Seen any Bugs Lately?

[Busman747]

I came across an interesting site recently that has published the result of a test in America to find out where bacteria lurk in an office.

The testing was carried out by a University in Oakland, California and 7,000 swabs were taken from offices situated in New York, San Franscisco, Tucson and Tampa.

I have decided to put this in the General Thread because it contains info that should be of interest to most of us that either sit in an office all day or enjoy their bacon butties while contributing to the Accyweb. Just how many germs do you generate - And where do they lurk? I will give the web site and answers in a couple of days.

Areas within the office were:

1. Desktop

2. Phone

3. Mouse

4. Keyboard

5. Microwave door handle

6. Elevator button

7. Photocopier start button

8. Photocopier surface

9. Toilet seat

10. Fax machine

11. Refrigerator handle

12. Water fountain handle

So where are all those nasty bugs hanging out? - and what is the safest area?

I have deleted "The Microwave" and "Desktop" from the poll as 10 is the maximum and those two are neither the best - or worst

You can have a multible choice of what you feel is the cleanest area - -

[garinda]

I went for the water fountain handle.

I won't say why, but I have a fairly disgusting imagination.

[Gayle]

I think I read once somewhere that the toilet seat isn't as dirty as you'd think. All the other things are things that men who don't wash their hands after shaking touch next!!!!

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I think I read once somewhere that the toilet seat isn't as dirty as you'd think. All the other things are things that men who don't wash their hands after shaking touch next!!!!

Men?

Don't ladies pat their daisies, or shake their lettuce, or whatever polite euphemism you'd care to use?

[Gayle]

Yes, but we wash our hands - you personally may be a very clean person but statistically there are more men than women that don't wash their hands.

[lettie]

I have gone for toilet seat as the cleanest place. I know that it sounds unlikely but I do have reasons. Toilets in most workplaces are regularly cleaned, including my workplace.
I reckon that computer keyboards are probably the dirtiest most bug laden places. Our infection control team did an audit recently which sounds very similar to the American study. Computer keyboards came out top of the grots. This was due to the users of the keyboards never cleaning them and because secretaries etc, have little or no patient contact within the hospital, they wash their hands a lot less than nursing staff..

[Mick]

The dirtiest has to be keyboards you should see staggeringman's you can get at least two meals out of it at any time hehe

[grannyclaret]

me too... toilet seat.....

[SPUGGIE J]

Cleanest photocopier surface.


Dirtiest elevator button.

[harwood red]

Oops, didn't read it properly and voted for dirtiest instead of cleanest I would have also voted for toilet seat and keyboard as the dirtiest!!

[katex]

Originally Posted by Gayle

Yes, but we wash our hands - you personally may be a very clean person but statistically there are more men than women that don't wash their hands.

Quite true Gayle, however, I think the toilet handle and doorknob still gets a brushing, as we touch these before exiting the loo to then wash our hands.

Not sure of all the nasty things we pick up from aforementioned, however, the top of the league must be the common cold of course. (leaving out hospital bugs here). Mind you that's a virus, not bacteria I suppose.

[Len]

I bet the toilet seat is the cleanest and your mouse is the dirtiest as it’s always in contact with your sweaty hand.

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by katex

Quite true Gayle, however, I think the toilet handle and doorknob still gets a brushing, as we touch these before exiting the loo to then wash our hands.

But they weren't on the list !

[kazza]

i went for photocopier surface - as long as no one is takin rude pics haha

[SPUGGIE J]

Erm erm ah ah no well not that we would admit to.