Office and Commercial Real Estate Magazine, April 2010

The importance of proper hand hygiene continues to be widely publicized, following the unexpected and rapid spread of H1N1 virus cases reported in the Southeast in 2009. Signs posted throughout facilities and restrooms educate occupants to “prevent illness by washing your hands thoroughly” and “frequently sanitize your hands to stay healthy.” Hand hygiene is extremely important to keep buildings safe and healthy, but what about restroom hygiene practices? These unspoken practices, due to the nature of their subject, are often left without discussion. However, proper restroom sanitation measures – for both men’s and women’s restrooms - are just as important as other hygiene practices so commonly preached.

As facility managers and property owners voice their opinions on restroom maintenance topics, the most common complaint about the men’s room is odor. The presence of bacteria causes an all-too-familiar unpleasant smell, and the urinals in the men’s restroom are the most common culprits. One solution, an automatic cleaning service, will sanitize toilet or urinal bowls on each flush, dramatically reducing the offensive smell of urine and providing a fresh odor neutralizer. An environmentally friendly air freshening service that uses essential oils and natural wicks can eliminate malodor in even the most heavily utilized restrooms.

In the women’s restroom, sanitary napkin disposal receptacles are frequently pegged as the most bacteria-ridden hot spots. However, the receptacles receive the least attention when educating building occupants about proper hygiene to decrease the spread of illness.

Standard “bag in a box” sanitary waste receptacles found in most facility restrooms consist of a metal or plastic box containing a small liner mounted on the stall’s partition. Studies conducted show these receptacles are frequently contaminated with blood-borne pathogens, such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. The dangers of touching the receptacles containing soiled sanitary waste only escalate, as statistics show that many restroom users do not wash their hands after using the restroom.

Because of the archaic features of the standard feminine hygiene receptacles, ladies will avoid having to touch or properly utilize the containers to dispose of their sanitary waste. If a building with a large population of women has a heavy influx of restroom traffic, the receptacles commonly overflow and leave unsightly trash on the floor. Often, the outside metal or plastic will become soiled as ladies try unsuccessfully to dispose of their waste quickly without exposing themselves to waste from previous restroom users.

Just think, if ladies don’t want to use the receptacles just once a month, can you imagine having to clean them on a daily basis? The receptacles pose a great risk of sickness and downtime sickness and downtime for janitorial staff as well.

Another common complaint from facility maintenance crews is the frequent plumbing blockages in the women’s restroom. Most facility managers and property owners realize the magnitude of the problem when “plumbing services” appears on the annual budget as a line item. Although signage stating “Please do not flush sanitary waste. Use the sanitary napkin receptacles provided” is well known to most stall walls, the majority of the plumbing blockages can be attributed to flushed feminine hygiene products. Women do not take heed of the posted message because they simply do not wish to touch, see or smell such germ-laden objects. Not only is flushing waste detrimental to each building’s plumbing, but also the environment. The sanitary waste, including tampon applicators, ends up in our shorelines, rivers and lakes. In addition, tampons and sanitary napkins do not decompose in sewer systems, therefore causing more damage.

Top employers such as Cox Communications, City of Atlanta, MARTA and Ricoh have implemented a touch-free service to address the nagging problems associated with sanitary napkin disposal. In order to ensure the safety and health of their building occupants, a touchless feminine hygiene unit is placed in each restroom stall. Each unit contains an environmentally friendly liner, along with a bio-degradable Eco-Card that inhibits the growth of bacteria like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. In addition, the unit has a built in “courtesy flap” that blocks the viewing or exposure to any waste previously deposited in the unit.

On a regular scheduled service interval, each touch-free feminine hygiene unit is replaced with a newly cleaned and sanitized unit. Feminine Hygiene Unit service gives ladies a safe alternative to dispose of sanitary waste, while also protecting other restroom users from potential cross-infection risks posed by traditional receptacles. Find out how to implement a clean, green, touch-free alternative to an antiquated sanitary waste system. Your facility will reap the rewards of decreased risk of cross-infection, fewer plumbing blockages, proper feminine hygiene practices and enhanced wellness initiatives.