Modern facilities routinely collect data on energy use, occupancy, and equipment performance. In contrast, hand hygiene behaviour—despite its importance for health, safety, and compliance—has historically been difficult to measure in a consistent and objective way
Advances in dispenser monitoring technology now make it possible to capture detailed data on soap usage at the point of use. Real-time monitoring records each dispense and refill at individual dispensers, providing a reliable picture of usage patterns across facilities. When this data is considered alongside contextual information—such as staff numbers, shift schedules, or foot traffic—it can offer insight into handwashing behaviour rather than simply product consumption.
For example, usage data may reveal variations during peak periods such as shift changes. In some environments, soap usage drops during high-demand intervals, suggesting that time pressure or congestion may be discouraging handwashing. Identifying these patterns allows facilities teams to investigate underlying causes, such as dispenser placement, queueing, or insufficient capacity, and address them through practical design or operational changes.
A key advantage of modern monitoring platforms is their ability to operate independently of dispenser brand. Vendor-agnostic systems allow organisations to collect consistent, comparable data across multiple sites without requiring wholesale replacement of existing infrastructure. This is particularly relevant for large or distributed portfolios, including healthcare, food service, and public facilities, where hygiene performance is critical.
Solutions such as those provided by Mezrit demonstrate how handwashing data can move beyond basic compliance checks to support evidence-based decision-making.
Understanding what handwashing data reveals enables organisations to improve hygiene outcomes through targeted, operationally realistic interventions.
