Good Hygiene in the Workplace

1. Good Hygiene in the Workplace pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006

2. Ways individuals can reduce the spread of infection/viruses • Staying healthy • Hand washing • Using good cough/sneeze and tissue disposal etiquette • Avoiding unnecessary exposure pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006

3. Staying healthy • Consider getting an annual flu shot • Get enough sleep • Eat the right foods to keep you healthy • Keep your stress levels in check • Exercise regularly • Do all the stuff your mother told you to do pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006

4. Hand washing • Wash hands regularly with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer if soap and water not easily available • Before and after handling food • Before and after eating • After going to the bathroom • After coughing and sneezing • After shaking hands • After touching surfaces that may be contaminated pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006

5. Hand washing with soap and water • Wet hands and apply soap • Lather all surfaces of hands, including thumbs, and rub together for 15-20 seconds • Work fingertips into palms to clean under nails • Rinse • Dry hands well with paper towel and use towel to turn off tap pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006

6. Hand washing with sanitizer • Apply enough of the alcohol-based sanitizer to thoroughly cover all surfaces of hands, including fingers and thumb • Rub fingertips into palms and keep rubbing until hands are dry • Do not use hand sanitizer with water and do not use paper towels to dry hands • Wash with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006

7. Coughing, sneezing, tissue disposal • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; or • Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands • Use single use tissue for wiping your nose • Put used tissue in the wastebasket • Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006

8. Avoid unnecessary exposure • Don’t share eating utensils or drinks • Refrain from putting out or eating unwrapped candy/snacks • Avoid visiting people who have influenza if you can • Stay home when sick with flu-like symptoms • Frequently clean household and workplace surfaces • Encourage family, friends and colleagues to follow these practices pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006

9. Ways employers can reduce the spread of infections/viruses • Have an infection control plan • Provide clean hand washing facilities • Offer alcohol-based sanitizers when required • Provide boxes of tissues and waste containers and encourage their use • Remind employees not to share eating utensils pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006

10. What employers can do, cont’d • Provide dishwashing facilities • Ensure that good office cleaning procedures are followed • Clean floors, walls, doorknobs, etc. with soap and water • Ensure workplace is well ventilated • Maintain HVAC systems according to standards pandemic influenza planning tool kit for business/employers, dev'd spring 2006