APRIL 2020 | 45
Skills
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
NINE HYGIENE TIPS FOR DRIVERS
UK motorists have been
offered guidance for
minimising health risks
and maintaining good
hygiene levels when
driving cars and vans.
2. Wipe surfaces
regularly 6. Try to minimise travel
with unwell people
LeaseVan.co.uk have released
nine pieces of advice to help
drivers maintain good health and
personal hygiene while in their
vehicles.
From what to keep stashed in
the glovebox to the steps vehicle
owners should take to minimise
the spread of germs, following
the guidance could help Brits
who spend a lot of time behind
the wheel steer clear of con-
ditions in their car or van that
could harm their health.
A spokesperson for LeaseVan.
co.uk said: “There’s plenty of
advice out there for keeping your
home or workplace hygienic.
“But there isn’t for the place
where many Brits probably spend
the third largest amount of time –
their vehicles.
“Drivers who are on the roads
daily for significant periods will
be familiar with the need to stay
both active and well rested.
“Wise motorists typically factor
in time for stretching their legs
and napping when going on par-
ticularly long journeys.
“But stiff joints could be the
least of your worries if you don’t
take sufficient steps to prevent
potentially harmful bacteria
building up and spreading in
your vehicle.
“Catching an avoidable cold
or worse could seriously impact
drivers work and family lives.
“So, we’ve put together a series
of nine top tips to help motorists
steer clear of possible illness.”
Here is the LeaseVan.co.uk
advice: To stop bacteria building up,
to be touched or breathed in,
surfaces including the steering
wheel, gear stick, door handles
and dashboard should be wiped
clean frequently – especially if
the vehicle is shared between
multiple drivers. The confined environment
of a car or van can be a prime
location for catching illnesses
off friends and family, so drivers
should usually try to steer clear
of offering lifts to anyone they
know is under the weather.
1. Keep alcohol gel
in the vehicle 5. Allow fresh air in
Motoring experts from
Keeping an antibacterial hand
sanitiser gel in the glove box of
your vehicle, often made from
alcohol, allows you to maintain
proper hand hygiene and clean
any dirt from your fingers before
they touch anything.
3. Wear gloves
when filling up
Most petrol stations provide
free disposable globes, which
drivers can take advantage of to
prevent any grime from getting
under their finger nails when
refuelling their vehicles.
7. Catch coughs and
sneezes, but not
in your hands
Drivers should cough and
sneeze into a disposable tissue,
their inner elbow or inside the
collar of their shirt, rather than
into their hands or completely
unprotected – both of which can
spread harmful bacteria.
It’s never recommended to take
a hand off the steering wheel for
longer than necessary or if road
conditions mean doing so could
be dangerous though.
FENSA LAUNCHES NEW
TRAINING ACADEMY
FOR INSTALLERS
FENSA has partnered with accredited
training company Total Support to
provide courses tailored specifically
to the glazing industry, available
exclusively to FENSA Approved Installers.
The courses are designed to
cover all skill sets and jobs
within the glazing sector, and all
levels of experience. They range
from short two-hour courses on
safety, building regulations and
basic fenestration installation to
full NVQ Diplomas in glazing
through to construction manage-
ment.
keep a stash of daily
‘ vitamins
on hand ’
8. Carry mouthwash
and floss
4. Vacuum the
footwells often
Just like a doormat at home,
the footwell of a car will have all
sorts of dirt and bacteria walked
into it, which will grow and
could prove problematic if not
cleaned away regularly.
Don’t simply mask damp or
mouldy carpet smells with an air
freshener and hope the problem
goes away.
Breathing in too much recycled
air doesn’t help your respiratory
system, so drivers on long jour-
neys should wind their windows
down occasionally to allow
fresh air to circulate through the
vehicle – even if it’s a bit chilly
outside.
Keeping a small bottle of
mouthwash and a roll of floss in
the vehicle’s glovebox can allow
you to keep on top of vital oral
hygiene, particularly after eating,
even when a toothbrush and sink
is inaccessible.
9. Eat well even during
long road trips
Your body needs fuel to fight
illnesses and other health issues,
so you should keep a stash of
daily vitamins on hand if you
spend a lot of time in your vehi-
cle.
While on long road journeys,
stay well rested, properly hydrat-
ed and try to stick to regular and
healthy meals that give you all
the nutrients you need, rather
than simply snacking on fatty and
sugary foods.
Entry level courses will intro-
duce those that are new to the in-
dustry to everything from health
and safety to complete window
and door installation with practi-
cal experience, giving new staff a
great grounding for a successful
career and offering companies
the competitive edge when it
comes to attracting, developing
and retaining the best people for
their business. The duration of
the shorter courses – starting at
just two to four hours – means
staff can be inducted to the in-
dustry or expand their skills with
the minimum of cost, time and
inconvenience to businesses and
their employees.
“The FENSA Training Acade-
my is a big moment for us, our
Approved Installers and the
industry,” said Chris Beedel,
FENSA’s Director of Membership.
“To be able to provide accredited
training courses across a variety
of roles and skill sets that will im-
prove standards across the sector
is fantastic for our businesses.”
“Our members now have
affordable access to training that
minimises the impact on their
daily business. It’s yet another
exclusive, added value benefit to
FENSA Approved Installers that
helps them stand out from the
competition.”
Run in partnership with Total
Support Training, expert train-
ing providers in the glazing
industry for over a decade, the
courses are available on-site and
in the classroom throughout the
country. Bespoke training can
also be provided for individual
companies based on their specific
requirements.
“We are extremely excited
about our new partnership with
FENSA and are looking forward
to working alongside such a great
organisation to deliver quality
training to their membership and
helping to meet the needs of the
industry,” said Sharon Alderton,
Managing Director of Total Sup-
port Training.
To find out more about the
courses on offer, and how
FENSA’s new training academy
can benefit your business, visit
www.fensa.org.uk