Distributors Can Play A Key Role In Elevating Hand And Personal Care In The Modern Workplace

By Michelle Percival, North American Sales Manager at Dreumex USA, Inc., a company of Peter Greven Physioderm GmbH

In today’s workplace, hand and personal care products are not merely janitorial line items; they are foundational to occupational health, compliance, safety, and ultimately, the company’s bottom line. In sectors that span manufacturing and food processing to commercial facilities and healthcare, the expectation of effective care is at an all-time high. The janitorial and sanitary supply markets must evolve to meet the complex challenges of the modern industrial and professional workspace, focusing on products that offer both effective hygiene and proactive skin health.

A three-pillar approach to skin care and hand hygiene has been recognized as the best plan to deter skin issues and diseases as well as meet workers’ expectations of effective care. High-performing products that provide great results without harsh ingredients and damaging side effects are in demand.

Here’s a look at the specifics of the three-pillar approach:

PILLAR 1: Advanced Skin Protection

Protecting the skin before work begins is the first and most often overlooked step in an effective hand care program. Gloves are often considered the go-to solution for hand protection. However, while gloves are integral in many situations, they can also cause issues that are detrimental to skin. Barrier Creams (or pre-work creams) create a non-greasy, protective layer on the skin. They can be beneficial to individuals who aren’t required to wear PPE. And while barrier creams don’t take the place of gloves, some are formulated in a way that they can be worn in conjunction with PPE.

Some important benefits of the advanced skin protection provided by barrier creams:

• They help shield the skin from direct contact with water-based and non-water-based industrial substances like oils, coolants, and dirt. They also help reduce irritation caused by moisture trapped next to skin by PPE.
• They help by preventing grime and contaminants from bonding directly to the skin, allowing for faster, more thorough, and less aggressive cleaning. The need for harsh solvents or overly aggressive scrubbers in hand cleaners is eliminated.
• They support the skin’s natural protective layer, preventing irritation that can be caused by PPE, direct exposure to work substances or even frequent washing.

PILLAR 2: Specialized Skin Cleansing

The next focus area for an effective skin care program is selecting the appropriate skin cleansers for each need. It is not effective to utilize a one-size-fits-all hand cleaner throughout a facility. Standard hand soaps are simply inadequate for heavy industrial grime… and heavy-duty cleansers are far too aggressive for other areas of a facility. The appropriate cleansing solution must be tailored to each need to be effective while being as gentle as possible on the skin.

Specialized skin cleansing typically takes into consideration these four types of cleansing requirements:

• General cleaner that provides mild soil removal for routine “dirty” hands and skin.
• Intermediate cleansing formulas for moderate dirt, grease and grime.
• Heavy-duty cleaners with all-natural scrubbing ingredients for extreme soiling that resists water-only rinsing.
• Industrial hand cleansing wipes as options in areas where no water is easily accessible or for out-of-facility use.

PILLAR 3: Post-Work Skin Restoration

The third essential step in a three-pillar approach is to restore and condition the skin barrier after work to ensure optimal recovery. After-work conditioning creams replenish the skin’s moisture and natural lipids lost through exposure to irritants and washing. Applied after cleansing, these creams actively support the skin’s regeneration process.

Important benefits of after-work conditioning creams:

• By actively replenishing moisture and lipids, this restoration process strengthens the skin’s natural barrier function.
• They help repair existing skin damage, such as dryness, cracking, and irritation, and help prevent the development of long-term occupational skin conditions.
• They can contribute to total worker health initiatives by elevating healthy skin as a valuable asset for each employee.

For nearly every industry and facility, elevating hand and personal care moves the conversation from simply purchasing soap to implementing a modern, comprehensive, three-pillar plan for effective hygiene and proactive skin health. It is an investment that provides advanced skin protection, specialized cleansing and skin restoration to encourage a healthier workforce.

Janitorial and sanitary supply distributors are a key aspect of the supply and support pipeline that provides the critical components of a three-pillar skin health plan. And they can help each facility balance efficacy, skin health, regulatory compliance, cost control, and user adoption. These distribution channels play a part in moving hand and personal care beyond basic compliance by offering services like knowledgeable consultation, education, and product trials.

Michelle Percival

When employees at all levels truly recognize the positive impact of effective skin care and hand hygiene, workplaces become more productive and are better able to minimize a significant set of preventable illnesses. And really, that is part of what defines a modern workplace…where employees are valued and cared for while balancing safety, compliance, productivity and quality.

With a strong presence in the North American occupational skin care and hand hygiene markets, GREVEN® brand products focus on healthy skin, safe work. For more information, visit www.greven-skincare.com.