Workplace sickness and absences can be challenging if you have to interact with sick workers throughout the day. According to a Cintas Corp. survey, 81% of Americans found that the act of wiping a runny nose on one’s hands or sleeve is the grossest workplace habit.

The top five gross behaviors from the Cintas survey include:

• Wiping runny nose on hands or sleeve: 16%
• Not covering mouth/nose when sneezing: 15%
• Not covering mouth when coughing: 12%
• Not washing hands frequently: 9%
• Leaving dirty tissues on desk: 8%

To reduce one’s chances of becoming sick, one should:

• Wash hands with soap and scrub for 15-30 seconds.
• Always dry hands immediately – bacteria can be transferred more easily with damp and wet hands.
• Use hand sanitizers in addition to hand washing.

Another important preventative measure in minimizing the risk of becoming sick in the workplace includes additional and proper cleaning of high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, tables, and other office equipment. Ensure that the disinfectant has proper claims against influenza or other bacteria, that proper techniques are used when cleaning workplace areas, and plan to sanitize and disinfect frequently during the flu season.

For a listing of Multi-Clean disinfectants against Influenza and other common viruses, please visit Multi-Clean’s Infection Control Webpage.

For a listing of Multi-Clean hand soaps and sanitizers, please visit Multi-Clean’s Skin Care Webpage.