Some jobs are germier than others. A study led by "Dr. Germ" of the University of Arizona – that's Dr. Charles Gerba – found disease-causing bacteria levels in accountants' offices were nearly seven times higher than in lawyers' offices. Teachers, as expected, had the germiest jobs.
Phones ranked as the #1 home for office germs, followed by desks, keyboards and computer mice. Private offices and cubicles were tested in Tucson, Arizona, and in Washington, D.C.
Germiest Jobs - in order of most germy
- Teacher
- Accountant
- Banker
- Radio DJ
- Doctor
- Television producer
- Consultant
- Publicist
- Lawyer
"Desks are really bacteria cafeterias," said Dr. Gerba. "They're breakfast buffets, lunch tables and snack bars, as we spend more and more hours at the office."
Dr. Gerba recommends frequent handwashing and using disinfecting wipes daily on surfaces in your cubicle or office to kill illness-causing germs. In the interest of fair reporting, his study was funded by Clorox, makers of disinfecting wipes. |
