Bacteria Have No Business Here

If you didn't know, bacteria are EVERYWHERE: on our skin, in our intestines, in hot springs, on computer keyboards, up in the clouds, you name it. For the most part, there is little reason to be scared - only about five percent of species are actually pathogenic, or illness-causing. In some areas, however, we need to keep people safe by cutting down on the amount of bacteria present. If we don't want to risk running into that five percent, we follow steps to keep any tools, surfaces and the room sterile (as clean as possible, without any harmful bacteria).

Which jobs do you think would require an extra clean environment? The medical field and hospitality are two great examples. Think about an operating room, where doctors perform surgery on patients. Guidelines are set in place to maintain a sterile environment. For instance, they limit the number of people in the operating room; anyone there should tie their hair back and wear personal protective equipment such as a surgical gown, gloves, hair cap, and a mask. They take care not to use any contaminated instruments; they purchase instruments in sterile packages. The room and table are regularly cleaned thoroughly. Even the ventilation in the room is designed to decrease contamination in the air. What about a restaurant kitchen where they prepare food for many people? Restaurant workers may cook their food at certain temperatures, keep the fridge at a low temperature, and throw away expired food. They also wear a hair net, gloves and an apron. They use their preferred chemicals to clean surfaces like countertops and floors, and appliances such as knives or ladles. Of course there are many more details and steps to keep both surgical and kitchen settings sterile; my list was only meant as a general description.