Kurt Kuempel

School is officially back in session! Prioritize creating a safe and clean college campus that supports a successful learning environment. Maintaining a well-kept campus not only helps improve the school’s appearance, but also has been shown to impact students’ education. Researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, discovered that 88% of students find that a lack of cleanliness can distract from their learning experience. Help welcome students back to a new school year with a hygienic-focused campus. Reduce germs and illness Unsurprisingly, college campuses are filled with various germs that cause illnesses. As students mingle, sharing living spaces and lecture halls, it becomes very easy to transmit illnesses to one another. Therefore, promoting routine hygiene practices is essential. Regularly cleaning high-traffic spaces can help minimize the spread of illnesses. This includes outsourcing cleaning professionals who can clean, sanitize, and disinfect shared areas on a routine basis. Utilizing proper cleaning tools and chemicals is another way to ensure buildings are properly cleaned without becoming a health hazard. Sustainable cleaning products not only benefit the planet and promote sustainable practice on campus, but also help create a safe and clean facility for students to learn. Study handwashing 101 One of the quickest ways to spread germs is through your hands. Studies have found that our hands carry, on average, 3,200 different germs belonging to more than 150 species. This includes pathogens that cause commonly spread illnesses, such as colds, influenza, and norovirus. Regular handwashing, when it is done correctly, helps reduce the risk of spreading germs and bacteria. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhea-related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections. Encourage hand hygiene by placing signage about the importance of handwashing in public restrooms and providing students with on-the-go options, such as hand sanitizer. Although these are simple tactics, they can significantly impact the student illness rate across college campuses. Embrace hands-off technology Implementing touchless technology across campus is an innovative and hands-off way to promote hygienic practices. Public restrooms are home to numerous types of bacteria, making them a common place to pick up illnesses. Installing touchless appliances—such as automatic paper towel dispensers, toilet handles, and sink faucets—can help reduce high-touch surface areas, minimizing the spread of germs. Touch-free restroom appliances also promote sustainability by reducing the number of plastic soap bottles and the need for transportation to restock inventory. Other campus high-touch surfaces where you can install touch-free technology include door handles in public spaces such as dormitories, cafeterias, study halls, and other on-campus buildings. Prioritize hygiene Help students feel reassured that their health and safety is a top priority as they return to campus this fall. Start the school year strong and ensure a successful learning experience for everyone by promoting regular hygiene practices and implementing new strategies to reduce the spread of illnesses.

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Kurt Kuempel

Vice President, GSF USA

Articles by Kurt Kuempel

The Importance of Hygiene in Higher Education

Health and Safety

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