PathSpot Unveils Handwashing Data From Millions Of Scans In Honor Of Global Handwashing Day

PathSpot scans prove 75% of people do not wash their hands enough; touching money and fake nails contribute the most contaminants

NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PathSpot, the world’s first real-time hand hygiene management system protecting against the threat and spread of illness, today released data from millions of scans in honor of Global Handwashing Day, collected via PathSpot’s proprietary contamination identification software.

The data represents millions of hand scans and washes across the world by the PathSpot Hand Hygiene System. PathSpot’s system enables real-time handwashing feedback (on both quality and quantity) by scanning the user’s hands for dangerous contamination that could transmit illness using visible light fluorescent spectral imaging.

“Global Handwashing Day was dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding the important role handwashing plays in preventing diseases and saving lives. It’s important to us at PathSpot to get involved because we can see firsthand with our data how many people overlook and rush through handwashing. In turn, they are absorbing and transmitting so many threatening contaminants,” said Christine Schindler, CEO and co-founder, PathSpot.

PathSpot’s first-party data proves that by simply improving handwashing routines and participating in regular checks, restaurant patrons and managers have reported a reduction in sick days across locations using PathSpot when compared to prior data over the same period. The data found applies to everyone worldwide: proper handwashing reduces sicknesses and can stop the overall spread of illness.

Notable Global Handwashing Day Findings from PathSpot include:

• Nobody is washing enough: 75% of people typically fail a scan after washing their hands “completely” the first time. Germs and bacteria are invisible; you can’t see them or smell them – you need to wash thoroughly for a full 20 seconds!
• Artificial nails are the top offender: Data shows a 5x increase in contamination when someone has nail polish or fake nails. Germs are often embedded in the ridges and stick to the polish.
• Jewelry and unwashed wrists cause problems: Following nailbeds, rings and wrists are the second and third most common areas that harbor contamination. Individuals should wash their rings and ensure soap and water reach up to their wrists during a handwash!
• Consistency is key: The longer amount of time between handwashes is directly related to contamination rates. If the items around us aren’t clean, as the time between cleanings increases, so does the number of contaminants that reach our hands. Data shows that in restaurants that wait long amounts of time between washes of everyday items, the contaminant frequency increases by over 60%.
• Regularly wash handheld items: Some of the daily objects that are most common to pass contaminants are tablets, phones, door handles, salad bowls, and coffee makers.
  • When you can’t wash the item, wash your hands: one of the most common activities that increase contamination is handling money and credit cards! These daily payment methods will increase the likelihood of contamination by 3x, and contaminants can be transferred from the currency to other items like food bags and coffee lids.

In addition to personal cleanliness, business and restaurant professionals need to consider environmental factors and make precautionary adjustments accordingly. PathSpot scanners have found that the frequency of handwashing drops off significantly when employees are distracted. A surprising example of these distractions include limited-time offer products such as Pumpkin Spice coffees or Peppermint Shakes; when a new item enters the menu, handwashes have dropped in half! This year, the CDC reported that 48 million Americans get sick each year from foodborne illnesses. Further, their report cited that the spread of germs from the hands of food handlers to food accounts for 89% of all foodborne illnesses contracted in restaurants.

Businesses incorporating handwashing procedures and verification software, such as PathSpot, report that 97% of employees think more critically about safety on a daily basis. This knowledge has led many users to have 100% Compliance with FDA Code compared to the 25% compliance rates immediately following Standard Handwashing Trainings.

“Handwashing has been proven to increase operational efficiency and overall cleanliness. We’ve found that locations meeting all their handwashing goals see a faster and more effective food safety and operations culture with a higher pass rate through their audits process,” said Lauren Seidenstein, VP of Customer Success and Accounts at PathSpot. “Business owners, especially those in the food business, must prioritize their handwashing policies and procedures.”

PathSpot devices have scanned millions of hands in thousands of locations across the globe to protect from illness and prevent future risks. By analyzing aggregated data, PathSpot identifies gaps in sanitation compliance and informs customized training for specific locations, shifts, and individuals. PathSpot empowers each person who scans by providing actionable, targeted feedback and builds a positive culture of individual accountability for sanitation. In addition to personal cleanliness, PathSpot lends visibility to business owners to ensure that top cleanliness standards are met.

About PathSpot
PathSpot is the world’s first real-time hand hygiene management system, protecting food service operators against the threat of illness and outbreaks with a device that scans employee hands to identify the presence of harmful contamination in less than two seconds. The patented PathSpot hand scanner monitors each employee handwash and immediately identifies gaps in sanitation and operations SOPs at an individual employee, store, or chain level, delivering clear results through a remote and in-store 24/7 data dashboard and monitoring system. PathSpot was co-founded in 2017 by biomedical engineers Christine Schindler, CEO, and Dutch Waanders, CTO. Visit www.pathspot.com for more information.

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Neil Davies
Broadsheet Communications
neil@broadsheetcomms.com