The Tork UK ultimate guide to hand hygiene for facilities managers, teachers, parents and hospitals.

2. Wipe them drye fight against Wipe them
h T
germs is in
your hands
contents Hygiene and Healthcare
+ For facilities managers
+ For visitors and staff
Introduction to Hand Hygiene
ipe them dry Wipe them
Hygiene on the move
W
Hints and Tips
+ For operators and facilities managers
e
ou can stop th
+ For you
Facts and Figures Y s
Hygiene at Work spread of germ and posters
Downloadable leaflets
+ For facilities managers
The art of hand washing
+ For you
Flu Q&A
Hygiene at School
+ For teachers
+ For parents Useful Contacts

3. introduction to hand hygiene
“Wipe them dry” has been launched by Tork to educate
people on the importance of keeping hands clean in order
to stay healthy and prevent the spread of germs.
Hands are amazing tools. We use them almost all the time,
and this makes them very exposed and vulnerable. For
example, bacteria can survive on common surfaces such as
taps for up to 72 hours.
“Wipe them dry” is all about washing and drying our hands.
Washing with liquid soap helps us to remove the most
harmful germs, but not all. Germs love wet or moist hands
so if we forget to dry them the remaining germs on our
hands multiply rapidly. Thoroughly washing and drying our
hands can remove up to 99 per cent of all germs, which is
why we say clean hands are safe hands.

4. hints & tips
When should you wash your hands? After washing and drying your hands
Good hand hygiene is especially important when you
are away from home. To prevent infection and cross + Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth to avoid
cross contamination.
contamination you should wash your hands:
+ Be careful about close contact such as shaking
hands or kissing people on the cheek and avoid
+ After arriving at work. close contact with people who are ill.
+ Before meals or eating food. + Cough or sneeze against your sleeve or in a paper
+ After visiting the toilet. tissue, then throw this immediately into the bin.
+ After sneezing.
+ Before preparing food.
+ Before and after visiting a sick person. Washing your hands
+ After arriving home. properly should take about
+ When hands are visibly dirty.
20 to 30 seconds.

5. how to wash your hands
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12

6. facts and figures
Where have your hands been today?
Door
handles,
As many as 14 people in a row can
handrails,
become contaminated by touching a
the daily paper,
bacteria–laden door handle.
keyboard,
mouse,
phone etc.
These objects
can harbour Direct person-to-person
bacteria from touching is the most common
way to spread germs.
other people.

7. facts and figures
Areas many forget to wash (for more information click here)
26% 16%
28% forget to wash forget to wash
forget to wash their palms their fingertips
24% 56% the backs of
their hands
forget to wash forget to wash
their nails their thumbs
89%forget to wash
their wrists

8. hygiene at work for facility managers
Hygienic washrooms and good hand washing Workplace infection has traditionally
facilities can play a major part in helping to reduce taken third place - after accidents and
sickness, both at home and at work. non-biological occupational hazards -
in occupational health priority. Raised
As most of us know maintaining a clean awareness to infection hazards is
and hygienic washroom at home is an changing this.
important part of keeping our families safe.
At one end of the scale, this is because
But hygiene is particularly important in the of the huge cost to business of staff
workplace where infections may quickly spread, absenteeism through common infections.
leading to mass absenteeism and therefore a At the other end of the scale, in the EU
loss of productivity. Overall loss of output due to there are still about 5,000 workers dying
non-injury ill health was estimated to be between every year from communicable disease
£7.01 -10.24 billion in Great Britain in 2004. acquired at work. For more information
(source: www.hse.gov.uk) click here.

9. the cost of sick days
Days off sick, whatever the cause,
Simple changes to minimise sickness
are costly to businesses and there are Business environments are potential hotbeds of infection, so what can be done about it? Take a risk
assessment of your office:
associated costs to the sufferers and
their relatives. + Soap and lack of adequate hand drying facilities are the most common factors to be missing or to
have run out. Soap does not have to be antibacterial in most office/home situations. The method for
drying hands is of more importance: warm air dryers may not dry hands adequately and a hot or jet
Work days lost due to infectious disease
air dryer can disperse microbes around the washroom. While some of the latest dryer designs have
in 2007-2008 in Great Britain included increased efficiency, the ideal solution is to offer a disposable hand towel supply, especially during
154,000 days (central value) for men and outbreaks.
104,000 days for women, with individuals
+ If the toilet paper is missing in a cubicle the user may have to come out, hunt for a roll and return – it
absent because of an infection for an doesn’t take much imagination to assess the increase in contamination of handles etc.
average of 6.8 days a year for men and
an average 5.9 days for women. + Office kitchen assessment includes a safe drinking water/hot water supply and washing-up liquid,
soap and hand drying provision.
For more information click here. + If the office has a water dispenser or water cooler, the hygiene check will depend on whether the
water tank is connected to the mains supply or the tank is changed by a supplier.

10. simple changes to minimise sickness
The washroom at
work should
be a functional,
hygienic and
pleasant environment
since most
of us are not prepared
to stay in an
unsanitary washroom
any longer than
necessary. If we are loa
the to linger,
hand hygiene may
become quite
cursory – particularly
if inadequate
hand washing facilitie
s are supplied.
Since the washroom
is an important
part of the workplac
e environment
it makes sense to ens
ure that it is a
hygienic and user-frien
dly facility. This
helps to increase pro
ductivity and
boost staff morale while
also reducing
the threat of infections.

11. hygiene at work for you
The most common way in which germs are spread is via Simple changes to minimise getting sick
people’s hands. Germs are often harmless but they can also
You can reduce - but not remove - the risk of catching or spreading
cause illnesses such as colds, flu, and stomach bugs.
infections by:
Washing your hands properly with soap and warm water is + Always covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or
the single most important thing you can do to help reduce sneezing.
the spread of infections and help protect you, your family + Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
and those around you at work.
+ Maintaining good basic hygiene: for example, washing your hands frequently
with soap and warm water to reduce the spread of bacteria from your
Whilst we may relish the idea of a day at home from time hands to face, or to other people.
to time, the reality is that being ill is not pleasant for anyone
- and you will not want to be responsible for infecting your + Drying your hands correctly to remove all traces of bacteria.
family either. For more information click here. + Cleaning hard surfaces such as door handles frequently and thoroughly
using a normal cleaning product.

12. when to wash your hands
As you touch people, surfaces
Always wash your hands Always wash your hands after:
and objects throughout the day,
before: + Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry.
you accumulate germs on your
hands. In turn you can infect
+ Preparing food in the office kitchen. + Using the toilet at work.
yourself with these germs by + Eating food. + Touching an animal or animal toys,
leashes or waste.
touching your eyes, nose or + Treating wounds or giving medicine.
mouth.
+ Touching a sick or injured person. + Blowing your nose or coughing or sneezing
into your hands.
Although it is impossible to
+ Inserting or removing contact lenses. + Treating wounds.
keep your hands germ-free, + Touching a sick or injured person.
washing and drying your hands
also + Handling rubbish or something that could be
frequently can help to limit the
e it is sh contaminated, such as a cleaning cloth
ours wa
transfer of bacteria, viruses and
Of c rtant to enever or soiled shoes.
h
other microbes. impo hands w irty.
your appear d
they

13. how to wash your hands
It is generally best to wash your Thoroughly
hands with soap and water drying your
Follow these simple steps: hands is
+ Wet your hands with running water. at least as
important
+ Apply soap in liquid, bar or powder form.
as washing
+ Lather well. since damp
+ Rub your hands vigorously for at least 20-30 hands have
seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces the capacity to
including the backs of your hands, wrists,
between your fingers and under your fingernails. spread about
1,000 times
+ Rinse well.
the amount of
+ Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel. bacteria as
+ If possible, use your towel to turn off the tap. dry hands.

14. hygiene at schools for teachers
It is sad to say that What you can do to help Lessons
many schools in the Handwashing is one of the most important Hand hygiene education is a basic yet critical
UK have inadequate ways of preventing the spread of infection. concept – and in today’s fast-paced world of national
hygiene facilities, Here are some lesson ideas to encourage standards and jam-packed school days it can easily
and several studies pupils to wash their hands. In addition, you be overlooked. But when it is carried out correctly,
have revealed that could: clean hands education can have a tremendous
poor hand washing + Find images of bacteria to show them. impact on the health and well-being of the entire
facilities in schools school community.
+ Find images of threadworms
can contribute to the (a parasite which is found in faeces) to
spread of infections show them.
among children. + For older pupils, discuss what types of
things might be carried on dirty hands
(eg germs causing stomach upsets).

15. lessons for primary school children
The washing your hands song
(Sung to “Row Your Boat”)
Wash, wash, wash your hands Until they’re nice and clean
Wash them well today Down the drain go dirt and germs
Soap and water does the trick Never to be seen.
It keeps the germs away! Rinse, rinse, rinse your hands
Wash, wash, wash your hands Under the water stream
Wash them day and night Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Scrub with soap and water too Hand washing’s a dream
And illness it will fight!
Scrub, scrub, scrub your hands For more ideas click here.

16. lessons for middle school children
Cooking flour activity
Put some flour on a plate and invite one pupil to
place his or her right hand on to it (palm down).
Pupils should stand in a circle and the first one
shakes the hand of the next, who then shakes
the hand of the next, and so on. See how far
around the circle the flour travels – it might even
make it all the way back to the first pupil. Explain
that invisible germs are spread in the same way.
For more ideas click here.

17. lessons for secondary school children
Using a UV light
If you have access to an ultra-violet
light, ask pupils to put their hands under
it. It will show up how dirty their hands
really are. If practical, pupils can rinse
their hands lightly then see how little dirt
has been removed. Then they can try
scrubbing with soap and water.
For more ideas click here.

18. keeping toilets and washrooms clean
Good hygiene is + Toilets should be clean, in good repair and cartridges are considered to be the “gold
monitored regularly. For example, an audit standard”. Liquid soap that is “topped up”
particularly important checklist should be located in the toilets and can become contaminated.
in schools. Toilets this should be dated and signed at regular
and washrooms intervals. + Some schools use roller towels or hand
dryers. Ideally paper towels should be
should be clean + All toilet areas should have hand used. However, if roller towels or hand
and well ventilated. washing facilities including warm and dryers are provided they should be regularly
They should also be cold running water, soap and towels. maintained, changed or cleaned.
Liquid soap & paper towels are recognised
cleaned regularly as as the most effective hand washing method. + Water fountains and other drinking outlets
part of a documented Liquid soap, unlike bar soap, is less likely to should not be located in the toilets.
cleaning rota and become contaminated.
+ General bins (for paper towels etc) in toilets
policy. + Ideally liquid soap should be housed in should be foot-operated.
wall-mounted dispensers and disposable
Please click here to download the hand washing guide and post up in your school washrooms
to improve the pupils’ hand hygiene.

19. hygiene at school for parents
This section is aimed primarily at Children are particularly susceptible
parents of school children, but due to a number of factors:
can be used by anyone wanting
+ They have immature immune systems.
to find out more about improving
school hygiene. + They tend to have a higher degree of close
contact with other children.
Hygiene is particularly important in + They tend to explore with their hands, and
germs from hands to mouth can easily
the school setting as young school cause infection.
children are recognised as being
+ They share facilities and equipment.
at particular risk of contracting
and transmitting enteric (relating + They may not have an understanding of
hygiene practices.
to intestines) infection (Finn and
Crook, 1998/1999). + They may have incomplete immunisations
(Berg, 1988).

20. hygiene at school for parents
What are the potential Hand washing is one of the most important ways of preventing infection. Hands can move
benefits for parents? germs to other places such as from the toilet to the classroom. Thorough hand washing
with warm water and soap will remove germs along with effective hand drying.
+ Fewer school days missed – which
can have a knock-on effect on parents
for childcare arrangements together What can you do to help?
with education lost for children.
Parents should set good examples by washing their hands frequently and encouraging children
+ Fewer illness for children especially to do the same. Children will probably want to know why they need to wash their hands.
diarrhoea and vomiting and
Explain that microbes can make people sick even though they are too tiny to be seen.
respiratory illness.
+ Fewer visits to GPs.
Point out the fingernails, lines, cracks and wrinkles on hands where dirt and microbes like to
+ Potentially a lower use of antibiotics. hide. Explain that all these places should be washed carefully. Show children the right way to
+ Fewer outbreaks of infectious disease. wash their hands as explained in these guidelines.

21. hygiene at school for parents
When should children wash their hands? How should children wash their hands?
+ Before eating food, especially at lunch time. Ideally liquid soap, warm running water, paper towels and a
foot-operated bin should be provided.
+ After using the toilet.
+ Put hands under warm running water.
+ After contact with blood or other body fluids (such as vomit).
+ Apply soap.
+ After touching or picking their nose.
+ Rub hands together paying particular attention to fingertips,
+ After handling pets, pet cages, feeding utensils and other pet thumbs and between fingers.
items such as litter trays.
+ Rinse hands under warm running water.
+ After going out to play.
+ Dry hands thoroughly with a paper towel.
+ After being in contact with a contaminated area such
as rubbish bins.
+ Whenever their hands are dirty.

22. hygiene at school for parents
Parents and teachers should wash their hands
as soon as they arrive at the school or child
care centre, and:
+ Before handling food or bottles, before giving or using medicine or
ointments and before going home.
+ After using or helping a child use the toilet, changing a nappy,
touching any body fluids (by wiping a runny nose for example),
handling pets or pet objects (cages or leashes for example), handling
objects used by children, removing gloves used for any sanitary
purpose, using a telephone, caring for or touching a child who is ill.
+ Whenever they go to another room in the school or child care centre
or move to a different group of children.
+ Whenever hands look, feel, or smell unclean.

23. hygiene for parents of young children
Handwashing finger play
This is a fun activity to help your children remember They’re on the toilet seats and on your two feet.
the importance of handwashing. (Point to feet)
Germs are everywhere! They are on your hands and in the sand.
(Wave hands around room) (Show hands)
They’re on the walls and in the halls. They even like food; isn’t that rude?
(Point to walls) But don’t be scared. Germs can be beat.
Just make sure your hands are clean and neat
They’re on the chairs and on the stairs.
(Point to chair) For more ideas click here.

24. hygiene for parents of older children
Here is a recipe to No-bake cookies Place peanut butter, dry milk, and sugar in a bowl.
Add vanilla and water; blend well. Stir in the cereal and
make with your hands. 1/2 cup peanut butter raisins or nuts. Wash your hands and shape into about
It is a good opportunity 24 balls. To store, place in a covered container and
1/2 cup instant non-fat dry milk refrigerate.
to practice good hand
washing. Wash your 1/4 cup sugar
Cookies are best if eaten soon after they are made.
hands before you begin, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nutrition information per cookie:
before you shape the 60 calories, 3g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 55 mg sodium, 8g
1/4 cup water
cookies and of course carbohydrate, 2g protein.
after you have made 2 cups dry cereal, lightly crushed You can enjoy your cookies with a glass of cold milk.
your cookies. 1/2 cup raisins or chopped nuts For more ideas click here.

25. hygiene for facilities managers
Hand hygiene should be at the centre of any infection control and
prevention strategy. Supplying the right types of soaps and hand
towels is vitally important to healthcare hygiene, where standards
are high and infection control is very much on the agenda.
Few people think of washroom dispensers, soaps and hand
towels as ”crucial” to the smooth running of a hospital, but hand
hygiene has become a key focus in the fight against hospital-
acquired infections – especially as studies show that not all
hospital staff wash and dry their hands as often or as thoroughly
as they should.
Hospital washrooms need to cater for a wide range of people
including surgeons, doctors, nursing staff, patients and visitors.

26. hygiene for facilities managers
Intensive care wards: General wards and visitor washrooms:
+ Hand towels should be soft so that frequent hand No-touch washroom systems are or near the exits so that people can
washing and drying can take place without causing
important. Controlled dispensing, pre- naturally head from the toilet to the
discomfort.
measured hand towel systems are ideal basin and then on to the bin to throw
+ Soaps should be mild and unperfumed, and alcohol as they avoid waste and reduce costs their paper towel away.
wipes should be supplied to compliment washing. while ensuring that each towel is touched
only by the user. Soaps, hand towels and alcohol wipes
+ Tork interfold towels are particularly suitable for
should never be allowed to run out.
hygiene-critical healthcare washrooms.
Dispensers should be installed at a Regular checks should be made on
comfortable height to avoid the need the washrooms and stickers placed
for any stretching or bending, and soap on dispensers providing a contact
dispensers should be either directly number for when the consumables
above the sink or slightly to the right to need replacing.
cater for the right-handed majority. Hand
For more information click here.
towel dispensers should be over the sink

27. hygiene for visitors and staff
When visiting a friend or relative in + Think about keeping patients safe + The most important thing you can do
hospital or other environment where before you visit. If you or someone is to wash and dry your hands before
at home has a cold or are feeling visiting the ward, particularly after
healthcare is provided, it is important unwell - especially if the issue is going to the toilet.
to ensure that you clean your hands to diarrhoea - stay away until you or
help prevent the spread of infection. they are better. + Never touch dressings, drips, or other
equipment around the bed.
+ Think about what you take in to a
But how can you help as a visitor? patient: for example, foods such as + Be prepared to raise concerns with
Here are five top tips for the public in chocolate and sweets are a treat members of staff in your hospital.
best saved until they return home. Busy doctors can sometimes forget
the battle against contamination: Avoid sitting on the bed and keep simple things such as cleaning hands
the number of visitors to a minimum before examining a patient.
For more information click here. at any one time.

28. hygiene on the move
Hygiene on the move for operators and facilities managers
Hand hygiene is important but many servicing these facilities during the Tork Advanced Flushable towels are
individuals still find situations where course of the journey is impractical. ideal for this type of washroom since
hand washing is impossible or Toilets on trains and aeroplanes they are designed to come apart
inconvenient. should be equipped with compact quickly in water after drying the hands.
systems that will not run out - or They therefore help prevent toilet
For example, the washrooms of trains ones that are easy to refill when they blockages if users put them down the
and aircraft are densely packed with do. Smells should be controlled and toilet rather than in the bin.
passengers who are continually taking blockages must be avoided at all
For more information click here.
in refreshments to pass the time. Few costs to prevent a washroom from
toilet cubicles are provided to cater being out of commission during the
for such large numbers of people, and journey.

29. hygiene on the move
Hygiene on the move for you
We should not allow
our busy lifestyles
compromise our health
and hygiene – it only
takes a few seconds to
wash your hands and
even when you are out
and about you can use
antibacterial hand wipes
and hand sanitisers.

30. downloadable leaflets and posters
Tork Report –
Hand Drying –
The impact of
What’s the right choice?
hygiene on business

31. downloadable leaflets and posters
Wipe them dry
Wipe
Wipe them dry
Help us all
stay healthy
What can you do to stop the spread Staying
them of germs? healthy is in Wipe them dry fight against Wipe them dry
The
germs is in Dry hands mean
less germs
your hands...
your hands
Advice on correct hand washing and drying
dry 1
Palm to palm
2
Right palm over left dorsum
and left palm over right dorsum
3
Palm to palm
fingers interlaced
wipe them dry. Wipe them dry
You can stop the
spread of germs
Wipe them dry
Damp hands spread
up to 1,000 times
more germs
The fight against germs 4 5 6
is in your hands
Wipe them dry Wipe them dry
Dry hands mean Don’t serve up
Damp hands spread up to 1,000 times(1) clean hands germs
more germs than dry ones
Backs of fingers to Rotational rubbing of Rotational rubbing, backwards
There are 10 million germs on the (2)
opposing palms with right thumb clasped in and forwards with clasped
average work surface
fingers interlocked left and vice versa fingers of right hand in left
There are over 1 million(3) germs on palm and vice versa
your mobile phone
Drying your hands with a paper towel(4)
is the most effective way to eliminate
7 8 Wipe them dry and Wipe them dry
germs from your hands Dry thoroughly with a Use towel to Do us all a favour
dry your hands Take germs off
(1) Patrick, D.R., Findon, G., Miller, T.E. (1997), “Residual moisture
determines the level of touch contact associated bacterial
single-use towel turn off tap the menu
transfer following hand washing.”
(2) Gerba, Charles: Research study, University of Arizona (2002).
(3) Gerba, Charles: Research study, University of Arizona (2002).
(4) University of Westminster: A comparative study of three
different hand drying methods.
Wipe Them Dry “The fight Wipe Them Dry Leaflet Mirror cling stickers for your
against germs is in your hands” washroom - contact us and we will
post them off to you

32. useful information
Flu and the Study Shows a third of us Wash your hands of flu
importance of hygiene fail to wash our hands

33. the art of handwashing
It is a simple task.
Everyone knows how
to do it: a touch of
soap, a splash of
water and a towel.
Now discover the real
secret of cleaning
your hands with our
interactive tutorial:

34. the art of handwashing
As part of our Wipe them
dry campaign we have built
an interactive learning tool
where you can learn the
difference between drying
methods and find out which
is best.

35. flu Q&A
Q: Does it really matter how
you dry your hands? Although these are very effective for
A: Yes. The most common way in which germs disinfection, sanitisers do not actually remove
are spread is via the hands, and damp hands the dirt. Therefore after visiting the washroom
spread up to 1,000 times more germs than or when you have visible dirt on your hands
dry hands. Single-use paper towels take only you should wash them with soap and water
a few seconds to dry the hands while a warm to remove any organic material.
air dryer will leave the hands only around 95
per cent dry after an average of 43 seconds. Q: Are warm air dryers really
that bad?
Q: What is the difference A: Warm air dryers take longer to dry your
between washing with soap hands, increasing the likelihood that you
and using alcohol-based will leave without drying the hands properly.
sanitisers? Studies have also shown that warm and hot
A: Alcohol-based hand sanitisers are recom- air dryers increase the amount of bacteria
mended in hygiene-sensitive environments. after use unlike single-use paper towels.

36. flu Q&A
Q: When will the flu pandemic Q: What is the difference Q: How should we
be over? between regular soap and approach hygiene and
A: It is impossible to speculate on how “antibacterial” soap? hand washing?
the pandemic will develop. At Tork we are A: Soap designated “antibacterial” A: People should take extra care to wash
following updates and recommendations contains specific ingredients that have a their hands properly. This is particularly
proven antibacterial effect. But most of
from WHO and other relevant authorities. important now, just as it is during any flu
the bacteria are removed from your hands
outbreak. However, it is always important
when you wash them using high quality
Q: Why is Tork concerned soap and dry them with paper towels. to practice good hand hygiene since this
about flu? Health institutions consider that normal can help prevent the spread of anything
A: Flu is a global phenomenon and one soap provides a sufficient antibacterial from food borne infections to the common
that will affect many people. Hygiene is an effect for everyday applications, such as in cold.
important part of how we address it and Tork offices and public washrooms. To minimise
the spread of the flu virus, authorities
has a wealth of knowledge and experience Q: Isn’t it obvious how you
recommend washing with soap and water
in this area as well as a clear commitment to
and supplementing this practice with an
should wash your hands?
following the development of the pandemic. A: Not really. Some people wash their
alcohol-based sanitising gel.
hands too infrequently while others tend

37. flu Q&A
to neglect some areas, such as between the Q: What is the minimum Q: Can you guarantee
fingers and the backs of the hands. Also, number of times that you that we can avoid being
many people are unaware of the fact that should wash your hands infected by flu if we follow
it is vital to dry the hands thoroughly after during a day? your advice?
washing them. A: It depends on what you are doing. You A: There can never be any guarantees, but
should wash your hands after arriving at washing and drying your hands properly is
Q: Isn’t your communi- work, before meals, after visiting the toilet, a well-known way of dramatically reducing
cation adding to people’s after sneezing, before preparing food, the risk of infection. The recommendations
fears about flu? before and after visiting a sick person, from WHO and the CDC are very clear on
A: It is understandable that flu is a major after arriving home from work and when this.
concern. We are not trying to increase the hands are visibly dirty.
that concern: we simply want to provide
information about a simple, proven and
very effective way of reducing the risks of
becoming infected. For more information click here.

38. useful contacts
Please get in touch
If you would like further information SCA Hygiene Products UK Ltd
about our products and services Southfields Road
or about Tork Sales, please don’t Dunstable,
hesitate to contact us. You can Bedfordshire,
use the form below to send us an LU6 3EJ
e-mail directly, or contact us by
phone or fax. Tel.: +44 (0)1582 677570
Fax.: +44 (0)1582 677580
E-mail: customer.servicesafh@sca.com
Or click here for a contact form
www.tork.co.uk