When people think of workplace health and safety, chances are their first thought is the prevention of some kind of obvious hazard, whether it’s lifting heavy objects or getting injured by machinery. However, one of our biggest workplace health and safety risks is the spread of illness.

That’s why effective handwashing is so important, and why it’s an employer’s responsibility to encourage the practice. Handwashing practices are a key way to prevent the spread of germs and infectious diseases, with research showing it can reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses like colds by 16-21%.

Additionally, consider the importance of mental health alongside physical health. Download our mental health helpline poster here to provide crucial support to your employees.

As an employer, you can’t stand at the sink and monitor handwashing yourself, but there’s a few easy ways to remind your team to prioritise good hand hygiene. One is by downloading our hand hygiene poster and pinning it up by any sinks in your workplace, such as in restrooms or shared kitchens.

Download our hand hygiene poster by filling in the form on the right. 

What are some industries that can benefit from using hand hygiene posters?

All businesses with a physical work location can benefit from hand hygiene posters, regardless of their industry. Don’t forget that even if you’re working in an industry that doesn’t involve working in high-risk, ‘unclean’ or outdoor environments, hand hygiene is still important.

To further enhance workplace safety, check out our COVID-19 workplace hygiene policy template here to keep your employees safe during the pandemic.

Hands should be washed multiple times a day, not just after using the toilet, but before eating or preparing food, after blowing your nose, at the end of a commute or after coughing or sneezing.

Are handwashing posters required by law?

It depends on where you are, but generally they’re an additional way to encourage hand hygiene at work.

In Australia, New Zealand and the UK, encouraging effective hand hygiene and providing safe hand washing facilities is part of your workplace health and safety responsibilities as an employer.

However, putting up hand hygiene posters is a suggestion, not a legal requirement. Studies have shown that they can make a positive difference in the frequency of handwashing in a working environment.

For more on creating a supportive workplace environment, download our guide on how to support your team through a natural disaster here.

How can you encourage employees to wash their hands thoroughly?

As already mentioned, you can encourage handwashing by putting up a hand hygiene poster. A few other ways to ensure safe hand hygiene as an employer are to provide:

• Access to clean, warm running water
• Access to liquid soap (proven to be more hygienic than bar soap)
• Paper hand towels for use
• Taps which switch on and off through a handsfree mechanism
• Hand sanitizer in busy areas (although handwashing is a preferable option in all cases)

Promoting mental well-being is also crucial. Download our ‘know the signs’ poster here to help recognise signs of mental health struggles in the workplace.

Remember that encouraging effective hand hygiene is an important part of ensuring workplace health and safety. Read more tips on how you can prioritise health and safety at work in our blog.

Download our free, printable hand hygiene poster now