| y seem obvious that infection thrives in dirty | | | | The Albany Healthy Schools Programme |
| places, and finds it tougher to survive in freshly | | | | According to Mike Burton, Managing Director of |
| cleaned places, but a large proportion of the | | | | Albany Hygiene Facilities, the |
| population does not seem to have grasped it. | | | | government’s National Healthy Schools |
| Despite endless publicity on the dangers of | | | | Programme currently enables four million pupils to |
| inadequate hygiene, the majority of people do not | | | | enjoy the benefits of attending a healthy school. |
| clean their hands after going to the lavatory, do | | | | “Unfortunately, this programme does not |
| not ensure that they use a tissue when they | | | | sufficiently cover the hygiene of the built |
| sneeze and, even if they do, do not dispose of | | | | environment that the pupils, staff and teachers |
| the tissue hygienically after the sneeze. | | | | inhabit” he said in mid-October when |
| People bring infection on their hands into work- it | | | | launching his company’s Albany Healthy |
| has been shown that the majority of public | | | | Schools Programme. “The government |
| transport commuters have traces of human | | | | programme also fails to encompass the critical |
| faeces on their hands when boarding buses and | | | | area of infection control within the school”. |
| trains. Bacteria and viruses are smeared | | | | The Albany Healthy Schools Programme has been |
| constantly over office entrances, reception chairs | | | | launched to help children to understand about |
| and staircase handrails by staff and visitors alike. | | | | viruses and bacteria that cause illness and how |
| During the day, pathogens are added to desk | | | | thorough and frequent hand washing and drying |
| surfaces, the arms of office chairs, keyboards | | | | can help to keep everybody well. Albany is |
| and equipment. | | | | making learning about infection and hand cleaning |
| It is no better in leisure centres, swimming pools | | | | fun for children by running the Albany Max Road |
| and gymnasiums – in fact, where pools are | | | | show, which has been touring independent |
| concerned, it is arguably worse, as some | | | | preparatory schools since 19th October with a live |
| infections are at their best when water-borne. | | | | animated character – Albany Max – |
| Outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis, a parasitic bowel | | | | to get the message across to the children. |
| infection, have been frequently associated with | | | | Albany Hygiene Facilities is also offering schools a |
| swimming pools in recent years. Even public | | | | free A+ Hygiene Audit, which includes a report |
| libraries fare no better. Although the Public Health | | | | highlighting non-compliance with legislation, |
| Act of 1935 forbids anyone taking ‘out of | | | | recommendations for hygiene improvement and |
| the library any book for use by any person | | | | suggestions for saving water and energy. |
| suffering from a notifiable disease (i.e. cholera, | | | | Flexibility in the preferred suppliers list |
| plague, relapsing fever, smallpox or | | | | Without wishing to seem heretical, it could be that |
| typhus’ or returning ‘to the library | | | | it is time for local authorities to be a little less |
| any book which has been exposed to a notifiable | | | | doctrinaire than usual where its list of preferred |
| disease’, none of the legislators seems to | | | | suppliers is concerned. The usual principal is that, |
| have thought of insisting that people about to | | | | once a firm is on the preferred suppliers list, little |
| read a library book should clean their hands. | | | | short of treason or an earthquake can dislodge |
| The essence of the problem seems to be that, if | | | | them. That, where the control of infection is |
| the public is unwilling to change its behaviour, the | | | | concerned, may have to change. |
| efficiency of daily cleaning must be stepped up in | | | | Local authorities should consider asking all cleaning |
| all public buildings – and that daily cleaning, | | | | contractors to provide details of how their aseptic |
| however efficient, is not enough in times of crisis. | | | | measures can be improved to reduce the risk of |
| Staff in public building’s are going to have | | | | reservoirs of infection in public buildings |
| to contribute to reducing contamination, partly by | | | | transmitting disease. Cleaners should perhaps be |
| cleaning their own hands frequently, but also by | | | | required to detail their quality control measures |
| using disinfectant wipes for frequent rudimentary | | | | (for example the use of ultraviolet lamps to show |
| disinfection of furniture and equipment. | | | | where there is organic matter in places where it |
| Recent increases in the scale and frequency of | | | | should not be), and to use them consistently. |
| outbreaks of infection have made managements | | | | There is nothing like lighting a freshly cleaned |
| more aware of the crucial role of cross infection | | | | lavatory pan with a UV lamp to convince people |
| in causing illness and staff absence. That in turn | | | | that traditional cleaning methods can be unreliable. |
| has made it essential that those in charge of | | | | In short, the effectiveness of cleaning and |
| cleaning look again at the real purpose of what | | | | asepsis, particularly in kitchens and washrooms, |
| they are doing. | | | | should be closely and continuously monitored, and |
| There has to be a shift of emphasis away from | | | | quality control procedures should be defined and |
| ‘polished and tidy’ and a move | | | | practised. |
| towards ‘clean and infection-free’. | | | | With norovirus and swine flu at the forefront of |
| Cleaning companies and teams have to become | | | | people’s minds as winter sets in, |
| more aware of the less obvious sources of | | | | maintenance of washrooms, lavatories and |
| cross-infection, such as the handles and | | | | kitchens in near-aseptic condition is vital. Efficient |
| finger-plates on doors, the receptionist’s | | | | modern washrooms are easier to clean and keep |
| desk and computer keyboards. People working in | | | | infection-free than older ones, but whatever their |
| public buildings must stop regarding disinfection as | | | | age, they must be maintained effectively to |
| somebody else’s job, and use disinfectant | | | | minimise infection. The essence of infection control |
| wipes during the day. People must be made to | | | | is more frequent and more efficient cleaning and |
| realise that they do not clean their hands | | | | disinfection of frequently used surfaces. Make |
| thoroughly enough or often enough. | | | | sure everybody takes a role in doing just that. |
| A key approach to improving matters is to | | | | See how our Albany Max programme can |
| expose people to good hand hygiene practice at | | | | encourage hand washing hygiene at your school |
| an early age. | | | | by arranging a visit today. |