by Brianna Crandall — December 13, 2017 — Sloan, a global provider of commercial plumbing systems, published a continuing education course in ARCHITECT’s October edition outlining the challenges health-care facilities face and the commercial restroom products and technologies that work to enhance user safety and comfort in those environments. The recommendations could be applicable to any commercial facility working to create a healthier environment and reduce water costs.
According to a 2007 report from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it was estimated that approximately 1.7 million health-care-associated infections (HAIs) — infections patients contract while they are receiving care in a health-care facility — occur in United States hospitals each year, resulting in 99,000 deaths and an estimated $20 billion in health-care costs.
The course outlines how factors like water and poor hygiene practices are leading causes of HAIs in health-care facilities and how plumbing fixtures like touch-free faucets and flushometers work to alleviate those concerns by creating a healthier and safer environment.
Mary Phelps, Sloan manager of Strategic Accounts, stated:
Health-care facilities are very prone to dispersion of disease-spreading organisms. Our goal is to educate users that touch-free faucets and flushometers as well as sink designs play a leading role in effectively preventing the spread of those germs while also initiating cost savings for hospitals.
Handles on manual faucets are breeding grounds for germs, as touching the handles after handwashing simply negates the cleansing benefits, points out Sloan. But the course portrays that with touch-free faucets, not only do those fixtures lend themselves toward improved sanitation, but also cater to anyone, regardless of age or physical ability.
Another major benefit to sensor-based faucets is water conservation. Per Sloan’s continuing education course, touchless faucets use approximately one less gallon of water per activation than a manual faucet, as they only operate for a pre-set amount of time when the user’s hands are within range of the sensor.
Mark Lawinger, Sloan fixtures product line manager, remarked:
At Sloan, we’re well aware of the hygiene concerns that health-care facilities are faced with. We’re working to combat those problems every day with our innovative plumbing products designed for health-care facilities, including bed pan washers, toilets with bed pan lugs, surgeon stainless steel sinks, clinic service sinks and bariatric water closets and more.
Visit the Sloan Web site for more information on Sloan’s plumbing products designed for health-care facilities such as touch-free fixtures, including its 0.35 gpm faucet options, designed to serve any commercial restroom environment with intelligent and touch-free applications.
