My university has hand sanitizer dispensers all over campus. Until last week there was one attached to the wall between the two elevators in the building that contains my office. Then the sanitizer dispenser disappeared. Don’t worry. Today I discovered that a new dispenser had replaced the old one. And this new dispenser is automatic. I guess someone decided that having everyone touch the sanitizer dispenser with their hands in order to reduce the spread of germs wasn’t the best plan. An automatic dispenser solves that problem. It senses your hand and gives you some germ-killing liquid.

But that can cause other problems. As the below photo shows, someone — who deserves a big raise — decided to mount the automatic dispenser on the wall directly above the elevator buttons. I mean, directly above them. So today, when I pressed the up button to call the elevator, hand sanitizer shot out. I wasn’t trying to sanitize my hands. I just wanted to press the elevator button. But the dispenser doesn’t know intent. Hands trying to press buttons are in its sights. The squirting liquid missed my jacket sleeve by an inch and landed on the floor. Despite my employer’s attempt to sanitize my hands against my will with a sneak attack, I was no safer from swine flu. My fellow citizens concerned about public health and safety needn’t fret, though. There is a bright side: I’m pretty sure that the glob of soapy liquid that landed on the floor constituted a dangerous slip hazard.
 

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Tags: all work, health & medical //