How Can We Keep Our Workspace Bacteria-Free?

It is important to consider that your colleagues and employees are not the only ones you share the office with. Millions of bacteria share the workspace with you, and when action is not taken in combating these bacterias, they can put your health at major risk.

As a working adult, you can touch as many as 30 objects within 60 seconds which may be contaminated by bacteria or viruses causing infectious disease. While we can’t see them, bacteria and germs are all around us in the workspace, and as we move they move and spread with us.

To keep the workspace sanitized and bacteria-free demands a lot of time and aggressive chemicals that can pose a great health threat to people. Here we will look at more time-efficient and lasting solutions to keeping work and office spaces clean and sanitized.

Three different types of bacteria that live in your workspace:

Did you know that your computer keyboard, mouse, and telephone receivers are more contaminated than restroom toilet seats?

Studies show that the average office toilet seat has 49 germs per square inch. Desktops have almost 21,000 germs per square inch, and phones have more than 25,000 germs per square inch.

Common types of germs in the workplace are:

Diphtheroids

Diphtheroids are commonplace bacteria in most office buildings and are key culprits in developing acne lesions. They can be notoriously dangerous to those with weak immune systems, or those whose immune systems are weak already due to an existing illness.

Pseudomonas

Pseudomonas is a variety of bacteria that is common on keyboards and various surfaces. They are one of the leading causes of pneumonia and urinary tract infections. You can not fully avoid this pathogen in the environment, but it can be minimized through proper sanitation and disinfection.

Streptococcus

Better known as strep, streptococcus is divided into 2 groups:

Group A:
Can cause strep throat and skin infections like cellulitis and impetigo

Group B:
Is known to cause pneumonia, meningitis, and blood infections.

This microorganism can spread by inhalation of infected airborne droplets released when coughing and sneezing. Droplets can contaminate surfaces and objects such as mugs, eating utensils, door handles, and even your coffee machines.

Negligence in keeping your work environment safe from bacteria and germs can lead to dangerous and often deadly diseases. Apart from motivating employees and colleagues to practice good hygiene, there are more advanced and science-based products to incorporate into office sanitizing to support and secure areas where germs and bacteria brew which can often be overlooked.

Here are different solutions you can look into:

Nano Coatings:

Nano-coating is the process of applying a surface layer that repels dry particles, water, oil, and dirt. A nano-coating can make a surface scratch-resistant, improve hardness and make it resistant to bacteria.

To simplify: Nano coating is an extremely thin layer of microscopic particles that are used to fill up every pore of the surface of a material.
This is a sustainable solution as nano-coating can last for up to two to five years when taken proper care of.

Ceramic Coatings:

The ceramic coating covers both the interior and exterior surfaces of a building. It aids in the prevention of visible fingerprints and bacteria on stainless steel surfaces such as elevators, handrails, and stainless steel kitchen worktops. Ceramic protection can last up to ten years and prepares the material for constant cleaning and contributes to reducing contamination which, in the long run, saves time and reduce material costs.

Incorporate better hygiene practices and act responsibly:

While advanced and higher-tech materials can stop and repel germs and bacteria, you as an individual still become exposed and carry germs into the workspace as on your daily commute to work.
You can put the following practices into play to keep yourself and your colleagues safe:

• Call in sick or request to work from home when you are feeling ill
• Wipe down your desk and working utensils frequently
• Make a habit out of sanitizing your hands after using the kitchen, bathroom facilities or after a meeting with new clients
• As an employer, have frequent meetings or workshops about workspace hygiene.

Antimicrobial coatings

While mainly used in the medical field, antimicrobial coatings are being used in various industries today.

An antimicrobial coating is an application of a chemical agent on a surface that can stop the growth of disease-causing microorganisms.

What are the advantages of Antimicrobial coatings?

• It aids in germ-free protection:
upon application, it reacts with moisture in the air by forming reactive antimicrobial agents, which will destroy all harmful bacterias leaving you with germ-free surfaces
• It has a longer lifespan
Where one-off products leave stenches and lumps on a surface, antimicrobial coatings cause no discoloration or effects to surfaces and holds a lifespan of up to 90days.
• Cost-Effective
Due to a long lifespan and great durability on surfaces, it ensures a safe and clean environment where you will not need to pay for maintenance as frequently

Apart from protecting surfaces, it can be applied to various surfaces such as:

• Control panels and buttons on machines
• PC keyboards and touch displays of company cell phones or tablets
• Door handles and sanitary facilities
• Water Dispensers & coffee machines
• Surfaces in ventilation systems
• Stainless steel railings and elevators including controls

As the workplace gets busier and more demanding today, it is not always possible to stay mindful of cleaning after oneself and spaces where germs and bacteria breeds are often overlooked.

Oftentimes proper disinfection requires strong and harsh chemicals in order to kill germs on surfaces which also poses a great health threat towards cleaning staff and employees who share the workspace.

In this scenario, antimicrobial coatings seem to be the best option. It is a simple process of coating the surface with antimicrobial agents, leading to a more secure, efficient, and long-term solution.