Choosing hand sanitizer involves more than just alcohol content. To find the right product, you need to consider your operational hygiene requirements, the usage environment, and the EN standards the product has been tested against.
There are many types of hand sanitizers on the market: small bottles, larger packages, pumps, dispenser systems, liquid products, and gel-based options. This variety allows you to choose a solution that suits your business, but it can also make the choice difficult.
Many people first look at the alcohol content. While important, it doesn't tell the whole story about a product's effectiveness. A high alcohol percentage doesn't automatically mean the product is suitable for all environments. A better first step is to check which European standards, known as EN tests, the product is approved according to.
For hygienic hand disinfection, EN1500 is a key standard. It demonstrates that the product has been tested to effectively reduce the number of microorganisms on hands during hygienic use.
For businesses where good hand hygiene is crucial, such as in healthcare, elderly care, the food industry, preschools, or other environments with high hygiene requirements, this is an important certification to look for.
In certain environments, an even higher level of hygiene is required. For instance, in healthcare and surgical settings, hand disinfectants tested according to EN12791, the standard for surgical hand disinfection, may be appropriate.
The product to be used depends on the business's routines, hygiene requirements, and any national or local recommendations.
In addition to EN1500 and EN12791, there are several other standards that may be relevant depending on the area of use. Some common examples include:
If a product has not been tested and approved according to a standard that is important for your operations, it should not be chosen for that specific application.
A hand sanitizer should not only be effective. It should also be practical for daily use. The best product is one that meets hygiene requirements and is actually used correctly.
Therefore, it's important to consider questions such as:
When the product is appropriate for the work environment, the likelihood of it being used correctly and regularly increases.
Consistency also plays a significant role. A thicker hand sanitizer can be easier to dispense and spread without spillage, which suits many workplaces.
In environments where gloves are frequently used, such as healthcare or the food industry, a liquid hand sanitizer without thickeners may be a better choice. Products with thickeners can leave residue on the skin, which can make it harder to put on gloves. With repeated use without handwashing in between, residue can also build up on the skin.
Therefore, hand sanitizer without thickeners is often a good alternative in environments where the product is used many times a day.
Choosing the right hand sanitizer involves combining documented efficacy with practical use. Always check which EN standards the product has been tested against and choose a product that matches your organization's hygiene requirements.
The right hand sanitizer can make a big difference – for hand hygiene, user experience, and daily operations.