Can Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitiser be Provided at Work?

It recommended to wash hands with soap and water regularly as a first preference for hand hygiene because hand-washing reduces the amounts of all types of germs and chemicals on hands.

Some concerns with hand sanitisers include:

• Hand sanitisers alone may not be as effective when hands are dirty or greasy.

• Hand sanitisers do not remove all harmful chemicals, like pesticides and heavy metals, from hands.

• Sanitisers often dry the hands, which can lead to dryness and cracking.

However, where soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol is recommended to kill germs on the hands.

Due to the supply shortages of obtaining alcohol-based hand sanitisers, we have been asked if it is acceptable to use alternative hand sanitiser products

There are some work environments where alcohol-based products may be of concern, such as mining, prisons, schools and childcare. Sometimes alternative products are used in where an individual has a skin condition that prevents the use of alcohol-based products. Specifically developed products are available for this purpose.

Concerns with alcohol-based sanitisers include the risk of swallowing.  Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitisers can cause alcohol poisoning. The US poison control centres received almost 85,000 calls about hand sanitiser exposures among children between 2011 and 2015.

Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitisers are Dangerous Goods Which Carry Legal Obligations

Recently, some businesses have needed to acquire large amounts of alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Due to the high alcohol content, these are classed as Dangerous Good (DG) Class 3 Flammable Liquids and additional obligations under the DG or WHS laws may apply, depending on the quantity. For example, you may need to install DG placarding, control ignition sources and store stock in flammable liquids cabinets. If the quantity is very large, you may need to prepare a DG manifest.

Under the safety laws e.g. Victorian Occupational Health Safety (OHS) Regulations for hazardous substances, an employer must eliminate the risks associated with hazardous substances, and if it is not possible to eliminate the risks, to reduce the risks. The first preference in reducing the risks is substituting the chemical with a safer substance.

I have come across some alcohol-free hand sanitisers that are both non-DG and non-hazardous substance, which removes many obligations under the regulations.

Alternative Products

Alternative hand sanitiser products include those containing Quaternary Ammonium Compound, commonly called ‘Quat,’ and Benzalkonium Chloride, two known products with anti-viral capabilities. Both products are used in hospital grade disinfectants and are proven to break down a viruses lipids, or protective fatty tissues, allowing it to be subdued.

Government authorities do not officially recommend hand rub products with less than 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol as active ingredients. However, experts say that alternative products are better than nothing where soap and water are not available and where alcohol sanitiser in not available or suitable.

If your workplace has special needs such as allergy, or difficulty obtaining alcohol-based hand sanitiser, you may consider an non-alcohol based product.

Local Melbourne Suppliers, Blue Lion Supplies have a product called ALCO FREE which is a non-hazardous chemical, non hazardous substance and non-DG. 

Pure South Australia Hand Sanitiser & Protectant is also available online.