Looking For Biosafety Improvements?

Take A Look At Your Shoes And Floors

By Jennifer McNary Smith, Consultant, helping creators of technology communicate their science

Jennifer McNary Smith

Maintaining a clean and safe environment is particularly critical in healthcare, biotech, pharmaceutical, laboratory, and food processing facilities. An often-overlooked aspect of microbial control in many facilities is the role that shoes play in the spread of bacteria, mold, and viruses (some of which are pathogenetic). Facilities looking for overall improvements in their building’s indoor hygiene may want to take a closer look at their shoes and floors and consider antimicrobial enhancements that:

• Effectively destroy microbial contamination on shoe soles;
• Seamlessly integrate into existing hygiene and safety protocols;
• Improve visitor and staff confidence; and,
• Are sustainable and budget-friendly.

The Often Overlooked Role Of Shoes In Spreading Pathogens

Shoe soles often act as carriers for various microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and mold. Literally a moving target as we walk, these pathogens are transferred from one location to another, including quickly spreading to high-touch surfaces (Koganti, 2016). Research has shown that a single pair of shoe soles can carry over 800,000 colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria (Charles Gerba, 2008, University of Arizona), as well as viruses and fungi/mold.

A 2017 independent study (Dao, 2017) found that over 75% of people walking into a hospital carried Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile (C. diff), and other pathogens on their shoes. Curtis Donskey, MD, hospital epidemiologist at the Cleveland VA Medical Center, said, “If bacteria stayed on floors this wouldn’t matter, but we’re seeing clear evidence that these organisms are transferred to patients, despite our current control efforts.”

Challenges Of Common Shoe/Floor Disinfection

Traditional disinfection methods are often reliant on chemical agents and dependent on employee compliance to store, mix, apply, and dispose of these chemicals properly. Common chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite, ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, ammonia, quaternary ammonium compounds, and peracetic acid can be labor intensive and pose risks to human health and the environment. Variability of application processes may reduce disinfection efficacy and contribute to the development of anti-microbial resistance.

UV Shoe Disinfection

UV light is well known as suitable and effective for a variety of disinfection applications. One innovation recently gaining ground is UV shoe sanitizing. Operation is as simple as stepping on and off a “station” or platform. UV shoe sanitizing seamlessly integrates into a facility’s existing biosafety/biosecurity protocols. By placing these stations at strategic locations — such as entrances, areas of transition into critical food processing or manufacturing areas, emergency rooms, and food service areas, labs, and sterile manufacturing — UV shoe sanitizers can reduce the spread of pathogens and other microbial contamination.

In fact, one innovative shoe sanitizing station technology using combined UV-C and ozone has been shown to destroy pathogens on shoe soles by up to 99.999%. This added layer of protection enhances the overall effectiveness of a facility’s biosafety strategy by addressing the constantly moving target of microbes on shoe soles.

Improving Visitor Confidence And Employee Compliance

UV shoe sanitizers are a VISIBLE sign of safety and can boost visitors’ confidence in your facility’s ability to provide a clean environment. Placed strategically, at hand washing or hand sanitizing stations for instance, they have been found to enhance employee compliance. The step on, pause, step off process can also serve as foot traffic control into critical areas.

UV shoe sanitizers offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional methods of shoe disinfection, such as shoe covers, footbaths, mats, powders, and sprays. Shoe sanitizing devices do not require the use of harsh chemicals, allowing you to reduce your environmental impact and potential health risks associated with chemical exposure. In addition, some UV shoe sanitizers are true lightweights when it comes to energy consumption and labor hours as some require no daily maintenance. Reducing labor hours and the cost of chemicals can make them an attractive option for facilities looking to reduce expenses.

Adapting To Future Challenges

As new pathogens continue to emerge and evolve, all facilities must be prepared to adapt their infection control strategies accordingly. UV shoe sanitizers offer a forward-thinking solution that can help you stay ahead of the curve.

Implementing UV Shoe Sanitizers

When considering the implementation of UV shoe sanitizers in your facility, it’s essential to identify key areas where the risk of microbial contamination is the highest. Some ideal locations might include initial entry points and exits of the facility and entrances to:

• Operating rooms;
• Clean rooms;
• Processing and packaging areas;
• Pharmacy; and,
• Food service areas.

By placing UV shoe sanitizers in these strategic locations, facilities can maximize their impact to reduce microbial contamination and pathogen transmission.

Don’t Forget The Training

For UV shoe sanitizers — or any new technology enhancement — to be most effective, always ensure that staff and visitors understand how to use these devices properly. Ask your supplier to provide video or in-person Training Sessions. These sessions should cover the operation, care, and safety of your new technology. It is also valuable for the staff to understand the importance of (and their part in) improving facility biosafety as well as how the new technology fits into and enhances your current disinfection and safety processes.

In addition, you might want to ask your supplier for signage and educational materials to remind users of the proper procedure and reinforce the facility’s commitment to contamination prevention.

PathO3Gen Solutions (www.patho3gen.com) is a privately held Tampa Bay, FL-based company holding multiple patents on its technology and equipment. PathO3Gen Solutions’ sole mission is to create cleaner, safer environments. Our UVZone® Shoe Sanitizing Station protects critical areas in healthcare, pharma, biotech, indoor ag, and food processing/manufacturing facilities around the world.

The UVZone Shoe Sanitizing Station is an innovative multi-patented disinfection technology delivering the combined power of UV-C light and ozone utilizing Corning® HPFS® Fused Silica glass windows. It has been proven to eliminate up to 99.999% of the most harmful pathogenic microorganisms including spore-forming and non-spore-forming bacteria, encapsulated and non-encapsulated viruses from shoe soles in ≤ 8 seconds. The UVZone Shoe Sanitizing Station is NSF International tested, TÜV SÜD Certified, EPA Registered and manufactured in an ISO 9001-2015 facility in the USA.