1.5 Identify poor practices that may lead to the spread of infection

This guide will help you answer 1.5 Identify poor practices that may lead to the spread of infection.

In health and social care, stopping the spread of infection protects everyone. Poor infection control can cause illness and even death. In this guide, we will cover what poor practice is, give lots of examples, and help you recognise what puts people at risk.

What Is a Poor Practice Related to Infection?

A poor practice is any behaviour or action that does not follow safe or recommended procedures for infection prevention. It puts people at risk of getting or spreading diseases. Staff sometimes do these things without realising the consequences.

Poor practice can happen anywhere—homes, hospitals, care homes, community settings. It only takes a small mistake to put someone in danger.

Common Poor Practices That Spread Infection

I will set out the most common ways infections can spread because of poor practice. These apply to all care settings.

Poor Hand Hygiene

Hand hygiene prevents most infections, but many people neglect it. Key mistakes include:

• Not washing hands at all or only sometimes
• Rinsing hands quickly without soap
• Not washing hands long enough (should last at least 20 seconds)
• Missing areas—such as thumbs, under nails, between fingers
• Not drying hands properly, leaving them damp
• Not using hand sanitiser where handwashing is not possible

This allows germs to remain on hands, then transfer to people or objects.

Incorrect Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes gloves, aprons, face masks, and visors. It reduces the risk of infection if used correctly. Common mistakes are:

• Not wearing PPE when required
• Wearing the wrong PPE for the task
• Not changing PPE between different people or tasks
• Re-using disposable items
• Not removing PPE safely—touching contaminated surfaces
• Not disposing of PPE safely in the right bins

These mistakes spread germs directly.

Poor Cleaning and Disinfection

Routine cleaning kills most germs. Poor cleaning practices make it easy for infection to spread. Examples are:

• Using dirty mops, cloths, or sponges
• Reusing contaminated cleaning equipment
• Not cleaning high-touch areas (like door handles, light switches) often enough
• Using the wrong type or concentration of cleaning product
• Missing areas, especially hard-to-reach places
• Not following manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning products

Germs remain on surfaces and quickly pass from person to person.

Failing to Follow Safe Waste Disposal Procedures

Clinical waste like dressings, gloves, or sharps must be put in special bins. Bad practice includes:

• Putting clinical or contaminated waste in household rubbish bins
• Allowing waste to pile up before removal
• Touching waste with bare hands
• Not sealing waste bags before disposal
• Leaving sharps unprotected

These actions make infection much more likely.

Poor Handling of Laundry

Bedding, uniforms, towels, and clothes can all carry germs. Common mistakes include:

• Shaking dirty laundry, which spreads germs into the air
• Mixing clean and dirty laundry together
• Handling soiled linen without gloves or aprons
• Leaving wet or soiled laundry on the floor or furniture
• Washing laundry at low temperatures, not hot enough to kill germs

These bad habits can expose everyone in the setting to infection.

Ignoring ‘Single-Use’ Guidelines

Some items are labelled ‘single-use’. They must be discarded after one use and never shared, for example:

• Syringes
• Needles
• Catheters
• Thermometer probes (unless protected by a disposable cover)
• Swabs

Ignoring these guidelines, for example by using a needle on more than one person, can spread dangerous infections like hepatitis or HIV.

Inadequate Handling of Food

Food handling spreads infection easily if workers don’t take care. Poor practices include:

• Not washing hands before and after handling food
• Preparing food on dirty surfaces
• Using the same chopping boards/knives for raw and cooked foods
• Storing food at the wrong temperature
• Leaving food uncovered
• Serving food past its use-by date

These habits spread bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli.

Not Covering Mouths or Noses When Coughing or Sneezing

Coughing or sneezing releases droplets that contain germs. Infection can spread quickly if:

• Staff do not cover their mouths/noses
• People use hands rather than tissues or elbows, then touch surfaces
• Used tissues are left lying around rather than thrown away
• Hands are not washed after coughing or sneezing

Other people then breathe in or touch these germs.

Examples of Poor Infection Control in Health and Social Care Settings

Recognising poor practice is the first step to changing it. Here are some real examples:

• A care worker wears gloves to deliver personal care but does not change them before preparing lunch.
• Someone cleans the bathroom with a dirty cloth they used earlier for the kitchen.
• A staff member forgets to wash their hands after helping a person to the toilet.
• People put food shopping bags on a client’s bed.
• Sharps from a diabetic resident are left on the side of a table, rather than being put straight into a sharps bin.
• Staff hang wet towels over furniture to dry instead of washing them.
• Staff put soiled dressings in a kitchen bin rather than a clinical waste bin.

These actions make outbreaks of infection much more likely.

Effects of Poor Practice: Who Is at Risk?

Poor infection control affects everyone, not just the people receiving care.

• Service users (clients, patients, residents): Most are already vulnerable. Poor health, age, disability or some medicines make them more likely to get very ill from infections.
• Staff: If staff become infected, they must take time off work, which affects the level of care provided.
• Visitors: Family and friends may pick up infections and carry them elsewhere.
• Wider community: Infections can leave the care setting and spread to the wider public.

People with weakened immune systems, wounds or chronic illnesses are especially at risk. For them, what seems like a ‘mild’ infection can quickly become life-threatening.

Reasons Why Poor Practice Continues

It can be tempting to ‘cut corners’ when very busy or tired. Sometimes, staff:

• Lack proper training on infection control
• Do not understand why steps matter
• Do not have enough time, staff or cleaning materials
• Feel rushed and skip steps
• Become used to bad habits—for example, wearing the same gloves for multiple tasks
• Are not reminded or supervised closely

Managers and leaders must make infection control a priority. Ongoing education and culture are important.

Simple Steps to Spot Poor Practice

Everyone in any care setting is responsible for infection control. Staff should watch for:

• Dirt, dust or body fluids on surfaces
• Overflowing bins, especially those with clinical waste
• Bad smells (may mean bacteria are growing)
• Dirty or untidy areas
• Staff not washing hands between tasks
• People wearing gloves or aprons outside the room or area they are needed
• Food stored incorrectly
• Poor ventilation—windows always closed

Spotting these problems early allows action before infection spreads.

Legislation and Policies

Infection control is not only about good care, it is also a legal requirement.

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Providers must prevent and control infections. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) checks if settings follow standards.

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002: This covers harmful micro-organisms.

Policies and Procedures: Most employers have their own rules—workers must follow them.

Failing to follow infection control policy can result in:

• Warnings or disciplinary action for staff
• Fines or closure for organisations
• Harm or death to people in care

Your Role in Preventing Poor Practice

You do not need to be a manager to spot and stop poor infection control. Everyone can:

• Know the right steps for hand hygiene, PPE and cleaning
• Attend infection control training
• Model good practice for others—lead by example
• Remind and support colleagues if you see poor practice
• Encourage open conversations about safety concerns
• Report serious breaches to your supervisor or manager

If you ever feel unsure, asking questions is better than assuming.

Good Habits to Replace Poor Practice

Replace bad habits with safe ones:

• Wash hands before and after every task, especially personal care or food duties
• Do not ‘double glove’ (wearing one pair over another) or use multiple gloves at once
• Change gloves and aprons between each person and task
• Clean all areas, even those not often touched, on a set routine
• Store clean and dirty linen separately
• Dispose of waste and sharps immediately after use
• Wear the correct PPE for the task
• Never eat, drink or apply cosmetics in care areas

Write checklists and reminders if it helps you remember every step.

Common Barriers to Good Infection Control

Sometimes staff want to follow the rules, but barriers get in the way:

• Broken or hard-to-access handwashing stations
• Not enough PPE or cleaning materials
• Lack of up-to-date training
• High staff turnover or temporary staff who do not know the procedures

If you notice any of these, tell your line manager straight away. It helps prevent future problems.

Promoting a Culture of Safety

A good infection control culture means everyone talks about and values safety.

• Praise positive behaviour
• Gently remind people about hand washing or PPE if they forget
• Support each other to ask questions or suggest improvements
• Report issues as soon as you see them

When everyone works together, infection spread drops dramatically.

Reporting Poor Practice

If you ever see infection risks:

• Speak to the person first, kindly and in private if appropriate
• If nothing changes, raise the issue with your supervisor
• Use incident reporting systems if you believe people are at risk

This is not about blaming people. It is about keeping everyone safe.

Consequences of Ignoring Poor Practice

Allowing poor practice to go unchallenged has major impacts:

• More infections—outbreaks can close entire wards, homes, or departments
• Suffering and pain for people in care
• Increased costs—extra cleaning, staff sickness, hospital admissions
• Permanent harm or death
• Inspection failures—leading to fines or closures

It only takes one contaminated surface, one missed hand wash or one uncleaned piece of equipment for infection to spread.

Final Thoughts

Poor practices that spread infection can appear harmless but lead to serious harm. Common examples include skipping handwashing, incorrect PPE use, poor cleaning, bad waste disposal, ignoring single-use rules, not handling laundry or food correctly, and not covering coughs or sneezes. Spotting and stopping poor practices protects all, especially those at risk. Speak up where you see problems, support colleagues, and always follow infection control steps precisely. Your actions make a major difference to everyone’s safety.