ON PREMISES: HOSPITALS & HEALTHCARE
“Hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) is proven
to be a highly effective decontaminate,
eradicating micro-
organisms even at low concentrations.”
THE PPE PROBLEM
Tautvydas Karitonas, Head of Research and Development at Inivos, explores the ways in which hospitals can tackle PPE shortages – and what this tells us about the future of personal protection at work.
The pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for every sector, but no more so than for supplies and safety professionals in the healthcare industry.
Six months ago, it would have been unthinkable that hospitals would find themselves with dwindling stocks of disposable PPE. Yet the shortages across the country have left thousands of health professionals with seemingly no option other than to reuse their masks, gowns and goggles – all of which are designed to be disposed of.
NHS Trusts are having to make an impossible decision about what is safer: asking their frontline staff to reuse PPE or sending them into a clinical environment without protection. It is a choice no one should have to make but, faced with dwindling stock of PPE, professionals in supplies are having to consider it.
However, there are other options available which can spare staff the difficult choice between entering the clinical environment with contaminated PPE or none at all.
TAKING A MEASURED APPROACH Many hospitals already use technology to
decontaminate their wards, beds and communal spaces. Hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) is proven to be highly effective for this purpose, eradicating micro- organisms even at low concentrations – and now many hospitals are considering its use to decontaminate single-use PPE for reuse.
Studies have already shown that HPV can be used to decontaminate geobacillus stearothermophilus from PPE, allowing up to 20 additional uses for each item.
Although it is not a long-term alternative to the best practice of using and disposing of ‘single-use’ PPE,
twitter.com/TomorrowsHS
decontamination provides a safe and effective interim solution during supply-chain crises.
A CONTINGENCY PLAN Health and safety professionals will need to consider
what their contingency plan is for when PPE supplies run low, including back-up sources for stock and decontamination procedures for when all else fails.
As the industry moves on from the pandemic, we can expect to see more professionals developing extensive emergency plans to ensure there are clear steps for future shortages and delays.
It isn’t just the healthcare industry that will need to change the way they work – and plan for even the most unlikely emergencies. The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the close working conditions present in the construction industry, and how it may be possible to create two metres of distance between workers on site, as well reportedly bringing an end to the concept of ‘hot-desking’ in office environments.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE COVID-19 has already had an enormous impact on
how businesses of all kinds run.
As industries begin a staggered return to work, we are likely to therefore see more occupations requiring PPE, at least in the short term. This is particularly likely for any industry with continuous exposure to the public, for example transport workers, couriers and supermarket staff.
The likelihood is that the future will bring more new challenges for health and safety professionals as they navigate the expectations of policymakers and the public – but newfound appreciation for their work, too.
www.hygiene-solutions.co.uk/ 29
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