As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, I like to get my geek
on. Thankfully I was alone in my office when I squealed in delight after reading a Letter to the Editor in the October
Special Edition of the Journal of Hospital Infection. The letter talked about a pilot
study comparing the level of microbial contamination found in hospital
washrooms when paper towel or hand dryers were used.
I HATE hand
dryers. While I try darn hard to be
environmentally conscious and sit on our company’s Green Team, when it comes to
drying my hands I have no qualms about the number of trees needed to be cut
down to make paper towels. Why? Because
there is enough evidence to show that hand dryers impede hand hygiene and as
this study shows when looking at microbial contamination washrooms (restrooms)
with hand dryers had higher levels of microbial contamination than washrooms
that used paper towel.
Some may be questioning my comment about hand dryers
impeding hand hygiene, but back in 2012 guest author Prof. Todd from Michigan
State University discussed
a survey where researchers found that hand dryers, because they can only
accommodate a person at a time and can take up to >1 minute to adequately
dry hands, can lead to avoidance of their use, incomplete drying of the hands or
worse, wiping clean hands on clothes…..
I will admit there has been more than one occasion where along my
travels I have encountered either a line up to get to a hand dryer or gave up
on getting my hands dried due to insufficient air flow and/or heat.
In this particular study, the researchers sampled 2
washrooms within one hospital over a period of 3 months. Their sampling regime included air sampling,
environmental sampling of 5 locations and collecting dust samples. In reviewing the data, significant
differences and trends were seen. In the
washroom that utilized paper towels lower microbial levels were found whereas
in the washroom that employed the hand dryer the microbial contamination was
higher, had a greater range of bacteria and in general the floor, the hand
dryer and the dust samples were more heavily contaminated.
I knew there was a reason I had such a loathing for hand
dryers….this study simply continues to build upon my bias towards the need to
ban their use. The fact that WHO advocates to dry hands
thoroughly on a single use towel strengthens my resolve to avoid the use of
hand dryers at all costs!
Bugging Off!
Nicole
PS – I know more investigation is needed, but for me the
proof is in the
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