CORONA VIRUS (COVID19) and buzzword “PPE, MASK , HAND SANITIZER”

CORONA VIRUS (COVID19) an infectious disease enters in our life mostly from 2019 affected everywhere and this declared as pandemic.

The simple way to protect our self is by following to: staying at Home, Keep Safe Distance, Wash Hand and Use Mask.

This corona virus keep all of us contained in our home and this gives us the new opportunity to see the world from different angle.

This crises moment also gives us the opportunity to use the technology in more sophisticated way with flexibility. This can be well understood, when we look in our family only, that our children as students are attending the digital classes at home from long time and most significant aspect is that this is first time, also participation in lots of various competitions such as drawing and painting, essay and others as webinar which benefited in excelling knowledge and learning.

WHO (World Health Organization) has given a good and useful guide line on COVID19 ,same to be used for understanding and safeguarding form this pandemic of COVID 19 .

With CORONA VIRUS (COVID19), society is introduced with terms like PPE, Sanitizers, safe Hands and mask; these are now buzzwords in the society and are required to accept to live in New Normal.

It is interesting to see about these buzzwords, and national & international specifications which are used in production to ensure and maintain the quality of products .Also, will see ISO standard which is related to Occupational Health and Safety.

ABOUT PPE

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) means any device or appliance designed to be worn or held by an individual for protection against one or more health and safety hazards. 

Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is a particular type of Personal Protective Equipment, used to protect the individual wearer against inhalation of hazardous substances in the workplace air.

TYPES OF PPE

Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) are designed and made to safeguard the health of the person by minimizing the exposure to biological agent.

 PPE can be categorised as,

Goggles, face-shield, mask, gloves, coverall/gowns (with or without aprons), head cover and shoe cover.

Form the above list of PPE the scope of article is kept about details of mask

MASKS

Background behind wearing the mask in pandemic of Coronaviruses Covid-19,

To explain this, we have to go through some of the medical terms and anatomy. Will make it simple to understand.

The Coronaviruses Covid-19 is categorised as respiratory virus and target mainly upper and lower respiratory tracts.

There is need to prevent the human infection by protecting the airways form the particulate matter generated by droplets / aerosols and also contaminated hand that allows the virus to enter.

Hence, mask is important for prevention from particulate matter generated by droplets / aerosols.

PROCEDURE TO WEAR MASKS

Making the practice of wearing mask in its own a new normal and remember this practice has to convert in our habit.

1.First clean the hand with alcohol base hand rub or soap and water as per the availability.

Here, availability has to be created, as every time one should not get the alcohol base hand rub or soap and water on the spot or where required one has to change mask.

So, this is a new normal, we have to make practice and convert this practice into habit to keep our personal alcohol base hand rub with us.

2.Cover the mouth and nose in such a way that there should not be any gap mask and the face.

3.It should be taken care that, one should not touch the mask and if touched, than clean hands with alcohol base hand rub or soap and water as per the availability.

4.If the mask damp, replace it.

5.While removing, remove it from back side and do not touch the front of mask.

SANITIZER

Hand sanitizer, also called hand antiseptic, hand rub, agent applied to the hands for the purpose of removing common disease-causing organisms, called as pathogens.

LIST OF SOME OF RELATED NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS

The requirement of testing with a view to maintain hygiene, various national and international specifications are made on the basis of effectiveness, contents, stability and formulation.

Below is the list of such related specification,

IS 1061: 2017

Disinfectant fluids, phenolic type – specification

This specification gives the details about test parameters like –

Composition and description (detection of hydrocarbons and phenolic compounds), Stability after dilution, Germicidal value, Mercury compound, Stability on storage.

ASTM E2755 – 15 

Standard Test Method for Determining the Bacteria-Eliminating Effectiveness of Healthcare Personnel Hand Rub Formulations Using Hands of Adults.

EN 1499: 2013

Chemical Disinfectants and Antiseptics – Hygienic Handwash – Test Method And Requirements (Phase 2/Step 2)

EN 1500 Hygienic Handrub Method

ASTM E1838 – 17 

Standard Test Method for Determining the Virus-Eliminating Effectiveness of Hygienic Handwash and Handrub Agents Using the Fingerpads of Adults.

ASTM E2276 – 10(2019) 

Standard Test Method for Determining the Bacteria-Eliminating Effectiveness of Hygienic Handwash and Handrub Agents Using the Fingerpads of Adults

ASTM E3152 – 18 

Standard Guide for Standard Test Methods and Practices Available for Determining Antifungal Activity on Natural or Synthetic Substrates Treated with Antimicrobial Agents

ISO 45001:2018 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

ISO 45001:2018 is about the Occupational Health and Safety and state that,

The organisation can plan, implement and control its operational processes by establishing operating criteria and control the processes in accordance with these operating criteria.

The organisation should apply the hierarchy of control measures for the elimination of hazards and the reduction of OH&S risks.

The following examples illustrate the application of the hierarchy of controls from most effective to least effective in sequence mention below from top to bottom,

1. Elimination: removing the hazard;
2. Substitution: replacing the hazardous with less hazardous;
3. Engineering controls/ work re-organisation: isolating people from hazard;
4. Administrative controls including training: conducting periodic safety equipment inspections;
5. Personal protective equipment (PPE): providing adequate PPE.

Accordingly society has to follow the Lockdown, Social Distancing, Hand Washing, Social awareness through various means and use of PPE and mask and same is being followed by society at large in their day to day activity, is the need of time.