INFECTION PREVENTION TYPICAL DAILY TOUCH SURFACE CONTAMINATION 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 Axiene 1000 0 9 am 1 pm
Figure 2: Typical daily touch surface contamination over a typical working day.
on the complete handle surface area, equating to <0.07 cfu/cm2
. While the
surface contamination on the manually cleaned handle varied throughout the day and over the trial period, the very low surface contamination on the touch surface of the Axiene handle was maintained continuously throughout the duration of the trial. It was noted that the Axiene performance surpassed the requirements of the international regulations on every test. The recorded results are compared in Figure 1, and indicate that the manual intermittent cleaning procedure does not provide ongoing protection, and does
not satisfy regulation requirements. An alternative system such as the Axiene handle has been demonstrated to provide superior surface protection against pathogens on an ongoing basis.
Glana says that independent laboratory analysis verifies that Axiene provides broad spectrum protection against harmful germs and viruses including
E.coli, ENT, and MRSA, and other pathogens such as Coronavirus.
70 Health Estate Journal November 2022
Impact of intermittent daily cleaning The effectiveness of intermittent normal daily cleaning of high-touch surfaces can be illustrated by the graphic in Figure 2, showing the surface contamination growth over time caused by multiple users (saw-tooth pattern). This is entirely representative of normal use, and could represent any typical door handle installation in a multi-user facility, such as care homes, offices, education, or hospitality facilities. This indicates that manual intermittent cleaning may not provide the required level of cleanliness. By comparison, the innovative Axiene solution can be seen to continuously and consistently provide a safer touch surface. This representative case study, and the independent results, clearly demonstrate that the efficacy of manual intermittent cleaning on high-touch surfaces is entirely variable, being a function of the cleaning methods employed and the usage of the handle. The real-life trials, and comparison of standard cleaning procedures with new technology, show the huge improvement in surface cleanliness and user protection that can be achieved on a continuous basis by employing active surface treatment provided by the Axiene Clean Touch system. The results of the study indicate the substantial increase in user safety that can be achieved by institutions and businesses when seeking to improve the health of their facilities, boost the confidence of their employees or visitors, and demonstrate their duty of care as a responsible and caring organisation.
5 pm < 0.1 cfu/cm2
Standard cleaning (Twice per day) Up to 50 cfu/cm2
Regulations 5 cfu/cm2
Uncleaned >60 cfu/cm2
Ian Graham
Ian Graham is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and the founder of Glana, based in Glasgow. He graduated from the University of Strathclyde, gaining a 1st class degree in Mechanical Engineering and Business Management, and, following a number of years working on multi-million pound contracts in the energy and construction sectors, formed Glana to develop the technology that has now formed the Axiene Clean Touch System. He has developed the Axiene product working with specialists from the NHS, universities, and industry, ‘progressing from an early-stage concept into a market-ready product that has now been launched to help enhance hygiene across all sectors and applications’. He explains: “The IP-protected surface treatment process, and pioneering design, are now being further developed into a range of supplementary products to provide protection on high-touch surfaces, and to further help the fight against infection spread.”
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