Germs in the workplace

Phoning It In

“I drive everyone crazy, but I don’t care.”

That’s how a lively friend of mine named Emily describes her co-worker’s response to her pet mission: to kill as many germs as possible in her workplace.

Emily restores artwork for a busy art gallery, and her desk happens to be located in a heavy traffic spot in her office. The problem: When she’s away from her desk (which she often is), no one thinks twice about using her phone or computer. So when a cold or flu bug starts making the rounds from coworker to coworker, Emily regularly wipes down her desktop, phone and computer keyboard with disinfectant wipes, and often gives the same treatment to some of her coworkers’ desks as well.

And whether they know it or not, she’s doing them a favor.

Emily recently suggested that I should do an e-Alert about germs in the workplace. I told her I’d check into it, thinking there might be some research out there – and there certainly was. What I found reveals a sobering reality: Unless you’re as diligent as Emily is, your desk is probably teeming with bacteria.

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25,000 little friends
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In 2002, researchers at the University of Arizona (UA) conducted a study of bacteria levels in four office spaces in New York City, Tampa, Tucson and San Francisco. The offices were specifically chosen to prevent outside influences on bacteria levels, so each office had limited contact from street traffic (such as deliveries), and disinfectants were not heavily used by cleaning staff.

Researchers took multiple bacteria samples from 12 different surfaces (phone receivers, elevator buttons, photocopiers, etc.) in cubicles, private offices, kitchens and restrooms. About 7,000 samples were collected from all four of the offices combined.

After their data was analyzed, the UA team came up with an average number of germs per square inch (GPSI) for each of the surfaces tested. Results showed that phone receivers are the bacteria equivalent of Times Square on New Year’s Eve. The next time your phone rings, think of this: The phones they tested had an average of more than 25,000 GPSI.

And here’s the unnerving statistic that puts the phone receiver GPSI in perspective: Toilet seats averaged less than 50 GPSI. (Granted, toilets are more likely to get disinfected daily than telephones are. But still)

Coming in second place behind phone receivers were desktops: more than 20,000 GPSI. Computer keyboards were relatively pristine with a little under 3,300 GPSI. Other surfaces that scored high GPSIs: water fountain handles and microwave door handles. Your computer mouse is also a popular germ hangout with more than 1,600 GPSI.

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Germ glue
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In a recent interview with CNN, microbiologist and lead researcher for the UA trial, Dr. Charles Gerba, noted that people usually don’t clean their desktops until they start sticking to them. He put it this way: If you eat at your desk, any small bits of food left behind turn into a “bacteria cafeteria.”

So what can you do to avoid those teeming masses of germs?

For starters, obviously, don’t eat at your desk.

The primary recommendation that came from the study called for a daily wiping down of telephones, computer keyboards, desktops, etc., with disinfectant wipes that contain chlorine bleach. This type of wipe can kill bacteria and viruses, whereas vinegar and ammonia are both ineffective.

And this would be a good time to mention that the UA study was sponsored by a well-known bleach maker that produces – yep – disinfectant wipes. According to the study (which also examined germ counts after using wipes), bacteria levels can be reduced by nearly 100 percent if surfaces are wiped down daily.

But cleaning surfaces is only part of the battle. Just as important is hand washing. And while you’re at it, go ahead and wash your hands frequently with plenty of soap and hot water – a casual rinsing isn’t enough. According to Roslyn Stone of the Centers for Disease Control, thorough and frequent hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the flu. (Yikes! Don’t let the flu vaccine manufacturers hear that one!)

And finally, to really bring down your office GPSI counts, be like Emily: Drive your coworkers crazy. They may not thank you for it, but they certainly should.

and another thing

We were lucky here in Maryland.

When that massive blizzard swept through the Northeast a few days ago, we were right on the southern edge of it and ended up getting no more than six or seven inches in most places. It made for good sledding and slippery driving, but nothing compared to what they had to cope with in New York, Boston and other points north.

Nevertheless, we did have plenty of shoveling to do. Which raised a concern for one of my neighbors. Her husband spent several hours shoveling their walks and driveway and she told me she was worried that it wasn’t good for his heart.

So for my neighbor and her husband – and for all the rest of us who will put in many more snow-removal hours between now and the first crocus sprouts – I’ll review a few shoveling tips from Dr. Mallika Marshall (as reported by WBZ-TV in Boston):

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that heart attack risk is approximately 30 times greater for those who rarely exercise and then perform a strenuous physical task such as shoveling snow. And if you’re over the age of 50, or if you have symptoms of heart disease, your risk is even higher.

Digestion of a large meal may put a strain on the heart, so don’t overeat before shoveling.

Before getting started, do some stretching to warm up a little. When you begin shoveling, your arteries need to open up gradually, so start by scooping up only small amounts of snow.

Drink water. Exercise in winter can dehydrate you just as easily as exercise in summer.

Bundle up in breathable, loose-fitting layers to avoid sweating, which can cause a loss of body heat.

If you feel chest discomfort or a shortness of breath, stop immediately and go inside.

It’s also very important to take care to not hurt your back. When possible, push the snow aside instead of lifting it. But when you have to lift, avoid twisting your body to toss the snow aside. Dr. Marshall recommends a bent-handle shovel that will reduce the amount of bending.

And don’t think that using a snowblower changes all these rules. In the e-Alert “In the Clear” (2/19/03), I told you how using a snowblower elevates the heart rate, which can create problems for those who have cardiac conditions.

Of course, you could just ignore all of these guidelines and find a high-school or college student in your neighborhood who might like to earn a little extra cash. Personally, that would be my call.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

Sources:
“Workplace Germ Study Fact Sheet” Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, cloroxdisinfectingwipes.com
“Is Your Desk Making You Sick?” David Williams, CNN, 12/13/04, cnn.com
“Overlooked and Unsanitary” Deborah Overman, Today’s Image, todaysimage.com
“Stay Safe While Shoveling Snow” WJZ-TV, 1/15/04, wjz.com
“Blowing That Snow Away Isn’t Necessarily Better” MotherNature.com