ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > October > 02
Monday, October 2, 2006
My Office Makes Me Sick!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Most people believe that they contract minor infectious diseases from home or from being in public places but recent studies show that your workplace may a cesspool of infection.
A study by the University of Arizona in 2002 found that the typical worker’s desk has hundreds of times more bacteria per square inch than the office toilet seat.
Other items on the desk such as your phone or your computer keyboard serve as prime real estate for germs that cause colds, flu or gastrointestinal diseases.
Did you know that some of the most vicious germs can live for 3-5 days on office surfaces? Now even though I am a registered nurse by profession, I never dreamed that desktops could be this nasty.
When you think of your own personal hygiene habits? Do you wash your hands after every trip to the toilet?
Do you cover your mouth with your hands when you sneeze and then begin keyboarding immediately? It’s no wonder that these surfaces are so inundated with viruses and bacteria.
When was the last time you cleaned your desk, computer or phone? Most people don’t clean anything in the office until it’s so obviously soiled that fingers stick to it or until something is spilled and has to be wiped up.
Another thing to consider is the fact that most of us come to work sick these days. When you have the sniffles, sneezes or just a touch of diarrhea, don’t you usually take some pills and go into work, hoping to feel better?
Would you do this to your kids or by extension their classmates? Why would you share your germs with everyone else in your office?
So what do you do? Well, the answer is simple, wash your hands with soap and warm water for 18 seconds or so after using the toilet or covering your mouth with your hands during a sneeze.
Use a tissue if available (if not available, get some). Use alcohol-based gel sanitizers or disposable hand wipes if a sink isn’t available. Wipe your desk surfaces with disinfectant wipes occasionally!
Above all, you should stay home when you’re sick. With avian flu and other strains already of a concern to employers, you could impact the bottom line of your company and avoid a little discomfort and downtime yourself!
Do you have stories of people working when they are sick and being proud of it? Has your entire office come down with the flu or bronchitis because of one person or their child? Is your desk filthy or are you OCD about these things?
