SC Johnson Professional® Launches a Targeted Hygiene Program to Help Facilities Break the Chain of Infection
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Feb. 8, 2021 – SC Johnson Professional® announced the launch of its Targeted Hygiene Program to help break the chain of infection in workplaces and public facilities. In collaboration with Elizabeth A. Scott, PhD, hygiene expert and Scientific Advisory Board Member of the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH), SC Johnson Professional® developed the program with new guidance aimed at facility managers to help them improve facility hygiene behavior at the moments of high-risk infection transmission.
“The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed how we view cleaning and hygiene practices, and it’s critical that we educate the public on the concept of targeted hygiene to drive change around hygiene behavior,” said Scott. “We hope that the introduction of the Targeted Hygiene program will help us achieve a new normal by significantly minimizing the risk of infection transmission.”
The guidance and SC Johnson Professional’s Targeted Hygiene Program are inspired by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) hand hygiene guidelines and the risk management approach for hygiene – known as Targeted Hygiene - developed by the IFH. It’s also inspired by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene, which is an expression of Targeted Hygiene that’s focused on the healthcare environment and for healthcare workers.
The guidance and program recommend that focus is placed on hygiene behavior rather than just routine cleaning and disinfection, to break the chain of infection in workplaces and public facilities. Designed for those who manage these spaces, the core principle of the program is to identify the 8 moments of potential infection spread, and advise targeted hand or surface hygiene actions to reduce the risk of infection transmission.
Scientific evidence developed since the 1980s by the IFH has shown that the main sources of harmful microbes are more typically found in specific locations or at certain times – rather than places which are perceived as visibly ‘dirty’[1]. The IFH’s research has found that many view hygiene as synonymous with cleanliness[2]; and while regular disinfection of frequently touched surfaces does play a role in managing risk, it cannot alone create a safe environment since contamination can frequently reoccur. The SC Johnson Professional® Targeted Hygiene Program addresses this by identifying 8 Moments where driving behavioral change around hygiene should be focused:
- Touching common surfaces
- After coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose
- Returning to and leaving your workspace
- Getting food prepared
- Eating food
- Touchpoints in a restroom
- Entering and exiting the building
- Disposing of waste
“SC Johnson Professional continuously strives to help facility managers improve hygiene compliance with our trusted products and educational resources,” said John Hines, Director of Research and Development at SC Johnson Professional®. “By providing facility managers with a strong infrastructure that enables the use of the right products at the right time, breaking the chain of infection can be achieved.”
The Targeted Hygiene Program gives facility managers and owners the tools to pinpoint the moments of highest risk of infection transmission in their facility, conduct site surveys, install appropriate hygiene infrastructure and ultimately help break the chain of infection. All users of the program benefit from high-quality, trusted SC Johnson Professional® floor, surface and skin care products, supported with educational materials designed for training staff and for maintaining awareness amongst facility users.
For more information about the SC Johnson Professional® Targeted Hygiene Program™, visit https://www.scjp.com/TargetedHygiene.
About SC Johnson Professional
SC Johnson Professional is part of SC Johnson®, a family company and one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. The company has a long history in the professional market, in which it started operating in the 1930’s.
SC Johnson Professional provides expert skin care, cleaning & hygiene solutions for industrial, institutional and healthcare users. This incorporates our range of specialist occupational skin care products along with well-known SC Johnson® brands and innovative professional cleaning & hygiene products.
The SC Johnson Professional® purpose is to bring innovative, quality products and services to professional markets with outstanding performance that respect the environment, create efficiencies, reduce inventories, simplify training and provide a positive user experience. This is built on a deep understanding of customer needs and a vision for ‘rethinking the professional experience’ with the user in mind.
