Hardware
Improving Building Hygiene - Where Does Door Hardware Fit In ?
Daniel May , Director at Consort Architectural Hardware , discusses the role door hardware plays in improving hygiene within public building environments .
Health and hygiene are delicate themes , particularly in today ’ s settings . Both our homes and public building environments can have a huge impact on our wellbeing , and over the past few years , this fact has only been exemplified .
Eighty percent of common infections are spread by touch and every 30 minutes , the average person is said to touch surfaces that expose them to 840,000 germs . These germs are prevalent in buildings too , where touchpoints are areas or items that are used by several individuals . Within workplace environments for example , door handles are the most touched surface and can be associated with cross-contamination and health risks .
At present , the need to improve hygiene within our building environments , understandably , carries a greater significance than it maybe once did . But in truth , when it comes to building design , the process of protecting occupants and visitors against infection - especially those most vulnerable - should never be overlooked .
Design for Bacteria Control Over the past two years , we ’ ve seen building environments closed , reopened and the process repeated . The idea of reducing footfall in facilities was key in fighting the rising infection rates associated with the coronavirus . But now , that footfall has returned .
Once again , those critical touchpoints such as door handles are harbouring germs . In fact , research has shown that the coronavirus can survive on surfaces for hours , and even days on metal door handles - and the same can be said for the common flu .
In response , we ’ ve seen government campaigns promoting hand washing , sanitising and distance-making in the wake of a return to public facilities . Undoubtedly , infection control methods such as hand washing and systematic cleaning are the most guaranteed way of controlling cross-contamination - yet , still these methods can become redundant when faced with human error or relaxed conventions within public buildings .
Building design can play an important role here . Daniel May , Director at Consort explains :
“ We ’ re at a point where decision makers are under pressure to keep building hygiene standards as high as ever before . And outside of the clear-cut hygiene measures , it ’ s understood that more can be done throughout the building design process , with architectural hardware selection at the core of decisions .
“ Door hardware is the first touchpoint when entering , exiting or navigating a building , and can be one of the most bacteria-ridden . Yet , the latest in hardware advancements could give facility managers an edge in the fight against infection , especially in healthcare facilities , such as hospitals for example , where footfall is high and the need to maintain strict sterile environments already exists .
“ For added protection against bacteria , facilities can implement tailored anti-microbial hardware and finishes . Anti-microbial coatings applied to door handles are precisely formulated to prevent bacteria build-up upon the surface by interrupting cell multiplication . Some door seal solutions also make use of modern anti-bacterial technology , embedding it within the aluminium and silicone of
the door seal during production , further reducing the spread of bacteria in high traffic areas .”
The Care Quality Commission ( CQC ) sets a regulation that cleanliness and effective infection control is a necessity for care and hospital locations . As well as best practice methods , healthcare environments are encouraged to introduce innovative infection control methods where possible . Similarly , under The Workplace ( Health , Safety and Welfare ) Regulations 1992 , decision makers have an active duty to keep inhabitants safe and their environments clean . And aside from the use of antimicrobial solutions , many are challenged to provide hygienically maintained environments without sacrificing fire or safety standards .
Sources : http :// www . bccdc . ca / health-info / prevention-public-health / hand-hygiene | https :// www . knowingmore . com / 2019 / 10 / 15 / its-global-handwashing-day / https :// www . cbsnews . com / news / one-germy-doorknob-can-infect-half-your-office-within-hours / | https :// www . webmd . com / lung / how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces
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