Premises disinfection and new hygiene standards.

The world is facing an unprecedented pandemic situation and must reorganize itself facing Covid-19. Appearing near end 2019, Covid 19 impacted many parts of our economy, forcing some companies to shut down their activity for several months. End of confinement  has  been marked by new regulation regarding new hygiene measures and modified our daily organization for business. Disinfection of common places and workstations several times a day, management of employee movement flows and installation of signage, limitation of the number of people in the rooms and reduction of staff on site, reorganization of premises and furniture, etc. For companies, their implementation is heavy and restrictive, sometimes even close to the impossible in certain sectors. In addition, it is difficult to guarantee total sterilization of the premises because the number of surfaces potentially in contact with an individual is enormous and any residue of Covid-19, by its speed of transmission, can be problematic. How can you be sure that everything is perfectly cleaned several times a day ? How long can you trust  the employees’ commitment and goodwill to respect those heavy measures?

In the last months, the surface disinfection market has exploded and many UVc solutions have appeared as alternatives to chemicals, potentially harmful in case of daily exposure. Indeed, these products are composed of very aggressive toxic substances and can have consequences on the health of individuals and cause intoxication by inhalation, skin, eye burns or allergic sensitizations (eczema, asthma). UVc technology demand is therefore increasing due to its effectiveness and its ability to disinfect the coronavirus without harmful by-products but also for its speed and ease of use (it is however very important to protect the eyes and the skin from radiation).

So why would a company invest in a 1 000 € device if some advertisers claim to be able to disinfect workspaces with a UVc desk lamp, a multi-functional sterilizer box or even a sterilizer stick for less than 70 €?

Differentiate ‘’miracle products’’ and truly efficient ones

The efficiency of the ultraviolet against viruses and in particular against the family of Coronaviridae has been demonstrated in several scientific studies. Between the UVc lamp proposed for a healthier vehicle interior, portable sterilizers, 360 ° UVc modules or even UVc lamps coupled with ozone… How to differentiate between miracle products and those really effective for disinfecting the coronavirus? In order to guarantee the effectiveness of a UVc treatment, it is necessary to take into account all of the following criteria:

• The type of micro-organism / virus to be destroyed,
• The power of the lamp,
• The exposure time,
• The total area / surface to be disinfected.

For example, the candida parapsilosis fungus (an important cause of nosocomial infections, very problematic in hospitals), requires a dose of 98J / m2 for a 90% reduction. This represents an exposure time of 0.2s when a coated (anti-debris protection) 130W UVc lamp light  is in direct contact with the surface to be disinfected, and a time of around 17s with a distance of 1m between the lamp and the surface.

For a strain of Coronaviridae, it takes between 7J / m2 and 2410J / m2 depending on the Coronavirus. For the most resistant (SRAS Cov Urbani, 2410J / m2), this represents an exposure time of 0.7s when the UVc lamp (same 130W) is in direct contact with the surface to be disinfected and a time of approximately 7min with a 1m distance between the two.

The more powerful the lamp and the closer it is to the surface to be treated, the less exposure time required. A 38W lamp 50cm high, placed in the middle of a 40m2 room will therefore not be able to disinfect the entire space as promised by some advertisers. UVc surface disinfection devices are effective under certain conditions. In addition, they need to be handled with care by professionals with equipment adapted to the risks of exposure to UVc rays. We provide technical documentation and suitable protections (glasses, specific gloves) with our modules. This will allow you to handle our devices safely.

Can you disinfect your hands with UVc?

NOT AT ALL. Be careful, type C ultraviolet rays are bactericidal, so they are destructive to any living organism. It is not possible to use this technology to disinfect humans , animals and any living creatures, as you’ll cause skin or eye burns in case of contact with UVc rays.

Disinfection of workspaces, production lines, tools and objects, cases and vehicles… To respond to new hygiene measures, UVC disinfection is an efficient solution. However, you must consult specialists who will be truly capable to determine the appropriate solution for your specific needs.

Learn more about the studies carried out:

Research Gate, Science Direct, Elsevier