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Environmental solutionsnews Covering infection prevention, medical waste management & sustainable practices
VOL. XIV NO.42 XII NO.
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Healthcare Industry Stays In Line With Online Compliance Services
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ompliance by the healthcare industry with the many rules and regulations issued by a variety of governmental agencies — from the federal level on down — can often be a major challenge. Missteps, either unknowingly or willful, can have serious, and sometimes expensive, repercussions. “It is nearly impossible to overstate the complexity of healthcare compliance,” says Michael L. Smith, an attorney at The Health Law Firm in Altamonte Springs, FL. “The avalanche of laws, rules, regulations and standards that apply to healthcare organizations and healthcare providers is daunting. “Many people consider the Internal Revenue Service code to be an overwhelming mass of overly complex laws, rules and regulations. The laws and rules applicable to healthcare organizations and providers are far more numerous than the IRS code, and significantly more complicated,” he says. Bob Spurgin, head of Spurgin Compliance Consulting in Irvine, CA, and one of the nation’s leading authorities on healthcare waste management policy, training and compliance, agrees. “There are a myriad of compliance requirements for any licensed healthcare facility or waste services provider and they non-comply
By P.J. Heller
at their peril because the fines and punishment can be very severe,” Spurgin says. Industry experts agree that governmental regulation and oversight will only continue to grow. “There are core federal requirements that come from a diverse number of agencies,” Spurgin says. “You’ve got the Environmental Protection Agency. You’ve got the Drug Enforcement Administration. You’ve got OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration). You’ve got the Department of Transportation. All of whom can impact a practice as small as a dentist’s office.” In addition to those agencies, state and local governments may impose additional requirements, he adds. “Compliance management can be headache-
inducing for many care providers and the area of compliance is not getting any less complex,” notes James Johnson, managing director at MedTech Breakthrough, an independent organization that recognizes top companies, technologies and products in the global health and medical technology market. One of those companies most recently recognized by MedTech Breakthrough was MedTrainer, which was honored for its all-inone software compliance management suite that helps healthcare providers streamline management processes and simplify compliance. “As the healthcare industry faces growing regulations and shrinking budgets, it’s becoming more difficult for healthcare organizations and individual providers to keep up with compliance education requirements and provide top care to their patients,” says Steve Gallion, chief executive officer and co-founder of MedTrainer, headquartered in Redlands, CA. Companies such as MedTrainer and Spurgin Compliance Consulting are among those that offer online or on-site training to help healthcare facilities and medical waste haulers — as well as others — maintain compliance. MedTrainer offers strictly online training; the company was founded in 2013 and officially launched its software in 2016. Today, the company boasts that it supports more than 300,000 healthcare professionals at 15,000 healthcare sites in the United States. It also
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Healthcare Environmental Solutions news
Healthcare Industry Stays In Line With Online Compliance Services
Continued from page 1
serves businesses in Mexico and Canada. Spurgin offers both online and on-site/ classroom training and licenses and distributes the MedTrainer software. Founded in 1989, it began offering online training in 2017. Spurgin says he still offers classroom training for people who are entrenched in “old school ways.” “It’s not a choice of whether you will do this or not,” he says. “It’s how do you want to do this. In most cases, he notes, “once people start online programs, they’re hooked and they won’t go back. It’s trending more and more towards the online . . . ” Obvious advantages of online training include the fact that people can work at their own pace, can go back and review different modules at any time and receive notifications for such things as renewing their certifications. The online modules also allow software developers to easily update their programs to remain current with applicable regulations and to customize them to fit the needs of clients. “Federal and state healthcare laws and regulations change constantly and the interpretation of those laws and regulations changes just as frequently,” notes Smith of The Health Law Firm, which provides legal services for all healthcare providers and professionals. Fines levied to facilities that fail to be in compliance can be costly. Penalties for medical waste disposal violations, for example, can range anywhere between $5,000 and $70,000 or more for each violation. OSHA penalties can range from about $12,000 for each serious violation to more than $125,000 for each willful or repeated
violation, according to the agency. “More facilities are being cited for lack of appropriate training as mandated by federal and state laws and regulations,” Spurgin says. “The fines associated with non-compliance are expensive and burdensome.” Gallion notes that regulators are taking a more “consultative approach” when conducting inspections and surveys, allowing businesses to correct any shortcomings b e fo r e l e v y i n g s t i ff p e n a l t i e s. Rat h e r t h a n concern about being fined, he says 99 percent of MedTrainer customers are simply looking to ensure their organizations are in compliance and maintaining a high standard of best practice within their organizations driving ROI on both the operation and patient outcome level. “Compliance and training is an insurance policy, and I don’t mean from the fear side of violations and fines although that can be an outcome. Having a culture of compliance protects employees, patients, billing and your overall business,” he adds. “I can see a potential fine escalating awareness, but I still don’t think that’s the primary reason why most people come looking to make sure that they’re fulfilling their requirements,” Gallion says. “Our all-in-one solution allows providers to save time, reduce costs and improve efficiency, putting the focus back on patient care while compliance runs effortlessly in the background.” Smith agrees. “Ultimately, the purpose and primary benefit of healthcare compliance is to improve patient care,” Smith says. “Patient
Covering Infection prevention, medical waste management & sustainable practices
PUBLICATION STAFF Publisher / Editor Rick Downing Contributing Editors / Writers P.J. Heller • Kelsey Rzepecki Sandy Woodthorpe Production & Layout Barb Fontanelle • Christine Mantush
Subscription / Circulation Donna Downing
t. Louis, MO – Antibiotic resistance is well documented, but a new study shows that using bacteria’s survival act of eating antibiotics instead of dying from them could be used to solve the problem, according to findings published April 30 in Nature Chemical Biology. When antibiotics used in both livestock and humans infiltrate water and soil, resident bacteria respond by spreading antibiotic resistance genes through the community. The Washington University School of Medicine scientists who conducted the study learned how bacteria manage to consume antibiotics safely, change genetically, and proliferate. The discovery may lead to eliminating antibiotics from the environment, a worldwide problem that has led to increased human fatality from otherwise curable infections. What makes antibiotics an attractive food source for bacteria is their carbon-based nature. In comparing gene activation in different types of bacteria, the scientists found three distinct sets of genes that became active while the bacteria ate penicillin but inactive while the bacteria ate sugar. The observation revealed how bacteria transform a lethal compound into a meal, thus showing that genetic engineering (of E. Coli, in this case) could result in bacteria that will eat up antibiotics present in land or water. Next, the scientists plan to investigate a way to speed up the consumption process, which at present is too slow to make a difference in environmental antibiotic contamination. summer 2018
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Bacteria May be Answer to Cleaning Up Antibiotic Contamination
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care is improved when healthcare decisions are based upon appropriate and current clinical standards. Patient care decisions based upon improper motives rarely results in the delivery of quality care.” Despite the cost of implementing a compliance program, such programs lead to better practices, Gallion agrees. “ Wi t h o u r a l l - i n - o n e c o m p l i a n c e management suite, we can show a direct correlation between proper training and compliance management, and more efficient facility operations and a higher level of patient care,” he says. “These types of programs generate tremendous ROI in customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction within the work environment, overall best practices for safety and creating a safe work environment . . . ” Gallion says. “When somebody is in a business and investing in their business, they shouldn’t just be doing the bare minimum, which was probably the standard 10 years ago. Today we see people starting to do more, which is encouraging. And I would encourage others to follow that trend.”
Editorial, Circulation & Advertising Office 6075 Hopkins Road, Mentor, OH 44060 Ph: 440-257-6453 • Fax: 440-257-6459 Email: downassoc2@oh.rr.com Subscription information, call 440-257-6453. Healthcare Environmental Solutions news (ISSN #1557‑6388) is published quarterly by Downing & Associates. Reproductions or transmission in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher, is prohibited. Annual subscription rate U.S. is $19.95. Outside of the U.S. add $10.00 ($29.95). Contact our main office, or mail-in the subscription form with payment. ©
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News Briefs
Antibiotic Stewardship Needed in Hospital and Agriculture
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eattle, WA – According to a panel discussion convened by the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, the threat posed by treatment-resistant infections has the potential to significantly impact people with immune systems weakened by cancer or treatment, or both. The Fred Hutch discussions centered on the types of treatment-resistant infections that occur with cancer surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, stewardship of antibiotics used for livestock in agriculture. For example, whereas surgical incisions and central lines for delivering chemotherapy, serve as portals for germs to enter the body, radiation and chemotherapy can break down cells lining the mouth and the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, which ordinarily serve as barriers to germs. Such treatments can weaken the body’s immune system, already burdened by the cancer itself. Effective antimicrobial agents have transformed the care of cancer and stem cell transplantations, however. But there is an alarming lack of new antibiotics in the drug development pipeline. On the agricultural front, the Obama administration barred the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in the United States, ending a 40-year stalemate that began when the threat of resistance was first raised during the Carter administration. Antibiotic sales dropped from 2015 to 2016, driven largely by consumer demand for antibiotic-free meat. Yet as economics of emerging nations improve, their new middle classes consume more meat. Antimicrobial-resistant “superbugs” kill an estimated 700,000 people around the world, 23,000 of them in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If nothing is done to address the crisis, one study projects that by 2050, resistant pathogens will kill 10 million people a year worldwide.
Breakthrough: Biodegradable Drug Delivery to Kill Cancer Tumors
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merican and Chinese researchers have published papers on a new weapon that fights multi-drug-resistant bacteria and delivers targeted cancer treatment – black phosphorous nanosheets (BPS). According to articles published in AdvancedScienceNews.com and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS.org), the method effectively speeds tissue recovery and fights infection. At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, scientists tested the use of BPS for targeted drug delivery. Precision delivery of cancer drugs to the tumor site is the latest treatment modality aimed at improving therapeutic efficacy while minimizing adverse effects. In preclinical studies, the method has been shown to have positive outcomes. The near-infrared light-induced decomposition of black phosphorus hydrogel accurately releases drugs in tumor tissues. The scientists have observed eradication of subcutaneous breast and melanoma cancers without adverse effects, according to the MIT study. Meanwhile, at Hubei University and Tianjin University, scientists investigated the antibacterial effect of BPS against gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. Scanning electron microscopy following in-vitro experiments and live/dead staining revealed good results.
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recent survey of infection preventionists found that half (51 percent) believe lack of adopting new technology and processes and insufficient support from senior leadership are the top barriers to preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAI), followed closely by poor protocol compliance rates. Six hundred and fifty U.S. infection preventionists and clinicians responded to the survey, “Human Factors and the Future of Infection Prevention,” commissioned by 3M and conducted by a third-party research firm in April 2018. Despite the barriers, clinicians surveyed were optimistic about their ability to improve infection rates. One-third believed infections can be avoided when providing healthcare. Survey data also indicated these clinicians are seeking technological advances that will help them reduce preventable infections.
Recycling Council Studies Multi-material Flexible Plastics Recycling
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cientists are looking for a new way to increase the amount of packaging that gets recycled from hospitals by studying how it can be made into new materials, according to the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC). HPRC has teamed with researchers at the Plastics Engineering Department at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) to study whether commercially available compatibilizers improve blend properties when compounded with multi-material flexible plastics. Through these blending trials and material analysis, the team aims to identify potential end market applications for recycled product. The recycling council’s figures indicate that up to 60 percent of plastic waste generated by healthcare facilities is flexible material. Multimaterial laminates which are unrecyclable when using common recycling technologies make up a large portion of the packaging. By studying the physical properties these materials when processed with different types of compatibilizers, the researchers hope to derive information that eventually can lead to new types of products. For the study, flexible plastic materials, including sterilization wrap, Tyvek® and film packaging, is being collected from participating hospitals including Cleveland Clinic’s Main Campus; Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Cedar Crest, Muhlenberg, and 17th Street Hospitals; and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. The goal is to collect and ship 2,000 pounds of material to EREMA, a manufacturer of plastic recycling equipment, where it will undergo initial processing at their Ipswich, MA facility. Afterwards, the material will be delivered to UMass Lowell where the compatibilizers will be added to the materials prior to extrusion and injection molding. Afterward, the materials will undergo testing and analysis with project results anticipated sometime this summer. This project is an extension and scale up of a previous HPRC project conducted with Penn State University and is being funded by Baxter, BD, DuPont, Eastman, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic and Nelipak Healthcare Packaging, with additional funding provided by the Flexible Packaging Association.
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News Briefs
Mandated Flu Shots for Healthcare Professionals Studied
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ccording to a paper published in JAMA Network Open, institutional policies are the most effective way to achieve and sustain a high vaccination rate at hospitals. The national survey study included responses from 1062 infection preventionists at both Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA hospitals between the 2013 and 2017 calendar years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthy People 2020 initiative set a goal of greater than a 90 percent vaccination rate among health care personnel (HCP), which spurred healthcare facilities to upgrade their policies for influenza management plans. Requirements for HCP hand hygiene, early identification and isolation of affected patients, adherence to isolation policies, appropriate use of personal protective equipment, discouragement of presenteeism among symptomatic HCP, and visitor screening are among the strategies employed for the past ten years. In May 2017, researchers conducted a survey asking if health care workers were required to receive annual influenza vaccinations and use masks and other prevention methods. Compared with the prior survey in 2013, mandatory influenza vaccination policies had increased from 37.1 percent to 61.4 percent, with a somewhat lower implementation figure for non–Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals (an increase from 44.3 percent in 2013 to 69.4 percent in 2017). The survey showed only a slight change at VA hospitals (1.3 percent in 2013 to 4.1 percent in 2017). A few retrospective studies have shown correlations between increases in HCP influenza vaccination and decreases in nosocomial influenza in acute care settings; however, these data are limited. Study author Hilary M. Babcock, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, notes some difference in the way 2013 and 2017 survey questions were posed and suggests further study, which would focus on patient outcomes as a result of flu prevention policies.
New York Considers Certification for Preventionists
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lbany, NY – If passed by the New York state assembly, individuals employed as infection preventionists in hospitals will have to be certified and undergo continuing education. The requirement would affect nurses, physicians, public health professionals, epidemiologists, microbiologists, or medical technologists who are employed within healthcare institutions and also serve as educators, researchers, consultants, and clinical scientists. If the measure becomes law, hospitals must confirm in writing to each employee or contractor his or her employment in a capacity functioning as an infection preventionist in a general hospital, a student or intern performing the functions of an infection preventionist if such student or intern is under the direct supervision of an appropriately licensed or certified healthcare professional and is functioning within the scope of the student’s or intern’s training. The bill further states that “an infection preventionist who does not meet those requirements would have thirty-six months from the date of hire to obtain the infection preventionist credential. A general hospital may employ or otherwise contract with a person who does not meet the certification requirements required above to function as an infection preventionist in a general hospital if after a diligent and thorough effort has been made, if such general hospital is unable to employ or contract with a sufficient number of qualified infection preventionists who meet the requirements of the law.” A healthcare professional may perform an infection preventionists’ tasks or functions if such person is acting within the scope of his or her practice. Any individual not licensed pursuant to title eight of the education law may perform tasks or functions limited to the scope of practice of a healthcare professional under such title. The bill is currently in the Committee on Health.
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summer 2018
News Briefs
Drug-resistant Bacteria Found in 25 Percent of Migrants to Europe
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ccording to findings of a new study published in the May 17 issue of Lancet Infectious Diseases, more than a quarter of the migrant populations landing in Europe are infected or colonized with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Skin and other soft-tissue infections, including methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and diarrhea were the most common infections documented. MRSA accounted for 7.8 percent, while drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria accounted for 27.2 percent. Researchers from Imperial College London reviewed and analyzed papers published from January 2000 through January 2017, documenting antibiotic resistance in 2,319 migrants. Of these migrants, 77 percent were refugees or asylum seekers. Their countries of origin included Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea and other countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Whether migrants—and refugees and asylum seekers in particular— have high rates of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) carriage or infection, or exactly where bacterial resistance could be acquired, remains unknown, the study authors said. The data suggests, however, that the migrants are picking up the pathogens either en route from their homelands or in the host countries of Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. The study authors noted a prevalence of carriage or infection in refugee camps or migrant communities, yet the rates for transmission from migrants to host country populations was not correspondingly high. Rather than importing antibiotic resistance, migrants could instead be vulnerable to exposure to AMR pathogens in host countries. 2018 refugee camps and detention centers with poor sanitation Crowded Healthcare Solutions - MWMA and little access toEnvironmental high-quality healthcare—may promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the researchers noted. They suggested Half Page Horizontal interventions to improve such conditions, along with more disease screening. More than 2 million migrants have traveled to Europe since 2015.
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News Briefs
Safety Protocol Breaches: Ways to Prevent Infection Transmission in Healthcare Setting
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uring 325 observations, researchers at the University of Utah and University of Michigan identified 283 protocol violations, which could increase the risk of self-contamination of health care personnel and transmission of antibiotic-resistant organisms to patients. The results of the study are published in the June 11 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine. “We already know from other studies that there are breaches in practice,” said first author Sarah Krein, Ph.D., R.N., research professor University of Michigan and research investigator at the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System. “Our team was interested in understanding why and how those breaches occur so we can develop better strategies to ensure the safety of patients and health care personnel.” During a nine-month period, 11 staff observed health care professionals at 2 locations. At one location, 280 observations were conducted in medical-surgical units (196), intensive care units (64) and the emergency department (20). At the second location, 45 observations were made in medical-surgical units (36) and intensive care units (9). “We were observing highly trained and motivated people working in a complex system that has issues,” said Frank Drews, Ph.D., professor in Department of Psychology at the U and senior author on the paper. “We want to encourage health care decision-makers to make improvements to the system so it is easier for health care workers to adhere to best practices.” The observation staff used Reason’s model of human error to classify errors as violations, mistakes or slips. Violations occurred when personnel did not follow standard health care interaction protocols. Of the 102 violations, many occurred when the health care personnel did not put on the appropriate personal protective equipment, like gowns, gloves, and masks, because they did not plan to interact with the patient or the family. Other violations were observed when checking devices or dropping off supplies in patient rooms.
Mistakes were classified as errors in process or procedure. The 144 mistakes consisted of taking off gowns in the improper sequence, touching gloved hands to an ID badge to log into in-room computers and using gloved hands to retrieve medications or supplies from coat pockets. Finally, the observers classified slips as inadvertent automatic behaviors. Of the 37 observed slips, the researchers identified actions like health care personnel touching their face with a gloved hand or using personal devices. “At the core of our work is the idea that we need to be even more thoughtful about the type of equipment that we introduce in health care. More usable equipment will make it easier for health care workers to do their tasks and keep their patients safe,” Drews said. “We want to make real fixes to the system not just put a band-aide here or there.” While this study identified numerous errors, it suggests an opportunity to re-evaluate strategies that allow more latitude in current selfcontamination and transmission protocols, such as redefining the area within the patient’s room where protective clothing is required and reducing precaution requirements for some bacteria to ensure greater vigilance is applied to virulent organisms. Finally, many mistakes resulted from poorly designed clothing, room configuration and computer access. The researchers note that the personnel in the study knew they were being observed, which may have lowered the number of violations observed. In addition, the results were obtained from 11 individuals who, despite receiving training, could have influenced the results with unintentional bias. While the study was conducted at two locations with different policies, recommended practices and products, similar issues were observed at both locations. Observers obtained verbal informed consent from patients and personnel prior to observations. Observations took place in 2- to 3-hour segments.
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summer 2018
News Briefs
Practice Greenhealth Announces Winners of Top 25 Environmental Excellence Awards fax 503-775-2828
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ractice Greenhealth, recently announced the winners of its annual Top 25 Environmental Excellence Awards. According to Practice Greenhealth, these health care facilities exemplify the best in environmental excellence, representing the highest standards for sustainability practices in health care. “As more and more hospitals embed sustainability into their operations, the bar for environmental excellence increases every year,” said Gary Cohen, President of Practice Greenhealth. “These 25 hospitals demonstrate the kind of leadership, innovation, and performance that can drive the entire health sector towards more environmentally responsible practices.” The Top 25 winners for 2018 are (in alphabetical order): • Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital (Downers Grove, Ill.) • Boston Medical Center (Boston, Mass.) • Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, Ohio) • Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon, N.H.) • Hackensack Meridian Health - Hackensack University Medical Center (Hackensack, N.J.) • Harborview Medical Center (Seattle, Wash.) • Hudson Hospital (Hudson, Wis.) • Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center (San Jose, Calif.)* • Lakeview Hospital (Stillwater, Minn.)* • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, N.Y.) • Overlook Medical Center (Summit, N.J.)* • Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital (St. Louis Park, Minn.) • Regions Hospital (St. Paul, Minn.) • Seattle Children’s Hospital (Seattle, Wash.) • U.S. Army, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center (Fort Hood, Texas)* • University of Vermont Medical Center (Burlington, Vt.) • University of Washington Medical Center (Seattle, Wash.) • VHA 04 Erie VA Medical Center #562 (Erie, Penn.) • VHA 04 James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center #503 (Altoona, Penn.) • VHA 12 Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center #695 (Milwaukee, Wis.)* • VHA 21 VA Palo Alto Health Care System #640 (Palo Alto, Calif.)* • VHA 21 VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System #593 (North Las Vegas, Nev.) • VHA 23 Iowa City VA Medical Center #636A8 (Iowa City, Iowa) • VHA 23 Minneapolis VA Health Care System #618 (Minneapolis, Minn.) • VHA 23 St. Cloud VA Healthcare System #656 (St. Cloud, Minn.) * First time appearing on the Top 25 list. Practice Greenhealth’s highest honor, the Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award winners range in size from large, urban, academic medical centers to critical access hospitals—but are all leading the country in addressing the links between the environment and human health—and have the programs, data, and documentation to demonstrate their successes. These facilities have committed, engaged staff supporting these programs, and also show leadership in their local communities and across the health care sector. Award winners are chosen among hospital applicants that have the highest scores on the Greenhealth Partner for Change application. Each year, the competition for these top spots increases, as a growing number of facilities are implementing creative, sustainable, and replicable practices.
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Healthcare Environmental Solutions news
Reinforce Safety in Cleanrooms with Floor Tape and More By Kelsey Rzepecki
T
he typical construction costs for building an ISO 8 to ISO 7 cleanroom can range from $250 to $1,500 per square foot or more. There are many items that can drive up the building costs of a cleanroom, including flooring, ceilings, specialized furniture, lighting, and other devices. Due to the large investment of building and maintaining a cleanroom, it reinforces the importance of keeping a safe and efficient facility to keep human error and downtime to a minimum. Managers can take these steps to minimize costs and improve overall safety and efficiency.
Evaluate Worker Training
revent costly mistakes and ensure your facility has a comprehensive P training program in place for all personnel who enter a cleanroom. Deficient safety awareness training causes employees to misunderstand protocol, make mistakes, and cause potential problems. Make sure workers know why they need to follow specific procedures and how it connects to the overall goal of the operation. Consider these best practices to help aid worker training: • Determine a consistent method of employee evaluation and testing. • Discuss scenarios including corrective action when mistakes happen. • Regularly assess gowning processes. • Consider implementing various training tools that resonate with workers of different learning styles. • Supply visual guides near work areas, color-code important machine instructions, and post easy-to-read graphics and checklists. • Encourage employees to share suggestions for improvements. • Offer refresher training when necessary.
Minimize Damage from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
he level of surface cleanliness and low humidity in a cleanroom Tcontaminants encourages static-charge generation. Static electricity can attract in cleanrooms, which is why electrostatic discharge (ESD) control is a big concern, especially in medical device manufacturing and microelectronics. Personnel are the main sources of static electricity from simply walking around, and this static charge can easily discharge into an ESD sensitive device. Equipment like carts and trolleys moving through the facility can also produce static charge that can transfer to the products that are being transported on the equipment. To identify problem areas, establish how ESD-sensitive the parts and assemblies you’re manufacturing or handling are to determine the best solution for control. Check with the manufacturer or supplier of the equipment or refer to the part data sheet to determine the ESD classification or voltage. You can reduce electrostatic attraction (ESA) and control static discharge in sensitive areas like cleanrooms using electrostatic dissipative (ESD) tape. ESD tape won’t absorb static, making it ideal for labeling electronic components and marking in cleanrooms. Post signs to identify ESD sensitive items, produce barcodes, hazard labels, general facility labels and signs, and more. Note: implementing a static-control program will be the best way to ensure the most effective static control.
Step 1: Sort Remove all unnecessary items from the cleanroom. This will help eliminate clutter in the workspace, eliminating hazards that may have been lurking. Step 2: Set in Order Make things easy to find. Assign equipment to specific locations so personnel know where to find and return items each time. Step 3: Shine Conduct basic maintenance duties. Make it a part of the daily routine to inspect, clean, and disinfect all surfaces and instruments in the cleanroom to protect against contamination. Step 4: Standardize Consistently enforce the rules. Ensure all personnel understand the goals and steps of the 5S system to experience the true benefits within the facility. Step 5: Sustain Repeat all steps of 5S daily—this will ensure the workplace remains clean, safe, and efficient.
Install Thoughtful Floor Marking
ake it easier for personnel to navigate in the cleanroom by installing M floor tape. Designate work stations, safe aisle and pathways, storage areas, and more to enhance visibility, safety awareness, and organization in any facility. Ensure tape complies with the ISO cleanroom classification you need. It’s also perfect for implementing a 5S system. Create a standardized color-coding system and differentiate between hazards and organizational areas and alert personnel to areas of various tools and equipment. Outline and highlight areas to prevent damage to expensive equipment, such as ceiling-mounted HEPA filters. Alert personnel who are conducting maintenance activities to keep clear to avoid punctures and other damage. Mark the facility floor and other areas and surfaces such as walls, carts, shelves, cabinets, and more. Use products rated for ISO 4 and below and is ideal for floor marking applications in laboratories and other cleanroom controlled environments.
Evaluate Safety Signs and Labels
igns and labels are essential to any workplace safety program. S They help prevent unsafe behavior, draw attention to important information, and communicate hazards. Reduce chances of human error and ensure safety by making sure labels and signs are in good condition by conducting a walk-through of the facility. Evaluate and replace worn, outdated, inaccurate, and damaged labels and signs.
Cleanroom Safety Solutions
can have a better chance of preventing contamination by using Ylabelsoureliable labeling supplies that are engineered for cleanrooms. Tailor to your workplace and alert workers to important site-specific
Implement a 5S System
procedures, hazards, and more. Communicate procedures specific to certain work areas and processes: label vials, circuit boards, machinery, tools, and more. Alert workers to restricted areas, communicate cleanroom PPE requirements, and more. By implementing each of these tools, managers can promote a safer and more efficient cleanroom operation.
step of 5S in cleanrooms and other controlled environments:
Kelsey Rzepecki writes for Graphic Products, makers of the DuraLabel line of industrial label and sign printers. Visit www.GraphicProducts.com or call 800-788-5572.
5S system can help correct inefficiencies and ensure operations run A smoothly by keeping all items within the cleanroom clean, functional, and where they belong. Here are suggestions for how to implement each 10
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