Certain design features of sinks can contribute to the spread of microbes, according to a new study from researchers based at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor.
The features include a relatively shallow bowl and a supplementary feature added to the end of a faucet to reduce water flow, according to an article on the Gastroenterology and Endoscopy News website.
The researchers found that sinks with shallow bowls can splash contaminated water onto providers’ clothing and any patient care items within a radius of several feet away; meanwhile, faucet ends, or spouts, with aerators contained potentially harmful microbes.
“You need to find that balance between having the appropriate sink design while making it ergonomically useful for people to wash their hands,” said Harry Zhen, MPH, an infection prevention analyst at Michigan Medicine, who presented the findings at the 2019 annual meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
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