Hand Sanitiser Government Guidelines for Businesses

Around the world, Coronavirus has forced many businesses to shut down or at the least reduce productivity, however we are now seeing people slowing beginning to return to work and businesses re-opening with hope of strengthening the economy. When re-opening, businesses will have to make a conscious effort to create a safe environment for both their customers and employees, as opposed to going ‘back to normal’ thinking everything will be OK now. If businesses do not make this effort, COVID-19 cases may begin to rise, and we will see our businesses being forced to close once more and government restrictions tightening.

What the UK government has said

As part of the government guidelines to getting businesses back open, a guide to ‘5 steps to working safely’ has been issued. This is a short list of practical actions for businesses to take to create a safe environment and fight the rise of COVID-19 cases. The 5 steps are as follows:

1. Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment
2. Develop cleaning, handwashing, and hygiene procedures
3. Help people to work from home
4. Maintain 2m social distancing, where possible
5. Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, manage transmission risk

Develop cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures 

You can create a safer environment by introducing procedures and specialist equipment. Included in this is that you should ‘increase the frequency of handwashing and hand hygiene’ (we all know the ‘Happy Birthday song trick’ right?). An employer must use signs and posters to build awareness of good handwashing technique, whilst also providing hand sanitiser in multiple locations in addition to washrooms.

Maintain 2 metre social distance, where possible

One of the most likely ways of catching COVID-19 is when someone infected coughs or sneezes and the droplets are passed to other people through their mouth, nose or eyes. By maintaining a 2 metre distance you minimise the risk of this happening. In order to remain 2 metres away from others within the workplace when sanitising, businesses will have to position the Hand Sanitiser Stations apart from one another and in multiple locations.

By providing hand sanitation stands with effective signage and enforcing the correct procedures to using them, you are abiding to government issued guidelines and are making a conscious effort to create a safer working environment.

Sanitise your hands!

Washing and sanitising your hands is an easy and effective way in which to reduce the transmission of germs and bacteria in the workplace. Hands are gross! If you don’t believe us, take a look at the facts:

• Germs can survive on hands for up to three hours
• There are between 2 and 10 million bacteria between fingertips and elbows
• Nearly 80% of sickness causing germs spread via hands
• More germs exist on a phone or keyboard than on a toilet seat (and what part of your body do you use to work your phone or laptop?)

For more facts and information on general hand hygiene, see our blog ‘The Importance of Hand Hygiene, and tips’.

SharpHygiene

SharpHygiene have created a highly visible Free Standing and Wall Mounted Hand Hygiene Station which are suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Our Hygiene Stations are developed In-line with government guidelines to make your business Covid Secure and protect your customers, employees and business from potential virus outbreaks. The striking design attracts attention to maximise usage and incorporates user information to comply with section 5.3 of UK government’s Hygiene: handwashing, sanitation facilities and toilets guidelines. Both stations are anti-tamper protected and require a key to open the dispenser.

Find out more about SharpHygiene products.