Discussion on:

Why I.T pro's get sick

It really doesn't matter what Level of I.T you?re in, but after working with any person's keyboard and mice you should wash your hands immediately. I'm no doctor but I read a report the other day that the common keyboard and or mouse has more gems on it than any toilet in a bar on Friday night. Just think, buddy users has had his mouse and keyboard for say 3 years, during that time he has had 20 colds a half dozen flu?s and who knows how many times he or she forgot to wash their hands after you know what. And they say about 65% of people pick their nose regularly hmmmmmm that could add up to something nasty.

I am starting to think that maybe when contracting cleaners for all building Facility, cleaning the Mouse and keyboard should be a standard, we might as well include LAN phones.

I am willing to bet that that next super bug that kills most of the human race is brewing up on someone's mouse as we speak.

There has been some discussion over the years about this, I'm wondering what people have done to prevent the transfer of gems, I?m no gemaphob but I was getting sick on a regular basis so now I wash my hands about 25 times a day; now I have to deal with dry hands but I haven?t been sick in 8 months.

I?m thinking as a industries we need to put measurements\standards in place to prevent the spread of the next super bug (well I might be exaggerating about the super bug).

I was thinking we should come up with a standard company memo. Then governments funded commercials. Well let?s start with a memo first!

Post some of your idea?s and I will compile some of your work. Once complete I will repost for everyone to look at to modify then I will let you know how many people come to my office to get a Clean wipes for their keyboards and mice.

I keep one of those plastic tubs of baby wipes on my desk and pull one out after every service call.

germ-X hand sanitizer sits by my station at all times and is used regularly through out the day. Besides, if things get rough, I can always take a swig of it (just kidding. There was an article about kids drinking the stuff, it is something like 62% ethyl alcohol. Although it must taste really bad...)

I used to get sick all the time until I started washing my hands after every visit. If I can't do that, I use some kind of hand purifier.

I never was a germaphobe until I starting looking around people's work areas. Yuk! Dirty tissues, food, gym shoes under their desks with dirty socks (for the lunchtime walkers in the office). Double yuk!

It isn't only the mouse and keyboard. What about the power buttons on the CPU and monitor. I use a pen or pencil top to touch them.

Now that you mention it, how about those touch screens that are on Xerox copiers and the like. You can't wipe those off. Triple yuk!

I look at it as a hazard of our profession. Meantime, I have the dryest, most chapped hands and haven't found a hand cream that really helps. Does anyone have any ideas on that?

AV

now its girly stuff..but go and buy some "Clarins" intense hand moisteriser.

smells a bit weird..but i only use it at night, but its works wonders.

not cheap though, but lasts for a good while..

I'm one of the girls. I never heard of Clarins, but I'll look for it.

AV

My sons make a hand cream with their Beeswax - they are 4H Beekeepers. So, I use it (if only to support the guys!) and I also use their lip balm.

Lubriderm Advanced Therapy for Extra Dry Skin. It works great for me.

Also Aveeno and Curel. I keep a bottle next to the bleach wipes and the hand sanitiser.

I don't do end user contact any more but I HAVE seen other people's workspaces. I clean the printer regularly and only print in the morning if I can. Some of these people... YEESH!

It seems to work pretty good so far, but I think I'm over washing with whatever foamy soap concoction they have at work.

I haven't been sick all winter, but my hands now look like they have a chemical burn. Someone should invent antibacterial gloves for people like us.

AV

Edited for sloppy typing

While I was a nurse, I would rub Vasoline into my hands before my shift and pull on a pair of white cotton gloves. I am allergic to the powder they use in rubber/nylagen gloves so double gloving was a must.

I never took off the cotton gloves- they were usually hideous at the end of a day. But I never did anything without a pair of disposables- you had to glove to touch a patient.

Between the disposables and the cotton gloves along with the Vasoline, I never worried about my hands. I never had to.

I always had two or three pair of cottons with me for every shift.

I have also discovered that I am allergic to many of the soaps that are institutionally sourced. I buy a pocket sized bottle of the liquid of my choice and a giant size of same. The little bottle is with me so that I can use my own soap in the Ladies.

Never open the door with your hands...

Equally don't use your teeth to open the door.

A favourite trick of mine is to use my little finger to touch the smallest portion of the door handle possible, normally right at the top or bottom of the handle where most hands don't venture. Probably has no real benefit at all but makes me feel a bit better!

I'll bring my own soap. I don't think I can do the white gloves though because people might think I'm a little crazy.

AV

cant open the doors with my hands or teeth? What am I supposed to do to get out?

ok, ok, seriously though, I use a paper towel to open the doors here, there is a garbage can right outside for people like me.
And, when not here, there is usually a garbage can close by.

... and what do you use to flush with LOL? Or maybe you have those auto-flush toilets at work....

I use a product called Corn Huskers. My local Wal-mart carries it. It really isnt the most pleasant moisturizer as far as smell goes but it does a fantastic job. I was my hands so much that during the winter months my fingers will crack and bleed at the joints from drying out. This stuff prevents that.

This is the best stuff for really dry hands. I've been hand washing after every desk side visit for years and have found this hand cream to be the best, lasting through a couple of hand washings. It comes in unscented and a non-girly scented version as well. I recommend it to anyone who has to wash their hands frequently.

I live in dry Colorado, and my hands were in shock for the first 2 years - until I discovered that moisturizers containing mineral oil are more harmful than good (they block moisture from getting in OR out). Found "Nutraderm" at the hospital pharmacy - and it's a true miracle worker. I use it after every hand wash. No girly smell, either.

You are so right. As an EMT and IT admin, safety precautions are in the forefront of my mind.
I mean, how many times has a defective mouse simply been dirty? Or a stuck keyboard been clogged with something?
One of the first thing I did was Post an Infectious diseases Chart next the the Federal ones in the breakroom (you know, the ones with all the nasty pics on them). Then I used budgeted funds for office supplies to purchase Hand Sanitizer, Lysol Wipes, and Lysol spray for each work area. Even though these may be high-turnover items, I pitch them to upper mgt as "sick-day deterrents".
The hardest thing to overcome is getting users to clean themselves. This is where the poster comes into play, it causes conversation. And one of those key topics? Transmission. And how is it prevented? Wash your hands.
The Admin's Lament: Educate your users, or suffer the consequences...

Can you post some links to those poster please. that is a great Idea!!

Currently I'm in a cubicle and me and the guy on the other side of the cubicle wall have the same cold right now. We don't share phones, mice, keyboards anything. Just the air!!! I keep a fan turned on at all times to help circulate the air better, as it seems to be trapped sometimes.

...in a world that is as clean and healthy as an Intensive Care unit.

Washing hands before/after eating and using restroom are good enough for me.