A study by researchers at the University of Michigan Health System found that shallow hospital sinks can cause contaminants from dirty faucets to splash, according to the Study Finds website.
Researchers found that a shallow sink can lead to the contamination of worker hands and patient care equipment and surfaces.
These contaminants sometimes were able to reach objects more than four feet away, according to the study
The study recommends that hospitals install sink guards, which significantly reduce splashing, on all sinks used by personnel.
A supplementary feature added to the end of a faucet to reduce water flow, according to Gastroenterology and Endoscopy News.
“You need to find that balance between having the appropriate sink design while making it ergonomically useful for people to wash their hands,” said Harry Zhen, MPH, an infection prevention analyst at Michigan Medicine, who presented the findings at the 2019 annual meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
Cathryn Jakicic is healthcare industries editor of FacilitiesNet.com. For more information on hospital campuses and other medical facilities, click here.
