Desks and other office surfaces are also primary habitats for the bacteria that cause colds and flu. Not only do desks carry germs, but they are also a breeding ground, as people keep touching them and spreading even more germs. With employees eating and drinking at their workstations, the office environment turns into a bacterial minefield.
What is worse is that cleaning staff are reticent to clean desks, as they are nervous about moving people's papers and files around. On average, only 64% of people are cleaning their desks once a month and while wiping desks down with a disinfectant can reduce the spread of microbes, one cannot sterilise work surfaces all day.
The company has found a way to counteract this by launching a desktop with an antibacterial coating for work surfaces, computer workstations, boardroom components, writing tables, office cube system components, cabinetry door and drawer fronts and other customised applications.
The furniture company uses nano flash technology on its lacquered wood products, whereby antimicrobial chemicals physically rupture the microbe. When bacteria settle onto the protected surface, the antibacterial shield transmits positive nano charges to the germs. This inhibits the metabolic processes of the microbe cells, actively deterring bacterial growth and development. The silver ion technology provides a continuous protective antimicrobial surface where 99.9% of the bacteria are removed, thereby inhibiting the growth of bacteria. This means that microbes cannot adapt or reproduce resistant organisms.
The antibacterial coating is also safe for the user and the environment. All desks and accessories are produced with no volatile organic compounds, thereby reducing indoor air pollution. The coating does not leak, migrate to a user's hands or wear off when the surface is cleaned.
"We see this as a major breakthrough which actively inhibits bacteria and promotes a much more hygienic environment, making it ideal not only for offices, but also hospitals, clinics, frail care, kitchens and food preparation areas," concludes Hilton Anthony, MD of Angel Shack.
For more information, go to www.angelshack.co.za.
