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Well at Work
The Dirtiest Places in the Office
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The office kitchen or break room is the dirtiest place in most offices, according to a study by Kimberly-Clark Professional [U.S. News and World Report].
Researchers swabbed nearly 5,000 surfaces in various office buildings and used an ATP meter, a device that measures sanitary conditions, to analyze the swabs. An ATP reading of 100 or more indicates the need for cleaning, while 300 or higher is considered dirty and at high-risk for spreading illness. They found that the dirtiest surfaces were in areas where food is handled. The following areas had readings of 300 or more:
- 75% of break room sink faucets
- 48% of microwave door handles
- 27% of keyboards
- 26% of refrigerator handles
- 23% of water fountain buttons
- 21% of vending machine buttons
Other germy areas include phones, computer mice, chairs, and desktops.
And, if you’re a man, these areas are more likely to be germy in your office compared to female employees, according to a study by San Diego State University researchers [ABCNews.com]. They found that men’s offices harbor about 20 percent more bacteria than women’s offices.
For more tips to stay healthy at the office, visit www.CorePerformance.com/work.
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