07 Oct 2011
Germs on dirty office desks can quickly spread among staff, a report from an office supplies company has warned.
The study by Viking was released as firms brace themselves for outbreaks of absence due to colds and flu.
It found nearly two-thirds of computer keyboards had germs and some had mould growing underneath. Germs were found in phones and desks after hundreds of workers sent in swabs for analysis.
The most unhygienic office workers were found to be computer staff, lawyers and accountants, with social workers more likely to have mouldy food on their desks.
Viking found that just over half of office workers were unaware their keyboards, phones and screens could have bacteria and two-thirds admitted eating lunch at their desks and not cleaning their workstation afterwards.
Chartered environmental health practitioner Dr Lisa Ackerley said keeping equipment as free of germs as possible was even more important in the cold and flu season.
Copyright Press Association 2011