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Previous by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] COVID-19 Question Date: Monday, March 23, 2020 at 6:37:16 PM Author: "Wright, Mike" <mwright**At_Symbol_Here**USW.ORG> |
Next by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] COVID-19 Question Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2020 22:23:34 -0400 Author: James Keating |
I should add to my last post that the very best thing we can do is get proper respirators to health care workers who need them - not just N95s, but N and P 99s, 100s, elastomerics and PAPRS. We're trying to get
donations from our employers and many have stepped up even without being asked. I hope academic labs are doing the same. Of course, they take some training and most should be fit-tested. We're trying to find or produce short videos on those, and on field fit-checking
when fit test equipment isn't available.
Mike
Michael J. Wright
Director of Health, Safety and Environment
United Steelworkers
412-562-2580 office
412-370-0105 cell
"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."
Jack Layton
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU]
On Behalf Of Wright, Mike
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2020 6:37 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] COVID-19 Question
The University of Nebraska has developed a protocol for using UV. Here's a post from JAMA online:
Post on JAMA (March 20) from University of Nebraska Medical Center on disinfecting PPE:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2763590
March 20, 2020
UV Light Machines For Decontamination
Vicky Cerino, BS | University of Nebraska Medical Center
In light of the national shortage of one-use personal protective equipment (PPE), the University of Nebraska Medical Center and its hospital partner, Nebraska
Medicine, have developed a safe and effective method to decontaminate these items so they can be used multiple times instead of just once.
A team led by John Lowe, PhD, UNMC assistant vice chancellor for inter-professional health security training and education, is using ultraviolet light towers to irradiate high numbers of masks, which were originally designed to only be used once. The strategy
will allow Nebraska Medicine to greatly extend its supply of these items during the coronavirus pandemic.
"The shortage of PPE is a nationwide issue - each and every one of these items is increasingly precious," said Mark Rupp, MD, chief of the infectious diseases division at UNMC. "Although we were well prepared, our supplies were beginning to dwindle. We had
to find a way to keep our providers and patients safe, and this will definitely help us achieve that goal."
The decontamination of these items works like this: groups of masks are safely bagged and transported to a room inside the hospital which is equipped with two ultraviolet light towers. The PPE is hung on wires stretching the length of the room and then decontaminated
when the lights are powered on. The items are then removed and returned to the original owners for reuse.
"The shortage has forced us to be innovative," said Dr. Lowe. "While these items weren't meant to be used more than once, this is a 100% safe way to extend their useful life. Other major hospital systems in the U.S. have also started to implement this method
for the same reason we are."
Our staff members have been provided with instructions on how to safely remove their PPE and place it in bags for transport to the decontamination room.
Several community partners and concerned members of the public have offered to donate masks to help us in this time of need. We greatly appreciate these offers and are exploring all of them to continue to add to our stockpile of personal protective equipment.
NIOSH earlier studied this with respect to H1N1, also concluding that UV was a good choice:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781738/pdf/mep070.pdf
Mike Wright
Michael J. Wright
Director of Health, Safety and Environment
United Steelworkers
412-562-2580 office
412-370-0105 cell
"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."
Jack Layton
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU]
On Behalf Of Rupkey, Steve
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2020 4:44 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] COVID-19 Question
Hello:
Has anyone considered irradiation of the N-95 respirators, using commercial food irradiation equipment?
I know a plan must be developed to collect, store, transport, etc. the respirators, but any thoughts on the concept?
Thanks,
Steve Rupkey
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU> on behalf of Michael <mabuczynski**At_Symbol_Here**HOTMAIL.COM>
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Date: Monday, March 23, 2020 at 3:32 PM
To: "DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU" <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] COVID-19 Question
The N-95 is classified as a "Single use disposable respirator" These were not meant to be reused and OSHA requires a form to filled out that the user understands the limitations and knows how
to don and doff the unit under normal circumstances.
The problem with any respirator including reusable types is the decontamination and storage after use/cleaning. As a former OSHA Industrial Hygienist, I often enforced the respiratory standard with
all of these requirements.
Now I know there is a current emergency and of course everyone is looking for an interim solution to extend life. To develop a procedure to decontaminate the N-95 you must be aware of not destroying
the integrity( bleach???). We do know that the 91% isopropanol works without destroying the material. Then you must look at the way you are handling the used respirators as not to spread further contamination. Next step is the storage before the next use
(new baggie!)
It may be helpful to contact NIOSH and/or the manufacturer (3M for example) and ask them for their recommendations. I would expect given the recent emergency/need vs shortage they are working on a possible solution.
Mike Buczynski
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU> on behalf of Monique Wilhelm <mwilhelm**At_Symbol_Here**UMICH.EDU>
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2020 2:08 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] COVID-19 Question
A friend who is a surgical nurse has explained to me that they are
using the cloth masks to cover their N-95s so that they can remove the
cover mask and replace if there is a noticeable splatter incident,
thereby making the N-95 masks effective for a longer period. They are
then reusing the N-95 without specific instruction for storage....she
asked me how to store. I have no answer.
Monique
_________________________________________________________
Monique Wilhelm, M.S., NRCC Certified CHO
ACS CHAS Secretary|2017 CERM E. Ann Nalley Award Recipient
Laboratory Manager|Adjunct Lecturer|Chemistry Club Advisor
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry|University of Michigan-Flint
Emaill: mwilhelm**At_Symbol_Here**umich.edu
Monique
_________________________________________________________
Monique Wilhelm, M.S., NRCC Certified CHO
ACS CHAS Secretary|2017 CERM E. Ann Nalley Award Recipient
Laboratory Manager|Adjunct Lecturer|Chemistry Club Advisor
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry|University of Michigan-Flint
Emaill: mwilhelm**At_Symbol_Here**umich.edu
On Mon, Mar 23, 2020 at 3:03 PM Lawrence M Gibbs <lgibbs**At_Symbol_Here**stanford.edu> wrote:
>
> Hi Tried sending this with document attached but was rejected by site. So am placing a link here that I hope will get one to the site of the same document: Final Report for the Bioquell Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor (HPV) Decontamination for Reuse of N95 Respirators
>
>
http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170113034232/http://www.fda.gov/downloads/EmergencyPreparedness/Counterterrorism/MedicalCountermeasures/MCMRegulatoryScience/UCM516998.pdf
>
>
>
> From: Lawrence M Gibbs
> Sent: Monday, March 23, 2020 11:04 AM
> To: neal**At_Symbol_Here**CHEMICAL-SAFETY.COM; DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
> Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] COVID-19 Question
>
>
>
> Neal et al,
>
>
>
> Keep in mind particulate filtering respirators were developed primarily for inert particulate matter (wood dust, silica, etc.). When used in a clinical setting, the particulate matter is no longer inert, but potentially can replicate and infect individuals
upon exposure (uptake). For this reason, reuse of an N-95 is not typically recommended for use in biohazard protection, as a general rule.
>
>
>
> Having said that we are entering that stage of an emergency where scarcity of the primary protective device is occurring. A number of academic clinical centers are running into the same issues and are doing some testing of methodologies for possible reuse
of n-95 particle respirators. The attached is one such report on methodology for disinfection of the masks for possible reuse. Note that gas or vapor is needed to assure complete penetration of the filtrate substrate where infectious particulates may adhere.
Work is currently being done by some of the regional academic bio research facilities on this and protocols being developed demonstrating the process and testing using indicator strips of the disinfection. I suggest caution on applying considerations for
non-viable particulates to the current situation for N-95s or other respiratory protective equipment.
>
>
>
> Larry
>
>
>
> Lawrence M. Gibbs, CIH, FAIHA
>
> Associate Vice Provost Emeritus
>
> Stanford University
>
> lgibbs**At_Symbol_Here**stanford.edu
>
> (c) 650-387-1131
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU> On Behalf Of NEAL LANGERMAN
> Sent: Monday, March 23, 2020 10:23 AM
> To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
> Subject: [DCHAS-L] COVID-19 Question
>
>
>
> All
>
> What do you say to a healthcare provider (assume they are in your core family) who has been told to ration N95 masks. Told to reuse them.
>
> Healthcare provider wants to know about sanitizing them; about effectiveness; about building their own mask.
>
> FYI, here is some NIH published data:
>
>
>
> Reduction to exposure by virus-like particulates. Based on article published by NIH
>
> Mask Type % reduction of particulates
>
> N95 99
>
> SURGICAL MASK 74
>
> HOMEMADE TEA CLOTH MASK 58
>
>
>
> Also, the Elan Musk companies delivered 50,000 N95 masks to a hospital today.
>
>
>
> nl
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Safety is the practice of fixed and unbendable principles, the first of which is to be flexible at all times. Paraphrase of Everett Dirksen.
>
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>
>
> ACSafety has a new address:
>
> NEAL LANGERMAN, Ph.D.
>
> ADVANCED CHEMICAL SAFETY, Inc.
>
> PO Box 152329
>
> SAN DIEGO CA 92195
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> 011(619) 990-4908 (phone, 24/7)
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