SUSTAINABLE HAND DRYING METHODS, Willetton Child Care Centre use this Darman tried and tested system ABOVE which allows one pull per clean cloth and is installed in each bathroom. According to previous Director, Jacqui Smith ‘This is a far better system than the previous one of using paper towels’ and ‘we didn’t do it for the expense but for the environmental benefits and the need for children to see certain behaviours change’.
The system is maintained by Darman and the roll is removed and washed once all hand dry rotations have been used up. Willetton CCC buy rolls in bulk.
Staying Healthy 5th Edition – Is the Go-to reference guide for all Early Years Education and Care services
Produced by the National Health and Medical Research Council, this guides the setting and following of policy in early childhood education and care services to prevent infectious diseases.
What does it say with regard to hand washing and paper towels and with regard to gloves and nappy changing? – As this is the official reference guide, services are able to modify their best practice policies if they align and there is definitely room to reduce waste more in these areas and there are many ways this can be done even in large day care centres.
In the section on Personal Hygiene 3.1
3.1.2 shares the policy on using gloves and 3.2.1 shares the policy on Nappy changing process
These policies stipulate that if there is a chance of the educator coming into contact with faeces, urine, saliva, vomit or blood then disposable gloves should be worn and they must be thrown away after use.
Nappy process stipulates that ‘if you are not likely to come into contact with these bodily fluids, then there is no need to wear gloves’.
With regard to using paper towel on the change mat or nappy change surface, the guide stipulates that extra care must be taken in cleaning the change mat between nappy changes.
With regard to using paper towel to dry children’s hands during the day, this guide also allows educators the opportunity to reduce waste.
In section 1.3.1 – Effective hand Hygiene under the hand drying section, says that using disposable paper towel is preferred, BUT cloth towels can be used by one person only (and hung up to dry between uses) with cloth towels being laundered regularly to reduce the risk of cross contamination.
