The great drying debate on what is the most hygienically and cost effective method of drying hands will continue for as long as there are different methods. We could also add to this debate and ramble on.

However we have taken a sensible mid line approach to this issue and with the kind permission of NZTS Air Towels have reproduced extracts from a paper produced by Dr Tom Miller, Department of Medicine, Auckland University Auckland and to balance this with an extract from the United Kingdom Government White Paper issued October 1990.

Dr Tom from the Department of Medicine, Auckland University Auckland writes:

……“Air dryers simply blow germ-infested warm air onto hands” has been disproved by numerous independent studies. The opinion of the researchers of the University of Auckland Study (1998) is that: minimal environmental contamination results form the use of hot air hand dryers and that previous negative reports have been grossly exaggerated…...

And also: ……Economically, air dryers are by far superior - their only cost being a minimal amount of electricity. This makes hot air dryers particularly suitable for high traffic, unsupervised or low service frequency washrooms such as schools, airports and public conveniences……

Mr Dickens from United Kingdom White Paper

Mr Dickens has asked the Secretary of Health what steps he is taking in conjunction with the Chief Medical Officer of Health to ascertain the extent of any health dangers associated with the use of warm air electric hand dryers in public conveniences.

Mr Dorrell has responded: "The department of Heath has supported research at Papworth Hospital into airborne bacteria from hand dryers with hot air electric hand dryers compared with paper towels. The results showed that hot air hand dryers produced no more aerosol and sometimes significantly fewer aerosolised bacteria than paper hand towels. These results have been confirmed by studies in Singapore."

If you have any further questions, please contact us or one of our distributors near you for expert advice.