod Wipes Dispenser (On Wall )
To maintain personal hygiene in the workplace, you must regularly clean your desk. Stop infections from spreading, and dust from gathering, by sanitising your desk and equipment sanitise your hands at least once a day.
Daily wipe down your workspace area with antibacterial wipes including desk Keyboard, mouse and desk as well as all the gadgets you may have.
“The need for day-to-day sanitation is as prominent as ever. The coronavirus pandemic was useful in that sense because it woke people up to a better understanding of the measures they need to take every day. A new level of office hygiene is necessary to protect yourself and your colleagues,” says The Hygiene Company’s Jonathan Bradford.
Built for Purpose
As the UK leader in antibacterial wipes, The Hygiene Company pioneered the WipePod Surface Dispenser, which has become a standard hygiene measure in many public spaces. It can be wall or surface mounted but also portable.
“We have developed antibacterial wipes which are built from strong materials suitable for the purpose. 99.9999% of all germs are killed thanks to the incredible effectiveness and they won’t damage your equipment either” says Bradford, “Whether it’s in the office, or visiting someone else's, prevention of infection and controlling germs is a must these days, which is why we recommend contactless sanitizer and antibacterial wipe dispensers for all offices.”
Life Beyond COVID-19 leads with Working from home
This will become more prevalent as data from YouGov, collected in early September 2020, has found, fifty-seven percent of British workers say they’d like to continue working from home, some or all of the time, once the Covid-19 crisis subsides.
Working from home you may know who is using your equipment or in the vicinity but if you don't, you should take the same precautions. Also, working from home you need to consider your posture and health as outlined in this BBC Article.
Having a Wipes Dispenser is becoming a must have accessory for any home office.
The Hygiene Company have been in the hygiene business for two decades now and understand better than most why hygiene should be an ongoing concern.
As Britons continue to try and maintain hygiene standards at work, home, in their cars or outdoors, The Hygiene Company is poised to offer dispensers fit for every space and purpose.
“The way I see it, it’s up to businesses like us to ensure that we maintain the supply and quality of cross contamination products, but the public need to be aware of this to ensure continued use,” concludes Bradford.