by Brianna Crandall — May 4, 2020 — Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list proper hand hygiene among the best defenses against spreading germs. Proper hand hygiene according to their guidelines involves thoroughly washing hands for at least 20 seconds, and drying them completely. Further, both organizations list warm air dryers as an effective means of drying hands.
Excel Dryer’s XLERATOR Hand Dryer has already been proven to dry hands completely in as little as 8 seconds per global UL Environment Product Category Rules (PCR) testing standards. Now, a new third-party study offers more insight into how HEPA filtration can contribute to hand hygiene. New viral filtration efficiency testing conducted by LMS Technologies found that XLERATOR and XLERATORsync (in-sink) Hand Dryers with HEPA Filtration Systems remove 99.999 percent of viruses from the airstream.
A third-party test challenged the XLERATOR hand dryer HEPA Filtration Systems with approximately 380 million viruses of varying sizes to prove their effectiveness. Photo courtesy Excel
William Gagnon, vice president of Sales and Marketing at Excel Dryer, stated:
In these unprecedented times, the health and well-being of our customers is our main concern and it was important for us to confirm how our products interact with viruses. These results provide peace of mind to the public and our customers with regard to hand dryer use, especially now, at a time when proper hand washing and drying is paramount.
This latest test challenged XLERATOR HEPA Filtration Systems with approximately 380 million viruses ranging in size between 16.5 and 604.3 nanometers. In the end, the HEPA Filtration System removed 99.999 percent of viruses.
Of the results, LMS Technologies President Al Vatine said:
The virus used in the test represents all viruses, like coronavirus in terms of their size or how they would react to the filter. I can, with confidence, tout the effectiveness of the XLERATORs with HEPA filtration systems. If it can perform this effectively in an enhanced, virus-infused scenario, it surely would provide effective filtration in real-world settings.
XLERATOR Hand Dryers with HEPA Filtration Systems provide a more hygienic hand-drying experience and environment compared to restrooms using paper towels, says the company. This touchless hand hygiene solution eliminates the multiple unnecessary touch points that come with using paper towels as a drying method, including handling during their manufacture, shipping, storage, restocking and then, once used, the germ-laden waste removal. By reducing touchpoints, the risk of germ transfer is likewise reduced.
For more information about XLERATOR and XLERATORsync Hand Dryers with HEPA Filtration Systems, visit the Excel Dryer website. Excel Dryer products are marketed through an established network of sales representatives who call on more than 5,000 distributors globally, and can be specified in 50 Hz or 60 Hz and from 100-volt to 277-volt for distribution worldwide.
For FM-specific information, see Excel’s FMLink ad.
