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ROSWELL, Ga., June 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Rotech Healthcare Inc., a provider of home medical equipment and services based in Orlando, Fla., was chosen as the grand prize winner of The Healthy Workplace Project Award for its thorough and effective approach to hand and surface hygiene.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111005/NE80571LOGO-b )

Rotech Healthcare was selected by four independent experts in the fields of workplace health, office hygiene and germ transmission. Rotech's efforts focus on educating employees about the importance of washing, wiping and sanitizing through posters and a quarterly "Don't Bug Me" newsletter. Rotech regularly disinfects work surfaces and shared equipment, such as keyboards, phones and computers – areas that were found to be highly contaminated in a recent Kimberly-Clark Professional study of workplace germs. The company also monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of its programs through "field testing."

As the grand prize winner, Rotech will receive $15,000 of customized health and wellness services, including health counseling, cooking demonstrations, comprehensive health screenings, educational programs and other services.

"Rotech received the top prize for its multifaceted and well-managed approach to maintaining employee health," said Kathy Cash, RN, CHPD, one of the judges. "The company also wisely collects data to demonstrate how their efforts are paying off and where more attention is needed. Also, Rotech employees, instead of being passive recipients of infection control efforts, are invested in protecting their own health through a 'Culture of Infection Control and Hand Hygiene.' "  

Prizes and Winners
Rotech, along with the first and second place winners, will also receive a variety of Kimberly-Clark Professional, Kleenex and Scott brand products. All prizes will be awarded prior to the upcoming flu season.

The first and second place winners were:

• First place: Nabholz Construction Services, Conway, Ark . (Prize: $10,000 in health-related services). Nabholz offers comprehensive wellness and education programs for employees and families, along with financial incentives to reward healthy behaviors. The company regularly disinfects highly touched surfaces and has a system of reminders to encourage improved hand and surface hygiene.
• Second place: Hines-managed Pleasanton Corporate Commons, Pleasanton, Calif. (Prize: $5,000 in health-related services). Pleasanton Corporate Commons, a 600,000 square foot office campus, was developed and is managed by Hines, an international real estate firm and Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) member. The complex uses a newsletter to communicate with tenants about hand hygiene and has janitors on duty during the day (as well as at night) to respond to tenant needs. The company also ensures that high-use areas are cleaned effectively.

The winners were announced at the 2012 BOMA Every Building Conference and Expo in Seattle.   

"Implementing comprehensive and sustained hand and surface hygiene initiatives in the workplace is essential to creating healthier, safer and more productive workplaces," said Richard Thorne, Vice President of Kimberly-Clark Professional North America. "We are pleased to have been able to recognize these three companies for their efforts to break the cycle of germ transmission and for their commitments to workplace wellness initiatives and education."  

The Kimberly-Clark Professional award was launched in June 2011 to recognize and reward companies that have made a comprehensive commitment to hand and surface hygiene and/or wellness initiatives in their workplaces. It supports the efforts of The Healthy Workplace Project, a Kimberly-Clark Professional program with an innovative approach to hand and surface hygiene that gets employees actively involved in helping to reduce the spread of cold and flu germs at work.

Panel of Judges
The four-judge panel included:

• Kathy Cash, RN, CHPD, Retired Lieutenant Colonel and author of How to Add Sparkle and Pizzazz to Your Health Promotion Program
• Jim Mann, Executive Director & Chief Science Officer, at Handwashing for Life Institute
• Richard Purtell, RPA, Former BOMA International Chair & Chief Elected Officer
• David Shadovitz, Editor of Human Resource Executive

Award Applications
Applications for next year's contest are now being accepted for the second annual The Healthy Workplace Project Award. Applicants do not need to be Kimberly-Clark Professional customers. Applications are being accepted through April 30, 2013. For more information, rules and regulations, visit www.healthyworkplaceproject.com.

About The Healthy Workplace Project
The Healthy Workplace Project is a multi-faceted program designed by Kimberly-Clark Professional to help companies provide their employees with a healthier and more productive office environment. It offers a unique approach to hand and surface hygiene that helps employees understand how germs are transmitted to help stop their spread throughout the workplace.  The program provides educational materials in conjunction with hand and surface hygiene products to employees, arming them with the tools and knowledge necessary to break the cycle of germ transmission in the office. By reinforcing the importance of "washing, wiping and sanitizing" through The Healthy Workplace Project, employers can help reduce that impact.

About Kimberly-Clark Professional
Kimberly-Clark Professional partners with businesses to create Exceptional Workplaces. Kimberly-Clark Professional helps transform workplaces making them safer, healthier, and more productive. Key brands in this segment include: Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech, and Jackson Safety. Kimberly-Clark Professional, located in Roswell, Ga., is one of Kimberly-Clark Corporation's four business segments and can be visited on the web at www.kcprofessional.com.

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Professional Healthy Workplace Project