Safer Chemicals Project- Reducing Toxic and Hazardous Waste in the Health Care Community

What is it?
Surface and air disinfection using UV light

How does it work?
High-energy UV light sterilizes bacteria by disrupting DNA. When patient rooms are vacant, switching on UV lights for just five minutes can sterilize the entire room.

Benefits of using UV Sterilization:
Studies indicated that using UV as a surface disinfectant gives you a 53 to 56% reduction in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and C. Diff Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) when supplementing terminal cleans with UV room disinfection. UV light reaches tight cracks and corners, and leaves no harsh residues, prolonging the life of health care equipment. It is also fast: the twin tower system can sanitize a room in just five minutes. 

Resources:
Hospital News: Ultraviolet and HVAC: Keys to Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infections

Class 1 Inc. ASEPT.1X Fixed, Fully Automatic

Class 1 Inc. ASEPT.2X Twin-tower Mobile

Class 1 Inc. ASEPT.3X Patient Activated Room Disinfector 

What is it?
Copper or copper alloy replacements or coverings for high-touch surfaces such as toilet seats, bed rails, doorknobs, faucets, and IV poles.

How does it work?
Copper has natural antimicrobial properties due to metal ions’ oligodynamic effect on cells. Copper has been shown to control a wide range of moulds, fungi, algae and harmful microbes, which can reduce the spread of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs).

Benefits of using copper:
On February 29, 2008, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the registrations of five different groups of copper alloys (mixtures with copper as the principle component) as “antimicrobial materials” with public health benefits. Research has shown that after switching touch surface material found in hospitals from stainless steel to copper, there was a 97% reduction in surface pathogens. Additionally, there is a 56% reduction in ICU HAIs if the copper surfaces remain throughout the patient’s stay. Copper is highly durable and its antimicrobial qualities do not diminish over time. Copper also has a halo effect on surrounding non-copper materials. Research shows that non-copper surfaces up to 50 centimeters from the antimicrobial copper surfaces exhibited a microbial reduction of 70% compared to surfaces not in such close proximity.

Resources:
Class-1 Inc. Aereus™ BioFree Copper-coated Toilet Seat

Copper Development Association Inc.: Antimicrobial Copper Touch Surfaces: A new tool for Infection Control and Prevention 

What is it?
Ozone (O₃) is a very reactive gas that can oxidise bacteria, moulds, organic material and other pollutants found in water.

How does it work?
Because the additional oxygen atom in O₃ is held by a weak bond, it is readily released to oxidize and kill microorganisms.

Benefits of using ozonated water:
Ozonated water is 2x more effective than bleach, 50x faster than bleach, non-toxic and eco-friendly. The wastewater needs to be in contact with ozone for just a short time (approximately 10 to 30 minutes). Ozone decomposes rapidly, leaves no harmful residual that would need to be removed from the wastewater after treatment, and helps destroy bad odours. There is no regrowth of microorganisms after ozonation. Ozone is generated onsite, and thus, there are fewer safety problems associated with shipping and handling. Ozonation increases the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of the discharged wastewater. The increase in DO can improve the oxygen content of the receiving body of water.

Resources:
Class 1 Inc. SmartFLO₃ Hand Hygiene Sink
Tersano iClean, SAO Dispenser, ProScrub, Laundry System
Aqueous Solutions Lotus PRO 

Quality Healthcare by Design: Putting People First

Contamination of Sinks and Drains with Gram-Negative Bacteria: A Call for Solutions

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CCHFM Core Competency: PDC, M&O

Growing evidence that hospital sinks and drains may be reservoirs for gram-negative bacteria, which can be transmitted to patients, has led to a number of interventions aimed at addressing this challenge. During this panel discussion you will hear from Infection Control professionals from acute care facilities in the Greater Toronto Area about solutions that have been put in place to protect patients. Topics covered will include: how sink and drain design affects contamination rates, remediation techniques once a drain is contaminated, preventative maintenance of plumbing and novel patient care ideas to combat this issue. The objective of the presentation is to increase knowledge of the risk to patients posed by hospital plumbing contaminated by gram-negative bacteria in order to stimulate thought/discussion around solutions that can be incorporated into design to prevent contamination of sinks.

Heather Candon, Infection Control Manager, Mackenzie Health, Richmond Hill ON
Natasha Salt, Director of IPAC, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto ON
Lorraine Maze, Infection Control Practitioner, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto ON  

Engineering Infection Reduction at Vancouver General Hospital

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Dr. Elizabeth Bryce, Regional Medical Director, IPAC, Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, BC 

CCHFM Core Competency: PDC
This presentation will describe the results of a pilot project that followed the microbiome of patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation, their healthcare workers and their environment. Patients were randomized to receive care in a regular isolation room or a room that had been re-engineered with self-disinfecting material on high-touch surfaces and with ultraviolet C light in the bathroom.

Objectives: 
1) To discuss basic principles of engineering for infection reduction and summarize key studies to date on self-disinfecting surfaces
2) To describe the results from the first phase of the pilot project and the practicalities of operationalizing this type of study
3) To identify existing gaps in our knowledge regarding self-disinfecting surfaces and potential ways of further clarifying their role in healthcare.