WHO guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Healthcare
(Advanced draft April 2006)

• Hand hygiene compliance rate 28.4%.

• Target hand washing compliance rate (within 5 years) 76.2%.

Thus the healthcare environment is looking to increase hand washing compliance by 170% within 5 years

Survey on hand washing (more than 1000 workers and managers interviewed in the catering business)

• 26% of men and 17% of women said they do not always wash their    hands before preparing food. – That’s 1 in 4 of those interviewed DO    NOT ALWAYS WASH THEIR HANDS before preparing food.

• 31% of men and 17% of women said they do not regularly wash their    hands after using the toilet.

• It is widely accepted that active hand washing does help prevent cross    contamination and the spread of germs thereby reducing cross infection,    deaths, illness and saves money by preventing workplace absence.

• Effective regular hand washing is the single most effective way to reduce    the spread of bacteria in the work place.

So why are surveys still finding that this simple procedure of regular hand washing is not stringently adhered to?

Is it that people are lazy, just can’t be bothered or too busy?

Generally the answer appears to be that of ‘too busy’ in that to wash ones hands does take time:

• On average to wash your hands effectively using liquid soap, water and    paper towels takes 60 - 90 seconds.

• Hand dryers take far too long leaving most of us walking away with    damp hands drying them on an article of clothing we may be wearing.
   Hot air dryers increase bacteria on the hands by 162%! – A typical hand    dryer takes 40 seconds to dry your hands.

• Hygiene Wipes® take just 15 seconds to effectively clean & dry your    hands.

“Clean hands leads to healthier people – healthier people results in less lost days due to absent employees from work”.