feature RESTROOM FIXTURES
Touch-Free Fixtures Tap Into Hygiene Touch-free innovations offer a number of benefits to a facility, including increased cleanliness and hygiene, operational savings, and a level of sophistication to its restrooms. Sensor-operated faucets are an excellent choice in locker rooms for hygiene as well as eliminating the chance of water being left running.
Kristin Meyers, Moen Commercial
H
ealth-conscious end-users are behind the demand for hands-free products in commercial restrooms. Today’s society is germ obsessed, with industry reports estimating that approximately 30% of people avoid using a public restroom due to their fear of germs and other bacteria that reside on the surfaces of fixtures they would touch. However, the public is more likely to use restrooms with hands-free fixtures instead of manual types. The result is that specifiers and building owners are incorporating an increasing number of touch-free products in new-construction, renovation, and retrofit projects. In today’s restroom stall, there are two primary touch-free elements that help reduce the spread of germs and bacteria: • Automatic toilet-seat-cover dispensers: Industry studies on toilet seats found that in restaurants, gas stations, and other public places, 97% of toilet seats harbor micrococacceae, which can cause skin reactions. Installing automatic toilet-seat-cover dispensers separate the user from such bacteria. 18
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JUL/AUG 2013
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Sensor-operated flush valves: High-efficiency flush valves increase water savings for commercial properties and can significantly reduce contamination in a restroom. These flush valves also promote energy savings with the help of an infrared sensor beam that activates a flush cycle only when a user is in range, ensuring optimal performance, efficient operation, and cost savings. Visitors are also accustomed to touchfree elements in the sink area of a commercial restroom. When these products are used in combination, visitors can remove as much as 99.9% of germs, according to Richard DiPaolo, an expert in the janitorial/sanitation industry. • Automatic soap dispensers: Dispensers automatically distribute a pre-measured amount of soap for hygienic hand washing, eliminating bacterial colonies left behind on traditional products. They also feature easy-to-use bag refills that further reduce contamination. • Sensor-operated faucets: Hands-free electronic faucets are a smart choice to help reduce the
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spread of germs in any facility. It’s no surprise that professional groups give these fixtures good grades. A joint statement issued in April 2011 by the American Society of Healthcare Engineers, Chicago, and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Washington, praised electronic faucets because they “lessen the risk of recontamination of hands after washing.” Sanitary control isn’t the only benefit offered by electronic faucets. They also help conserve water and reduce the chance of flooding. The plumbing-management team at Vanderbilt Univ. Hospital, Nashville, TN, reported that the use of hands-free electronic faucets for the past seven years has been a great success. They install electronic faucets in public areas, so there’s no worry about visitors turning something on and walking away with it still running. In other words, these fixtures are a win for everyone. • Automatic paper-towel dispensers and electronic hand dryers: While hands-free faucets play an important role in keeping bacteria off hands
