COMMERCIAL SECURITY
Copper - an unlikely superhero in the fight against harmful bacteria and viruses
“ When we first started hearing about the coronavirus in early 2020 it was mostly concentrated in China and it seemed inconceivable that it would ever affect our day to day lives in the UK as it has come to do ,” says John Hyslop , MD of Borg Locks .
Controlling access – controlling the virus
“ Here at Borg Locks , we have been in the business of controlling access for nearly 25 years . Our locks are used internationally in medical and healthcare environments , residential care homes , educational establishments , military bases , homes and businesses .
“ Yet as their usage required people to touch them , the locks could also be a route of easy transmission for the coronavirus . So we acted quickly to find a solution . That ’ s how we came up with the Cu-Shield , the world ’ s first coppertouch digital lock range .”
John continues : “ We are seven billion people crammed into some very small spaces . Is it any wonder that pathogens and viruses can spread between us as quickly as they do , especially as viruses can remain infectious on high touch surfaces , such as door handles and locks in between disinfections for up to 72 hours ? It ’ s impossible to wipe down any surface constantly , let alone those that are in high-touch environments , so we needed to find a solution that could help break the chain of transmission on hightouch surfaces like our locks .”
Copper-touch surfaces are a responsible and affordable choice
“ When we carried out our research , it turned out that the solution was actually much simpler that we had envisaged – copper .
“ Scientific research has proven over and over that copper is an inherently antimicrobial product that rapidly and continuously inactivates microbes between cleaning episodes . It is effective under wet and dry conditions and is rapidly effective in killing bacteria , viruses , yeast and fungi and best of all , it never , ever stops working for the lifetime of the product . It is also affordable and sustainable .
“ Copper is already being used in hospitals around the world , as an adjunct to other infection control measures – such as regular handwashing , surface cleaning and disinfecting - to reduce infection risks to patients and staff .
“ With reports already being made that healthcare-associated infections ( HCAIs ) are continuing to climb and have an impact on fatality rates , despite the increased focus on PPE , hand washing and enhanced cleaning protocols , the antimicrobial properties of copper are an easy choice to help in this fight .
“ Ultimately , anything we can do to reduce the exposure of the sick , elderly and vulnerable to possible HCAIs has to be a good thing . It ’ s a win-win situation for us all .”
Cu-Shield – helping to break the chain of transmission
“ Our brand new digital lock range , the Cu-Shield actually offers several solutions to help fight the spread of the novel coronavirus and other pathogens , viruses and bacteria ( such as MRSA , C . difficile , E . coli and norovirus , etc .) on surfaces .
“ It is available in some of our most popular lock designs – the BL2500 / BL2700 series and BL5400 series , plus two very affordable retrofit kits for the BL2701 and the BL5400 , both of which can be in place in less than 15 minutes and starting to fight viruses .
“ As we continue to re-open our schools , workplaces and healthcare facilities , it ’ s important that we have as many tools as possible to slow the spread of COVID-19 and other bacteria , viruses and pathogens . The Cu-Shield is a powerful weapon in that fight .”
‘ Ultimately , anything we can do to reduce the exposure of the sick , elderly and vulnerable to possible HCAIs has to be a good thing . It ’ s a win-win situation for us all ’
Copper is the only metal independently tested and approved by the US EPA to demonstrate antimicrobial activity . Formed from a high copper-content alloy , the Cu- Shield range of digital locks offers an additional layer of protection on highrisk touch surfaces , supporting existing infection control measures already in place .
For additional peace of mind , the Cu-Shield has been endorsed by ACT Surfaces Ltd , an evidence-based consultancy on the strategic use of antimicrobial materials . The digital lock range has also been tested to ISO 22196 : 2011 .
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NOV / DEC 2020
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