Not all disinfectants are created equally. Some are formulated for contact time, some for pathogens, and some for safety. When it comes to choosing the best disinfectant for your facility, understanding your specific needs will help you choose the best product for the job.
There are several key areas to consider when choosing the best disinfectant for your infection prevention and control program. They are:
Contact time
Surface Coverage & Wetability (ability to stay wet on a surface)
Safety
Cleaning efficacy
Compatibility
Environmental Impact
Ease of Use
Today we are going to be focusing on the safety profile of disinfectants and what that means for your facility as it relates to disinfection compliance, PPE, health and safety concerns for patients, clients, staff, and yourself.
All disinfectants must be tested for safety in addition to efficacy. This means that as a user you will be able to understand if there are any risks in using the product. These risks will be outlined on the product label or SDS sheet.
On the Label: Disinfectants are regulated by Health Canada and all have a DIN (Drug Identification Number). This also means disinfectants are required to put precautionary statements and safety information on the label - such as what PPE is required to use the product, the toxicity of the product, and safety/handling fo the product.
Safety Data Sheet or SDS: According to the Canadian Centre of Occupational Health and Safety, a safety data sheet is a summary document about a product that provides information about the hazards or safety precautions as it relates to that product. The information is more detailed than that on the product label.
All disinfectants go through a rigorous approval process with Health Canada. Precautionary statements can be found on the label or SDS (Safety Data Sheet) and are available from your supplier or the product manufacturer.
Ideally you want to select a product where under Precautionary Statements on the SDS the statement "None required" is present (Section 2 of the SDS).
You can also reference section 8 of the SDS which will tell you the PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) requirements for the product.
These two sections can provide you with confidence that you understand the safety profile and can select your PPE accordingly.
Why is choosing a disinfectant with safer profile important to you disinfection program?
It improves disinfection compliance. If people are afraid to touch a product because it is perceived (or in some cases actually is) harmful or toxic they are less likely to use the product.
Choosing a product that they can grab and wipe surfaces as they need will help to not only maintain your infection prevention program, but will help high touch surfaces be wiped down more often.
It helps you feel more confident that the products your staff are using are less likely to be misused and do more harm than good. You are using disinfectants to keep your staff, clients, patients, and you healthy.
You do not want to be contributing to health issues with products that used in the wrong way could potentially harm someone - in the short term and long term.
Your staff requires less training and support to ensure the disinfectant wipes are being used correctly. You can focus the majority of your training on how to use the products for infection prevention vs infection prevention and safe handling of the product.
You can have it all... a safe product that also kills the germs you need it too.
Often times we think that we need to have a super strong disinfectant to kill the pathogens we need it too. That might have been true 20+ years ago, but today there are many safe options that do not put the users health and safety at risk to kill the germs we need it too.
Because we are committed to only providing the best and highest quality products, we have been an Accel disinfectant supporter since the early 2000's because it revolutionized the disinfectant world.
20+ years ago you had to choose between a product that worked well to kill germs and a product that was safe for the people using the products.
When Accel disinfectants were introduced to Canadian healthcare it was widely accepted because of its broad spectrum of efficacy, its fast contact times, and its safety profile.
When SARS hit in 2002, Accel was mandated for use in most Canadian Healthcare facilities because of its germicidal potency and safety profile.
Having a disinfectant wipe that does not contain harsh chemicals has never been more important. And finding a product that does not sacrifice its potency for safety is even more important during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Disinfectants have never been more widely used - in schools, workplaces, grocery stores, offices, everywhere...
How many of us have stopped to think about the health risk and safety concerns of the disinfectants being used?
Is the disinfectant more likely to make us sick than the germs we are trying to kill?
Choosing safe AND effective products keeps us all healthier.
So when you go to order your next canister or case of disinfectant wipes - take a moment to read the label and SDS and ensure that users are complying with the label and SDS requirements for health and safety standards.
Let's all do our part to keep us safe and healthy from both pathogens and harsh chemicals.
Have questions? Our team is here to help. Call us today (709) 753-6850