magazine
42
Computer Cleaning
AF’s research shows that only 35% of
employers provide staff with the means
to keep equipment clean and hygienic,
despite the growing practice of al desko
dining. More than half (54.8%) of survey
respondents admit to eating at their
desk, while picking up phones, touching
screens and tapping on keyboards.
Almost one in five respondents eats
breakfast at their desk every day.
AF warns that in a warm office
environment, dirt and grime left on surfaces
will cause germs to multiply and spread.
And don’t think that employing office
cleaners will get you off the hook. According
to AF, contract cleaners often use dusters
and wax-based polishes, which seal germs
in. So even if your workplace looks and
smells clean, hygiene might be an issue.
Worryingly, of the small number of
employers who do provide staff with IT
cleaning products, 41% supply dusters and
polish.
Despite the lack of cleaning equipment,
47% of men and 33% of women regularly
clean electronic equipment themselves.
However, they rarely use the most effective
method. For example, 42.1% of
respondents clean their mobile
phone by wiping the screen with
a sleeve or other item of clothing:
only 13% use a specialist cleaning cloth.
Commenting on the findings Karen
Harrison, Group Marketing Manager at AF
International, said: “The poll has provided
a fantastic insight into how the British
public use and clean their office
technology. Most of us use specially
formulated cleaning products, such
as anti-bacterial sprays, to maintain
a hygienically clean environment
at home and it’s our job to ensure
people understand the benefits of
AF International’s item-specific
cleaning products for a much
cleaner and germ-free
environment at work.”
To find out more about
how AF International
products can help you
take better care of your
office IT, visit
www.
AF-betterhealth.com
or
.
AF lifts the dirt
on IT hygiene
Businesses are failing to provide staff with adequate
cleaning products for office IT, according to an
AF International survey of 1,000 adults who
regularly use desktop computers, laptops, tablets
and mobile phones in the workplace.
As someone who eats al desko on a regular basis,
I know only too well how computer keyboards
magically attract every crumb that falls. Even so,
for a long time my computer cleaning regime
consisted of little more than a vigorous shake
whenever something largeish became wedged
beneath a keycap. It was only when I had to share
my notebook with someone I don’t know well that
I realised how disgusting my keyboard had become.
I had heard about AF’s range of cleaning products,
but would they be up to the task of removing
months of grime and associated germs? First, I
used the company’s compressed air Sprayduster
to blast detritus from the keyboard, followed by
vigorous wiping with several anti-bacterial Phone-
clene wipes. Finally, I polished the screen with AF
anti-static Screen-Clene wipes. Needless to say,
my notebook now looks brand new.With cleaning
products this effective, who needs good hygiene?
Copper mice
US company Operator Interface Technology is
tackling the problem of hygiene in offices with
the launch of a new range of antimicrobial copper
keyboards and matching mice. Copper is inherently
antimicrobial, meaning it will rapidly kill bacteria
and viruses on contact. This makes the products
particularly useful in medical environments. In a
clinical trial of antimicrobial copper surfaces, three
US hospitals replaced just six key touch surfaces in
intensive care unit rooms, including computer input
devices, with antimicrobial
copper equivalents and saw
a 58% drop in the risk of a
patient acquiring a healthcare-
associated infection.
Four-stage filtration
It is not only the surfaces we touch that can cause
health problems: for many hay fever sufferers the
air around us is equally hazardous. To help them
and other allergy sufferers, Fellowes has launched
a new range of AeraMax air purifiers endorsed by
Allergy UK, the British Allergy Foundation. All three
models feature a true HEPA filter, an EU-certified
level of ‘High Efficiency Particulate Absorption’,
which removes 99.97% of airborne particles as
small as 0.3 microns, including pollen, dust mites,
pet dander and other
allergens.
Inspirational app
An app designed to help health professionals and
their patients combat obesity by setting goals
and monitoring progress has won a Mobile &
App Design Award. Developed byWhite October,
MyPace was designed in partnership with dietitans
and with funding from the European Food
Information Council. It enables dietitians to record
objectives, track the patient’s progress and mood,
and send them motivational messages between
appointments.
myPaceapp.com
In brief
Before
After
The keyboard of shame
