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In one of your past answers, you mentioned studies indicate paper towels are more hygienic than hand dryers. Could you please direct me to one?

Name withheld

James Elledge replies ...

A There are several studies out there which support any of the three types of hand drying choices: paper towels, air dryers, and cloth roll towels. The aforementioned study that lists the choices in this preferred order was conducted by the Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/ inside.asp?AID=1612). [The original question and response can be found at this link: www.todaysfacilitymanager.com/fm_expert71.asp]

Obviously, the cleaning expectations in the medical world are different from the normal office environment. I would acknowledge that if workers properly washed their hands and then proceeded to dry them thoroughly with a touchless hand dryer, then this method should be sufficiently hygienic.

The main issue with touchless equipment is the actual dryness factor. Wet hands are more apt to contamination from germs, so if the user does not wait long enough for the hand dryer to do its job, the user’s hands could get contaminated sooner.

Consider these facts:

• A dry hand carries four to five billion germs;

• Underneath a ring, there are 400 million germs; and

• Underneath a fingernail, there are eight to nine million germs.

As far as how hands can be contaminated, here are some additional facts—and fallacies.

Claim. The bathroom door handle on the public restroom is the germiest place.

False. Door handles actually have the least bacteria of any surface in public restrooms, according to a test by Chuck Gerba, Ph.D., a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson. That’s because, according to Gerba’s tests, 68% of people wash their hands before leaving the restroom.

To pick up something like salmonella from someone who didn’t wash up, you’d need a huge dose of the bacteria. Also, most bacteria needs a warm, moist environment to survive and can live on hard, dry surfaces for only one to two hours.

Claim. The desk in your office is much dirtier than a toilet bowl.

True. The average desktop has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet bowl, simply because people usually don’t clean their desks on a regular basis, says Gerba.

Most of these germs are harmless, but in a recent study, Gerba and his colleagues found the parainfluenza virus, which causes colds and flu, on about one third of office surfaces. Keep microbe levels on your desk down by regularly cleaning it with a disinfecting wipe, particularly during flu season.

Don’t apply disinfectant directly to equipment, which can damage it. First spray the disinfectant on a paper towel and then wipe down surfaces.

What the germiest object in the workplace? The phone! If you share a phone, clean it every day. Wash your hands often (with warm water and soap or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer), and don’t touch your face, says Gerba.

Viruses can survive for two or three days on desktops, phones, and computer keyboards. They’re transmitted when you touch contaminated objects and then put your hands on your nose, mouth, and eyes, says Gerba.

By the way, the door handle on the microwave in the office kitchen is also a very germy place. So be sure to wash your hands after heating up your lunch.

There is one area where hand dryers score very well—the environment. For every ton of paper not used, these savings are realized:

• 17 trees;

• 6,953 gallons of water;

• 463 gallons of oil;

• 587 pounds of air pollution;

• 3.06 cubic yards of landfill space; and

• 4,077 kilowatt hours of energy.

When you consider that only 68% of people wash their hands after visiting the restroom (according to the American Society for Microbiology), clearly there’s a bigger problem that needs to be addressed (regardless of the studies supporting the paper towel vs. hand dryer debate)!

Thanks for your question

Jim Elledge

Elledge, facility/office services manager for Dallas, TX-based Summit Alliance Companies, is the recipient of the Distinguished Author Award from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), is an IFMA Fellow, and is a member of TFM’s Editorial Advisory Board. All questions have been submitted via the “FM Expert Advice” portion of the magazine’s Web site.

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