While staph infections have long been linked to hospitals and other healthcare settings, with increasing frequency a super-drug-resistant staph strain—known as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)—has been spreading in other communal locations, such as schools and workplaces. During a recent audio conference, experts Jeffrey Hageman, an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and Dr. John Piacentino, a senior scientist for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a division of the Centers for Disease Control, discussed some common-sense measures employers can implement to help prevent the spread of MRSA.
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MRSA is primarily transmitted through close person-to-person contact, usually direct skin-to-skin contact. And practicing good hygiene—that is, washing hands—is a key way for employees to protect themselves. Experts Hageman and Piacentino offer these hand-washing tips you can pass along to your employees:
- Wash hands after using the restroom, before eating, and before and after using shared equipment or tools.
- Wash hands after removing work gloves.
- Use plain or antimicrobial soap—both are effective.
- Make sure to cover the entire hand surface with soap, then scrub for about 20 seconds. Then rinse and dry hands.
- Employees who don’t have access to a sink can use one of the many alcohol-based hand wipes available on the market.
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