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  • #2262012

    Why I.T pro’s get sick

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    by william.bondy ·

    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.

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    • #2530492

      Baby wipes

      by charliespencer ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

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

    • #2531508

      Hand sanitizer…

      by cmiller5400 ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      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 B-) (just kidding. There was an article about kids drinking the stuff, it is something like 62% ethyl alcohol. Although it must taste really bad…)

    • #2531443

      I’m with you

      by av . ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      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

      • #2531321

        hand cream

        by shellbot ·

        In reply to I’m with you

        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..

        • #2530969

          Girly stuff is ok with me

          by av . ·

          In reply to hand cream

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

          AV

        • #2529746

          not girly stuff….

          by dwain.erhart ·

          In reply to hand cream

          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.

      • #2531261

        I use…

        by cmiller5400 ·

        In reply to I’m with you

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

      • #2531056

        Neutragena Fisherman’s Friend

        by tig2 ·

        In reply to I’m with you

        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!

        • #2530966

          I’m currently trying Aveeno extra dry

          by av . ·

          In reply to Neutragena Fisherman’s Friend

          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

        • #2530914

          Try this

          by tig2 ·

          In reply to I’m currently trying Aveeno extra dry

          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…

        • #2530094

          Opening Doors

          by robpatten ·

          In reply to Try this

          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!

        • #2530372

          Thats a great idea, Tig

          by av . ·

          In reply to Try this

          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. :^0

          AV

        • #2530368

          But then I will get stuck!

          by w2ktechman ·

          In reply to Try this

          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.

        • #2542234

          what do you use to flush with?

          by whomever123 ·

          In reply to But then I will get stuck!

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

      • #2541207

        Works for me….

        by ballistabob ·

        In reply to I’m with you

        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.

      • #2542301

        Neutrogena hand cream

        by svilla8874 ·

        In reply to I’m with you

        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.

      • #2543037

        Best hand cream on the market !!

        by pebblszzz ·

        In reply to I’m with you

        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.

      • #2948262

        I’m with you

        by jatwell ·

        In reply to I’m with you

        Same here. My wife noticed my dry hands and suggested I use Neutrogena Hand Cream. It’s oil based and only requires a little so it lasts a long time. I keep it in my laptop bag so I always have it with me.

        I do not typically get sick, partly due to hand washing, but I think also in part to my wife being an elementary school teacher so my immune system has a virus definition that would rival any malware software.

        To your health!

    • #2531241

      Maintenance of Bits, Bytes, and Bodies…

      by johnson.charles.c ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      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…

      • #2529878

        Hey

        by william.bondy ·

        In reply to Maintenance of Bits, Bytes, and Bodies…

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

        • #2542232

          What about the air????

          by whomever123 ·

          In reply to Hey

          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.

        • #2540587

          Airborne ‘droplet’ transmission is low risk

          by fox1969 ·

          In reply to What about the air????

          I’ve looked at a few studies recently regarding rhinovirus and how it spreads. Rhinovirus is is supposed to be responsible for ~50% of all colds, but the airborne route for getting an infection from it is a really low risk – one study I read could not isolate the virus at all from coughs and sneezes.

          Not sure how true this is for other viruses responsible for colds/flu though, but it can be somewhat reassuring for those concerned with contracting a cold via the air they’re breathing.

    • #2531067

      We can’t live…

      by onbliss ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      …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.

      • #2530018

        Hypochondriac Fear Mongering

        by johnnysacks ·

        In reply to We can’t live…

        100 years ago we were pouring our excrement into the same rivers and estuaries which were supplying our food. We’ve come a long way to the point where we can wash our hands anytime we want, good enough for me.

        The kind of products being marketed to us make me think we’re all being brainwashed by marketers to be neurotic germophobes who will buy anything under the premise that it kills germs.

        I tend to view the human immune system as something which, in order to work well, needs exercise. Work provides flu shots, I’m a health adult and don’t expect much more than a minor inconvenience from the sniffles and a fever now and then. If I was 70 years old or had a health condition, that would be different.

        • #2530273

          Ever Wondered Why Today’s KIds Are Such Weaklings

          by cmate ·

          In reply to Hypochondriac Fear Mongering

          A recent survey in Australia came up with the not so surprising conclusions that kids in households where parents constantly used all manner of detergents and disinfectants were more prone to illnesses than kids from households which were clean but not sanitised. If you live in a cocoon and wash your hands 25 times a day because you think you are going to catch some dreaded bug, then you need to visit your medico or maybe even your phsyc… you have a problem. In the past 23 years I have worked with all manner of keyboards and mice and, dare I say it, even cleaned public toilets and have never had a day off sick … other than an odd day, usually from self inflicted over indulgence. I dread to think how you would be behaving if you were working at the local tip or similar venue. Keep it up, soon you won’t even have any resistance. Do you also wash your hands after each time you open a door in a public building, open a cab door, and the like? Remember not to put your lips to that next beer you suck from a bottle or a can. Who knows where its been. Your comments are spot-on JohnnySacks.

        • #2542229

          Health Benefits of Soil

          by whomever123 ·

          In reply to Ever Wondered Why Today’s KIds Are Such Weaklings

          There was an interesting program on CBC the other day, talking about research that scientists are finding the benefits of stuff found in dirt. It was an amazing program, and they are finding that a lot of “stuff” found in soil or dirt, have healing qualities, including benefitting chemotherapy patients and depression.

          I am currently taking probiotics which consists of 3 different types of bacteria found in soil, that are known to kill fungus. This is making a huge diffence on my IBS. It is the only thing that has been helpful for my IBS. Hence, the power of dirt! (not to say anyone should go out and eat any).

        • #2948253

          Rub some dirt on it and get back in the game…

          by forum surfer ·

          In reply to Health Benefits of Soil

          That’s what my Dad told me when I got hurt and I forward that same message to my son. That’s a cure all for cuts when sliding home, bruises from stray pitches and road rash from bicycle crashes. There will be time for anti-bacterial crap and proper wound treatment when the game is over so man up, kid! Thanks for backing that up with facts!

          🙂

        • #2540580

          Not so fast now…

          by fox1969 ·

          In reply to Ever Wondered Why Today’s KIds Are Such Weaklings

          The survey seems to suppose that the lack of exposure to harmful bacteria/viruses is responsible for weaker immunity, but perhaps the exposure to the chemicals themselves is having this same effect?

      • #2542076

        If only

        by ccrobinson ·

        In reply to We can’t live…

        If only everybody washed their hands after using the restroom. This is a pet peeve of mine. Walking out of the restroom without washing one’s hands shows either #1, ignorance, or #2, plain stupidity.

        I work in a building that I’m estimating has 500 people in it, at least. I have no idea how many times I’ve seen guys leave the restroom without washing their hands. The simplest thing I started doing was grabbing a clean paper towel and using that to open the door out of the restroom.

    • #2531040

      Sound weird but…

      by mexgolem ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      I never going to see my mouse in the same way!

    • #2530932

      so true, but also…

      by triathlete1981 ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      i keep bacterial wipes at my desk. i used to carry them around with me, but people started getting offended. so, i keep a whole bunch at my desk.

      another reason we get sick is because we don’t want to be bothered 24/7 by network users. and getting sick is a convenient way to get a day off. of course that’s not actually getting sick, but hey, your boss will never know.

      • #2530911

        Not speaking for others, but

        by tig2 ·

        In reply to so true, but also…

        I have never “played sick” to get time off. No one I know has ever done that.

        Some of us have integrity.

        • #2529978

          Unfortunately….

          by keith2237 ·

          In reply to Not speaking for others, but

          I have had positions where this was the only option for a day off. Being on-call 24/7 pulls you down and even your “days off” are filled with calls. The only way to get any rest was to call in sick, turn off the cell and pager, and rejuvenate. Some companies don’t care that only one person is on-call as long as it keeps their costs down. Some times you have to do what is necessary for your own health and sanity. That is also the reason I found a new position.

        • #2529591

          thank you keith for the response to ms. high and mighty

          by triathlete1981 ·

          In reply to Unfortunately….

          not belittling you lady, who said you have integrity, but so do i.

          i manage a hundred users and am the only it person here. my schooling and training comes in network management, but since i am the only it person, i inherited software traininig, fixing printers, the voip system, random things such as web management. while i am able to contract out certain things, no one physically has the time to do all the stuff i do. but i do it anyway.

          i take maybe one lunch for half hour a week (if i’m lucky) and usually eat a sandwich in someone else’s office while i’m fixing their computer.

          when people like you, who most likely work on a team of several it people, need off, there’s someone to cover them. in my situation there isn’t. calling out sick to get a day off isn’t wrong. what the ____ is wrong with you anyway that you think it is?

          i got an idea for you. get laid.

        • #2795389

          Mental Health Day

          by cupcake ·

          In reply to Not speaking for others, but

          Sometimes you just have to have a break and if you are
          getting “sick days” as part of your compensation, why
          shouldn’t you use them…

          I wouldn’t go so far as to say someone who calls in “sick” has
          no integrity…

        • #2948242

          Integrity

          by forum surfer ·

          In reply to Not speaking for others, but

          If someone is working 6 days a week and 60-70 hours a week and just needs some personal time…i don’t think calling in sick shows a lack of integrity on their part. I don’t blame them for that. If being “sick” is the only way they can score a day off because they work for a demanding company, so be it.

          Luckily I work for a company that allows me to take time off without good reason. Personal time is just that, personal and nunyabizness as far as the company goes on the time request form. If it weren’t for that, yeah I’d call in “sick” here and there if nothing else other than to go to a school event for my son or have a “stay in bed all day-day” with my girlfriend.

    • #2530070

      Anti bacterial soap causes illness.

      by rwierenga ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      If the body is never exposed to viruses and germs it can not build up a resistance to germs. using anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners and worrying about touching your mouse is all stuff that prevents your exposure. It has been shown that children who are raised around barns and manure are healthier than those raised in Sterile environments. Exposure is prevention.

      • #2529990

        I’m with you

        by frank.schafer ·

        In reply to Anti bacterial soap causes illness.

        I’ll go even further. It’s education and the society around us what’s making us ill.
        Remembering my childhood the commercials of soaps and cleaning means said: “This wont make clean – it will make cleaner!!!”. Today a claening mean isn’t good enough if it will make cleaner. Today it has to have antiseptic effects.
        I had a girl friend some time ago. Her mother was a nurse and she was brung up this way. She cleaned her flat and afterwards she desinfected it with means she got from the hospital … and she was ill only once I was with her … all the time.
        Maybe that are the civilisation ills – mankind is more and more clean and desinfected and more and more ill.
        This keyboard-and-mouse thing; I don’t believe that a normal disposed person will get ill from this. Maybe a company producing cleaning means prepares a commercial campaign for such cleaning means 😉

        My 0.02$

      • #2529633

        That’s a stupid assumption

        by iceblast21 ·

        In reply to Anti bacterial soap causes illness.

        It’s no different than saying that exposure to ebola will make us stronger to it. And you know what? You’re right – I’m sure after the million/billion deaths, someone would develop a natural antibody we could harvest! Then we expose ourselves to more Ebola and we’re safe, right?

        There’s a reason we’ve been using BLEACH and UV radiation to disinfect dangerous viral research facilities – it’s been working for decades. It’s necessary. I’d worry more about a strain that’s immune to bleach than a bacteria that isn’t affected by Soap.

        The fact of the matter is that a lot of viruses and bacterial infections are spread carelessly by people who don’t clean their hands more carefully (or at all).

        Course, I’ve heard an argument that soap isn’t supposed to kill bacteria, but help it wash away. If true, then I suppose the anti-bacterial element is unnecessary. But then, I haven’t read anything about that quite yet, so I can’t say I believe it.

      • #2542363

        Source for this statement:

        by now left tr ·

        In reply to Anti bacterial soap causes illness.

        It has been shown that children who are raised around barns and manure are healthier than those raised in Sterile environments

        • #2528956

          That’s an obvious case of correlation NOT CAUSATION!

          by iceblast21 ·

          In reply to Source for this statement:

          Barns are more remote than “sterile environments” which usually consist of the more populated City environments. Human disease typically comes from OTHER humans, not random places of their environment. Of course, you can still get sick without receiving the infection from someone, but simply stating that dirty barns are healthier is incredibly misleading.

          What were the specifics of that study? Was it a controlled experiment or more like an account of various cases compiled together? It makes a difference.

          Of course, you state this evidence simply to prove your point, not to verify its authenticity. Therefore, it wouldn’t matter what I said. Except, you can create evidence to prove whatever you want. The only way to definitively decide what’s healthier is through a more rigorous, detailed experiment. And even then…??

        • #2528950

          Don’t take my word: Read this RESEARCH!

          by iceblast21 ·

          In reply to That’s an obvious case of correlation NOT CAUSATION!

          http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,170188,00.html

          Why run around arguing without the facts? Read the current research and you’ll see anti-bacterial products are not harmful to us in any way, nor will they lead to the apocalypse. That myth is yet another ratings-grabbing headline concocted by a news media interested in grabbing your brief attention.

          OH NO!!! THE EVIL SUPERBUG THAT IS RESISTANT TO ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAP!!! WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!! OH NO!!! Tonight at 11.

    • #2529962

      A few points…

      by dr_zinj ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      First, viruses don’t last forever. Flu viruses only last for 24-48 hrs hard, nonporous surfaces such as stainless steel and plastic, and die much faster on cloth, paper, and tissues. Under conditions of low humidity and room temperature, adenovirus, poliovirus, and herpes simplex virus survived for at least 8 weeks. But nowhere near 3 years.

      Secondly, mice and keyboards a places of transmission, not places where the viruses reproduce. They need to be inside bodies for that.

      Thirdly, the next superbug is not brewing on anyone’s mouse. Viruses cannot recombine without reproduction. And again, that has to happen inside a body.

      Fourth point. Everyone needs a certain level of exposure to viruses and bacteria to keep their immune systems operating. In fact, there is a certain level of exposure that makes the immune system work BETTER than the complete absence of pathogens.

      There are three amazingly simple things you can do to lower your bacterial/viral exposure load.

      1. Wash your hands frequently. All the times your mother told you to (or should have told you to). Before eating, after going to the bathroom, after playing with the dog, or running around on your hands and knees, etc. etc. etc. And do a better job than a splash and a promise. Use soap!

      2. Use antiseptic foams or gels in your work areas, frequently. Most have an added benefit of having moisturizers which keep your hands from cracking during the winter.

      3. Use a damp, not wet, antiseptic wipe on your mouse and keyboard. Make sure your system is turned off when you do it. And even an alcohol-based screen-cleaner pad would do the trick in a pinch.

      • #2529880

        Maybe we need a I.T/DOC in the blog

        by william.bondy ·

        In reply to A few points…

        I really don’t have the answer to this, but say buddy user has had the flu or a cold, don?t those the dead cells\body tissue on buddy’s mouse or keyboard after say a month or two can never infect me??? I think we need a Doctor to answer some of these questions. Any I.T/ Doctors out there??

        I am still gathering data as this grows, the price of Baby wipes are a 10th of the cost and just as effective.

      • #2530397

        Another one

        by tig2 ·

        In reply to A few points…

        Take a moment every day and give your phone a wash with an antiseptic wipe. Do it daily.

        Be aware that most disease is spread by touch. It travels when you touch your mouth, nose, etc.

        Good post, Doc!

    • #2529948

      Another reason

      by freebird54 ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      I suspect that a great deal of the sickness one sees i this profession is a direct result of LACK of exposure to various things. No, not just pathogens – that matters more when you’re a kid. I’m thinking of things like sunlight! 🙂

      A little common sense, the standard clean regime, and getting outdoors and doing things are better than any excessive avoidance strategies! (try helping out with a local kids sports progam – with your own, of course, if you have them) Take up biking, hiking, Xcountry skiing, golf (season and location dependent) It is FAR too easy to spend too much time attached to a keyboard inside – despite the advent of capable portable computers…

      This opinion is worth the full $.02.

      • #2529872

        In agreement

        by marka ·

        In reply to Another reason

        I definately agree with the above post. I never get sick and believe I can relate that directly to my exposure to everything and anything. My friend, a handiwipe kind of guy, is signifigantly sicker than I am and more often.

        Get out, get exercise and don’t hide and everything will be fine

    • #2529907

      Maybe…but

      by chicago_guy6 ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      …I think the next superbug will be a result of the craze here (in the “developed” world”) to use antibacterials and chemicals on everything. It makes me sick! I grew up in a foreigh country and lived there for 20 years without dousing everything I touched with checmicals/antibacterials and guess what…I survived. I did however start getting sick after moving back to the states where even dish now soap is antibacterial. The bugs in our drains are more potent than anything on a mouse. In case you didn’t know, there ARE already superbugs that no antibacterial (even the experimental ones) can beat. And it is a direct result of all the crap this society sprays all over the place to try to kill every bug.

      When I walk over to or by a coworkers cubicle that has just finished “sanitizing” their area, I find myself gagging – usually a combo of febreeze, some kind of antibacterial and some clorox product – just awful. Whenever I want some entertainment, I go watch one of these goofballs rubbing down everything in their cubicle – it’s comedy. If anyone really thinks a mouse or keyboard will kill them, have you ever sampled the air you breath? Start there. Do you go to malls? Movie theatres? Beaches? Amusement Parks? Outside your house? Your yard, perhaps? Ever grab/touch any doorknobs/handles? If people are really worried about a mouse or keyboard, then you might as well stay at home, in a bubble.

      Listen folks, like one other person said, it is not such bad thing to be exposed to bugs – that’s how your immune system stays active and healthy. Cleanliness is definitely a must, but having your cubicle or whatever space in your life be like and Intensive Care Unit is too much.

      This extends even to medical care with doctors these days just prescribing antibiotics left and right for everything. If we die from a bug, it will be (99%) due to some bug that has mutated to fight off all the crap we throw at them. Hey, back to the foreign thing – people in villages in Africa somehow manage to live very long and happy lives walking barefoot everywhere and without “sanitizing” everything – and I’m willing to bet that any one of our sanitizing freaks over here will croak within a week or two of being over there…no immune system/ability to fight off even the most basic thing. Just one stat we should all look up…try and fing how many people take tons of antibiotics the minute they get a cold – a bunch – and it is not even a bactieria. It’s a virus, yet we have all these donkeys out there taking these antibiotics and spraying antibacterials everywhere.

      Anyway, sorry to get off on a rant – My two cents – probably only worth that much…ha ha.

      • #2529824

        We are getting off topic

        by william.bondy ·

        In reply to Maybe…but

        I was looking for some info to build a Memo or Document just to give to the users so they might consider cleaner their work space more, not to use heavy chemicals or to make people into germaphob’s hehehe.

        I personally think a few germs won’t kill anyone and I think it is good for the body to build a constant immune to basic bugs and over use of penicillin can be very dangerous. So more to my point I just want people to be aware that your Phone set, keyboard and Mice are a form of concentration of Gems that can affect our I.T troops in the office area. I think a little Education in the work place can be very powerful and effective way to minimize sickness in the work place.

        I think all the points everyone made are true, but I still think coming up with a method to educating the users and or Janitors to clean these items is still a very reasonable suggestion.

    • #2529794

      This is a RED HERRING

      by yermanjf ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      Exposur to germs is not the problem in creating super bugs. Use of antibiotics is causing that problem.

      There was a study of children measuring thier level of health and exposure to germs. They found a strong correlation between healthy children and regular exposure.

      The healthiest kids believe it or not where those who slept in dirty beds.

      The least healthy were those who lived in squeaky clean lysol soaked environments.

      The reason: regular exposure when you are healthy triggers an immune response and makes your immune system stronger. While protection from exposure allows your immune system to be weak.

      • #2530456

        I agree but

        by william.bondy ·

        In reply to This is a RED HERRING

        I was just talking about Mice and keyboards only. well maybe LAN LINE’s

      • #2582000

        Red Herring – sort of agreement

        by raven – cdn ·

        In reply to This is a RED HERRING

        I agree, however I don’t agree with the result, allergies are a hyper response not a diminished response. So I propose that exposure to Bacteria and Virus elements cause our systems to be in a balance (normal). If left in a virus free environment Anti-bodies don’t know what to fight so they end up fighting things that are not important, like pollen.

      • #2581911

        I’ll NEVER

        by roc riz ·

        In reply to This is a RED HERRING

        clean my bed again!
        I don’t care what they say, I am going to use the same bale of hay week after week, till it becomes dust!

      • #2593633

        This is only true for children…

        by iceblast21 ·

        In reply to This is a RED HERRING

        Children need exposure to build a healthy immune system. ADULTS? Not so much.

        I don’t think anyone here wants a SECOND bout of Chicken Pox.

        Go read this article:
        http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,170188,00.html

        The same guy who made the claim that anti-bacterial soap causes super-bugs now says that research does not prove his theory.

        • #2593381

          Well if the source is Fox News

          by roc riz ·

          In reply to This is only true for children…

          I would catagorize it as FAUX news.
          I don’t trust Focks news nearly as far as I can sling a baby grand piano!

        • #2594258

          I’m not asking you to read FOX, but read the RESEARCH

          by iceblast21 ·

          In reply to Well if the source is Fox News

          Fox News did not conduct this research, they just “reported” it.

          You’re welcome to find the original research to try and disprove the my idea. But personally, all Fox-news-hatred aside, I can appreciate a scientific study on various households who use and do not use anti-bacterial soap, and the scientific results derived from such experimentation.

    • #2530399

      Try Plastic Gloves

      by cindy_bond ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      When I was an IT Generalist, I would wear plastic gloves (clear) to the site (a friend gave me a large supply). This worked out really well for me. I also put one on whenever I know that I will be introduced to “a lot” of people in the office or meeting.

    • #2541258

      I used to think

      by brokeneagle ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      I used to think the Elementary Computer Teacher was going a little overboard wiping downs the mice and keyboards in the computer lab every day.

      After recovering from a particularly nasty cold that I didn’t get from anyone in my family, I think that I need to use the same precautions at work that I typically in third world countries.

      • #2541199

        Similar Awakening

        by ballistabob ·

        In reply to I used to think

        About a month ago I was hit fast and hard by rather nasty flu virus. Inside of 3.5 hours it had me in the hospital emergency room from dehydration. I should have prefaced this comment with the fact I work in a durable medical goods retail company as their soul IT person. We had several people out ill but none to the extent I was. I now have an industrial tub of hospital grade hand sanitizer on my desk. For those of you who don’t think this isn’t a serious problem look at it from a HR financial point of view. The company I work for has not had a full compliment of employee’s present for over 2 months since this has started going around. Just do the math on lost hours and temp replacement costs.

    • #2542083

      Cold Season

      by ronson4 ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      I can only agree after an outing to the local grocery during cold season.Some of the things I noticed made me wear latex gloves. No one seemed to notice or care. I didn’t get sick though!

    • #2541947

      Hospital IT

      by gsg ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      One of our techs keeps Latex Gloves around and uses those. When he’s done, out go the gloves, and then a good wipedown with the hospital approved sanitary hand rinse. He’s not had a single cold or other illness since I’ve known him. Otherwise, good handwashing practices, and not touching your face is always advisable.

    • #2542503

      Other Germy Places

      by pamelajoperkins ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      I have a Microbiology background (7 years).

      DON’T press the buttons on the elevator (both the ones inside the elevator and outside the elevator) with your fingers. Use your elbow if you can. Just watching people walk up to an elevator and/or waiting for one is enough to make you…

      Also, stair railings. NO ONE ever cleans those. Again, just watching people is enough to make you…

      I TRIED to talk the management into cleaning both things once per hour and they turned me down.

      Re cleaning the desktop, mouse, and keyboard.

      See if you can get your supervisors on board (if you need to do so, wait until a good cold/flu season when they are shorthanded) and have them have all the employees use Clorox disinfecting wipes on the desk, keyboard, and mouse on the first Monday of the month for example.

    • #2542396

      Sneezing

      by problemsolversolutionseeker ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      Had a manager that was inconsiderate of others but expected you to be considerate of her.

      Well, she really proved my above point to me when she used my computer one day to avoid booting hers up, and repeatedly sneezed on my keyboards. I was pretty grossed out!

    • #2542344

      Lysol and Keyboards!

      by valkyrie needs food ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      Several years ago I was doing desktop support at a company that was hit by a flu epidemic. People were dropping like flies.

      We had three desktop support techs and each of us got a can of Lysol spray and any piece of equipment that came in to the work room was sprayed down. If we went to someone’s desk, we sprayed their keyboard and mouse before we touched them. The users didn’t mind b/c we “sold” it as a health measure for them.

      We made sure the can was about 18″ away from the equipment so it got a light mist, not a soaking.

      End result, no one in the group caught the flu!

    • #2542255

      Dry Hands

      by whomever123 ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      I agree with washing one’s hands as much as possible during the day. I am finding though I really suffer from dry skin on my hands though because of it, and am constantly lathering up with land lotion! I must have hand lotion near me at all times. I can’t stand the feeling of dry hands!

      It would be nice if the soap in the washrooms were easier on the skin. I have been finding that “foam” soap is way easier on the skin as it’s less dense than most other hand soaps. But even still, my hands get dry from that.

      Anyone know of a good hand soap that doesn’t dry the hands so much?

    • #2542242

      Carry hand sanitizer

      by lsepeda ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      Nurses regularly carry small bottles of hand sanitizer on lanyards. The bottle is suspended upside-down so they be used easily between contacts. Some of the carrying devices loop over a belt.

    • #2540523

      And I thought…

      by roc riz ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      It was just my observation!!!

      I wash my hands whenever possible, but have also started using my cell phone (not provided by my employer) for any calls I have to make, when visiting other people’s offices. From the phone alone, I have noticed that I have not gotten colds, or flu, or any other easily transmitted illness in a long, long time.

      Several years ago, I asked management to procure some alcohol wipes for me to eliminate this problem, but they looked at me like I had three heads.

      Now that I can show that I am not the only one with this observation, maybe they will listen.

      Thanks so much for posting this. It has been something that has been an issue with me for a while!

    • #2542950

      Wash you hands OFTEN!

      by atsmar ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      My mom pounded this philosophy in to me as a young boy. I follow it to this day. Always wash your hands…… and do it often. Especially if you’re handling nasty mice and keyboards. Also, wipe down your own mouse and keyboard with alcohol wipes during the cold and flu season.

    • #2609585

      You ARE a “germophobe”, Sir

      by zarathustra2010 ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      A few reasons WHY janitors leave keyboards and mice
      alone during their cleaning rounds:

      1) They MIGHT be bigger germophobes than you, and
      wont touch the nasty things.
      2) They are more than probably strictly forbidden to touch
      employee desks during their rounds. This is to make their
      bond cheaper. Or, they believe that such personal items
      are the user’s job to clean up.
      3) And they are RIGHT about both clauses of reason #2
      above. Keyboards, mice and computers, or ANYTHING in
      their cubie or on their desks SHOULD be the user’s
      responsibility. PERIOD.

      Clean your own desks and equipment, you nasty, nasty
      people!!!

    • #2922685

      Shopping & Bowser Germs

      by maggie ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      Ive always thought about the germs that you might get via the hands in public spaces. When I had babies I never used shopping trolleys. Now when I fill up with fuel I always wipe my hands with wet cloths or particularly when on long delivery trips I use disposable gloves. I have a G9 Logitech mouse which has removable covers so when my gamer son uses it he gets the cover that supposedly wicks the sweat away. It is the simple ideas that make life better.

    • #2922680

      Sanitizers

      by gsg ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      Every department has multiple bottles of sanitizer mounted on the walls, a most desks have them. In the hallways, there’s a sanitizer mounted about every 10 feet or so.

      The bathrooms have special soap, and hand lotion. A lot of people don’t realize that plain old hand lotion goes a long way to avoid spreading infection. If your hands are dry, there are microscopic cracks that critters like to hide in.

      The biggest thing you can do is handwash several times per day for 15 seconds.

      And in case you think the above is overkill, try working on machines in a hospital.

    • #2795398

      There might be another reason.

      by gypkap9 ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      When I was a young kid in the 50s, I was sick all the time. At that time there were very few kids in the neighborhood. The first three years of grade school I was still sick all the time. In 4th grade other kids moved into the neighborhood, that sickness all went away, and I’ve been pretty healthy since.
      I think that exposure to germs from all the kids around me eventually boosted my immune system till I no longer caught many colds/flu/measles (no measles vaccine in those days), and so forth.

    • #2948228

      Many, but not all IT pro’s are in bad health

      by forum surfer ·

      In reply to Why I.T pro’s get sick

      From all the conventions, training seminars and gatherings I’ve been too I notice that most IT people are in bad shape. Even if they aren’t in bad shape, they don’t have healthy habits.

      I’m not saying everyone should go on a health food kick, but changes do help. I simply quit drinking so many caffeinated drinks, watch my calorie and carb intake and joined a gym. I allow myself one caffeinated drink per day at work, but I make myself drink two bottles of water not long afterward to help get it out of my system. I know that doesn’t work, but I feel better about it and more water never hurt anyone!

      I also pick a day on the weekend to eat/drink whatever the heck I want…provided I spend 2 hours at the gym that day.

      You’d be surprised what watching your intake (even if you aren’t going as far health food nuts take it…just watch the carbs above all else) and joining a gym will do for your health. I go 7 days a week, but 3-4 days a week is enough to boost your health. Even with a small child bringing home all types of germs and colds from school I rarely get sick.

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