Promoting good hand hygiene is a key focus for the Health Protection Team at Worcestershire County Council. Since 2022, their ongoing campaign Clean Hands, Safe Hands has been sharing practical tips and raising awareness about the importance of proper handwashing techniques.
Engaging Students with the Lightbox Experiment
One standout feature of the campaign is the innovative lightbox demonstration, used to highlight the effectiveness of handwashing techniques. Recently, Public Health colleagues took this hands-on activity to students at the University of Worcester and Pershore College.
Here’s how it works:
- Students apply a hand-wash training lotion.
- After washing their hands, they place them under a UV light.
- Areas where the lotion hasn’t been washed off glow under the UV light, visually showing missed spots.
The results can be surprising. Many students who believed they had washed thoroughly found glowing patches on their hands, especially around areas like fingers, nails, and wrists. This vivid demonstration helps reinforce the importance of meticulous hand hygiene.
The Broader Campaign
The Clean Hands, Safe Hands initiative emphasizes that handwashing is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections. While alcohol-based hand gels are convenient, the campaign highlights a crucial fact: gels are not effective against norovirus, a common sickness bug.
To broaden its reach, Public Health has taken the lightbox demonstration to multiple community events and developed a variety of resources, including:
- Toolkits for workplaces, schools, and prisons.
- Activity kits for children.
- Educational materials, including newsletters, posters, and social media posts.
The campaign’s impact so far:
- 700+ downloads of the workplace toolkits.
- 400+ downloads of activity kits for children.
- Distribution of posters to 300 dentists and pharmacists.
- Digital displays across 14 bus stops and town centres in Worcestershire.
How Did Students Perform?
Public Health Practitioner Ian Arblaster shared insights from the lightbox experiment:
“The lightbox is incredibly popular and highly effective. Even those who think they’re thorough often discover areas they’ve missed. It’s a great teaching tool and a reminder to pay attention to spots like between the fingers, wrists, and nails.”
Get Involved!
Interested in improving hand hygiene in your community? Visit the campaign website to download posters, toolkits, or activity packs for children: