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A Clean Workplace Could
Keep You Well this Flu Season
HOUSTON (Oct. 19, 2009) — Flu season is here, and
with the unknown impact of the H1N1 virus, it’s crucial that employees
practice good health habits at work.
“The risk of spreading germs is usually greater in
an office than in a home due to the number of people who come into
contact with one another,” said Fred Sutton, MD, chief medical officer,
Harris County Hospital District. “Keeping your work space clean reduces
the likelihood of spreading germs and illness.”
Sutton offers the following tips for maintaining a
clean work environment:
Use a sanitizing cloth to wipe down desk
surfaces, computers, keyboards, printers, copy machines and phones
every few days. Consider doing the same to disinfect doorknobs,
light switches and other places where germs collect.
Don’t share office supplies. Sharing pens is
an easy way to spread germs from person to person. Make sure each
employee has a personal supply of necessities. If an employee uses
your supplies or your computer, sanitize your hands and wipe down
surfaces and items touched.
If space allows, rearrange the office so that
people who usually work in close quarters have more room. Giving
employees fresh scenery and more room improves morale and reduces
chances of becoming ill.
In the communal kitchen or break room, avoid
sponges and use disposable wipes instead.
Use disposable paper and plastic products
when you eat. After you finish, clean the tables well and be sure to
use disinfectants and paper towels to clean surfaces.
Keep your hands clean. Wash your hands with
antibacterial soap and warm water. Lather your hands and scrub for
at least 15 seconds before rinsing and drying with a clean towel.
Use hand sanitizer to kill germs on contact,
especially when soap and water are not readily available. Always use
after coughing or sneezing to prevent transmission of germs from
your hands to another surface or person.
Cover both your mouth and nose when you
sneeze into your elbow. Use a tissue and dispose of it properly —
and then wash your hands.
If you feel ill, stay home. Sick employees
who come to work can spread illness and put healthy employees and
their families at risk.
“Taking care of yourself and following measures to
prevent illness and infection will positively affect your health and the
health of everyone around you,” Sutton said. “A clean work environment
reduces the likelihood of transmitting illness and helps the office run
more smoothly because healthy employees are more productive.”
The
Harris County Hospital District is the public healthcare system for the
nation’s third most-populous county. It provides more than one million
health care visits each year to residents of Harris County. The hospital
district operates Ben Taub General Hospital, Lyndon B. Johnson General
Hospital, Quentin Mease Community Hospital, 13 community health centers,
a dialysis center, a dental center, eight school-based clinics, 13
homeless shelter clinics and five mobile health units.
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