The ExpressPro
As a device-dependent society there is no end to the amount of shareable, wearable, and portable technologies that we will create to aide us in our everyday lives. Everywhere you go you’ll see people on their phones, tablets, Bluetooth devices, portable gaming devices, and other small gadgets.
Have you ever noticed how many phones are resting on tables at your favorite restaurant or coffee shop? Or how many tablets are used in the school classroom, being passed around from student to student, hand to hand? Just like the “5-second rule” is a myth for food, the same goes for your mobile devices. Whether they’re resting on countertops or in your hand on the throne, these devices can actively collect dangerous microbes and bacteria.
Through this collection and harboring process, the mobile devices can offer countless viruses, fungi, and bacteria new pathways to transmit to humans. This is an emerging problem, some more recent studies expose the fact that, “the possible role of mobile phones as a ‘Trojan horse’ contributing to the transmission of microbial infections in epidemics and pandemics https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7187827/).” While this study only focused on cellphones, we can extrapolate that the same applies for all shared & mobile devices.
Busy work environments that use shared devices need to place a premium on disinfecting their electronics. Quick and consistent disinfection is the key to sharing devices safely in these environments and the best way to do that, is to provide it to all at the “front door”.
The ExpressPro is a rapid UV disinfection station that can seamlessly mold into any nursing home lobby, office lobby, athletic training room, post-security terminal, airport, etc. A sleek design and multiple ways to display and mount the ExpressPro allows for easy workflow integration.
A Well Thought Out Design
An innovative, ergonomic, and well thought out design is what makes the ExpressPro so effective. Using strategically placed UV-C bulbs, highly reflective chamber, and tactically installed Quartz shelf this device achieves a 5-Log reduction in 60 seconds. It has been clinically tested and maintains a proven 360-degree coverage of UV-C light on the target. The means the device is completely encompassed in highly effective ultraviolet light with no shadowing effect.
A common problem in rapid UV disinfection boxes are the shelving designs. Gaps in the rods allow for items to be dropped through the cracks and onto the bulbs. If the shelves are made from material that doesn’t allow UV-C to pass through unobstructed, then you’ll have a shadowing effect on your device, meaning no kill.
Poor designs lead to regular maintenance costs and part replacements. With the way the ExpressPro shelving is designed, it doesn’t allow for anything to fall through and the bulbs are protected. The lights last up to 50,000 hours and the real Quartz shelf is very durable.
In addition to general maintenance costs, if the design is not user friendly then it will inevitably lead to improper uses potentially resulting in damage to the device. Also, the intimidation factor needs to be considered. A complex design may deter people from approaching and the device.
When Should We Disinfect?
As with many things in life, timing is key. For example, after using your mobile device while on the toilet, that would be an ideal time to disinfect. Public bathrooms are breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria and whenever you pull up YouTube on your phone or tablet, you’re exposing yourself to unsavory microbes.
In the school and university setting, devices that are shared can be disinfected between class rotations. In the computer lab, how many sets of fingers have run across those keyboards before they were properly cleaned and disinfected? No problem, the ExpressPro has your back. You can even go as far as disinfecting shared writing tools such as pens, pencils, and markers. In a pre-school setting you can use the ExpressPro to achieve a high-level disinfection rate on your mobile phone which that toddler thought was edible, making sure the next kid is safe in case he or she too gets hungry.
In the healthcare setting, medical devices that are shared during patient care are critical to disinfect. There are a myriad of electronics and bits of tech that are used in modern medicine to treat patients. These devices carry the same potential to transmit dangerous microbes as your phone does.
According to a study done by the CDC, “Investigators observed multiple opportunities for contamination of the base layer of gown and gloves during doffing and through direct contact with the patient care environment or potentially contaminated surfaces such as mobile computers. Mobile computers and medical equipment were not always disinfected between uses, medical supplies (e.g., oxygen tubing and gauze) were stored in open bins in hallways and accessed by HCP wearing the base PPE layer, and missed opportunities for performing hand hygiene were observed.” (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7002e3.htm).
So, what is your business, school, or healthcare facility doing to track the movement of shared devices as well as their respective disinfection cycles? Do you know how many times per day the device is disinfected? Per hour? If you’re a school or university, what steps are you taking to help provide students an opportunity to disinfect devices before and after use?
One study completed by The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety found, “overall, students cleaned their phone less than once weekly and were somewhat unlikely to remove the case (Table 1). When asked about their most common method of cleaning, students used alcohol swabs (66.7%), soap & water (10.0%), water alone (5.5%), UV light (2.2%), and other (15.6%).” This is a fair baseline to use for other devices, note how little cleaning is done and how little UV light is used. The ExpressPro makes disinfecting your device exciting! More importantly it can reduce mindless waste and provide better, more efficacious, and environmentally friendly disinfection.
We know from previous articles such as, The Proactive Approach to Infection Control, spray & wipe methods as well as alcohol wipes are not effective and contribute to tremendous waste. Chemical based methods of disinfection have been proven to have a harsh effect on devices causing cracks and breaks in the material and in many cases degrading the overall touch capability of screens on many devices. Rapid UV disinfection is a more sustainable and eco-friendly solution for electronics when packed in an enclosed, reflective setting.
If you work in the healthcare setting the ideal time to disinfect your phone would be before your shift and at the end of your shift. By taking a singular minute of your time, you’ve drastically reduced the potential of contributing to deadly HAIs. You can go to work or back home with peace of mind knowing your device is safe and clean. Having an ExpressPro in the halls of your hospital will allow any devices to be disinfected before and after entering a patient’s room, ensuring safety for those who need it most.
Adopt a Front Door Policy
We at Safety Net recommend every business, school, event center, healthcare facility, and beyond have a “front door policy” for infection prevention. Installing a simple and user-friendly disinfection station at each entry point of your place of business will ensure protection for all. Safety Net offers an affordable and effective kiosk mounted ExpressPro with optional hand sanitizer that can be placed in any lobby with ease. This kiosk puts a hard stop to dangerous pathogens from being brought into the work environment through mobile and shared devices.
Any comprehensive infection prevention and HAZCOM plan should start at the front door. Safety Net will help you create, and custom fit infection prevention plans specific for your work environment. The ExpressPro is amazing because it can fit into any front door policy no matter the industry. Mobile and shared electronics are a part of everyone’s daily lives making the ExpressPro a great fit for your entrance.
Data Tracking + Flexibility = Money Saved
Aside from a touchless, quick, and easy operation, the ExpressPro has data tracking capabilities and flexible deployment options. Data tracking is becoming more and more important especially in the wake of OSHA’s new NEP (National Emphasis Program) where you will be fined substantially for not having a comprehensive log of disinfection efforts. Recordkeeping is critical to avoiding fines and keeping staff accountable for disinfecting their devices and it also offers an opportunity to take note of how clean shared devices are.
The flexible deployment of this rapid UV disinfection device allows it to blend in with your environment however you choose. If you prefer a wall mount, there’s an option for that. It also the capability to be mounted on a roller stand for portability amongst departments. The kiosk option provides best visibility and an option for hand hygiene. The cheapest way is to just simply place it on a counter, no mounting necessary!
Cut back on those pesky, wasteful, disinfectant wipes. Stop spraying and waiting on specific dwell times before wiping off your device (you are waiting the required dwell time, aren’t you?). Quit applying chemical solutions that are harmful and destructive to the devices. Get an ExpressPro that helps you avoid fines, keeps your devices in top condition, saves you time, saves you money, and most importantly saves lives!
So, would you Spare 60 Seconds to Save a Life?
Through clinical testing the ExpressPro is proven to achieve a 5-Log kill in 60 seconds on C. diff, MRSA, SARS-Cov-2, and Coronavirus 229E. And as we emerge from the ashes of the COVID-19 pandemic, and realize that others may follow, we need to understand and have a firm grasp on all the new pathways for microbes to transmit to us. The ExpressPro rapid UV disinfection device is designed with long-term in mind. As more devices are released each year and newer and more deadly viruses emerge, there needs to be a demand for rapid disinfection stations like the ExpressPro at the entrance of all healthcare facilities and public places. So, buy an ExpressPro, adopt a ”front door policy”, and start relaxing knowing that you’ve just taken the first steps towards implementing a comprehensive infection prevention plan and helping drastically reduce the potential for community-based infections.