According to the US Centers For Disease Control, the Flu Season is officially open, with precincts in Atlanta reporting the first fatalities.
While its important to practice proper hand hygiene throughout the year, this is as a good a time as any to focus on best practices.
Whether you're traveling, attending increasing number of family and or business get-togethers, welcoming home relatives from college, or simply shaking a lot more hands than usual, when washing with soap and water is not readily convenient, be smart when selecting your hand sanitizer. Keep the holiday spirits in a glass, and use non-alcohol-hand sanitizer for the purpose of taking additional hand hygiene steps.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Alabama jail inmates caught drinking alcohol-based hand sanitizer
makes one wonder what the jailers were thinking by even allowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers; most correctional facilities prohibit it! (explaining why many venues have introduced alcohol-free hand sanitizer products)
By Lisa Rogers
Times Staff Writer
Six Etowah County jail inmates have been punished after they tried to use an alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer to get drunk.
By Lisa Rogers
Times Staff Writer
Six Etowah County jail inmates have been punished after they tried to use an alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer to get drunk.
The sanitizer was broken down and turned into a liquid by using regular table salt, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Corrections Scott Hassell said.
Hassell said jailers were made aware of the method that could be used to break down the sanitizer about a year ago, but this is the first time inmates have been caught doing it.
When salt is added to the gel, it breaks down and becomes denatured ethanol, Dale Hyatt, the environmental health and safety officer at the jail, said. He said ethanol evaporates quickly, which is why it is used in the hand sanitizer. The liquid smells much like rubbing alcohol.
Hand sanitizer is not readily available to the inmates, but it is in each section of the jail after last year’s H1N1 flu scare.
Hyatt said sanitizing the jail is done often, with door knobs sanitized with germ killer every two hours. He said the hand sanitizer is in small containers and usually accessible only to the jailers.
The inmates involved in the incident had gotten a small bottle of hand sanitizer and put a small amount of salt in it, he said.
But the alcohol in the hand sanitizer is not the same as in alcoholic drinks.
The ethanol from the sanitizer metabolizes in the liver and the drink gives a sugar rush. The liquid in larger amounts can be toxic, however.
This method only takes a couple of minutes, Dodd said, but it doesn’t produce a drinkable alcohol.
It’s a different process than the old recipe known as “jailhouse julep,” he said.
Inmates will use fresh fruit and mix it with bread in an airtight jar to make alcohol, but the process takes several weeks, Dodd said.
“The mixture of the yeast and sugar turns into alcohol,” he said.
Random cell searches are done every day to prevent the making of julep and other disruptions to the inmates, Hassell said.
Hassell said parents need to be aware that sanitizer is being used in this way.
“If the inmates have learned how to do this, others know, too,” Hassell said. “But the bad thing is that it makes you sick, and it can be toxic.”
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Hand Hygiene Up; Hospital-Acquired-Ilness Down
Improved hand hygiene amongst hospital staff is a major factor in the dramatic decline in healthcare associated infections, according to a recent study.
HPA figures show healthcare associated infections, such as MRSA and Colstridium Difficile have fallen dramatically since the NPSA launched the Clean Your Hands Campaign in 2004 – with the aim of improving hand hygiene amongst healthcare staff.Between April 2004 and March 2010 MRSA rates in hospitals across England fell from 7,233 to 1,898. Similarly, cases Clostridium Difficile (C.diff) in hospitals in England have fallen from 55, 498 in to 25,604 in recent years.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Purell Exec Says Use of Product Won't Protect Against Flu or Viruses; Yale University Report
In a smartly-written article by Yale Graduate Student Michaela Panter that demystifies the nonsense that Purell marketers have been perpetuating (by simply saying nothing and otherwise allowing to perpetuate), Ms. Panter points out the little-advertised non-features of pouring alcohol-gel on to your hands in the hope it protects against germs and bacteria..
"...In contrast, stomach viruses and the cold virus, which are non-enveloped, are alcohol-resistant. Dr. James Arbogast of GOJO Industries, the company that invented Purell, suggests that a sanitizer made of 70 percent alcohol might inactivate stomach viruses more effectively, but such high-concentration sanitizers aren’t in common use (Purell is a 62% potion; but if you mix in two tbls of salt into a handful of alcohol-gel sanitizer, you've got yourself a great home-brewed cocktail).
Click on the title link for the full report from the Yale Daily News.
Sidebar note to the lovely lawyers at GOJO: Do a little research re: 1st Amendment before contemplating sending any threatening letters. We just report what's being reported by others.
"...In contrast, stomach viruses and the cold virus, which are non-enveloped, are alcohol-resistant. Dr. James Arbogast of GOJO Industries, the company that invented Purell, suggests that a sanitizer made of 70 percent alcohol might inactivate stomach viruses more effectively, but such high-concentration sanitizers aren’t in common use (Purell is a 62% potion; but if you mix in two tbls of salt into a handful of alcohol-gel sanitizer, you've got yourself a great home-brewed cocktail).
Click on the title link for the full report from the Yale Daily News.
Sidebar note to the lovely lawyers at GOJO: Do a little research re: 1st Amendment before contemplating sending any threatening letters. We just report what's being reported by others.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
GOJO --maker of Purell alcohol hand sanitizer- faces $1 million lawsuit
courtesy of Akron Beacon Journal's Ohio.com
nice people! (not)..
nice people! (not)..
A Cleveland area container company is suing GOJO Industries Inc. of Akron, the maker of the hand-sanitizer Purell, saying GOJO owes it more than $1 million.
Kaufman Container Co. of Brook Park contends that GOJO owes it the money after canceling outstanding orders for packaging for a GOJO ''hand-sanitizing product.'' The lawsuit, filed in Summit County Common Pleas Court, does not name the product.
The complaint says that in April 2009, GOJO began buying large quantities of packaging, including plastic bottles and pump dispensers, for its ''hand-sanitizing product... in anticipation of the upcoming flu season and projected H1N1 pandemic.''
Kaufman calls itself a ''packaging sourcing center'' and says in the suit that it worked with manufacturers to have the packaging made to GOJO's specifications.
Kaufman contends it tried to cancel orders made with manufacturers on behalf of GOJO, but was able to cancel only 85 percent. Kaufman says it could not cancel the remaining 15 percent because the items ''had already been manufactured or because the orders constituted work in progress.''
The value of those items was more than $1 million, Kaufman says.
The breach-of-contract suit has been assigned to Summit County Common Pleas Judge Patricia A.
Monday, October 18, 2010
#Staples Inc. Study: Hand Hygiene Starts With Sanitary Workplace
Staples Survey Finds Germs Are Increasingly Joining the Work Force
Oct 16, 2010 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- A new study shows that many office workers feel compelled to be in the office when they're sick while few take enough steps to keep their workspace clean.
A recent survey by Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc., reveals that 65 percent of workers reported coming to work sick, while 80 percent reported cleaning their workspace only once a week or less. At that rate, keeping germs at bay in the office is a staggering task.
Studies estimate about 40,000 people will get the flu this year and a study by Challanger, Gray & Christmas estimates the flu alone results in approximately 70 million missed work days and nearly $10 billion in lost productivity each year.
"Employers are concerned about decreased productivity due to sick employees and are looking for ways to maintain healthy workspaces throughout their facilities," said Lisa Hamblet, vice president for Staples Advantage and head of its Facility Solutions line of business. "With employees coming to work sick, it's difficult to prevent germs from invading the office altogether. There are easy preventive measures that can minimize the spread of germs within the facility and keep the business going." With another flu season upon us, cleaning experts at Staples Facility Solutions have prepared a tip sheet with easy steps employers can take to maintain a healthy workforce.
Make hand and surface sanitizing products easily accessible throughout the office. Sanitizers reduce germs and bacteria by 99.9 percent. Another study by reported a 21 percent reduction of absenteeism with hand sanitizer on the desktop. But only 38 percent of workers surveyed have started using disinfectant wipes since the H1N1 outbreak.
Supply tissues and educate the office about "respiratory etiquette." A surprising 68 percent of workers surveyed reported seeing coworkers sneezing or coughing without using a tissue or covering their mouth.
Set Aside Time at Work for Personal Clean Up. By setting aside a time for all employees to clean and sanitize their workspace and providing sanitizing wipes, paper towels and spray, employers can create a more "germ" conscious workforce and a healthier office. This is particularly necessary with the number of people who eat at their workspace, a surprising 92 percent of workers according to the Staples Advantage survey.
Encourage proper handwashing. A building-wide hand washing campaign can be an effective way to remind workers to wash hands for at least 20 seconds as recommended by the Center for Disease Control. Provide touch-free soap and towel dispensers to further minimize the spread of germs.
Survey participants reinforce that they want employers to get involved in preventing illness around the work place. More than half the respondents (54 percent) said employers should provide "touch-free" restroom products and 40 percent indicated flu shots should be administered at the office.
Staples Advantage conducted an online survey of office workers at more than 100 businesses of all sizes across the US. The survey, conducted in August, asked a series of questions about workplace hygiene and its overall impact in today's business environment.
Oct 16, 2010 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- A new study shows that many office workers feel compelled to be in the office when they're sick while few take enough steps to keep their workspace clean.
A recent survey by Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc., reveals that 65 percent of workers reported coming to work sick, while 80 percent reported cleaning their workspace only once a week or less. At that rate, keeping germs at bay in the office is a staggering task.
Studies estimate about 40,000 people will get the flu this year and a study by Challanger, Gray & Christmas estimates the flu alone results in approximately 70 million missed work days and nearly $10 billion in lost productivity each year.
"Employers are concerned about decreased productivity due to sick employees and are looking for ways to maintain healthy workspaces throughout their facilities," said Lisa Hamblet, vice president for Staples Advantage and head of its Facility Solutions line of business. "With employees coming to work sick, it's difficult to prevent germs from invading the office altogether. There are easy preventive measures that can minimize the spread of germs within the facility and keep the business going." With another flu season upon us, cleaning experts at Staples Facility Solutions have prepared a tip sheet with easy steps employers can take to maintain a healthy workforce.
Make hand and surface sanitizing products easily accessible throughout the office. Sanitizers reduce germs and bacteria by 99.9 percent. Another study by reported a 21 percent reduction of absenteeism with hand sanitizer on the desktop. But only 38 percent of workers surveyed have started using disinfectant wipes since the H1N1 outbreak.
Supply tissues and educate the office about "respiratory etiquette." A surprising 68 percent of workers surveyed reported seeing coworkers sneezing or coughing without using a tissue or covering their mouth.
Set Aside Time at Work for Personal Clean Up. By setting aside a time for all employees to clean and sanitize their workspace and providing sanitizing wipes, paper towels and spray, employers can create a more "germ" conscious workforce and a healthier office. This is particularly necessary with the number of people who eat at their workspace, a surprising 92 percent of workers according to the Staples Advantage survey.
Encourage proper handwashing. A building-wide hand washing campaign can be an effective way to remind workers to wash hands for at least 20 seconds as recommended by the Center for Disease Control. Provide touch-free soap and towel dispensers to further minimize the spread of germs.
Survey participants reinforce that they want employers to get involved in preventing illness around the work place. More than half the respondents (54 percent) said employers should provide "touch-free" restroom products and 40 percent indicated flu shots should be administered at the office.
Staples Advantage conducted an online survey of office workers at more than 100 businesses of all sizes across the US. The survey, conducted in August, asked a series of questions about workplace hygiene and its overall impact in today's business environment.
#Apple iPhones & iPads: Petri Dishes for Bacteria
New research suggests a cell phone has 18 times the amount of bacteria found on a toilet handle.
"If you put a virus on a surface, like an iPhone, about 30 percent of it will get on your fingertips," says Timothy Julian, a Stanford University doctoral student who co-authored the study on the spread of viruses. And it won't be long before you touch your eyes, nose or mouth -- the mucous membranes through which many viruses get into the body.
Peter Collignon, a specialist in infectious diseases at the Australian National University, followed research that found a higher risk of transmitting pathogens from glass surfaces like on iPads to human skin.
"You wouldn't have hundreds of people using the same glass or cup, but theoretically if hundreds of people share the same keyboard or touch pad, then effectively that's what you're doing," the Age quoted Collignon as saying in a phone interview.
"The germs we transmit via our hands can frequently have germs that can cause anything from the flu to multi-drug resistant diseases."
Scores of people visit Apple stores around the country every day to play with the company's latest gadgets. Earlier this year, an investigation by the New York Daily News found that of four iPads swabbed in two Apple stores, two contained harmful pathogens.
"If you put a virus on a surface, like an iPhone, about 30 percent of it will get on your fingertips," says Timothy Julian, a Stanford University doctoral student who co-authored the study on the spread of viruses. And it won't be long before you touch your eyes, nose or mouth -- the mucous membranes through which many viruses get into the body.
Peter Collignon, a specialist in infectious diseases at the Australian National University, followed research that found a higher risk of transmitting pathogens from glass surfaces like on iPads to human skin.
"You wouldn't have hundreds of people using the same glass or cup, but theoretically if hundreds of people share the same keyboard or touch pad, then effectively that's what you're doing," the Age quoted Collignon as saying in a phone interview.
"The germs we transmit via our hands can frequently have germs that can cause anything from the flu to multi-drug resistant diseases."
Scores of people visit Apple stores around the country every day to play with the company's latest gadgets. Earlier this year, an investigation by the New York Daily News found that of four iPads swabbed in two Apple stores, two contained harmful pathogens.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Kimberly-Clark Expert: US Businesses Lose $74 Billion/yr To Absenteeism
"Every year, businesses in the United States lose $74 billion due to absenteeism. And the germs that cause absenteeism are coming in the door every day with their employees and then being spread throughout the workplace," said Andy Clement, director of the hand hygiene and tissue business for Kimberly-Clark Professional. "It's crucial to break the chain of transmission wherever these employees go."
According to one study, use of appropriate hand sanitizer can reduce a person's sick days by 21 percent.
"Change hand and surface hygiene behaviors and make these behaviors part of an office worker's daily routine and you can break the links in the germ transmission chain," Clement said. "If you do, you'll have a healthy workplace and healthier employees."
According to one study, use of appropriate hand sanitizer can reduce a person's sick days by 21 percent.
"Change hand and surface hygiene behaviors and make these behaviors part of an office worker's daily routine and you can break the links in the germ transmission chain," Clement said. "If you do, you'll have a healthy workplace and healthier employees."
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Amarillo TX School System: Kids Inhaling Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers
Courtesy of Amarillo Globe News
(click on title link for original source)
Submitted by Jon Mark Beilue on Tue, 09/28/2010 - 7:30am
I guess if someone needed a high bad enough, they could get one off toothpaste. Who knows? What makes anyone even think about something like this?
But here's a memo that was sent from the Amarillo ISD last week to its schools:
"Please share this with appropriate staff at your school.
"One of our schools reported that students are inhaling hand sanitizer to get high. After researching and calling the Texas Panhandle Poison Control Center, here is what we understand about this trend.
"The brand they are huffing is Germ-X. Germ-X is 62% alcohol. The alcohol makes the lining of the nose tingle and may make them dizzy. There is no known connection between inhaling hand sanitizer and truly getting high. The dangers are in other areas of concern:
"1. Germ-X contains phenol. While phenol does not create a high, it can lead to respiratory arrest and possible death. Huffing (inhaling) phenol is a bad idea.
"2. Several blogs cited inhaling Germ-X as the user's gateway to drinking alcohol. There have been cases where teens and others drink hand sanitizer for the alcohol. This is likened to the alcoholic that resorts to rubbing alcohol when that is the only thing that is available.
"3. The tendency to inhale Germ-X is most likely an indicator that the youth may be experimenting with other inhalants. According to our data, inhalant experimentatin is most likely to occur between 4th and 8th grade. Some youth will try it and never try anything else. Others will become addicted like gasoline, paint, etc. and contine using for many years.
"If you have Germ-X in your classrooms, keep an eye out for misuse. Also, if you have a child who inhales Germ-X or any other inhalant, get them fresh air and consider contacting the parents so they can safeguard their child once he or she leaves the school."
(click on title link for original source)
Submitted by Jon Mark Beilue on Tue, 09/28/2010 - 7:30am
I guess if someone needed a high bad enough, they could get one off toothpaste. Who knows? What makes anyone even think about something like this?
But here's a memo that was sent from the Amarillo ISD last week to its schools:
"Please share this with appropriate staff at your school.
"One of our schools reported that students are inhaling hand sanitizer to get high. After researching and calling the Texas Panhandle Poison Control Center, here is what we understand about this trend.
"The brand they are huffing is Germ-X. Germ-X is 62% alcohol. The alcohol makes the lining of the nose tingle and may make them dizzy. There is no known connection between inhaling hand sanitizer and truly getting high. The dangers are in other areas of concern:
"1. Germ-X contains phenol. While phenol does not create a high, it can lead to respiratory arrest and possible death. Huffing (inhaling) phenol is a bad idea.
"2. Several blogs cited inhaling Germ-X as the user's gateway to drinking alcohol. There have been cases where teens and others drink hand sanitizer for the alcohol. This is likened to the alcoholic that resorts to rubbing alcohol when that is the only thing that is available.
"3. The tendency to inhale Germ-X is most likely an indicator that the youth may be experimenting with other inhalants. According to our data, inhalant experimentatin is most likely to occur between 4th and 8th grade. Some youth will try it and never try anything else. Others will become addicted like gasoline, paint, etc. and contine using for many years.
"If you have Germ-X in your classrooms, keep an eye out for misuse. Also, if you have a child who inhales Germ-X or any other inhalant, get them fresh air and consider contacting the parents so they can safeguard their child once he or she leaves the school."
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Pennsylvania High School Fire: Teens Ignite Alcohol Hand Sanitizer Dispenser
2 Teens charged in press box, Royalton arson fires
by Debra Schell and Jim Lewis Press And Journal Staff : 9/22/2010
Two Middletown boys, ages 12 and 13, set a fire that destroyed the concession stand and press box at Middletown Area High School’s baseball field, using a lighter to ignite hand sanitizer as it dripped from a dispenser on the wall, Lower Swatara Twp. police said.
click on title link for full story
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