Handsfree Dispenser

    When using public restroom facilities, school lavatories, or restrooms that are frequented by other people, one wants to feel safe and secure about avoiding germs.  Some of those germs can cause disease, serious at times. So let’s assume that automatic, touchless devices are available for the toilet flusher, soap dispenser, faucet, and towel dispenser. Handwashing is complete, so what now?  One must exit the restroom, preferably without having to touch the door handle.  This is possible with the patented Sanitary Door Opener which allows the door to be pulled open with the forearm. A great solution to the “sanitary exit”.

     How many times do you enter a public restroom that is fully equipped with sanitary, touchless devices?  Not too often from my experience. In fact, some restrooms are the opposite with unclean soap dispensers, towel dispensers, flushers, and door handles. You know that these things have been handled by countless users before you.” What is the use of washing my hands?”, you say.  I totally agree.  I have used different strategies to get around this problem.  Once you wash your hands, whether the soap dispenser is automatic or not,  you want to avoid cross-contamination. The towel dispenser may or may not be hands free.  Use your arm or back of your hand if it is not to get a clean towel. Then use it to turn off the faucet if need be.  lastly open the door with that towel.  If there is no receptacle near the door in which to throw in the towel, leave it on the floor.  This sends a message to the establishment.  At least have a trash can at the door to protect your clients from germs when they exit.

     When workers have to stay home because of illness, it costs the employer money. When workers who are ill come to work anyway, they spread the germs that caused them to be sick. They touch doorknobs or handles, pens and pencils, phones, keyboards, and armrests.  If they sneeze or cough into their hands and droplets reach desktops, the workplace area is contaminated. Keyboards especially have been shown to harbor more bacteria than a toilet seat.    This ought to be enough reason to motivate management to do the following:

    Mount a hand sanitizer dispenser in a convenient location for workers.

    Provide disinfectant wipes that can be used to clean surfaces like phones etc.

    Switch to keyboards that can be disinfected and washed. Wise investment

    Automatic devices like towel dispensers improve restroom hygiene

    Hands free restroom door openers are the last link to keeping germs away

                                                  STAY HEALTHY

     As we go about our daily business we are unaware of the millions of germs we are in contact with.  Many of them are harmless, but on the other hand some of these organisms can cause illness.  It is impossible to avoid them all.  The best we can do is to wipe objects with a disinfectant wipe where it is possible, and to wash our hands after being in public, before touching someone, and before touching food. You don’t have to be a germaphobe to be safe.

     This is a ( incomplete) list of common germ carriers:    

     Purses, gym bags, diaper bags, credit and ATM cards, keys, cell phones, shopping carts, steering wheels, keyboards and a mouse, door knobs and light switches. The list could go on but these are the most frequent sources of germs. Travelling and staying in hospitals are a different story . DON’T FORGET TO WASH YOUR HANDS!                                  

Wash Your Hands

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Staying Health=’s Quality Of Life

Our hands touch so many things throughout the day. They help us carry items to and fro, they push buttons and hold us steady when we have to cling to handrails and stair rails. As a result, they become full of germs and viruses that come from people who are infected.

When we forget to wash up before eating, we can get very sick. That is why there are many gadgets today that can help minimize touching infected items. One of these are hands free door openers that eliminate the need to touch door handles that other people have already laid their hands on.

     Who doesn’t have to use a public restroom at one time or another? The answer is just about everyone or We The Public. We have become more aware of germs in restrooms probably because of the threat of MRSA, the methicillin resistant staph aureus, bacteria. After washing our hands and drying them, it becomes apparent that we then have to exit by touching the door. Technology has solved that problem by providing us with a variety of touch free devices that can open  doors for us.    Some facilities like airports and movie theatres have eliminated doors altogether by installing the “S” curve entry and exit.

     Motion sensors and remote controls are automated answers to the hands free door opener. There is also a method that uses a foot bracket on the door bottom whereby one can step and pull the door.  Arm grasping handles attached to doors avoid hand contact thereby preventing cross-contamination.  Exiting a public restroom is the weak link in the chain of hygiene.  A hands free door opener is the solution.