Enhance Manufacturing Hygiene

Every day workers are potentially exposed to contaminants and conditions that can be harmful to their skin, for example chemicals, mechanical oils, greases and even hot and cold conditions.

80% of the common infections are being transmitted by hands, therefore it is essential for manufacturing businesses to have good hand hygiene practices in place to ensure employees and public health are protected as well as ensuring product quality. Besides occupational skin disorders such as work-related eczema, poor hygiene can cause higher levels of absenteeism and presenteeism, which can disrupt shifts and workflow.

Washrooms

A survey by Initial Hygiene reveals that 3 in 5 claim washroom hygiene affects their productivity. Hence, as the vary of washroom standard between office and manufacturing facilities, the washroom in the manufacturing facility should be clean and provide the right provisions for employees while office washrooms need to safeguard the business image.

• Implement a rigorous cleaning schedule based on peak timings and traffic to ensure washrooms are kept clean.
• Ensure washrooms are well-stocked and that hygiene essentials such as hand soap, paper towels and hand sanitiser for good hand hygiene are always available.
• Keep it smelling fresh with air hygiene— bad smell can be a deterrent for people using the washroom and is often a reason for not washing their hands properly.
• Besides, it is crucial to minimise cross-contamination by eliminating airborne and surface bacteria, mould, mildew and yeast on contact with clean air sanitiser.
• Consider handsfree, sensor solutions to encourage proper hand washing prior to returning to the production line.

Hand wash areas

By protecting, cleaning and restoring the skin on your employee's hands, they can prevent dermatitis and you can ensure that you maintain a healthy workforce. A 3-step process should be followed to ensure the skin is protected against damaging influences and substances.

• Protect: Prevention is better than cure, add a layer of protection before work every day. Pre-work creams protect the skin against workplace conditions and contaminants, making skin easier to clean
• Cleanse: Avoid unbearable skin irritations, wash away contaminants whenever you stop work. Hand cleansers can be tailored to suit the needs of each workplace environment
• Restore: Replenish and restore every time you wash your hands to reduce the risk of developing painful dry skin. Conditioning cream maintains healthy skin and helps to avoid dryness

Reception / Entrance

The reception is an important reflection of your company as it is often the first point of contact for customers and suppliers. Ensure they are well maintained to welcome your visitors into a clean and hygienic environment. High-touch surfaces such as reception counters and door handles harbour bacteria which can cause skin infections, food poisoning and respiratory diseases.

• Employees and visitors can bring in contamination on their shoes, having disinfectant mat will help reduce this and absorb dirt and water so these do not get through the facility.
• Make hand sanitisers available in reception areas to help elevate hygiene standards.
• Display certificates of hygiene and pest control audits for customers and suppliers' peace of mind.

Breakout / Canteen areas

Communal areas where employees gather are great spaces to build hygiene awareness and to promote a cleaner, safer workplace.

• Highlight the consequences of poor hygiene practices and the potential cost impact to the business on posters in breakout areas.
• Air sanitiser can help to control and eliminate airborne and surface bacteria, mould, mildew and yeast on contact.
• Provide hand sanitisers to support increasing hand hygiene standards.

Production line

Germs can remain on surfaces such as production lines for up to 48 hours and can increase the risk of cross-contamination from surface to hands.

Take care to reduce the risk of cross contamination by having a thorough cleaning regime as well as providing hand wash stations where necessary.

• A no-food or drink policy should be introduced and implemented in production, storage and packaging areas.
• Pay particular attention to employees' personal hygiene and that of the premises and equipment.
• Waste management plans should ensure regular disposal to minimise the risk of pests.

Visitor Meeting Rooms / Office Areas

A recent study by Initial found that 49% of office workers sometimes or always eat at their desks. The potential for cross-contamination is high as germs from the washroom are spread by contaminated hands and transferred to desks, office equipment and food.

• Ensure desks and computer workstations are sanitised regularly. Shared desks are often neglected and can have a build-up of germs and contamination.
• Clean and regularly disinfect all surfaces to reduce the risk of cross-contamination via contact with food.
• Install hand sanitisers in locations of high footfall and common use.
• Improve ventilation and air conditioning, especially if offices and meeting rooms are located near to production lines releasing gas or odours.

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