Promoting hygiene after lockdown

FREOM THE outset, the government gave clear advice on how to wash hands effectively. Efficient hand drying is also vital to limit the spread of the virus, as microbes survive better in moisture, so any that remain on skin after washing are more likely to spread to other surfaces when people do not dry their hands properly.

Now, as workplaces and educational establishments gradually reopen following lockdown, the need to ensure the highest possible level of hand hygiene has never been more important in order to minimise the risk of further waves of COVID-19.

A recent, high profile piece of research by the University of Leeds found that paper towels remove remaining microbes more efficiently than electric hand dryers. Many within the hygiene industry also believe that hand dryers help disperse the virus through the air, and so instead recommend single use paper towels on this basis also.

The North Shore premium proprietary system range of washroom dispensers and consumables - created by leading manufacturer and supplier, Northwood Hygiene Products - is leading the way in the provision of Away-from-Home (AfH) professional paper hygiene and wiping products as the country emerges from lockdown, with hygiene credentials that are second to none.

Hand towel dispensers

North Shore offers users a choice of three high capacity hand towel dispensers, all with a range of hygiene-promoting features. They are also low-maintenance, minimising the amount of time that busy janitorial staff need to spend on their replenishment. This is particularly crucial at a time when these employees are tasked with the significant responsibility of maintaining higher than usual levels of cleanliness throughout their facilities.

The transmission of COVID-19 is thought to occur through contact with contaminated surfaces as well as via respiratory droplets generated by coughing and sneezing, and the virus can survive for several days on hard surfaces such as plastic.  

This being the case, dispensing systems that do not require the user to touch the unit in order to extract tissue, and those allowing people to touch only the paper they require, offer a clear hygiene advantage. Those that can be easily thoroughly wiped clean are also preferable, as are those where fresh towels are kept locked and wrapped.

Durability is also important in order to minimise the level of janitorial maintenance required, so systems such as North Shore, manufactured from tough acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, are ideal.

Designed for the ultimate luxury experience, North Shore’s no-touch Hybrid Roll Towel system is sensor operated and delivers single sheet presentation, so that people only touch the paper they will use. A high capacity unit, it can be replenished with ease and speed. The dispenser is engineered to offer market-leading smoothness and quietness of delivery, as expected in higher end washrooms.

North Shore’s Mechanical Hands Free Roll Towel dispenser is another no-touch, single sheet solution, featuring rolls which are kept locked and clean until required.  It is high capacity, designed to facilitate simple replenishment and allows easy stub roll transfer, so minimising the requirement for janitorial maintenance.

Designed for demanding washrooms where space is at a premium, North Shore’s compact yet high capacity Folded Hand Towel dispenser delivers single sheet presentation, minimising over-use. Featuring anti-blocking technology, it is easy to use and so ideal for environments frequented by children.

The three hygienic hand towel dispensing solutions are joined in the North Shore portfolio by a range of toilet tissue and soap dispensers and consumables. Available in a choice of three colourways - Ocean Blue, Ice White and Midnight Black – there is a North Shore system to coordinate with busy washrooms of any colour scheme.

70% of North Shore paper products are made from recycled paper,  the entire range offers 100% recyclable packaging and the dispensers themselves can be recycled.

Customers also benefit from North Shore’s competitive cost-in-use. As well as the single sheet hand towel units, toilet roll dispensers ensure that each roll may only be accessed when the preceding one has been exhausted and free-rolling is not possible.  

Hygiene gels

In order to enable organisations to provide people with easy to access hand sanitation, both within and outwith the washroom, Northwood has launched a range of hygiene gels, affirming its status as a one-stop-shop as lockdown is lifted. Available in 500ml and 250ml pump dispensers, the Hand Hygiene Gels can be distributed throughout facilities, promoting regular application.

The new Trichol Gel has been designed to allow organisations to refill their dispensers with a formula that kills 99.9% of Gram+ and Gram- bacteria within 15 seconds, and meets both EN1276 and EN1500 hygiene standards.

Organisations wishing to upgrade their washroom to the North Shore system may do so free on loan via selective distribution.