LINAK® Protect™
Protection through hygiene
Never has the need for cleanliness in healthcare been so critical. Nor has the need for bacteria and microbe-free surfaces been so vital in stopping the spread of infection. The rise of COVID 19 has again highlighted the deadly role that contaminated surfaces play in the spread of disease and infection, such as antibiotic-resistant infections - especially in hospital and care home environments.
The battle continues
Antibiotic-resistant infections remain one of the biggest health risks of our time. Addressing this threat is still a public health priority.
COVID 19 is not the first and will not be the last challenge our struggling healthcare system will face. It is time to clean up our act.
By 2050, more people will die of hospital infections than cancer.
Clean with confidence
At LINAK, we have a range of washable healthcare devices and interfaces, which permit thorough cleaning, again and again, without affecting product performance: A powerful contribution to an infection-free future.
Contamination from even the cleanest hands is hard to prevent, and accepted cleaning processes are no longer adequate to prevent infection spreading from surfaces such as bed frames and control interfaces. However, with modern automated cleaning processes, it is possible to thoroughly clean and disinfect hospital equipment. But that equipment must be equipped with robust and washable elements if it is to withstand the rigours of constant cleaning and washing.
Did you know?
To fight the spread of hospital-acquired infections, the WHO defines 5 key moments when healthcare workers should perform hand hygiene:
- Before touching a patient
- Before cleaning/aseptic procedure
- After body fluid exposure risk
- After touching a patient
- After touching patient surroundings
Read more about the WHO guidelines for hand hygiene here.
A new layer of protection
Enhance your hygiene solutions with antimicrobial protection from LINAK.
For obvious reasons, maintaining hygiene in today’s healthcare environments is more relevant than ever, and the fight against infection continues. For over 25 years, we have been enabling a more hygienic approach to keeping infections at bay by developing products that can withstand washing and disinfection again and again. From wipe downs to tunnel washes, we will carry on developing solutions that minimise microbial infection from contaminated surfaces. Protection through hygiene is an ongoing commitment for us, as we rise to tomorrow’s healthcare challenges.
As new antimicrobial technologies become proven and available, we evaluate and incorporate them into selected, relevant products. The latest addition is an antimicrobial additive, which in combination with existing cleaning procedures, can negatively affect bacteria that may contaminate surfaces. With the introduction of our HB80 hand controller and ACO attendant controller, which incorporate an antimicrobial additive, we have concentrated our efforts on adding an extra layer of protection to products which end users handle the most – and which carry the greatest risk.
Fighting infection since 1990
We take the hygiene challenge extremely seriously, and we want our products to perform impeccably. We continuously seek to raise the bar for washability, as it is essential to protect your equipment from dust and water damage. Over 30 years ago, LINAK introduced the concept of “washable” components, which went beyond the then insufficient IP ratings. We believe that washable healthcare applications will help minimise the number of patients picking up infections, and we want to ensure that our products can withstand extensive repetitive washing with strong detergents, over and over again.
Wipe down
IPX4 is suitable for manual washing. It protects against water splashing from any angle and is especially useful when using a handheld cleaning device. The benefits of IPX4 are increased durability, protection against water damage, and the ability to use the applications in a variety of healthcare settings.
Water protection
IPX6 protects against high-pressure water jets from any angle, and it is useful in settings where water is used for cleaning purposes, such as hospitals. IPX6-rated products can provide a high level of water resistance, which ensure that your applications remain protected and functional in challenging environments.
Machine washable
Use IPX6 Washable where hygiene is important, such as in hospitals or laboratories. IPX6 Washable allows frequent and thorough cleaning without damaging the application, providing easy and convenient cleaning. IPX6 Washable is tested according to normal industry standards.
Extended machine washable
With the extended machine washability of IPX6 Washable DURA™, LINAK offers 5X more durability than existing standards demand. Where essential hygiene and cleanliness are required, DURA™ is the perfect solution as it is tested to exceed normal industry standards to ensure a long lifetime, wash after wash.
Hygiene is contagious
Keeping surfaces clean is far from easy. Every touch, every hand, carries a risk. With an antimicrobial additive in these products, we cannot stop cross-contamination, but we can add an extra layer of protection, which combined with standard practices like frequent hand washing, wiping down and washing and disinfection, can contribute to lowering incidences of infection: Consider it part of a cumulative process to increase protection by minimising risk at every touchpoint.
By incorporating a tried and trusted antimicrobial additive in the manufacture of our products, LINAK significantly reduces the potential for cross-contamination from surfaces we interact with. Introduced during the manufacturing process, antimicrobial additives exert, by various modes of action, a negative effect on any contaminating microbes, causing them to reduce.
In Nordic hospitals, the use of automated wash tunnels to disinfect beds and lifts is on the rise. It is only a matter of time before the benefits of this cost-reducing, hygiene-boosting solution becomes commonplace. This trend places higher demands on the components that OEMs use for their bed and lift solutions: They must be able to withstand multiple washes in the harsh, extreme conditions of the wash tunnel.
ReadMoreButton
Future-proof solutions
Being prepared is the best strategy – LINAK washable solutions can prevent microbial and bacterial infection, without affecting product performance.
By fitting LINAK Washable or DURA™ standard components now, companies can offer bed and lift solutions, which will be wash-tunnel-ready, if and when their customers upgrade their cleaning programme, saving them the cost of replacing non-washable units.