Amasht Hygiene E-news | December 2011   The Importance of Workplace Hygiene A clean and safe work environment is one of the most important aspects of your career. A clean workplace is also in the interest of employers, to the extent that helps keep workforce healthy and safe. Hand sanitizers gel and liquid soap dispenser should be placed in meeting rooms, training rooms, washrooms, kitchen areas, reception areas and any other highly used place. It is important to have access to clean and purified drinking water, so that you keep your body hydrated. It would be correct to enforce a policy and make it compulsory for employees to stay home when sick. This will help prevent the spreading of any infectious type of disease.   Whilst on the workplace, make sure you follow all the basic rules for avoiding infections. For instance, there are rules for using public washrooms or food safety. It would be nice to talk about it with your colleague and share your knowledge about hygienic rules.   Many studies have found that average desk harbours more than 20 thousands germs per square inch. This is 400 times more than the average toilet. This applies especially if you use desk as a lunch table also. There are many easy−to−use disinfecting wipes that you could adopt before and after lunch to reduce bacteria and other germs on your desk.   What about the coffee maker pot? Use anti−bacterial detergent and hot water to carefully wash the inside and the outside, including the handle and lid. It would be a good habit to use a paper towel to protect your hand when pouring coffee. Indeed, think about how many different people handle the pot every day. Do you really think that all those hands are clean? They might not be and it only takes one unwashed hand to contaminate the handle. What is more, germs are very comfortable in warm and wet environment provided by the coffee maker. Another important suggestion is to protect your hand with a paper towel when operating the water cooler spigot.   These are just few of the examples that could spread germs in your workplace. Use your imagination and think about other places where you could apply the same risk−free habits.     Save the germs! A study of over 11,000 children determined that an overly hygienic environment increases the risk of eczema and asthma. The first true toothbrush, consisting of Siberian pig hair bristles wired into carved cattle−bone handles, was invented in China in 1498. But tooth brushing didn′t become routine in the United States until it was enforced on soldiers during World War II. If you don't want to receive this newsletter, please click on ′unsubscribe′ Amasht Paper Hygiene Products Pvt. Ltd., S.No.23, Thergaon, Pune 411033. email: amasht@vsnl.com    www.amasht.com Please click here if you can′t view the newsletter properly.