United States
The Association for Linen Management (ALM), the Covid-19 pandemic, has uncovered a significant weakness in the U.S. health care system that has come into the spotlight: the nationwide lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), especially protective gowns. Despite efforts to resolve this situation, health care facilities continue to face PSA deficiency to the point where some health professionals (HCP) report that they have no clothing.
ALM has worked with three of its supplier members, Medline Industries, Inc .; UNX, Inc .; and Environmental Infection Prevention, LLC to examine and test the feasibility of reprocessing disposable PPE clothing as a possible solution to the temporary nationwide shortage.
The preliminary guidelines for processing disposable clothing in response to product shortages during COVID-19 are a stop-gap measure to complement the provision of clothing and an alternative to the lack of any protective clothing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The wash formula and wash process are basic guidelines for laundries to provide their customers with a clean product from previously used disposable dresses that were originally made as Tier 1, 2, 3 and / or 4 ANSI / AAMI dresses.
The manual does not manufacture a dress that meets the required barrier standards for which it was originally manufactured and for which it may be labeled, and as recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, no surgical dress provided in the manual should Intervention can be used.
Any laundry that intends to use these preliminary guidelines is strongly advised to read the Implementation Considerations document before undertaking such a move.
Uniforms for home health laundry
ALM is also throwing its advisory network beyond large commercial laundries to involve the wider community, particularly healthcare workers washing their own uniforms at home.
ALM said: “While the commercial laundry process has been tested according to CDC guidelines and has been proven to deliver clean, safe textiles for patients in the hospital environment, the home laundry process deals with innumerable differences in fabrics, detergents, washing temperatures and much more.
The available research results show that the virus only lives on substances for a short time. However, out of caution, ALM has put together instructions to ensure that the home washing process is effective for washing personal clothing after a possible environment, expose the wearer to Covid-19.
The association emphasizes that the guidelines must not be used for washing textiles provided by employers as personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE is special clothing or equipment that is worn by an employee to protect against hazards. General work clothes, e.g. B. Uniforms, pants, shirts or blouses that are not intended to protect against a hazard are not considered PPE.
On the ALM website, under "COVID-19 Resources" you will find "preliminary instructions for washing personal uniform / peeling clothes during the COVID-19 pandemic".
Hotels and accommodations
ALM has also focused on hotels that house health professionals and others who may be exposed to Covid-19. There is a clear possibility that health care providers, emergency personnel and other public service personnel are looking for alternative accommodation options to isolate themselves from their families when they are not working. Federal and state governments have considered the option of encouraging hotel management to provide guest rooms to meet these needs.
To help hotel laundries who are unfamiliar with procedures for large amounts of potentially exposed textiles, ALM has put together preliminary industry support guidelines that address two main issues:
1. Management and washing of bed linen / bed linen and bath / terry products that are used to care for Covid-19 exposed medical personnel and other potentially exposed persons when necessary.
2. Maintaining a safe job.
These guidelines may be updated as additional information becomes available and should never replace state or local regulations that are more stringent in the processing and handling of laundry and laundry.
The guide includes printable signs and leaflets that hotels can affix to their laundry area, a template to inform guests about changed textile procedures in the hotel, and a link to free online ALM training on general precautions for Hotel staff.
If a laundry or hotel has questions about best practices for your situation, ALM will be happy to answer your questions, regardless of your laundry size or the current status of ALM membership. If you know of a hotel that may be available to care for medical or other people who are exposed to Covid-19, please share this information. ALM said: "We are all together and we will make it."
The guidelines and further information on Covid-19 textiles can be found at ALMnet.org/COVID-19.
