ptic ▁technique ▁is ▁a ▁key ▁component ▁of ▁all ▁invas ive ▁medical ▁procedures . ▁ ▁Similar ▁control ▁measures ▁are ▁also ▁recommended ▁in ▁any ▁health care ▁setting ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁spread ▁of ▁in fection ▁generally . ▁ ▁Hand ▁h yg iene ▁▁ ▁Independent ▁studies ▁by ▁Ign az ▁Sem mel weis ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁in ▁Vienna ▁and ▁Oliver ▁Wend ell ▁Hol mes , ▁Sr . ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 3 ▁in ▁Boston ▁established ▁a ▁link ▁between ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁health ▁care ▁workers ▁and ▁the ▁spread ▁of ▁hospital - ac quired ▁disease . ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Cent ers ▁for ▁D ise ase ▁Control ▁and ▁Pre vention ▁( CD C ) ▁state ▁that ▁“ It ▁is ▁well ▁documented ▁that ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁measure ▁for ▁prevent ing ▁the ▁spread ▁of ▁path og ens ▁is ▁effective ▁hand w ash ing .” ▁In ▁the ▁developed ▁world , ▁hand ▁was hing ▁is ▁mand atory ▁in ▁most ▁health ▁care ▁settings ▁and ▁required ▁by ▁many ▁different ▁regul ators . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁OS HA ▁standards ▁require ▁that ▁employ ers ▁must ▁provide ▁readily ▁accessible ▁hand ▁was hing ▁facilities , ▁and ▁must ▁ensure ▁that ▁employees ▁was h ▁hands ▁and ▁any ▁other ▁skin ▁with ▁soap ▁and ▁water ▁or ▁flush ▁m uc ous ▁memb ran es ▁with ▁water ▁as ▁soon ▁as ▁feas ible ▁after ▁contact ▁with ▁blood ▁or ▁other ▁potentially ▁inf ect ious ▁materials ▁( O PI M ). ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁UK ▁health care ▁profession als ▁have ▁adopted ▁the ▁' A yl iffe ▁Te chni que ', ▁based