You might
look at your desk and think it looks pretty clean.
But
a gruesome new video shows how it could be riddled with invisible
bacteria all the way from the bathroom - and is easily spread to your
hands and mouth.
As one in four office workers fail to wash
their hands after going to the loo, anything from the door to the
keyboard and computer mouse is covered with millions of bacteria.
In order to
avoid getting ill, experts have revealed the best ways to try and remain
as germ-free as possible.
 |
| Touching the keyboard and then later eating lunch transfers the bacteria from the hands to the mouth |
Bacteria spreads throughout the
office. Previous studies have revealed 3,000 organisms per square inch
on a keyboard or over 1,600 on a computer mouse
Using hand sanitiser throughout the
day can stop the spread of bacteria, experts say
Dr Lisa Ackerley, Professorial Fellow at the Royal Society of
Public Health, warns of the 'sneeze effect' when flushing the toilet.
Failing to
put the toilet lid down before flushing means bacteria is sprayed and
can cover surfaces as far away as 20 feet.
She said: ‘If
you go to the toilet and you don’t put the lid down before you flush,
when you do flush the germs that are in the toilet will spread around
the toilet cubicle.
‘This means they could land on the toilet seat
or toilet paper itself and that means they could be spread on your
hands and other surfaces later on.
 |
| After using the bathroom one hand has 200 million bacteria per square inch, often picked up from the toilet paper or toilet seat |
To combat the sneeze effect, use an antibacterial seat cleaner to wipe the germs away, she added.
Usually after going to the toilet we have
around 200 million bacteria per square inch on each hand.
And hands
contaminated with viruses can transfer them to five more surfaces or 14
other subjects.
In fact, U.S. researchers
found that when they contaminated a single doorknob or table top with a
'tracer virus' it spread through an office building, hotel or healthcare
facility within two to four hours
Contaminated hands transfer viruses to
five more surfaces or 14 other people. Previous research found viruses
can spread through and office within two to four hours
700 harmful bacteria inhabit car
interiors., but almost half of illnesses can be reduced by washing hands
effectively, experts advised
Dr Ackerley continued: ‘We know from studies
3,000 organisms per square inch can be found on a keyboard or over 1,600
a computer mouse.
‘Over the course of a day you might be picking
up those bacteria and then if you suddenly decide to have lunch at your
desk without washing your hands first, you’re basically transferring
those bacteria into your mouth.’
It's known 16
per cent of people carry the norovirus – which causes vomiting and
diarrhoea – but show no symptoms.
'So you may
feel perfectly fine and well but you’re carrying around the virus and
spreading it around the office’ Dr Ackerley said.
She
recommended using a hand sanitiser after leaving the bathroom, and over
the course of the day.
Office workers come into contact with
10 million bacteria every day, with many spreading the norovirus around
the office without knowing it
A keyboard is covered with 3,295
organisms per square inch and a computer mouse riddled with 1,676
organisms per square inch
 |
| A phone is covered in 25,127 organisms per square inch which can be transferred to the face and mouth |
‘This means
if someone else has forgotten to wash their hands you won’t pick up
their germs and then spread them around the office.’
But the most
effective ways to stop infection in the office is simply washing hands,
she said.
Around half of illnesses can be reduced by
people simply washing their hands effectively.
And just 20
seconds of hand washing can stop the journey of the germ.
Ensuring the
hands are thoroughly dry after a wash is important too,added Dr
Ackerley.
‘It’s been found germs are more likely to be
transferred to other surfaces if they’re damp.
‘So dry your
hands completely and you’ve done the job.’
Washing hands after going to the
bathroom and drying them thoroughly is essential, as 80 per cent of
infections are spread by hand
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