You can click the image to zoom in on the paper, or read the column below.
I saw a headline to a science story this week asking, "What's the dirtiest thing in your office?"
Like most people I thought, "Alex in accounts." There's someone who'll claim they tell their passwords to their interns as a preemptive excuse.
It turns out the story was about research looking at the office items that are covered in germs. In the past we have seen stories saying keyboards are covered in bacteria but the dirtiest thing in the office wasn't on your desk, which is a shame. If no one else uses your computer the keyboard germs are all your own and no one minds their own brand.
The grossest thing was the box of teabags. Workplace teabags have 17 times more bacteria than a toilet seat.
That may be so but if someone makes me a cup of tea at work and they use the toilet seat I will get them fired.
To be fair, they always compare the levels of bacteria on things to those on a toilet and it looks bad because people bleech the toilet. If you did that to the teabags you'd reduce the bacteria but you'd ruin the tea.
Other items on the list of germ-covered office goods include the kettle handle, mugs, the fridge door handle and the kitchen tap. This is the perfect news for anyone who is sick of having to make tea for people at work. Show them this column and tell them you want to keep them healthy.
The issue I have with this story is that, as a freelance presenter, you pick up extra work when people are off. So if you work in a radio station, have an extra cup. Then call me when you're feeling rough.
I'll be free to cover any show just as long as you keep Alex from accounts away from me.
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