Frequent hand cleaning or disinfection is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of the virus that causes Covid-19. Businesses adopted more stringent hand hygiene processes during the pandemic, and many placed extra hand hygiene stations in their washrooms and elsewhere. These typically utilise pump-action bottles to dispense alcohol-based disinfectant hand rub. This is quick and practical, but could longer-term solutions be more effective and economic?
Studies show that people dispense more product than needed if they are free to decide for themselves. Many of us take multiple shots from a dispenser "just to be sure" when one is usually enough. Bottles are emptied quicker than necessary which can be expensive because they must be replaced or refilled more often. Perhaps more importantly, it increases the risk that other people will be unable to disinfect their hands when they should. And there is always the risk that portable bottles will go missing.
Professional wall or floor-mounted dispensers and products offer many long-term cost and operational benefits. Generally, they deliver better dosing accuracy and consistency. In the long run, that means lower costs and better predictability. This alone can often justify the investment.
Well-designed dispensers also help maximise and maintain product availability so that as many people as possible can disinfect their hands. Because they are generally fixed in position, they will always be in the correct location for convenient and appropriate use and less likely to go astray. Features such as alerts or easy product level checks help ensure dispensers are refilled before they are empty. Using larger containers should, all else being equal, extend the time between refills which also reduces the risk of non-availability.
The latest-generation dispensers, including Diversey's IntelliCare system, offer contactless operation. That is good for hand hygiene because it reduces the risk of cross-contamination between users. Uniquely, the IntelliCare dispenser switches automatically to manual operation if its batteries become discharged. This risk is reduced because the equipment can alert staff members when its battery or product levels get too low.
Diversey offers a complete range of soaps, sanitisers, and foams for use with IntelliCare. These include formulations that meet the all-important EN14476 virucidal standard against enveloped viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19. IntelliCare supports complete product interchangeability because all products are available in the same size high-capacity containers. For example, dispensers in washrooms can be used with soaps while identical units in public areas are used with disinfecting hand rubs. Businesses can install, relocate, or reconfigure their dispensers at any time.
Another benefit of the system is dual-dosing capability. This allows, for example, dispensers in restricted areas to be set at a lower dose for staff who have been trained to apply hand rubs or soaps correctly. Dispensers in public areas can be set to deliver a larger single dose for casual users who might be less aware of correct processes. This helps to control costs while maintaining the highest hygiene standards.
Hand hygiene is often the first line of defence against many infections. It is even more critical when one of these - like SARS-Cov-2 - is so deadly and spreads so easily. Leading suppliers such as Diversey can help their customers choose the right dispensers and products to make hand hygiene and disinfection as simple and convenient as possible.