It’s no surprise that as the weather improves, students and staff are spending more time outdoors taking advantage of playgrounds, outdoor seating, dining areas, and athletic and sports fields. Many campuses, additionally, have begun to utilize temporary or even permanent outdoor learning spaces. While the outdoors is a great place to play and learn, unfortunately, it can also be a major source of illness-causing germs.
It’s easy to think that germs won’t survive in outside conditions – with exposure to UV, rain, and extreme cold or hot temperatures – but that is not always the case. While temperature and humidity of the environment can determine how long germs live outside the body, some germs may live for several hours to days, depending on what it is and where it’s residing. Also, germs may live longer on some surfaces like stainless steel, metal, plastic, and other hard surfaces – compared to soft surfaces like fabric.
Where do “outdoor” germs come from?
Many germs that we are exposed to in outdoor environments come from contaminated surfaces or objects, called “fomites.” While playing on climbing frames and slides and using shared objects like water fountains, sports and athletic equipment, and even outdoor seating, students are exposed to the germs of others who have used these surfaces or items before them. In fact, a study published by the University of Arizona found that almost half of playground equipment was contaminated with bacteria.1 And, a study by Home Advisor found that the average playground had more than 1000x as many germs as a toilet seat!2 In some cases, these surfaces may even harbor potentially dangerous Staphylococcus bacteria, such as those commonly known as “MRSA,” which are resistant to antibiotics.3
While they are germy settings, playground areas of daycare facilities and elementary schools are not the only outdoor spaces with germs. Athletic fields and outdoor training facilities are major reservoirs for germs, with shared equipment and close contact between student athletes. Additionally, as more educational facilities move dining outside and take learning outdoors into structures like amphitheaters, these shared spaces can also be sources of germs, and frequently touched hard surfaces need to be cleaned and disinfected in a similar way to how they are maintained inside the facility.
What is the best hygiene approach to keep “outdoor” germs outside?
There are ways to help prevent outdoor germs from making their way into the building. Although often neglected, outdoor surface cleaning and disinfection does have a role to play, but not all surfaces can be easily disinfected.
With many germs spread by contaminated hands, one of the most efficient solutions is to promote hand hygiene, especially before re-entering indoor facilities. Since many campuses don't have adequate outdoor restrooms or handwashing stations with soap and water, hand sanitizer may be a better option for rapid, “on-the-spot” germ removal. However, there are some unique factors to consider for the placement and use of sanitizer in outdoor areas. Here are a few tips to help ensure the hand sanitizer provided will be effective at keeping “outside” germs out of your facility:
- Choose an effective product. Make sure hand sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol and avoid products that have been banned or recalled.4 It’s also important to make sure it’s properly labelled and avoid the use of “bulk” refillable dispensers due to the potential for contamination or alcohol evaporation.5 (For more on this, read our blog "Study Shows Potential Health Risks Associated with Refilling Dispensers and Using Inferior Products.")
- Make sure it’s maintained properly. When purchasing products for your facility, choose the right size product and dispensing system for the number of users and the maintenance schedule of staff. Discard any product that looks like it’s been compromised or tampered with.
- Place hand sanitizer to promote its ease-of-use where it matters the most. Key placement areas include building entrances (indoors or outdoors), main entrances to playground areas and outdoor learning facilities, seating or picnic areas where food may be consumed, beside trash receptacles, and in the vicinity of athletic fields/outdoor training facilities.
- Post signs in highly visible locations to promote use. Students and staff may not use the sanitizer provided unless they are reminded of its importance. Consider promoting key moments and good practices for hand hygiene in outdoor spaces in the same way it’s promoted inside facilities.
- Consider “fixed” or stationary outdoor dispensers. A common concern is how to ensure a bottle of hand sanitizer doesn't "walk away." Attaching cables or using tape to try to secure bottles to surfaces is not terribly effective at preventing its disappearance. A better solution is to provide a locking hand sanitizer enclosure that is stationary and easy to maintain.
Finally, make sure the dispenser itself is weather-resistant – if it needs to be – based on its location and environmental conditions.
When buying hand sanitizer for your facilities – don’t forget your outdoor spaces. Outdoor hand sanitizer stations are an ideal solution to help students sanitize their hands before, during, and after using outdoor learning, dining, or play spaces.
The new PURELL® CS4 All-Weather Dispensing System offers convenient hand hygiene options (soap or hand sanitizer) in a durable dispenser that can withstand exposure to harsh and outdoor environments. The dispenser is made of engineered resin that is over 3X stronger than materials used in most dispensers,6 so it is built to last in environments too harsh to place traditional dispensers or where dispenser vandalism and damage is high. For more information, visit https://www.gojo.com/en/Product/5524-01 for the hand sanitizer system and https://www.gojo.com/en/Product/5534-01 for the hand soap system.