Why Hand Hygiene is Important
Proper hand hygiene is the single most effective method of preventing the spread of bacteria. Despite the overwhelming evidence to support the need for effective hand washing, only 5% of people take the necessary 20 seconds to complete the job. Even in healthcare and foodservice, where bacterial spread can sicken and kill many people, compliance levels are less than 40% on average. The level of hand hygiene compliance within an organization can have a significant impact in industries such as healthcare, food service, and education.
Healthcare
Poor hand hygiene is considered the leading cause of healthcare-associated-illnesses.
There are an estimated 1.7 million cases of HAI’s in the US each year leading to approximately 100,000 deaths.
HAI’s cost U.S. hospitals over $30 billion annually.
Foodservice
According to the CDC around 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne illnesses each year, including about 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.
Each instance of foodborne illness can cost an establishment around $75,000.
Education
22 million school days are lost each year due to the common cold.