5 Most Germ Infested Objects In An Office

If you've seen one office you've pretty much seen them all. Most offices are comprised of a typical lobby, reception area, restrooms, private offices, cubicles, etc. Working in an office environment is also nice because the temperature is controlled so you don't have to deal with extreme hot or cold weather. So working in an office environment can be pleasant, however there is a significant drawback, germs and lots of them.

An office building with lots of people also has lots of germs to go with it. Everyone in the building brings plenty of germs back to the office from the various places they visit each day. There are quite a few common areas in an office where germs can be easily spread causing sickness that can spread quickly throughout the building. I have listed 5 of the most common areas below.

1. The Elevator. Almost every single person that works in a multi-floor office building uses the elevator each day. Studies have shown that elevator buttons can have more than 40 times the amount of bacteria found on a public toilet seat even when cleaned regularly. Using elbows or other objects to push the buttons can help reduce exposure to those germs. Companies like Microban use technology to incorporate anti-bacterial and anti-fungal protection into products like elevator buttons to reduce the spread of disease.

2. Door Handles. We all touch them everyday and there is no real easy way around it. Door handles have lots of bacteria. Doors that require pushing to open can be opened by using your forearms or body to reduce contact, but doors that require pulling to open are little more difficult to avoid. Using a sleeve is sometimes possible. It's best to carry ant-bacterial wipes or wash hands frequently to avoid the germs on door handles.

3. The Infamous Copy / Fax Machine. Unless you're lucky enough to have your own personal copy machine or fax you are left to use the "community" copy machine where a study by the University of Arizona concluded that there are approximately 69 germs per square inch. You may want to start using your pen to hit the start button from now on.

4. The Cell Phone: This is the most germ infected object in our lives which make total sense given how attached most people are to their phones. Whether it be for work or pleasure the average person checks their phone over 2 dozen times a day. That's a lot of opportunity to spread new germs from all the other things we touch. The same study showed phones to contain 25,127 germs per square inch. Yuck. Some cell phone manufacturers are adding anti-microbial technology to the painted surfaces of phones to reduce the spread of germs. Until you have a phone like this wiping with antibacterial wipes wouldn't be a bad idea.

5. Desk Top Surface: Not far behind the number of germs on the cell phone is the desk top containing approximately 20,961 germs per square inch according to the University of Arizona study. Vigilance in disinfecting your personal space will help you and your coworkers reduce the spread of germs and overall out of office sick time.

Office environments harbor lots of places for germs to congregate. Being aware of these "hot spots" and taking personal responsibility to reduce the number of germs you spread can help everyone in your office be healthier more productive employees. If you're interested in a professional quote to assure the health of your office contact Central Maintenance.