NORTH AMERICA
Unitex Textile Rental Services, Inc. plants in Hartford, Connecticut (Meadow Street) and Linden, New Jersey, have received Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification. This reflects their commitment to laundry best management practices (BMPs), which has been confirmed by on-site inspection and verification of their ability to produce hygienically clean fabrics as quantified by ongoing microbial testing. These locations connect five other Unitex facilities (Ledyard Street, Hartford, Connecticut, New Brunswick (2) and Linden, New Jersey) and two in New York (Mount Vernon and Newburgh) that are also certified. Unitex is a 90 year old family owned and managed health care laundromat serving the Central Atlantic and Northeastern US regions.
Hygienically Clean has been the quantified, validated standard and measure for hygienically clean textiles in North America since 2011. Achievement of this certification reflects their commitment to laundry best management practices (BMPs) as confirmed by on-site inspection and their ability to produce hygienically clean textiles as demonstrated by ongoing microbial testing based on established hygienically clean textile methods and Healthcare standards have been quantified.
To get certification first, laundries pass three rounds of result-based microbial tests, which indicate that their processes are producing hygienically clean health textiles and that there are fewer yeasts, molds and harmful bacteria. You must also pass a facility inspection. To maintain their certification, they must pass quarterly RODAC and semi-annual USP 62 tests (RODAC results less than or equal to 20 CFU per square diameter and USP 62 results must indicate the absence of specified microorganisms) to ensure laundry conditions change. Like water quality, textile fabric composition and washing chemistry, the quality of the washed products is constantly maintained. The review takes place every two to three years.
This process eliminates subjectivity by focusing on results and outcomes that verify that the textiles cleaned in these facilities meet appropriate sanitary clean standards and BMPs for hospitals, surgery centers, doctor's offices, nursing homes and other medical facilities.
The Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification validates the effectiveness of laundries in protecting healthcare by reviewing quality control procedures in linen, uniform, and facility services related to the handling of textiles containing blood and other potentially infectious materials.
"Congratulations to Unitex on their certifications," said Joseph Ricci, President and CEO of TRSA. "This achievement demonstrates their commitment to infection prevention and that their laundries are taking all possible steps to prevent human disease."
Reflecting the evolution of healthcare laundry certification in the face of growing global infection control concerns, Hygienically Clean documents practices that ensure the elimination of potentially harmful microbial levels while adding a quantifiable review of continuous improvement in overall cleanliness.
For information on Hygienically Clean certification programs, please contact E: afreeman@trsa.org.
