Personal Hygiene and Household CleanlinessWhat are some good personal hygiene

practices that you use....or should use?

Washing your hands and food, and keeping your house clean

Washing Your Hands to Reduce the Spread of DiseaseWashing hands = single most effective way to

prevent infectious diseaseHands spread 80% of infectious disease ie)

common cold, fluWhen should you wash your hands?a.Before and after preparing meals and eatingb.After using the washroomc.After handling petsd.After blowing your nose or coughing and sneezing• What is considered proper practice for sneezing

now?

Washing HandsNeed three things:a.Waterb.Soap – soap does not kill germsc.Rubbing of Hands – kills germs with soap and

water because it helps to break down the dirt and grease that germs cling to

Washing HandsPublic Health Agency of Canada

Antibacterial soaps and household cleaners are not better at preventing the spread of common illnesses than regular soaps and cleaners

Antibiotic resistance: overuse of antibacterial soaps and cleaners resulting in antibiotic drugs and disinfectants no longer able to kill micro-organisms that cause diseasecan use alcohol-based cleaners

Kill both good and bad bacteria

Washing Hands

Washing Hands1. Wet hands: Remove all rings or other jewellery,

and wet your hands with warm running water.2. Soap: Put a small amount of liquid soap in the

palm of one hand. If using bar soap, set it on a rack so it does not sit in water. Bar soaps that stay moist attract germs.

3. Lather: Scrub your hands together. Make sure to scrub between your fingers, under your fingernails, and the backs of your hands. Do this for about 20 seconds (this is about the same time it takes to sing a short song like “Happy Birthday” twice).

Washing Hands4.Rinse: Rinse your hands with warm running

water for at least 10 seconds. Try not to handle the faucets in public washrooms once your hands are clean. Use a paper towel to turn off the water.

5.Dry: If you are in a public washroom, dry your hands with a single-use paper towel or air dryer. Protect them from touching dirty surfaces as you leave the washroom. If you are at home using a hand towel, be sure to change it daily. At home during cold and flu season, each member of your family could have their own hand towel.

Washing HandGood and simple hygiene practices to stop

spread of germs at home, work, school:Disinfect your kitchen sink and counters daily

using bleach, ammonia, alcohol, or vinegar-based cleaners. (Cleaning with soap removes dirt. Disinfecting kills germs.)

Regularly disinfect your bathroom, including all doorknobs and faucets.

Regularly disinfect your desk and computer keyboard, and avoid eating at your desk.

Washing HandsKeep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and

mouth.Cough or sneeze into your elbow instead of your

hands.Do not share pens, cups, glasses, dishes, or

cutlery at school or work.Do not pick up magazines and newspapers in

doctors’ waiting rooms, staff kitchens, or on public transit.

Stay at home if you are sick to avoid spreading germs to other people.

Foodborne Illness and Safe Food Handling11-13 million Canadians each year suffer from

foodborne illnessesFoodborne Illness: person gets sick from

eating food that has been contaminated with an unwanted micro-organism or pathogen = Food Poisoning

Symptoms: stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever....as well as death Example: Botulism Poisoning – poorly preserved

food; result in respiratory failure and death

Foodborne Illness and Safe Food Handling PracticesHard to control because most food is

produced and processed in large amounts by big corporations and/or is imported

Once in food processing plant, can cross-contaminate other food

All of these factors lead to a greater chance of foodborne bacteria being spread to a large number of people

Foodborne Illness and Safe Food Handling PracticesNew types of foodborne bacteria are being identifiedExample: Listeria Monocyogenes – causes Listeriosis

Contaminated meat products – Maple Leaf Foods recall

Foodborne Illness and Safe Handling PracticesIn Canada, federal, provincial, and municipal

levels of government are responsible for public health and food safety

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA):Set rules for how food is processed and soldTests for safety and warns public if discover

unsafe food productshttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml

Foodborne Illness and Safe Handling PracticesBacteria can survive food processingFood can also become contaminated during

preparation, cooking, storage Safe food handling practices = covers how

you buy, store, handle and prepare foodBacteria grow between 4-60 degrees Celsius

Keeping food cold (below 4 degrees C) slows growth of bacteria

Freezing food (below 18 degrees C) stop from growing

Foodborne Illness and Safe Handling PracticesFreezing bacteria wont kill it, need to cook

food to kill itFood Temperature (°C)

Beef, veal, and lamb (medium-rare) 63

Beef, veal, and lamb (well done) 77

Pork 71

Poultry (e.g., chicken, turkey, duck), pieces 74

Poultry, whole 85

Egg dishes 74

Other foods (e.g., hot dogs, stuffing,

leftovers)

74

Foodborne Illness and Safe Handling Practices

Foodborne Illness and Safe Handling PracticesClean: Always wash your hands, utensils, and

cooking surfaces before handling food, while you prepare it, and after you are finished.

Disinfect kitchen surfaces and utensils.Wash fruits and vegetables with fresh cool

running water before preparing and eating them. Use a brush to scrub produce with firm or rough surfaces (e.g., potatoes, carrots).

Foodborne Illness and Safe Handling PracticesSeparate:Keep meats and their juices separated from

other food in the refrigerator and during preparation.

Keep separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meats and vegetables/fruits.

Always keep food covered in the refrigerator.

Foodborne Illness and Safe Handling PracticesChill:After grocery shopping, refrigerate fruits and

vegetables quickly.Keep your refrigerator at the proper

temperature (≤ 4 °C).Keep your freezer at the proper temperature

(≤ -18 °C).Refrigerate/freeze leftovers and prepared

food within two hours.

Foodborne Illness and Safe Handling PracticesCook:Prepare food quickly.Cook food to a safe internal temperature and

serve it immediately.Do not let food sit out at temperatures where

bacteria can grow (between 4 and 60 °C).

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air pollutants can be biological and chemical

Biological: mould, bacteria, dust mitesChemical: volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

in household products; gases and particles from fuel-burning appliances (furnace, gas stoves, tobacco smoke, building materials, outdoor air)

Indoor Air QualityHealth Canada3 main ways that should be used together to improve

indoor air quality1. Source control – preventing pollutants from getting

into the air

a. Avoid smoking indoors.b. Keep your home clean by dusting and vacuuming

regularly.c. Keep your home dry. Control the degree of moisture

in the air, or the humidity, by using a humidifier. Fix anything in the house that causes dampness and allows mould to grow.

Indoor Air Qualityd. Make sure all of the fuel-burning appliances

in the house are working properly.e. Avoid idling cars and lawnmowers in

attached garages.f. Reduce off-gassing of household materials

and products by using/installing paints, cleaning products, insulation, carpets, and other household products containing fewer VOCs.

Indoor Air Quality2. Increase ventilation – moving outdoor air

indoors; decreases stale air and reduce indoor air pollutants

a.opening windows and doors;b.turning on kitchen and bathroom fans;c.installing mechanical heating, ventilation,

and air conditioning systems (HVACs) that can bring in outdoor air, vent stale air, circulate air, and control temperature and humidity.

Indoor Air Quality3. Air Cleaning – remove impurities from air;

some remove particles, not as good at removing gases

i. Ion generators – portable units that use static charges to trap particles

ii.Electronic air cleaners – use electrical field to trap particles