Germs in the Office: My Cube Makes Me Sick

At the risk of being overly dramatic, I'm suffering of slow death by cubicle. Now I’ve known for years that I’m taking my life in my own hands every day I show up to work. If I survive the daily commute during rush-hour traffic, I must then play frogger across six lanes of unforgiving drivers. By the time I reach my would-be safe little box in the cubicle farm, I'm prone to more serious health risks, such as heart attacks, ulcers, strokes, repetitive motion injury, and the increasing chances that an insane co-worker could seal my fate. But if that’s not enough, I now know that my mauve-padded cubicle contains more than 400 times the bacteria per square inch than a toilet seat.

What's the germ count per square inch? The phone receiver (25,127), desktop surface (20,961), keyboard (3,295), and the mouse (1,676). To give you some perspective, the toilet seat comes in at just 49 germs per square inch.

Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, has conducted studies on germs and bacteria for the past 10 years in the workplace. He uses a germ-meter, which gives a relative idea of how many bacteria are living on a surface. The results are not just astounding, they’re enough to make me cough back up the 3-hour old chicken sandwich and fruit bowl I ate at my germ-laden desk just a few hours ago. So much for the 5-second rule.

The germiest culprits in the workplace are the common areas shared by co-workers, such as the “enter” button on the fax machine, the “copy” button on the copier, the refrigerator door handle, the elevator button (especially the first floor button) and the restroom door handles. Common areas may be maintained by the cleaning crew, but electronics are usually avoided due to potential damage. As for each individual cube, cleaning is limited to emptying of the waste basket.

Now here’s the kicker. Even if you have the cleanest cubicle on the farm, you better watch out for your co-worker. If your messy cubemate uses your phone, keyboard or mouse (or you use theirs), you could be at risk yourself.

Furthermore, cold and flu viruses can live up to three days on surfaces. Germs from a sneeze or cough can travel up to three feet. Those who show up sick for work are engaging in presenteeism. They may be saving a sick day, but they're not productive. And they're spreading their germs.

Brown bagging it at my desk no longer sounds appealing. Consider that a restaurant with surfaces containing more than 700 bacteria per square would be considered unsanitary, yet it is estimated that 20% of workers never clean their desk before eating. In fact, 75% of workers wipe their desk only occasionally.

Let’s not forget the refrigerator. As the economy has worsened, more and more employees are storing food or bringing lunch from home, which means leftovers start taking over the fridge. Of course, no one wants to claim something after a few days, nor do they want to throw it in the trash can to further stink up the break room. That pushy office worker that threatens to throw out our food at the end of the week is doing us a big favor. Surveys show that 21% of office fridges are cleaned less than twice a year.

• Wash your hands often like your mother taught you, using soap and running water. Make sure to clean between your fingers and under your fingernails. Dry with an air dryer or disposable towel. If possible, use the towel to turn off the fauct and open the door handle.
• Hand sanitizer can help, particularly when you have to shake hands with someone, but know that washing your hands is much more thorough.
• If the person is sneezing or hacking, just say "no" to the handshake.
• Refrain from touching your face, mouth or nose.
• Bring a can of Lysol and spray down your messy co-worker's cube so the bacteria don't crawl over the cubicle wall.
• Clean your keyboard. Turn it upside down and shake it gently and watch it rain doughnut crumbs. You'll want special disinfecting wipes for keyboards and mice, ones that will remove dirt, dust, dander and biological contaminants. Checking with your IT department is highly advised.
• Dispose of unwanted food and never, ever store fruit or perishables.
• Make sure you cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Use a tissue and discard immediately after. If a tissue is not readily available, use the crook of your arm.
• Use cleaning products with "disinfecting" or "sanitizing" on the label for your desktop, lightswitches, etc. at least once a day.
• Stay home if you have any of these symptoms: fever, extreme fatigue, aches or chills, severe sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, or a cough with mucus and a runny nose.