Where to Place Hand Sanitisers Around Your Business – Sector Specific Guidance

Hand Sanitiser

The importance of placing your business’ hand sanitiser dispensers in the right location should not be overlooked. We use our hands for a wide range of tasks throughout the day from opening doors to writing emails using your computer keyword to flushing the toilet. With hands being the main carrier of infection and being responsible for 80% of all infection transmission, it’s vital that hand sanitisers are supplied, and they are positioned in the right location to encourage use.

What are the Benefits of Hand Sanitiser Use?

Due to the pandemic, we have all been told over the past year – probably almost daily, that clean hands save lives while there are a number of other benefits in using hand sanitiser.

•    Reduce sick days and absenteeism in the workplace by up to 50%
•    Reduce spread of infectious diseases as influenza and covid-19
•    Reduce costs lost caused by employees taking time off
•    Less hospitalisations from people contracting severe infectious diseases
•    Good health and positive well-being

Studies prove the effectiveness of hand sanitiser use too. In a study found in the BMC Infectious Diseases, Hubner et al found that those in the group who used hand disinfection gel daily vs the control group who went without hand sanitiser highly reduced the number of episodes of illness recorded around the symptoms analysed including the common cold, fever, coughing and diarrhoea.

What Locations Should Hand Sanitiser Be Placed?

Whether it be a dispenser in an entrance hall or small bottles of individual hand sanitiser provided on desks, the right placement of hand sanitisers is key to encourage use. Without hand sanitisers in high traffic places or points where people may be using their hands more frequently, this could lead to a lack of cleaning which will ultimately lead to an increased risk of infection spreading.

Storing hand sanitiser in a dispenser can help to encourage use too as these can be clearly signposted and visible while they can be situated in the right places either by using a stand or mounting them to the desired wall in your premises. Discover the other benefits of using hand sanitiser dispensers. 

General Guidance on Hand Sanitiser Placement in the Workplace

Whilst where you situate your hand sanitiser will depend on the layout of your facilities, and where the high-traffic areas are, here are some general areas to place hand sanitisers.

•    In meeting rooms
•    Outside washrooms
•    At entrance and exit points
•    Outside elevators
•    In reception areas
•    In cafeterias or shared spaces

Hand Sanitiser Locations by Sector

This section provides specific guidance on other locations where hand sanitiser may be strategically placed depending on your industry.

Gyms & Leisure Facilities

Gyms can be common places for germs as members get a sweat on. Without proper facilities to wipe down equipment or suitable hand sanitising solutions, illness can easily spread between members and gym staff. Places you may want to consider placing hand sanitiser in a gym or leisure club include:

•    Gym floor
•    Next to water fountains or vending machines
•    In the changing facilities
•    In exercise classrooms and in adjoining corridors
•    In stairwells

Discover our other tips to get your gym hygiene in shape. 

Hotels

Ensuring guests and employees clean their hands effectively is key to keeping everyone safe. Strategically placing hand sanitisers can show guests and employees you care and contribute to the overall guest experience. There are many high-traffic, high touchpoint areas that can be found in a hotel and this can increase the likelihood of infection spreading. To reduce this, place hand sanitisers in areas such as:

•    Reception and lobby areas
•    Conference and meeting rooms
•    Guest rooms
•    Corridors
•    Hotel dining areas
•    Elevator points

Manufacturing Facilities

The very nature of manufacturing plants and warehouses mean that there are a high number of workers in the same space each day. This can heighten the risk of infection amongst employees. In manufacturing facilities, look to place hand sanitiser in germ hotspots such as:

•    Near production lines
•    Corridors
•    Kitchens and food preparation areas
•    Dining areas
•    Storage areas
•    Near water fountains

Offices

Working in close proximity with other colleagues can lead to increased infection risk. If workers come to the office when sick, this can lead to infection spreading too. However, by ensuring all workers can access hand sanitiser this can be minimised. Areas in offices where hand sanitiser could be beneficial include:

•    Entrance and exit points
•    Meeting rooms
•    Shared kitchens
•    Washrooms
•    Desks

Schools

Cleaning hands properly can prevent germs from spreading amongst school teachers and children; and minimise days off sick which can be detrimental to a child’s education. Not only can placing hand sanitisers in the correct locations minimise sickness but it can help children form good hygiene habits that last a lifetime. Schools should consider strategically placing hand sanitisers in:

•    Corridors
•    Classrooms
•    Lunch halls and cafeterias
•    Outside doorways
•    Sports halls and changing rooms
•    Foyers

Restaurants

Restaurants can often be places that are restricted on space and therefore, choosing wall mounted hand sanitisers may be more suitable if this is the case. Ensuring a clean and hygienic restaurant is also a key in achieving high standards of food safety and avoiding the spread of foodborne illnesses too. In addition to effective hand washing routines, hand sanitiser can help to ensure both guests and employees can clean their hands at the right intervals throughout the day. Consider placing hand sanitiser in areas such as:

•    Staff rooms
•    Storage areas
•    Laundry areas
•    Restaurant tables
•    Outside washrooms
•    In kitchen areas

Take a look at our other top tips to elevate hygiene in your restaurant in our free guide. 

Other Ways to Encourage Hand Sanitiser Use

Not only can the correct placement go a long way in encouraging use, pairing it with education can ensure hand sanitiser is used properly.

Displaying How to Use Hand Sanitiser Posters in addition to Please Use Hand Sanitiser Posters can provide a quick reminder to people passing by to sanitise their hands and how to do it properly to effectively remove germs.

View our complete range of hygiene guidance posters. 

Discover Citron Hygiene’s Hand Sanitiser Solutions

Encourage effective hand hygiene routines in your business both now and in the future by exploring Citron Hygiene’s range of commercial hand sanitiser solutions.  Our dispenser range features stylish, automatic and manual solutions depending on your business’ requirements, all of which are equally effective. In addition to ordering your dispensers through us, we will service these to ensure you never run out. Get in touch to enquire about our hand sanitiser solutions.

Find out how we can help elevate your washroom experience. Talk to us.

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