Health and safety first

A washer extractor or two used to be the stock-in-trade for care home and other small on premises laundries (OPL) but since Covid-19 reared its bug-ugly head, barrier washers are becoming more common as operators and their clients and end users become ever more hygiene-conscious. That is not to say traditional washer extractors are taking a back seat but you may find that manufacturers are emphasising the hygiene aspects strongly now. However, when it comes to maintaining hygiene standards, care homes (and hotels) could do worse than follow established practices for hospital laundries.

As Dr Richard Neale wrote in January’s Material Solutions: “The Covid-19 pandemic and the disproportionate number of deaths among the elderly population of care homes in many regions worldwide, exposed very starkly the vulnerability of care home residents to cross-infection. On premises laundries (OPLs) have a significant role to play in addressing this.

“They need to be consistently providing clean linen which is assuredly free of pathogenic bacteria and viruses (including Covid-19). Of equal importance is provision of the same justified assurance to hotel guests, that the towels, pillowcases and table napkins from their OPL do not carry unwanted micro-organisms to their hands and faces.

“It is a startling fact that … there is no legislative requirement for bug-free linen, either in care homes or hotels. This is probably set to change and organisations that have not yet addressed this need to be preparing now.”

Neale goes on to explain laundry disinfection practices for hospital linen, saying: “For many years, the healthcare sector worldwide (and the laundries which serve it) practised implied thermal disinfection for hospital linen. However, this required processes which involved, for example, three minutes plus mixing time at 71C minimum or 65C for 10 minutes. These generally achieved a 5log10 reduction in bacteria count, which met the demands of national healthcare legislation in most regions globally.”

Different ways of ensuring adequate disinfection at low temperature are now readily available in virtually every region worldwide, with independent certification to assure their effectiveness, says Neale. Some of these involve thermo-chemical disinfection at 50C or 60C, for example. Some can achieve assured disinfection at temperatures as low as 40C: in all cases it is vital to use the time-temperature-chemical combination specified by the supplier. Simply using a particular chemical or a particular temperature is not sufficient.

Many healthcare providers make use of the European Norm EN 14065, which describes a simple system for assuring the laundry user of the ongoing effectiveness of the disinfection regime. This system is now available for adoption by onsite laundries in both care homes and hotels, with economically viable controls to demonstrate disinfection quality to customers on an ongoing basis. It differs considerably from the traditional implied thermal disinfection principle, which is based on the feed forward concept that if the hot wash is maintained at the requisite temperature for the specified time, then you can assume that the bug kill will be adequate. This did not always work well, especially if the temperature controls were not properly calibrated, or the washer was overloaded. The recently updated standard uses the feedback principle. You can adopt whichever disinfection regime suits you best, but you must verify by simple, regular monitoring that it is achieving consistently the desired degree of disinfection.

(Check out LCNi, January 2022, Material Solutions, ‘Quality of laundering in care home and hotel OPLs’.)

Washer extractors

Taking all that into considertion, what is out there right now? Girbau offers a complete range of laundry products including the latest energy efficient washers, dryers and ironers of all sizes. It is dedicated to helping customers to meet Care Quality Commission requirements for infection control in care and nursing home OPLs. The company can advise on all aspects of laundry design and operation in order to meet the latest Health Technical Memoranda (HTM) 01-04 (https://www. england.nhs.uk/estates/health-technical-memoranda/) for the NHS requirements for laundry decontamination, including machine choice, laundry layout, clean and dirty area demarcation, disinfection, safe handling and operating procedures.

Girbau’s Sapphire remote-control software combines disinfection monitoring with an advanced yet easy to use cloud-based laundry management system using Girbau’s highly efficient, programmable washers and dryers.

Designed specifically to give OPL operators easy, flexible and versatile control, Sapphire allows organisations to ensure verified disinfection of linen and has been designed for small and large establishments alike from care and nursing homes to hotels, veterinary and animal care establishments. In healthcare settings, Sapphire can be used configure washers to operate and record the use of thermal disinfection programs to meet (HTM) 01-04 requirements for laundry decontamination.

“While laundry outsourcing costs continue to climb, a Girbau on-premise laundry offers more control over how laundry is processed handled and cleaned with assured infection control and significant cost savings,” says Jeremy Challis, sales director at Girbau UK.

The software has a smart-alerts system that sends the owner an SMS text or email when there is any irregularity in how machines are working. Sapphire also allows users to monitor, manage and configure their on-premise laundry in combination with Girbau’s HS series washers and ED dryers.

Girbau HS washers feature automatic chemical dosing, high-speed spinning, unmatched durability and a high degree of programmability. Their high spin speed achieves a market-leading centrifugal spin force of up to 400G throughout the spin cycle to leave laundry with residual moisture levels of less than 50%, offering significant energy and cost savings in the subsequent drying process. Machine capacities range from 9 to 120kg, with the most popular OPL machines being the HS-6008, HS-6013 and HS-6017.

The professional division of Miele has recently announced the launch of its new generation Benchmark series, designed to be gentle to the environment while still delivering high performance. The washer and dryer range, says the company, strikes the perfect balance between cost-efficiency and premium results, helping laundry managers exceed customer laundry expectations on a daily basis.

With sustainable efficiency at its core, the new Benchmark series can accommodate a washer load capacity ranging from 12-20kg and a drying load capacity between 14kg-44kg ensuring maximum laundry throughput. Innovative technology icludes powerful, frequency-controlled asynchronous motors which promise smooth cycles at high speeds as well as Miele’s patented honeycomb drum 2.0 for optimum laundry care. This, combined with low consumption values, saves both time and energy, while also keeping overall laundry costs low.

Washing consumption values are as low as 7.2 litres per kg of laundry for the Performance and 5.9 litres per kg of laundry for the Performance Plus, achieved through functions such as the EcoSpeed drum rhythm. This is a reduction of up to one litre per kg compared to its predecessor. Users can also expect short cycle times for maximum efficiency. A 12kg laundry load, for example, can be thoroughly washed and left with only 44% residual moisture in 42 minutes.

To ensure laundry managers can meet the most demanding challenges, programmes can be adapted to individual user and business requirements. Operators can select from a range of programmes or select from a tailor-made washer or dryer solution to match the garment being laundered e.g., specialist uniform, delicate fabrics, bedding, and towels etc. Thermal and Chemo-thermal disinfection programmes are also available to ensure hygiene compliance, preventing the spread of infection.

Simon Venni, country sales manager, GB&IE at Miele Professional said: “Aside from the efficiencies the new Benchmark series will bring, each model has been built with hygiene in mind. From the touch screen display to the programmes offered, users can be reassured that they are protecting themselves, staff and customers from the spread of harmful viruses and bacteria.”

Industrial Laundry Equipment has machines of all types and sizes which are suitable for the OPL/hygiene environment.

Choose from a wide range of high quality 13-120kg washer extractors which have full flexibility of programming to prevent wash cycles being progressed until disinfection parameters have been met. Unlike many other machines on the market, ILE’s larger machines (80kg, 100kg, 120kg) come equipped with heating elements to allow a site with hot water and no steam, to still achieve thermal disinfection by raising and holding temperature in the drum.

High on the agenda for Electrolux Professional was the need to create a faster and more efficient washing process that would also guarantee maximum durability. The myPROXL aimed at smaller OPL, is built to last more than 15,000 cycles, thanks to its eight-point spring suspension and steel counterweights, says Electrolux.

The most notable feature of the myPROXL is the 12kg drum, which has been designed for a larger loading capacity to increase overall washroom productivity. The washers are equipped with a default 35-minute cold water program, and are able to complete a full load (Cotton Normal 60°C Programme) in just 73 minutes, using as little as 1.01kW per cycle. The myPROXL washer also includes dedicated disinfection programs which can be set to different temperatures (up to 68°C) and times, to enable operators to meet any necessary hygiene standards.

Darren Lockley, head of region – UK & Ireland at Electrolux Professional, comments: “Given the ever-evolving nature of the professional textile industry, we were aware that there was a need to bridge the gap for smaller businesses and organisations that have high laundry outputs.Ultimately, we’ve taken everything that was successful with the myPRO and upscaled to create the myPROXL, a durable and efficient laundry solution to suit all needs.”

Domus, which celebrates its 100th year in 2022 , pursues maximum efficiency at all times with a deep commitment to protecting the environment, says Gemma Colomer. “Based on this premise, we manufacture cutting-edge and high-tech machinery, which guarantees an efficient life cycle in all our models.

“We would also like to draw your attention to the many ways our laundry equipment saves water, energy and detergent.”

The high G-factor obtains optimal efficiency in the spin cycle. With the new TOUCH II microprocessor, ecological programs are now standard, so you can set the machines to operate with low water and detergent consumption. All washing machines are designed to be connected to a water recovery tank. This means that water and detergent can be used for subsequent washing cycles, achieving annual water savings of up to 70%.

“To add to this, we have developped DOMUS CONNECT, the new IoT feature enabling two-way communication between machine and user, via the cloud, which allows you to optimise your time, and analyse and manage your business more efficiently. A whole world of benefits, both for the owner of the laundry and the distributor.”

Barrier washers

Of course, you need a bit of room to use a barrier washer, with separate dirty and clean zones. If you can do this then these machines can really help in the battle against contagion.

Girbau UK now offers the Girbau BW range of barrier washers. Dirty linen is loaded through the front door and the clean linen is unloaded from the back. The linen circulates forward at all times, avoiding any risk of contaminating clean linen. Capacities of models in the Girbau BW Series range from 16kg for the BW160 upwards to 230kg.

With a G-factor of 350 and a maximum spin speed of up to 900 rpm, Girbau BW washers ensure a very low level of residual moisture for reduced drying cycles and thus lower laundry energy costs.

ILE Medical barrier washers are available in 25kg, 35kg, 60kg and 110kg versions and have interlocked doors on opposite sides of the machine to ensure that no cross contamination occurs. An electro polished stainless steel drum provides maximum linen protection, airbag suspension for smooth & quiet wash and spin and inverter drive to ensure that you can have maximum programming flexibility through the colour touchscreen.

A leader in barrier washers is Lapauw. At Lapauw, the offerings are the Mediwave and Medistream, a dedicated cleanroom washer and cleanroom dryer. The Mediwave is a barrier-washer but Lapauw designed the machine from the onset with cleanrooms in mind, sporting a whole range of cleanroom options that allow you to configure your machine to the appropriate cleanroom class:

In its basic configuration, the Mediwave offers features that provide additional protection and comfort in a cleanroom environment:

The GRP cover is an easy to clean, void of sharp edges and crevices where germs and soil can grow, which upholds hygiene and cleanliness in the cleanroom.

The integral RABC function guarantees thermal or chemo-thermal disinfection.

• More about barrier washers in a future Issue

CLEAN ZONE

You have your washer but what about the chemicals needed to make up the total wash solution? Christeyns offers valuable advice on the subject.

On premises laundries are dealing with low volume textile processing where proximity or specialist processing make it viable to locate the laundry on the premises, and where textile processing is not the core operation. Typical locations are care homes where infection control is paramount, hotels often with guest laundering services or an on-site spa, sports clubs including football and rugby and other residential institutions such as boarding schools.

It is a serious responsibility and an important division of the business, both in terms of hygiene and in ensuring the end user is provided with a quality result. It requires staff to have a thorough knowledge of the fabrics, the stains and the suitable wash processes.

OPLs benefit from automated chemical dosing systems but on a smaller scale to commercial laundries. Innovative systems provide a reliable, safe and accurate way to ensure chemicals are dosed correctly according to load type. Such a system does not overdose the chemical products which is crucial in achieving the highest efficiency in the wash process.

Christeyns’ Flux-range allows central and decentral dosing of liquid detergents with modular equipment that has low maintenance and is particularly suited for on premise laundries.

Self-diagnostic technology continuously monitors and corrects dosages, according to each selected programme. There is also an automated daily check on chemical valve closure at the start of each system run.

The most appropriate system for an OPL would be the Flux Compact 2.0. The system includes highly reliable membrane pumps, top quality seals and dosing adaptable to real weight.

To meet the different fabric requirements, Christeyns has designed a wide range of chemicals, liquid and powder detergents, for automatic and hand dosing. This includes its Caretex range, Pro-Fit and AquaWave for delicate textiles, Speed-O for use in conjunction with ozone in cold water washing, and HiGlo for gentler dry cleaning and a range of specialised stain removers.

Choosing the right chemicals and dosing equipment will help meet water and energy goals, reducing costs on the bottom line whilst helping to protect the environment. Businesses of all types are now judged on their ‘green’ policies and having the right procedures in place provides peace of mind for end users.

The Christeyns’ team offer support and training for staff on dosing and chemicals including choosing the right programme for each load, the safe handling of chemicals, efficient and effective stain removal and disinfection.