'Unsanitary' hand dryers in third of schools

A third of New Zealand's schools are using hand dryers that are potentially leaving children's hands dirtier than when they left the toilet cubicle.

The findings come from a study in which 400 New Zealand parents and 100 schools were asked about washroom hygiene.

SCA Hygiene Australasia commissioned the study in a bid to learn more about washroom behaviour, fears about the upcoming flu season and the best way to reduce bacteria on hands during the drying process.

SCA spokesman Mark Stevens said not all hand drying methods were created equal - but not everyone was aware of that fact.

"Most people know that washing your hands with soap and water is important but it is the method that you then use to dry them that determines how clean your hands are.

"The key is getting your hands dry because germs thrive in a moist environment."

Mr Stevens quoted research from the University of Westminster which found warm air dryers increase the bacteria on hands by up to 254 per cent - a fact which came as a big surprise to nearly three-quarters of the parents surveyed.

The survey also found 90 per cent of parents wanted their children's school to improve hygiene levels in student washrooms.

In the second part of the study, 82 per cent of schools said washroom hygiene was important in maintaining good health and reducing the risk of sicknesses such as the flu. However, only half were worried about the upcoming flu season.

Nearly two-thirds of New Zealand's schools said they already had paper towels, but they were more common in primary than secondary schools and in schools with fewer than 100 students.

When asked why the school chose that particular kind of hand drying mechanism around half said it was because that option was perceived to be more hygienic, followed closely by "that's just the way it's always been". A third said the cost of paper towel refills influenced their decisions.

The study found some surprising differences in the drying mechanisms offered for students and teachers. While 59 per cent of students had access to paper hand towels, 77 per cent of teachers had them. It also found that 2 per cent of the schools surveyed did not have any hand-drying devices.

Overall the study concluded that paper towels would "completely dominate the market" if hygiene alone was the sole factor.

However, the reality was that factors such as cost, particularly in larger secondary schools, and environmental impacts played a big role in what hand-drying mechanism was used.

School Trustees Association president Lorraine Kerr said paper towels were a problem in some schools - particularly boys' schools - where students wet them and threw them against walls and ceilings.

THERE'S THE RUB

Student hand drying method

* Paper hand towels - 59 per cent
* Warm air dryers - 34 per cent
* Linen roll towels - 23 per cent
* Jet air dryers - 4 per cent
* Other - 8 per cent
* None - 2 per cent

Staff hand drying method

* Paper hand towels - 77 per cent
* Warm air dryers - 14 per cent
* Linen roll towels - 16 per cent
* Jet air dryers - 2 per cent
* Other - 16 per cent
* None - 0 per cent

Percentages don't add to 100 as some schools have more than one drying method.