We are living in unprecedented times. In the face of a global pandemic, the world is demanding a proven and effective way to protect people from harmful micro-organisms. The business impact is huge. Companies and institutions are seeking solutions to provide a 'virus-free' space for people to feel safe when they work, learn, travel, shop or exercise.

Bacteria and viruses can cause a wide range of common infections. They can live in air, on surfaces and on objects, even after normal cleaning routines. That means any contamination left behind in the air we breathe and on the surfaces we touch can have a profound effect on our day-to-day health and wellbeing.

UV-C disinfection

UV-C is an invisible light, spanning in the range of 200-280nm. It has powerful germicidal properties, breaking down the DNA and/or RNA of viruses, bacteria, spores and molds in air, water or surface, rendering them harmless.

UV-C lighting can play a vital role in disinfecting air, surfaces and objects in schools, (food) retail, industry, offices, public spaces and hospitals, providing people a virus-free space.

Philips UV-C disinfection luminaires

All bacteria and viruses tested to date (many hundreds over the years, including various coronaviruses) respond to UV-C radiation. Philips Lighting has been at the forefront of UV technology for many years and has a proven track record of developing innovative UV-C products and applications.

With 35 years of experience in UV-C lighting, we have built upstrong application expertise. This has led us to develop a new range of UV-C disinfection luminaires. Our portfolio consists of 12 families of UV-C lighting fixtures specifically designed to disinfect air, surfaces and objects, ideal foruse in offices, retail outlets, factories; in hospitality areas, schools and public washrooms and even on modes of transport such as aircraft, buses and trains.

Effective

Research conducted by Boston University confirms the effectiveness of UV-C lighting on de-activating SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. Research test shows that 99% of the virus was de-activated in 6 seconds (and based on data , 99.9999% inactivated in 25sec.) Philips UV-C lighting can be widely used to help businesses and institutions to provide disinfected environments.

Applications

Philips UV-C disinfection luminaires can be used to disinfect air, surfaces and objects in a wide range of applications.

• Retail: High-touch areas such as shopping trolleys and cash registers have a high risk of transmitting germs.

• Workplaces: Germs can be picked up from phones, keyboards and stationery

• Banking: Disinfect counters, cash machines and work surfaces

• Hospitals: Viruses and bacteria are particularly dangerous in a medical setting

• Food services: Germs and bacteria are common in raw and wasted foods

• Restrooms: One of the most common places to find harmful germs and bacteria

• Transportation: Viruses and bacteria can be transmitted easily in buses, trains and airplanes

• Hair /beauty salons and Gyms: Disinfect client rooms, floor, mirror, chair, counter surfaces, equipment and other sensitive areas

Air

Workstations, open office plans and private offices are areas where airborne bacteria and viruses can easily spread. Upper air disinfection can be applied while people are present to continuously disinfect the air.

In gyms, upper air disinfection in high ceiling as well as low ceiling environments can be applied while people are present.

By building lamps into airducts and HVAC systems, we disinfect the condensers, that are well known sources of bacteria and mold growth, and the air in a safe way. HVAC systems are widely used in industry and hospitality, offices and retail settings and even privately.

Surface

Office and school desks as well as workbenches are high contact areas with surfaces where viruses may survive for a long time (desk, touch-screens). UV-C battens or UV-C trolleys can be used to conduct a full disinfection of these stationary areas outside of operating hours, such as overnight, to supplement existing cleaning processes.

The handles of trolleys used in for example supermarkets and at the airport need to be sanitized between usage. This is often done by dedicated staff using chemicals. An alternative is a UV-C tunnel, allowing for faster and better disinfection.

In hotels, enhancing housekeeping turnaround processes with UV-C between guest stays, can help to protect guests by disinfecting all types of surfaces and materials in guestrooms, suites and other areas. A portable UV-C trolley positioned centrally in a standard room size, such as at the end of the bed, can inactivate bacteria on surfaces.

In fashion shops, a UV-C trolley or UV-C battens can be used to disinfect fitting rooms in between usage or after shopping hours.

In public transportation, UV-C trolleys can be used in between shifts to disinfect the surfaces inside the bus, metro or tram.

Gyms have high contact equipment and, due to physical activity, have higher levels of aerosol droplets. UV-C can be applied to conduct a full disinfection of these areas outside of opening hours, such as overnight, to supplement existing cleaning processes.

Objects

Everyday hand-held and shared devices such as tablets, headsets, scanners, headsets and supplies may be used by different people throughout the day. Performing a 5-minute UV-C disinfection in our UV-C chamber ensures they are safely ready to pass to the next person.

Glasses in a shop should be disinfected before these are to be tried by someone else.

In gyms, UV-C chambers can be used to disinfect small equipment such as dumbbells, matts, etc.

Safety

Exposure to germicidal UV-C radiation is hazardous to the skin and eyes of humans and animals. However, UV-C lighting has been used for many years and is proven to be safe, provided that it's designed, installed and used according to safety instructions.

Philips UV-C products are delivered with a range of safeguards and instructions. They come with physically integrated equipment or time safeguards, such as presence or motion detection sensors or timers, or otherwise they are to be installed with containment safeguards to enable safe operation. Also we provide extensive training and certification programs to help ensure correct installation, usage and maintenance.

The writer is Communications Manager at Signify Pakistan (formerly Philips Pakistan) and can be reached at: nida.hussain@signify.com

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020