Hygiene issues - YUCK!

[greensinestro]

Finally today, our Human Resources department put out a company e-mail about hygiene issues in the office. To sum it all up, the main concerns were about hygiene while at work, and the emphasis was put on employees washing their hands after using the restroom.

I work with many people who obviously do not bathe on a regular basis, and these are people I stay away from. What had really made me alert to this issue is every time I'm in the men's room, in a stall, someone is always in one of the other stalls. From the moment I'm in there to when I'm ready to leave, I hear noise, like doors opening, toilets flushing, etc. Not one time do I hear anyone turning on the water to wash their hands, nor do I hear paper towels being torn off to dry their hands!

I used to work with a woman who would always carry a wad of tissues around. Anytime she went to open a door, she would never touch the door knob with her barehands, but would use the tissue. Then after she was finished opening the door, she would throw the tissue away for fear of germs.

After this e-mail went out today, I noticed signs plastered around the office and in the restrooms, right in front of where people do their business, meaning nobody can miss this!

My feeling is this, however: If these pigs are like that now, how are a sign and an e-mail really going to help? If you have nasty, disgusting and crass habits, you're not going to change with a sign in your face.

[CaroPhoenix]

I have to carry a bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse (and when I work at the library) because I don't wash my hands in the bathroom there.

Before anyone shoots me, let me explain: I am allergic to the paper towels they use. When I have washed my hands at the library and dried my hands with the paper towels, not even a day later, the skin on my fingers will redden, blister, flake & the skin will begin peel off my fingers (it looks like my skin is just falling off - not pretty). I never know which paper towels are going to set off this reaction, so I avoid the paper towels at whatever bathroom I'm at.

However, if the bathroom does have one of those hand air dryers, I do wash my hands and use that as my alternative.

[BlaqueKatt]

not even a day later, the skin on my fingers will redden, blister, flake & the skin will begin peel off my fingers (it looks like my skin is just falling off - not pretty). .

that actually sounds more like a reaction to the soap rather than the towels

[Foxglove8778]

that actually sounds more like a reaction to the soap rather than the towels

... um...

However, if the bathroom does have one of those hand air dryers, I do wash my hands and use that as my alternative.

not if it doesn't happen when the air dryer is used....

[Arucard]

that actually sounds more like a reaction to the soap rather than the towels

Indeed. I have to bring my own soap to work for that exact reason. The industrial-strength stuff they put in the bathroom sucks all the moisture out of my skin and my skin starts to peel away.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Indeed. I have to bring my own soap to work for that exact reason. The industrial-strength stuff they put in the bathroom sucks all the moisture out of my skin and my skin starts to peel away.

What we use in the restrooms at work is like that - and I've also noticed last winter that hand sanitizer will also dry out my skin as well.

All the more reason to keep a bottle of lotion up front behind the kiosk.

Fortunately, I don't have that happen as bad since I've not been up front and had to use the sanitizer every little while.

[powerboy]

I also use hand sanitizer also. I don't trust what could be on the door handles, that I cannot see

[CaroPhoenix]

Foxglove is correct - this reaction doesn't happen when I use the air hand dryers. The reaction only happens when I use paper towels. I've experimented - I've run my hands under the water & not used the soap, but the same things happens - the reaction appears when I use the paper towels, not when I use the soap.

[Becks]

My feeling is this, however: If these pigs are like that now, how are a sign and an e-mail really going to help? If you have nasty, disgusting and crass habits, you're not going to change with a sign in your face.

Your feelings are the same as mine.

Now pardon me while I shudder at the thought of people not washing their hands after using the bathroom.

[XCashier]

the reaction appears when I use the paper towels, not when I use the soap.

Could be bleach or other processing chemicals used in making paper towels.

[CaroPhoenix]

XCashier - I believe that's it. It might be. Sometimes I know by the feel of the paper towels it's one I can't use. (Does that make sense?) Plus, it's usually the brown (or beige or tan or whatever variation of brown they are) paper towels that are the culprits, but I've found a few white paper towels I can't use either. *le sigh*

[JustADude]

Now pardon me while I shudder at the thought of people not washing their hands after using the bathroom.

To paraphrase the end of an old joke... "No, they taught me not to piss on my hands."

What I mean is, for guys at least, I can see how someone who maintains good hygiene might not see a need to wash their hands after going "#1". After all, the only thing they're doing is briefly touching a patch of their own skin, and you don't immediately rush to wash your hands after touching your foot, which is usually far nastier by the end of the day than your groin.

[sms001]

To paraphrase the end of an old joke... "No, they taught me not to piss on my hands."

(Not even paraphrased the way I heard it, that's the punchline word for word.)

What I mean is, for guys at least, I can see how someone who maintains good hygiene might not see a need to wash their hands

Some guy tried to shame me on my way out once - I was headed back to solitary, mechanical work - not a CHANCE of "infecting" others. He asked me snidely if I was gonna wash up. I looked around the rather squalid room and said "Buddy, I guarantee you my &$%* is the cleanest thing in here."
If leaving to touch food or items others will have contact with, I prep a couple of paper towels (pull them down from the dispenser so I don't have to touch the handle after cleaning), scrub up, dry off, then use the paper towels to open the door and throw them away afterwards. The only "unhygienic" step in the process is touching the tap handle to turn it off. (After all, it is the FIRST thing everyone else has touched after "doing their business.") When I did food handling, I'd do the bathroom shtick and then wash at an external sink as well.

[Becks]

you don't immediately rush to wash your hands after touching your foot

I do.

I am so weird, I guess.

[Boozy]

I do.

I am so weird, I guess.

I do too. I'm always washing my hands.

To men who say they don't wash their hands after using the washroom, I usually ask, why not? You're walking right by a sink. Its a good opportunity to wash the everyday grime and germs off your hands. You don't have to wait until there's actually urine on your hands to feel the need to wash up.

If the public bathroom is dirty, I'll use a paper towel to operate the taps and the door handles.