A tricky issue: A colleague who doesn't wash her hands

Roobarb_73

I agree with Googlewhacker.

Get her manager to have a word with her, if there is an issue re the soap/allergies it will come out then. If she is just a filthy mare and it persists it can be dealt with as a potential conduct issue.

cyberbob

warehouse wrote: »

Now the issue is, everyone now knows this, office gossip being what it is. Anything she touches is now deemed untouchable. For example, someone brought in some turkish delight which she rushed over to open and try, now nobody else will touch the stuff. Another issue is that she's always the one who's coughing and sneezing and now we can understand why a bit more!

Come on people get some perspective. Yes people should wash their hands when they leave the toilet.

In reality in a normal day how many people are you going to come in contact with who don't quite a few i suspect. You'll have more chance of catching something off lots of other things you come into contact with daily. Door Handles, Public transport, Sandwhiches from the local coffee shop. Computer keyboards etc.

If it bothers you that much just tell her. In reality though your making a bit of an issue out of nothing really as unless you come to work in a Hermetically sealed bubble and your home has a clean air system and is disinfected daily. You've far more chance of catching something from outside work than off this one person who doesn't wash their hands.

grastgirl

I'm not sure what soap there is available is really a viable excuse to not at least wash them with water. Not as good as washing with soap I know, but to walk straight out seems a little odd.

emg

people who only use alcohol gel, be aware that it wont kill norovirus (winter vomitting bug).

pelirocco

ceridwen wrote: »

That sounds a far more constructive way to deal with this. My first thought was "Maybe the soap management use is wrong for her - like its very cheap and dries out her hands or something - but she hasnt known how to get management to swop it/add to it to get one that suits her." That way - you make sure she is catered for/you are catered for and she feels like her needs have been looked after - rather than feeling like people are sitting in judgement on her without necessarily knowing the full facts.

Then surely you would buy hand cream ? , personally the need to wash my hands after going to the toilet is so strong even if there is no soap i still rinse them under the tap , its just second nature isnt it ?

Eliza_2

I used to work in some offices shared with a number of different small companies, I preferred to cross the road to the public loo rather than use ours, lots of people went in and out of our own little loo without washing their hands - some without even shutting the door when they were in there! Was so glad when I moved to another building only for that reason.

But it's hard when, for example, I was watching Nigella last night and twice she came straight in from the street, still with her coat on, and started cooking. No handwashing. She had been in shops, a taxi etc in London - masses of germs. Money is one of the worst.

As others have said I find it second nature to wash after the loo, and before handling food. Something to do with upbringing I suppose.

None of which helps the original poster but lots of good suggestions have been put forward anyway.

Liz

Bobbell_2

Sorry I felt I had to register to suggest that perhaps you dreadful old biddies should mind your own business?

Seriously, this is a net curtain twitcher territory.

Owain_Moneysaver

heretolearn wrote: »

I also had to put a sign up in the kitchen about washing up properly as I was sick about taking cups with lipstick on out of the cupboard!

"Any crockery left unwashed at 5pm will be smashed"

Usually works for me.

Hootie19

I had a run-in with someone at the last place I worked at on this very issue. I overheard her, back at her desk, moaning that someone hadn't washed their hands, and that she hoped they got a really nasty disease because of it.

I told her she needed to get her facts straight before slagging me off, as in fact, I always carry a bottle of anti bacterial hand gel in my trouser pocket, and use it before exiting the cubicle. In fact, I told her, my hands were probably cleaner than hers.

Her face was a picture, and everyone else who was surrounding her desk and agreeing with her, quickly melted away, leaving her red faced and blustering.

I never wash my hands in the conventional way, as I can't stand paper towels or those air drier that take a week and a half to leave your hands half-damp.

So although this may not be the case in your scenario, OP, I'd make sure you do have the facts before confronting.

pimento

So after making sure your hands are clean inside the cublicle, you then use the handle used by everyone else who has wiped their bum and not yet washed their hands to leave the cubicle?

Hm.