Do you use gloves when handling sewer hose?

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

Poll shows 69 yes and 62 no.

I see it as 69 yes, 58 no…. At 10:21 mountain time…

[Billinwoodla]

Interesting to read the different opinions. Personally, i don’t trust other peoples hygiene. I wear gloves, disinfect the items i touch with bleach disinfectant spray, then wash once the gloves are removed. I also wear gloves at the gas pump.

[dvidrine]

just wash your hands

[Glenn and Kathy]

Gotta count "tell people I do, but I really don'tt" as no, so 52.

Glenn

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by Glenn and Kathy

Gotta count "tell people I do, but I really don'tt" as no, so 52.

Glenn

62....

[hikerjohn66]

Originally Posted by TonyMac

Sanicon and wash hands afterwards using the o/s shower wand.

Wash good because I was using a Sanicon system when I got the strep infection in a small cut on my finger that put me into surgery. I don't know for sure but, I suspect that the bacteria might have come from my connection used to flush the black water tank with a hose during dumping because, if the RV is slightly tilted, sometimes water can drip out of that connection on to my hands. And perhaps I did not wash them thoroughly enough. Once bacteria gets into a cut, it's difficult to flush out.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by hikerjohn66

Wash good because I was using a Sanicon system when I got the strep infection in a small cut on my finger that put me into surgery. I don't know for sure but, I suspect that the bacteria might have come from my connection used to flush the black water tank with a hose during dumping because, if the RV is slightly tilted, sometimes water can drip out of that connection on to my hands. And perhaps I did not wash them thoroughly enough. Once bacteria gets into a cut, it's difficult to flush out.

I stated no gloves and that's the way I've handled the dump for many years. But, I would realize that it'd be a good idea to take extra precautions if I had an open wound on one of my hands when a dump was needed. I'd make like MJ and wear at least one glove to protect the wound if I found myself in that situation.

[AbdRahim]

No. I used to, but now I keep wipes in the bay, as well as Disinfectant spray. I spray everything before I start, especially the sewer cap. On disconnecting, I spray everything at start of the procedure and wash everything that goes back into the coach with disinfectant. I first use the wipes before I touch anything to close up the bay and immediately go inside and wash my hands with disinfectant soap.

I never used a “dump station”.

I also spray the water spigot(inside and out, the valve handle, and the inside and out of all of my hoses and connection with disinfectant Then run water through them for several minutes before connecting the to the rig.

[Lynxman]

I will use disposable gloves about half the time when dumping at my own site and all the time when dumping at a dump station. My opinion is that people are more careful when connecting and disconnecting at a site they are responsible for. I always however wash my hands thoroughly.

I do really have to think about those who use gloves other than disposables because they have a false feeling of security and go about the businsee of dumping, handling the hose with their gloved hands, and then toss the many times used soiled gloves somewhere in their wet bay or elsewhere and many don't appear to wash their hands afterward. The bacteria they handle with the glove surfaces then is allowed to continue to be handled time and time again. I have see some rinse the gloves after use but it's uncommon to see anyone spray them with a disinfectant solution or wash with soap and water after. Washing hands thoroughly is easier ad more consistent thanthe use of those type of gloves.

[rbTN]

no, don't bother with gloves. If the "crap" gets on my hands I have wipes then wash completely, otherwise just another day. But I also don't use anti-bacterial soap, just leads to resistant bacteria. Get the stuff off, rinse well, you're good.

[Kountry_star]

OK I'm thinking the right answer is> To each his / her own. What ever you feel comfortable with is the right answer. If your using a public dump site leave it as you would of liked to of found it.

[rpracing]

I just use disposable gloves when doing the sewer as you do not know what bacteria has grown before dumping most cases you right about not touching the sewer but there is a chance when disconnecting the sewer hose

[NeilV]

Originally Posted by Scott 3

E-coli can contaminate vegetables in farm fields from workers using the bathroom or storm run off. Open sewers in foreign countries harbor disease. Beaches (sometimes in US) cause infections from minor to deadly. Why wouldn't a public dump station handing the same materials be potentially dangerous? It is also just nasty, there is nothing cool or admirable about barehanding it.

Diapers are not a comparable if it is your child. Diapers in a hospital or public care setting would.be a concern.

Exactly, you really can not make a straight comparison to taking care of personal hygiene or that of your own child compared to dealing with hoses, tanks and connections that have had contact with effluent which has had time to fester. Effluent is a nutrient rich breeding ground for a variety of things that can enter through the skin even without an obvious cut or abrasion.

Depending on the contagion simple hand washing does not always suffice especially with all the known and unknown Super Bugs, etc out there.

Its prudent to take the precautions of wearing gloves and glasses when dealing with a sewer connection especially when its been used by others. Today kids who are learning the plumbing trades are now taught to wear rubber aprons, gloves, masks and face shields when dealing with sanitary sewer pipes and connections. Covid-19 adds a new dimension to things now since how concentrated it is in a community can be measured by how concentrated it is in the local sewer system.

We lost two young healthy workers to a minor splash on a disaster relief site that turned into a major infection resulting in their deaths within 24 hours of exposure. Again you really need to take precautions when dealing with sanitary sewer connections especially where you do not know the health status of the previous users.

The funerals were tough to attend as all were in a state of shock over how quickly what many viewed as a minor event that only required them to wash their hands, etc afterwards ended up killing them. Washing their hands and using sanitizer along with all the resources available in a modern fully equipped hospital were not enough to make up for their not wearing gloves plus taking the other protections that would have prevented the exposure.

Again these infections while simple to avoid are at times impossible to cure even with modern medical technology so wear your gloves and be more careful when dealing with sewer connections used by others be they at a camp site or dumping station.

The old adage still holds true that "An Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure."

[rvtips]

Originally Posted by astrnmrtom

We've been in a campground for two weeks with full hook ups and the dump station visible from our site. There's been a lot of coming and going of RVs, and I've noticed, almost everyone isn't using gloves when handling their sewer hose. Do you use gloves?

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nope no gloves,do you wear them when it comes out of you?
Always wash hands after.