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How Much Does Sickness Cost Your Business?
Work absenteeism costs U.S. employers an estimated 17 percent of payroll costs—a huge penalty that can make the difference between profit and loss for private organizations, or massive budget overruns for public employers.
Missing time from work due to illness, or taking care of a family member who is ill, is a part of life. And who can blame the working mom for staying home with her sick child, or taking time during the day to tend to an ill parent.
A survey of U.S. insurers and employers indicated that on any given day, 25 percent to 33 percent of the typical work force is not at work for a variety of reasons, including illnesses ranging from the mild to serious. This amounts to an average cost to small business of $757.00 per year and the average worker will lose $1,044.00 per year in wages.
Often the uncounted costs are even greater. These include loss of productivity and erosion of customer services that can lead to loss of business and revenue. What can a small business do? Read More.
An Ounce of Protection Keeps Germs Away
Disinfecting work equipment touch surfaces such as telephones, computer keyboards, printers, and fax machines can also help reduce the spread of germs and bacteria from one co-worker to another. Aire-Master offers the PortionPac Germicidal Detergent and Healthcare Disinfectant spray to help you kill germs on business equipment.
Handwashing is one of the best and simplest ways to dramatically reduce the spread of infection and the number of sick days, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC recommends vigorous scrubbing with warm, soapy water for at least 15 seconds.
Five Common Germ Transmitting Scenarios
Hands to food: germs are transmitted from unclean hands to food, usually by an infected food preparer who didn’t handwash after using the toilet. The germs are then passed to those who eat the food.
Infected infant to hands to other children: during diaper changing, germs are passed from an infant with diarrhea to the hands of a parent; if the parent doesn’t immediately wash his or her hands before handling another child, the germs that cause diarrhea are passed to the second child.
Food to hands to food: germs are transmitted from raw, uncooked foods, such as chicken, to hands; the germs are then transferred to other foods, such as salad. Cooking the raw food kills the initial germs, but the salad remains contaminated.
Nose, mouth, or eyes to hands to others: germs that cause colds, eye infections, and other illnesses can spread to the hands by sneezing, coughing, or rubbing the eyes and then can be transferred to other family members or friends.
Food to hands to infants: germs from uncooked foods are transferred to hands and then to infants. If a parent handling raw chicken, for example, doesn’t wash his or her hands before tending to an infant, they could transfer germs such as salmonella from the food to the infant.
Hand soaps and Sanitizer Options
Aire-Master manufactures a variety of germ-killing hand soaps and sanitizers to meet the needs of your business. Available in a 30 oz and 50 oz bulk dispensing system or 1000 ml closed pouch system.
Antibacterial Soap
– fast acting, broad spectrum antimicrobial soap with triclosan
– kills staph and other germs on contact
– use with water to remove bacteria from the hands
– contains moisturizers, gentle on hands
– green floral fragrance
– laboratory proven results
Hand Sanitizer Gel
- kills 99.9% of eight important organisms in 15 seconds
- evaporates quickly, leaving no residual odor or color
- can be used repeatedly without drying the skin
- meets OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard
- alcohol-based handrubs recommended by CDC
* also available in 8.5 oz pump bottle or 2 oz flip cap bottle
Contact Your Aire-Master Representative
Be sure to ask your Aire-Master representative for more information on disinfectants and germ-killing hand soaps and sanitizers for your business. Take control of absenteeism at your workplace this year.
