SC Johnson Professional Offers Tips for National Handwashing Awareness Week

Taking place this year December 3–9, National Handwashing Awareness Week promotes healthy hand hygiene habits in the United States.

In recognition of the week, SC Johnson Professional^®, a provider of industrial, institutional, and healthcare products solutions, has shared the following hand hygiene tips:

• Understand what proper hand washing entails. The correct handwashing procedure involves a thorough process: Wet hands, apply soap, and scrub for 30 seconds, then rinse and thoroughly dry with a clean towel. Remember that the key times to your hands are before preparing food, after using the restroom, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
• Reinforce hand hygiene protocols. Remind facility occupants of correct handwashing techniques with strategically placed signage. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends signs be prominently placed in public areas with high visibility, such as restrooms and work areas.
• Implement hand sanitizer stations. Placing hand sanitizer stations throughout high-traffic areas can help increase hand hygiene frequency. These stations provide a convenient solution when traditional handwashing is not possible. In order to be effective and legally compliant, sanitizers must contain at least 60% alcohol.
• Keep hand hygiene supplies stocked. Maintaining a reliable inventory of hand hygiene supplies, such as soap and paper towels, is important. Make a commitment to keep a consistent supply of hygiene products available to help support the promotion of proper hand hygiene habits.

“Proper hand hygiene is an important first step in infection prevention,” said Bryant Davis, SC Johnson Professional vice president and general manager of North America. “This week is the perfect opportunity to assess your facility’s hygiene protocols and identify areas for improvement to help increase hand hygiene awareness and education.”

For more information about SC Johnson Professional’s hand hygiene products, visit www.scjp.com.