By Facility Executive Staff
From the August 2020 Issue
The topic of hygiene has come to the forefront as business reopening plans are introduced around the world. While leading health organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommend the use of hand dryers, misinformation about this equipment remains. Kelly Reynolds, Ph.D., Professor and Department Chair at the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, offered an explanation as to the root of these misconceptions, stating that, “Consumers may only read headlines which can influence public opinion toward biased or erroneous conclusions, the fact is, the breadth of data available does not favor one hand drying method as being more hygienic or safer.”
Excel Dryer, a maker of commercial hand dryers based in East Longmeadow, MA, provides a touchless hand drying solution to help prevent potential cross-contamination between restroom surfaces and wet hands. All dryers in the company’s product line are hygienic, and their dryers with HEPA have been proven to add another level of protection. Viral efficiency testing conducted by independent air media and filter testing company, LMS Technologies in April 2020 found that the company’s XLERATOR®, XLERATOReco®, and XLERATORsync® Hand Dryers with HEPA Filtration Systems remove 99.999% of viruses from the airstream.
William Gagnon, vice president of marketing and sales at Excel Dryer, in addressing misinformation and biases about hand dryers, said, “Hand dryers are hygienic and have been used to properly dry hands for decades. In addition to top health organizations recommending their use, hand dryers also provide significant benefits over paper that are undisputable. For example, our recent test results prove XLERATOR hand dryers with HEPA Filtration Systems remove 99.999% of viruses from the airstream, something paper will never be able to do.”
Conversely, paper towels may not be as hygienic as the public believes, notes Excel Dryer. One independent study¹ showed 17 species of bacteria on unused, recycled paper towels, including Bacillus, which can cause food poisoning. After their use, damp paper towels are a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria in and around trash receptacles and can be used to clog toilets and sinks. If the paper towels are out of stock, visitors cannot dry their hands at all, and wet hands have been shown to be 1,000 times more likely to transfer germs than dry hands.
Gagnon stated, “I encourage members of the public and those individuals charged with the creation of guidelines, reopening plans or facilities operations, to dive deeper into news articles and hygiene studies rather than simply believing sensationalized, click-bait headlines born from biased results. Hand dryers are safe and hygienic. They dry hands completely, and are a top defense against the spread of germs.”
References
¹ www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(11)00967-9/abstract
Find out more about the hand dryers discussed in this article at www.exceldryer.com.
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