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Health Tips Factsheets HEALTH TIPS FACTSHEETS How to stay healthy at Cuboree HEALTH TIPS! #1 Washing your hands – visibly dirty Wash your hands with soap and water when they are visibly soiled. Use a hand sanitiser afterwards…! MORE INFORMATION! For more information, visit your Sub Camp HQ HEALTH TIPS! #1 Washing your hands – visibly dirty – detailed information. Why it’s important A number of infectious diseases can be spread from one person to another by contaminated hands, particularly gastrointestinal infections and hepatitis A. Washing your hands properly can help prevent the spread of the organisms that cause these diseases. Some forms of gastroenteritis can cause serious complications, especially for young children or those with a weakened immune system. Drying your hands properly is as important as washing them. When to wash your hands You should wash your hands thoroughly: • Before preparing food • Before eating • Between handling raw and cooked or ready-to-eat food • After going to the toilet • After using a tissue or handkerchief • After handling rubbish How to wash your hands properly To wash hands properly: • Wet your hands with warm water. • Apply one dose of liquid soap and lather well for 15–20 seconds (or longer if the dirt is ingrained). • Rub hands together rapidly across all surfaces of your hands and wrists to help remove dirt and germs. • Don’t forget the backs of your hands, your wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails. • Wash your hands for at least 10 to 15 seconds. • Rinse well under running water and make sure all traces of soap are removed, as residues may cause irritation. Use warm water Hands should be washed using warm running water. Cold water is better than no water at all for a ‘one off’ only hand wash, but should not be used for routine hand washing. Soap lathers (‘soaps up’) better with warm water and effective hand washing requires the use of warm water, soap and proper drying. Soap is important Soap contains ingredients that will help to: • Loosen dirt on your hands • Soften water, making it easier to lather the soap over your hands • Rinse your hands, leaving no residues to irritate and dry your skin. Soaps can have different pH – they may be neutral, slightly alkaline or slightly acidic. That’s why some soaps irritate some people and not others. Perfumes in soap can be another reason why some people have skin reactions. Liquid soap is best Generally, it is better to use liquid soap than bar soap, particularly at work. The benefits of liquid soap include: • Hygiene – it is less likely to be contaminated. • Right amount – liquid soap dispensers do not dispense more than required (more is not better). • Less waste – it’s easier to use, with less wastage. ‘Drop-in’ cassette dispensers use all the soap. • Saves time – liquid soap dispensers are easy and efficient to use. The problems with bar soap – particularly in public places There are many reasons why bar soap can be a problem, particularly if it’s used by a lot of people. These problems include: • Bar soap can sit in pools of water and become contaminated with many harmful germs. • People are less likely to use bar soap if it is ‘messy’ from sitting in water. • Contaminated soap may spread germs and may be more harmful than not washing your hands. • Bar soap can dry out – people are less likely to use it to wash their hands because it is difficult to lather. • Dried out bar soap will develop cracks which can harbour dirt and germs. Again, you may be adding more harmful germs to your hands than you were trying to remove. MORE INFORMATION! If you have questions regarding this information, please contact the Deputy Director – Camping via your Sub Camp team. References: World Health Organisation Australian Government Department of Health and Aging NSW Health Hand Hygiene Australia HEALTH TIPS! #2 Sanitising your hands with handrub gel Rub hands for hand hygiene. If your hands are visibly dirty… wash them with soap and water first! MORE INFORMATION! For more information, visit your Sub Camp HQ HEALTH TIPS! #2 Sanitising your hands with handrub gel – detailed information. Background Everyone has germs. Our bodies are covered with germs that help us stay healthy. In addition to the germs that are usually present on our skin, we also pick up germs from contact with other people or objects in our surroundings. These germs are easy to pick up and transfer. In this way, they can cause you, or others, to get sick. Although people usually think that germs are spread through the air, the fact is that germs are most easily spread through hand contact. One of the best ways to stop the spread of germs is to wash OR decontaminate your hands. Hand hygiene is a new term to describe washing or decontaminating hands. Washing hands helps to physically remove germs by friction, and to rinse them down the drain. Decontaminating hands reduces the amount of germs present on hands through the use of special alcohol based preparations, in the form of solutions, gels or foams. Alcohol based preparations have two distinct advantages over soap and water: 1 - They kill many more germs 2 - They are less drying to your skin While alcohol based preparations reduce the germs on your hands, they cannot remove visible soil or contamination. It is always important to WASH hands with soap and water any time they are visibly dirty. When should you wash your hands with soap and water? Adults and children should wash their hands: When hands are visibly dirty Before you eat Before you prepare food items After touching raw meats like chicken or beef After contact with any body fluids like blood, urine or vomit After changing infant or adult nappies After touching animals or pets After blowing your nose or sneezing After going to the toilet When can you use alcohol based hand rubs? Adults and children can rub hands: For routine cleaning of hands anytime they are visibly clean If you have contact with contaminated objects in the environment eg. dirty tissues/nappies Before and after you care for or have contact with someone who is very sick, very old or very young Whenever you want to decontaminate your hands What is in the Cuboree Waterless Hand Sanitiser? The product supplied at Cuboree is an ethanol/water blend with minor additives. Please refer to the guidelines on the bottle for details of use, storage and handling. MORE INFORMATION! . References: World Health Organisation Australian Government Department of Health and Aging NSW Health Hand Hygiene Australia HEALTH TIPS! #3 Food storage Even if food is only on your site for a short while before dinner, storing food safely can prevent illness. General storage Off the ground – safe and sound. Neat and tidy Clear and clean shelves every 2 days Watch for the sun Storing cold items Use lots of ice Clean every day Put things away quickly Meat and Dairy separate Storing other foods Seal packages and bottles tightly Wipe sauce bottles and jam jars Keeping food warm Waiting for diners? Keep it warm! Been out for an hour? Throw it out! Leftovers Been out for an hour? Throw it out! Want to keep it? Chill it quick! If in doubt – throw it out. MORE INFORMATION! There are lots of food storage camping hacks on the Internet – just search for Camping Hacks! HEALTH TIPS! #3 Food storage – detailed information. A common cause of food poisoning is inadequate handling and storage of food that’s been prepared for meals. Food must be maintained at the appropriate storage temperature at all times. All food must be adequately protected (enclosed or covered) when stored to prevent contamination by dust, insects or other sources. Food should be neatly stored in suitable containers off the ground and checked on a daily basis. If possible, build a set of shelves that can be easily pulled apart and stored as part of the Troop gear and equipment. No excess perishable food should be kept under any circumstances. They should be returned to a Sub Camp supply or disposed of in the garbage system. This is usually the biggest threat to the health of the Troop. Milk storage in particular needs constant checking. It is important to protect food and utensils from contamination. Utensil storage should be kept closed to prevent dust and insect contamination. For added protection, utensils should be rinsed in hot water just before use. Store all food off the ground in sealed, labelled containers or original packaging. Check your store is not in the sunlight or getting excessively warm during the day. Be neat and organised – keep breakfast items together, for example. Check your food store every day – even items you have not needed. Every 2 or 3 days, clear the shelves to clean and sanitise them with cleaning spray. Storing cold items Use several sealed and insulated cold boxes/eskies. Ensure most empty space is filled with ice. If possible, divide the ice and food using a grill or divider so packaging is not sitting in water all the time. Each day, remove all items, clean esky and replace ice to remove excess/dirty water and keep chilled. Return excess and unwanted items to the Q Store. Store meats separately to dairy items. Most vegetables will not need cold storage but may benefit from being in an esky if there is space. When receiving cold or frozen items, store them quickly in your esky unless using them immediately. Label the outside of the esky so you know what is inside without having to open it.
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