scholarly journals An innovative low-cost personal protective equipment gown made by biomedical trash bags

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-77
Author(s):  
Anupama Pandey ◽  
Anita Singh ◽  
Shivani Bajpai ◽  
Kirti M Naranje ◽  
Girish Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Protective Equipment

scholarly journals Personal Protective Equipment used for Infection Control in Dental Practices

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
AP Pandit ◽  
Neha Bhagatkar ◽  
Mallika Ramachandran
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Dental Equipment ◽  
Dental Practices ◽  
A Current ◽  
Dental Professionals ◽  
Total Market ◽  
Dental Products

ABSTRACT The potential size of India's dental market is vast and is expected to become one of the largest single country markets for overseas dental products and materials. The total market for the dental equipment and materials is estimated to be around US$ 90 million annually. There are more than 1, 80,000 dental professionals in India, 297 dental institutes and over 5,000 dental laboratories. Thus, there is a huge potential for the market of personal protective equipment (PPE) used for infection control in dentistry. India's market for dental products is extremely dynamic, with a current estimated growth rate of between 25 and 30%. Overall, the dental market is expected to grow by 20%.1 The personal protective equipment used in the practice of dentistry in India. Since dentistry is predominantly a surgical discipline, it leads to exposure to the pathogenic microorganisms harbored in blood, body fluids and other potentially infectious material. Thus, the use of adequate and good quality PPE is imperative for infection control in dental practice. With the growing potential of India's dental market, the growth of the market for PPE is inevitable. But, it is equally important to raise the awareness among dental community about good quality products adhering to required standards to prevent the usage of low-cost, uncertified and sub-standard products that decrease the safety levels of personnel. The present study is conducted with a view to observe the personal protective equipment used for infection control in dental practices. How to cite this article Pandit AP, Bhagatkar N, Ramachandran M. Personal Protective Equipment used for Infection Control in Dental Practices. Int J Res Foundation Hosp Healthc Adm 2015;3(1):10-12.

scholarly journals Addressing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Decontamination: Methylene Blue and Light Inactivates SARS-CoV-2 on N95 Respirators and Medical Masks with Maintenance of Integrity and Fit

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-83
Author(s):  
Thomas Sean Lendvay ◽  
James Chen ◽  
Brian H Harcourt ◽  
Florine EM Scholte ◽  
Ying Ling Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Methylene Blue ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Red Light ◽  
Test Methods ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Virus Inactivation ◽  
Specialized Equipment ◽  
N95 Respirators

Abstract Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) underscoring the urgent need for simple, efficient, and inexpensive methods to decontaminate SARS-CoV-2-exposed masks and respirators. We hypothesized that methylene blue (MB) photochemical treatment, which has various clinical applications, could decontaminate PPE contaminated with coronavirus. Design: The two arms of the study included: 1) PPE inoculation with coronaviruses followed by MB with light (MBL) decontamination treatment, and 2) PPE treatment with MBL for 5 cycles of decontamination (5CD) to determine maintenance of PPE performance. Methods: MBL treatment was used to inactivate coronaviruses on three N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) and two medical mask (MM) models. We inoculated FFR and MM materials with three coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, and treated with 10 µM MB and exposed to 50,000 lux of white light or 12,500 lux of red light for 30 minutes. In parallel, integrity was assessed after 5CD using multiple US and international test methods and compared to the FDA-authorized vaporized hydrogen peroxide plus ozone (VHP+O3) decontamination method. Results: Overall, MBL robustly and consistently inactivated all three coronaviruses with 99.8 - to >99.9% virus inactivation across all FFRs and MMs tested. FFR and MM integrity was maintained after 5 cycles of MBL treatment, whereas one FFR model failed after 5 cycles of VHP+O3. Conclusions: MBL treatment decontaminated respirators and masks by inactivating three tested coronaviruses without compromising integrity through 5CD. MBL decontamination is effective, low-cost and does not require specialized equipment, making it applicable in all-resource settings.

scholarly journals Availability, Accessibility and Proper Use of Personal Protective Equipment in Wards at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) Blantyre, Malawi: An Observational Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 124-131
Author(s):  
Davie Madziatera
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
College Education ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Central Hospital ◽  
Section Design ◽  
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the availability, accessibility and proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the wards at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH).Methods: We conducted an observational study with a cross-section design. Convenience sampling method was used for selection of healthcare workers (HCWs) in wards. HCWs filled a checklist on accessibility of PPEs and they were observed on proper use of PPE while conducting clinical procedures. Nurse ward in-charge was asked to fill out a checklist on availability of PPE in their ward.Results PPE was available in 75.8% of wards, not available in 12.5%. Goggles were absent in 70.8% of wards. PPEs were 71.4% accessible and 28.6% inaccessible to healthcare workers in the wards. The most inaccessible PPEs were goggles (83.2%) and footwear (73.7%) while facemasks, sterile and non-sterile gloves and aprons were readily accessible. Non sterile gloves were 100% available and accessible. Only 13.5% of the HCWs had good compliance with PPE standard procedures. The average PPE compliance score of those who had been trained was 6 % greater than those who were not trained. ConclusionThis study identified areas of improvement in healthcare system delivery regarding standard precautions with emphasis on PPE. Improvements in training during professional college education and in-service refresher training could improve compliance with appropriate use of PPE for relatively low cost. Management support could improve availability and accessibility of PPE in the wards at QECH, with active supervision to improve adherence levels to personal protective equipment usage. The study can also help in the development of policies and guidelines regarding PPE usage by showing that most HCWs need to be trained in proper PPE usage.

scholarly journals Variations in Personal Protective Equipment Preparedness in Intensive Care Units during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey of Asia-Pacific Countries

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arvind Rajamani ◽  
Ashwin Subramaniam ◽  
Kiran Shekar ◽  
Jumana Haji ◽  
Jinghang Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
List Type ◽  
Culture Of Safety ◽  
Building Systems

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate PPE-preparedness across intensive care units (ICUs) in 6 Asia-Pacific countries. PPE-preparedness was defined as the adherence to guidelines, training HCWs, procuring PPE stocks and responding appropriately to a suspected case (transportation and admission to hospital).DesignCross-sectional web-based survey.SettingICUs in Australia, New Zealand (NZ), Singapore, Hong Kong (HK), India and Philippines with a 24/7 Emergency/Casualty Department, and capable of mechanically ventilating patients for >24 hours.InterventionsQuestionnaire sent to intensivists in 633 Level ll/lll ICUs in 6 Asia-Pacific countries by email, WhatsApp™ and text messaging.Main outcome measures263 intensivists responded, of whom 231 were eligible for analysis. Response rates were 68%-100% in all countries except India, where it was 24%. 97% either conformed to or exceeded WHO recommendations for PPE-practice. 59% employed airborne precautions irrespective of aerosol-generation-procedures. There were variations in negative-pressure room use (highest in HK/Singapore), training (best in NZ), and PPE stock-awareness (best in HK/Singapore/NZ). High-flow-nasal-oxygenation and non-invasive ventilation were not options in most HK (66.7%, 83.3% respectively) and Singapore ICUs (50%, 80% respectively), but were considered in other countries to a greater extent. 38% reported not having specialized airway teams. Showering and “buddy-systems” were underutilized. Clinical waste disposal training was suboptimal (38%).ConclusionsMost intensivists from six Asia-Pacific countries appeared to be aware of the WHO PPE-guidelines by either conforming to/exceeding the recommendations. Despite this, there were widespread variabilities across ICUs and countries in several domains, particularly related to PPE-training and preparedness. Standardising PPE guidelines may translate to better training, better compliance and policies that improve HCW safety. Adopting low-cost approaches such as buddy-systems should be encouraged. More importantly, better pandemic preparedness and building systems with deeply embedded culture of safety is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of HCWs during such pandemics.Author ContributorshipSummary BoxWhat is already known on this topicPersonal-protective equipment (PPE) is the cornerstone to preventing HCW- infections. A search was done on March 23, 2020 on PubMed, Embase or Google Scholar using the mesh terms “personal protective equipment”, “PPE”, “preparedness OR practice OR training”. It revealed no previous studies on PPE preparedness in intensive care units (ICUs). No filters were used for the search.Several guidelines/recommendations issued by health organisations on PPE practice existWhat are the new findingsAs the first study to evaluate PPE-preparedness in ICUs, it demonstrated major concerns on PPE-preparedness across several ICUs, particularly in Australia, India and Philippines. There was suboptimal PPE-training, under-utilisation of low-cost interventions such as buddy-systems/team-training, and stock-awareness.The guidelines by health organisations on PPE practice have several conflicting recommendations.How might it impact on clinical practice in the foreseeable futureStandardising PPE guidelines by health organisations may translate to better training, better compliance and policies that improve HCW safety.To ensure the safety and well-being of HCWs, urgent measures are needed to improve PPE-preparedness and building systems with deeply embedded culture of safety. By helping ICUs evaluate and improve their current state of PPE preparedness, the study may help prevent healthcare worker infections and save lives.

scholarly journals Protection Level and Reusability of a Modified Full-Face Snorkel Mask as Alternative Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Schmitt ◽  
Lewis S. Jones ◽  
Elise A. Aeby ◽  
Christian Gloor ◽  
Berthold Moser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Additional Protection ◽  
Small Virus ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Full Face

The worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 drastically increased pressure on medical resources and highlighted the need for rapidly available, large-scale and low-cost personal protective equipment (PPE). In this work, an alternative full-face mask is adapted from a modified snorkel mask to be used as PPE with two medical grade filters and a 3D-printed adapter. As the mask covers the eyes, mouth and nose, it acts as a full-face shield, providing additional protection to healthcare workers. The filtration efficiency of different medical filters is measured for particles below 300 nm to cover the size of the SARS-CoV-2 and small virus-laden droplets. The filtration performance of the adapted full-face mask is characterized using NaCl particles below 500 nm and different fitting scenarios. The mask is compared to a commercial respirator and characterized according to the EN 149 standard, demonstrating that the protection fulfills the requirements for the FFP2 level (filtering face-piece 2, stopping at least 94% of airborne particles). The device shows a good resistance to several cycles of decontamination (autoclaving and ethanol immersion), is easy to be produced locally at low cost and helps addressing the shortage in FFP2 masks and face shields by providing adequate protection to healthcare workers against particles below 500 nm.

scholarly journals Addressing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Decontamination: Methylene Blue and Light Inactivates SARS-CoV-2 on N95 Respirators and Masks with Maintenance of Integrity and Fit

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas S. Lendvay ◽  
James Chen ◽  
Brian H. Harcourt ◽  
Florine E.M. Scholte ◽  
F. Selcen Kilinc-Balci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Methylene Blue ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Hepatitis Virus ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Mask Material

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in severe shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to protect front-line healthcare personnel. These shortages underscore the urgent need for simple, efficient, and inexpensive methods to decontaminate SARS-CoV-2-exposed PPE enabling safe reuse of masks and respirators. Efficient decontamination must be available not only in low-resourced settings, but also in well-resourced settings affected by PPE shortages. Methylene blue (MB) photochemical treatment, hitherto with many clinical applications including those used to inactivate virus in plasma, presents a novel approach for widely applicable PPE decontamination. Dry heat (DH) treatment is another potential low-cost decontamination method.MethodsMB and light (MBL) and DH treatments were used to inactivate coronavirus on respirator and mask material. We tested three N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), two medical masks (MMs), and one cloth community mask (CM). FFR/MM/CM materials were inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 (a Betacoronavirus), murine hepatitis virus (MHV) (a Betacoronavirus), or porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV) (an Alphacoronavirus), and treated with 10 µM MB followed by 50,000 lux of broad-spectrum light or 12,500 lux of red light for 30 minutes, or with 75°C DH for 60 minutes. In parallel, we tested respirator and mask integrity using several standard methods and compared to the FDA-authorized vaporized hydrogen peroxide plus ozone (VHP+O3) decontamination method. Intact FFRs/MMs/CM were subjected to five cycles of decontamination (5CD) to assess integrity using International Standardization Organization (ISO), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) test methods.FindingsOverall, MBL robustly and consistently inactivated all three coronaviruses with at least a 4-log reduction. DH yielded similar results, with the exception of MHV, which was only reduced by 2-log after treatment. FFR/MM integrity was maintained for 5 cycles of MBL or DH treatment, whereas one FFR failed after 5 cycles of VHP+O3. Baseline performance for the CM was variable, but reduction of integrity was minimal.InterpretationMethylene blue with light and DH treatment decontaminated masks and respirators by inactivating three tested coronaviruses without compromising integrity through 5CD. MBL decontamination of masks is effective, low-cost and does not require specialized equipment, making it applicable in all-resource settings. These attractive features support the utilization and continued development of this novel PPE decontamination method.

scholarly journals An IoT-Based Mobile System for Safety Monitoring of Lone Workers

IoT ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 476-497
Author(s):  
Pietro Battistoni ◽  
Monica Sebillo ◽  
Giuliana Vitiello
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Electronic Devices ◽  
Safety Monitoring ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Electronic Components ◽  
Computing Paradigm ◽  
Accidental Fall ◽  
Safety And Health

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work considers Smart Personal Protective Equipment as “Intelligent Protection For The Future”. It mainly consists of electronic components that collect data about their use, the workers who wear them, and the working environment. This paper proposes a distributed solution of Smart Personal Protective Equipment for the safety monitoring of Lone Workers by adopting low-cost electronic devices. In addition to the same hazards as anyone else, Lone Workers need additional and specific systems due to the higher risk they run on a work site. To this end, the Edge-Computing paradigm can be adopted to deploy an architecture embedding wearable devices, which alerts safety managers when workers do not wear the prescribed Personal Protective Equipment and supports a fast rescue when a worker seeks help or an accidental fall is automatically detected. The proposed system is a work-in-progress which provides an architecture design to accommodate different requirements, namely the deployment difficulties at temporary and large working sites, the maintenance and connectivity recurring cost issues, the respect for the workers’ privacy, and the simplicity of use for workers and their supervisors.

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