Workers told to fight back against bacteria as offices become health risk

Experts are urging workers to be more vigilant in the office as studies name workplaces among the most unhealthy daily destinations. A report by hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley explains that increased office cleanliness could reduce the number of sick days per year, as the study revealed that nearly 50% of respondents admitted to not washing their hands after going to the toilet.

Describing office items you frequently touch such as the office chair, mouse and keyboard as ‘germ motorways,’ Dr Ackerley is warning workers to keep on top of their personal hygiene. Eating and drinking at your desk can result in crumbs and spillage that if not dealt with can increase the likelihood of spreading stomach bugs, coughs, flu and even food poisoning.

The average desk is a bacterial hotspot that regularly holds 100 times more germs than a kitchen table, 400 times more than the average toilet seat. The risk is becoming too important to ignore for experts, especially as workers are more likely to touch their face or rub their eyes while sat in front of a computer screen.

Kit Out My Office is urging workers to take more care of the items they interact the most with, encouraging weekly dusting of all equipment as well as cleaning surfaces with anti-bacterial wipes daily.

“Keeping your workplace clean and tidy has many benefits, from simply looking visually impressive and professional to your customers through to the health benefits it can offer,” said Gareth Jones, Commercial Manager at Kit Out My Office. “We encourage all of our customers to clean their equipment by providing helpful guides on how and when to clean your new office furniture.”