What should employers and workers be doing regarding hygiene practices?
• Employers and workers should make every attempt to ensure that workers do not attend the workplace while experiencing symptoms of illness. • Public Health authorities have recommended that good hygiene practices such as hand washing with water and soap are beneficial to prevent infections and spread of illness (If water is not available, see the last Question below.) Keep unwashed hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. • Hand washing should occur after any contact with body fluids/respiratory secretions (e.g. coughing and sneezing), as well as before and after: • Meals and breaks • Using the toilet • Smoking cigarettes • Preparing food • Arriving at and departing from work. • To carry out hand washing: • Wet hands thoroughly. This helps increase the effectiveness of the soap. • Apply soap using friction. Lather well for at least ten seconds (two verses of “row, row, row your boat”). Pay special attention to finger tips and thumbs. • Rinse well holding hands downward. • Dry hands
