Georgia-Pacific Professional

Fiction

Any paper towel will do.

Fact

Not in a high-risk food environment. Selection of the actual paper quality for hand drying will have a major impact on both pathogen removal and frequency of washing. All paper is not the same.

Best practice paper companies invest in the right fiber selection, pulping technology, sheet forming, and calendaring know how to make a best practice hand-friendly towel. Achieving the right balance of wet strength, absorbency, surface smoothness, and texturing is critical to overall performance. Price per hand dried (not price per roll) is one factor to consider but as important for high-risk users are skin irritation and pathogen absorbency factors. Best practice companies provide these comparisons.

Fiction

Air dryers are cheap and eco friendly.

Fact

Air dryers are a poor choice for hand drying and have no place in a high-risk food prep and restroom environment.

Even the fastest are slow and lack the all-important friction factor for pathogen removal. Yes, they avoid the need to recycle waste paper but savings are offset by hidden electricity usage and immeasurable losses in staff time. Beyond the economics are the problems with contaminated blower nozzles and partially dried hands.

Fiction

Reusable cloth towels are a good
substitute.

Fact

Clean, dry cloth towels will dry hands and remove pathogens effectively. They can be a good choice when clean and dry can be assured.

This is virtually impossible in high volume commercial environments. High traffic locations quickly swamp even the best-intended servicing strategies and users are presented with a dirty, wet, contaminated, end of roll towel. Even the simple task of moving the towel to the next clean, dry location creates cross-contamination. When the towel is dirty and wet the risk for cross-contamination is unacceptable.

Fiction

Cheap towels are good enough.

Fact

The lowest total cost paper towel is the best practical decision. Total cost calculations must include an effectiveness factor, the amount used per hand drying occasion, and dermatological impact on the user.

A user requiring twice as much lower cost paper to dry their hands effectively doubles the total cost of paper. When a high-risk user’s hands become irritated by paper roughness he or she stops washing. What is the total cost of underwashing by a high-risk user? Is it a risk worth taking? Can you buy enough liability insurance? Understanding the operator’s risk profile is critical to the paper selection decision.

Fiction

Hand drying time isn’t important.

Fact

Not true. We find the “best” employees in high-risk environments are usually at the highest risk for cross-contamination. Best in most business environments means most productive and time spent washing and drying hands is too often perceived as “non-productive” even “wasted” time. Disposable paper towels are both the most effective and the fastest method for drying hands. A win-win situation for your “best” employees and your business.

Fiction

Buttons and levers on dispensers get contaminated.

Fact

Very, very true. University of Arizona research found paper towel levers to be dirty and dangerous contamination sources.

HandwashingForLife® research has found very high levels of dispenser contamination on soap buttons, paper towel levers, faucet handles, and exit doors. Hands-free dispensers are not only safer but they also encourage more frequent hand washing and sanitizing. User-friendly dispensers are a best practice decision in high-risk food environments.

Fiction

Automatic dispensers are just for “show.”

Fact

Yes & no. Automatic faucets and dispensers are becoming popular in “consumer” restrooms for the “statement” they make about the facility.

But, safe-smart operators are also installing them in employee washrooms, facility entry points, and worksite locations.
HandwashingForLife® strongly advocates all “hands-free” dispensers but in-field testing consistently shows the fully automatic dispenser makes hand hygiene easier, safer and friendlier. In most situations they also lower the total cost of hand hygiene through better control of product usage.