Health Care in Your Work Space

You’ve heard that a mouse can carry diseases. But you probably didn’t know that it’s your computer mouse. Believe it or not, your workspace – telephone, light switches and other desktop items – can carry up to 400 times more microbes than the average toilet seat.

Did you know your keyboard could be dirtier than a toilet?  It may sound far fetched, but concentrating our cleaning efforts at home may be in vain when the real culprit is our office.

In 2001, a microbiologist collected samples from office buildings in several cities to determine the infection level of human parainfluenza 1 virus, which is responsible for common respiratory infections such as bronchiolitis.

The results proved that, on average, desks can harbor 400 times more microbes than the average toilet seat. Phones average 25,127 microbes per square inch; keyboards, 3,295, and computer mice, 1,676. The average toilet seat, by comparison had 49 microbes per square inch.

This is a message from Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Yes, this is the hospital where President John F. Kennedy was taken when he was shot. It is noted for having some of the best specialists in the country. Shirley Shores, director of Infection Control at Parkland explains the danger in some of our daily office habits and how we can protect ourselves.

How can you protect yourself?  Wash your hands, clean your work area regularly with a household disinfectant and clean up crumbs and leftovers when you eat at your desk. In short, keep your workspace clean and you’ll keep yourself healthier.

Now I know you have heard this:  “They don’t pay me to clean up around here, they have clean up people to do that!”  In the crunch in the 80’s we swept the floor, emptied the trash and cleaned our own restrooms. It was better than being laid off and unemployed.

What is the proper way to clean your work area, and how often should you do it?  Generally, one can use household disinfectants or one part water to 10 parts bleach solution. It’s effective and not harmful to most surfaces, although it’s wise to check with the manufacturer of electronic devices before application. A routine cleaning schedule is best for a busy office. Thank about it:  toilet seats are usually cleaned at least once a day; keyboard are almost never cleaned.

Everything these days relates to preventive health care, why not this?