Pitfalls of Commercial Sinks for Handwashing

There's always been a need for a high-level of hygiene in restaurants, airports and many other sensitive, high-traffic settings. These areas require more attention to personal hygiene, which means handwashing has extremely high importance.

With that importance comes a greater necessity to equip employees and the general public with the right tools to achieve optimal hand hygiene. Commercial handwashing stations, either manual or semi-automated, are the most common choice due to their competitive cost and familiarity to all, but they have some serious pitfalls that need addressing

Cross-contamination

One major issue common among manual handwashing stations is the opportunity for cross contamination. From turning on and off the faucet, to pumping the soap or paper towel dispenser, there are countless opportunities to pass around germs and recontaminate your hands.

Varying levels of efficacy 

While cross-contamination can be mitigated by semi-automated sinks, soap dispensers, and towel dispensers, you are still faced with reliance on the user to perform each step properly. And there are a lot of steps in the handwashing process! With manual handwashing there is a high likelihood steps will be skipped or done improperly, resulting in insufficient pathogen removal.

Waste!

A lesser known negative of manual commercial sinks is the amount of water wasted. During a manual hand wash around 60% of the water used never even touches the hand! Semi-automated sinks can help reduce water waste by turning off automatically while the user is scrubbing, but that presents additional problems. Most semi-automated faucets lack proper water flow and have poor sensor technology that results in the "hand dance", people waving their hands in hopes of starting water flow only for it to turn off too quickly or not turn on at all! These factors reduce efficacy even further. 

Commercial businesses face high direct traffic across various industries. These companies not only have to worry about the health and safety of their employees but also their customers. Between public restrooms and food preparation areas, these businesses rely on commercial hand wash sinks and their effectiveness daily.

These unreliable hand hygiene methods pose serious risk to businesses. It's important to provide an effective, easy to use hygiene method to protect your employees, your guests, and your brand. 

Come clean with Meritech

Compared to commercial hand wash sinks, automated handwashing stations make a huge difference in improving and regulating hand hygiene. By reducing washing time, enhancing cleanliness and tracking employee compliance, employers can better enforce hygiene protocols and create a safer, healthier environment for both employees and consumers.

Manufacturing the perfect hand wash has been Meritech's goal for many years. Incorporating the finest materials and best engineering, and with an eye on customer satisfaction, Meritech is here to help businesses achieve their hygiene goals.

To learn more, contact us today!