Manufacturers and engineering sites are being offered a new super-tough antimicrobial coating to improve hygiene standards while controlling cleaning costs.
Touchpoint Shield uses proven silver ion technology to destroy pathogens. Laboratory testing has shown it is highly-effective against bacteria and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19.
Field trials have confirmed the coating is significantly more effective at controlling the growth of microorganisms than standard cleaning, at a fraction of the cost.
The coating, launched by national cleaning specialist SafeGroup, provides manufacturers with vital support and advantages as COVID-19 continues to cause significant concern, especially over the winter months.
Customers using Touchpoint Shield include a UK construction materials manufacturer which wanted to optimise COVID-19 protection without compromising the continuous production processes it relies on.
The coating has also been applied at a major nuclear engineering establishment in the UK, in line with its commitment to setting world class health and safety standards.
Chris Macdonald, SafeGroup’s Strategic Business Director, says: “Touchpoint Shield represents an exemplar approach to surface hygiene while potentially saving users significant sums in cleaning costs.
“Applying the coating is allowing companies to reduce high touchpoint cleaning to pre-pandemic levels while improving protection against pathogens like COVID-19, the flu virus, E-coli, and Staphylococcus aureus.
“The continued real concern about COVID-19 as we head into winter shows maintaining the highest hygiene standards will remain a major priority for businesses, employers and their representatives.
“There is also heightened concern about other pathogens, especially the flu virus, which is expected to be especially virulent and hazardous this winter, resulting in a surge in illness and lost working days.
“Touchpoint Shield delivers enhanced antimicrobial protection across the board. This helps to improve employee wellbeing and demonstrates a company’s commitment to the highest hygiene standards.”
The near-invisible nano-ceramic coating, half the thickness of a human hair, is designed to protect frequent touchpoints against the build-up of potentially harmful pathogens and will remain in place for up to three years.
Items it can applied to include door handles, door push plates, stair handrails, desks, chairs, equipment controls, vehicle door handles, toilet lids and sink taps.
Unlike other products, based on the fitting of anti-microbial covers or plastic films, Touchpoint Shield cannot be removed and will not break down through continued touching.
Independent laboratory test results show the coating reduces SARS-CoV-2 on non-porous surfaces by 99.6%. It also continuously destroys other viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mould, rendering them harmless to humans.
SafeGroup has also carried out live-environment trials that consistently confirm these results and show Touchpoint Shield significantly outperforms standard high frequency touchpoint cleaning.
Chris Macdonald says: “Our trials have shown colonies of potentially harmful bacteria multiply rapidly just minutes after a touchpoint has been cleaned. With Touchpoint Shield in place, regrowth is very significantly reduced.
“This proves that intensive touchpoint cleaning, for example once an hour, may be well meant, but is likely to be largely ineffective. The clear solution is to install Touchpoint Shield.”
SafeGroup works with operational and health and safety teams at businesses to devise the most efficient installation process at each work site.
Trained Touchpoint Shield technicians can rapidly coat hundreds of touchpoints in one shift, working during production shutdown periods and at night or weekends, if necessary, to minimise disruption to client operations.
For example, for the construction materials manufacturer, Touchpoint Shield was applied at five production sites across the UK. More than 10,000 touchpoints were protected at all locations, and the installation programme was completed in two weeks.
Find out more about Touchpoint Shield:
www.touchpointshield.co.uk
