Infection Control & First Aid Blog

The field of infection control never stays static for too long. New threats are sure to emerge, new guidelines, technology advances, and revised protocol continues to further the field. Fluid medical waste safety hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of infection control in recent years …except for here at Safetec, where we continue to develop and manufacture variations of fluid medical waste solidifier.

By now, almost all organizations should have a safety program in place to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for their employees. While these procedures look good on paper, if they are not integrated into daily operations and consistently reinforced, then they are likely to be ineffective. How can an organization keep safety top of mind? By developing a safety culture.

It’s easy enough to determine the potential exposure in a healthcare or laboratory setting. While it’s unlikely that exposure to blood occurs regularly in a non-healthcare setting, there is still a potential for occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

As we continue to face the global Coronavirus pandemic, we find ourselves taking the task of cleaning and disinfecting to new heights. With good reason, COVID-19 is easily transmissible through touching infected surfaces in addition to human-to-human transmission.

Hands down! When it comes to fighting the spread of illness, hand washing is the most important thing you can do to keep you and your family safe.  It's a simple enough concept, but did you know there is a wrong way to do it?  There’s no better time than the present to brush up on how and when to wash your hands.

As the ultimate champions of a safe and healthy workplace, Safetec wants to help everyone stay healthy in the office. Whether you are currently in an office environment or preparing to reopen, let’s cover the basics of maintaining a sanitary workspace during COVID-19 and beyond.

Safetec of America is dealing with a significant increase in demand for its infection control products on the back of the global COVID-19 outbreak.

With 45,171 confirmed cases and the death toll rising over 1,100, the virus recently named COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan, China continues to be a growing concern globally. China recorded a new daily record of 97 deaths, among the deaths included the first U.S citizen. In Japan, health officials have placed a 14-day quarantine on the Diamond Cruise ship carrying over 3,000 people. Officials confirm over 130 cases of COVID-19 were found aboard the vessel and are continuing to test individuals exhibiting any symptoms. Here in the United States, there are 13 confirmed cases of the virus.

In addition to monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19, health officials are monitoring flu activity in the United States. The flu has swept through hospitals across the nation. This season ramps up to be one of the worst in history.

The flu season began early with the Influenza B as the predominant strain of the virus. Typically Influenza B is the dominant strain in the spring during the second half of flu season. Unfortunately, this strain can harm children more than the Influenza A strain, with 78 pediatrics deaths reported by the CDC for the season so far.

This season's flu shot might be less effective because of the unexpected Influenza B cases. The flu shot is created every year by experts who try to predict the dominant strains for the season. Since this year was an unexpected strain, the vaccine might not protect as well. The flu shot is still an essential part of illness prevention even on years that it does not perform as well, but this emphasizes the additional need for hand hygiene.

While the rise of COVID-19 across the globe has become a Public Health Emergency of international concern, the flu still poses an immediate threat to the United States. So far this season, there have been at least 22 million flu cases, 210,000 hospitalizations, and 12,000 deaths. These numbers confirm the necessity for people to be vigilant about avoiding these respiratory illnesses.

The recommendations for preventing respiratory diseases like the flu and COVID-19 include maintaining proper hand hygiene by frequently washing with soap and water as well as using alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable. It is also essential to regularly disinfect surfaces in high traffic areas with a surface disinfectant to prevent viruses from spreading.

Years ago, hospital workers at acute care centers, surgical centers, and other similar facilities had a primary issue with the disposal of the obligatory medical byproducts released by the various procedures performed there – and things could get messy.

With the number of confirmed cases rising to over 28,000, the outbreak of the Wuhan Coronavirus continues to be a topic of grave concern around the world. In the United States alone, cases have doubled in just one week, going from five to eleven confirmed cases.