Hands Free Hand Washing

For the purpose of this blog post, our group chose to focus on hands-free sinks, that work with a sensor. We decided on going to the near-by University Mall public restrooms, and place our “This is Public Health” sticker there. We specifically looked at this location since it is a central destination and location for many USF students and residents of the area, and the public restrooms at this shopping center are often used. Hands-free sinks is often overlooked as an aspect of public health, but combined with other forms of preventative care, it can really make a difference. Since (most of us) leave the bathroom stalls with somewhat filthy hands and fingers, touching the sinks before we have thoroughly washed our hands, may be a health hazard. Therefore, hands-free sinks eliminate this problem, and one can wash his or her hands without worrying about possible bacteria or germs! Combined with other public health aspects such as hands-free hand dryers, and hands-free hand sanitizers, it can prevent the spread of many viruses as well. For instance, the H1N1 virus could have been prevented if everyone thoroughly washed their hands multiple times a day. Using hands-free sinks make public restrooms less of a public health hazard, and can make a great preventative care tool. The hands free sinks were also equipped with hands free soap dispensers, which just adds to the benefits of having hands free hand washing all together. You do not have to touch the soap to operate it, as it just uses a motion sensor to detect your hands, which in turn dispenses the right amount of soap to thoroughly wash your hands to prevent the spread of germs. With the combination of hands free sinks and hands free soap, we will eliminate the spread of germs from multiple people touching the same objects repeatedly and prevent illness.

Ashley Roy, Melissa Conn, & Kelli McClintock