“It is not certain how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces, but it seems likely to behave like other coronaviruses. A recent review of the survival of human coronaviruses on surfaces found large variability, ranging from 2 hours to 9 days. The survival time depends on a number of factors, including the type of surface, temperature, relative humidity and specific strain of the virus. The same review also found that effective inactivation could be achieved within 1 minute using common disinfectants, such as 70% ethanol or sodium hypochlorite.

Existing recommended cleaning and disinfection procedures for health care facilities should be followed consistently and correctly. Laundry should be done and surfaces in all environments in which COVID-19 cases receive care (for example, treatment units, community care centers) should be cleaned at least once a day and when a patient is discharged. Many disinfectants are active against enveloped viruses, such as the COVID-19 virus, including commonly used hospital disinfectants.

Currently, WHO recommends using:

• 70% ethyl alcohol to disinfect small areas between uses, such as reusable dedicated equipment (for example, thermometers);
• sodium hypochlorite at 0.5% (equivalent to 5000 ppm) for disinfecting surfaces.

All individuals dealing with soiled materials from patients with COVID-19 infection should wear appropriate PPE before touching it, including heavy duty gloves, a mask, eye protection (goggles or a face shield), a long-sleeved gown, an apron if the gown is not fluid resistant, and boots or closed shoes. They should perform hand hygiene after exposure to blood or body fluids and after removing PPE.”

Gas Services Europe can support you with supplying qualified workers and equipment for;

• Disinfecting medical gas cylinders and logistics materials
• Cleaning and disinfecting EMS Transport Vehicles after Transporting a PUI or Patient with confirmed COVID-19 or other vehicles transporting possible contaminated products.
• Rooms / environments in which COVID-19 cases receive care.

Cylinders
Due to the possible contamination of the medical gas cylinders returning to the filling plant, it is evident that all cylinders (and any transport system which may also be infected) must be disinfected before they go into production.

This to protect your colleagues in the medical gas filling plant and to prevent that a Covid-19 contamination is transported back to your client, the medical facility. For obvious public health responsibilities, the medical gases production line (especially medical oxygen) has to be protected.

Disinfection systems for medical gas cylinders are already operational in Italy. In Italy the demand for medical oxygen products went up by a 50-fold because of Covid-19 treatments.

The first step is to inventory how your logistics chain of the cylinders is organized and whether there is a suitable space for the disinfection activities.

Depending on the layout of your logistics and cylinder transport system, it can also be necessary to disinfect the cylinder after production if case that one of your co-workers is an a-symptomatic carrier of the Covid-19 virus. Advice is to use personal protective measures in the medical gas cylinder filling area.

The Mobile Disinfection System for cylinders consists of two zones.
“Dirty Zone”

• The first zone (dirty) is where the cylinders come in. 
• There will be a protocol in place to secure for example that the cylinders are save to work with and protected during the disinfection procedure.
• The cylinders are stripped-off of labels, stickers, sleeves and so on
• The cylinders are disinfected with a surface suitable disinfectant (70% ethyl alcohol or sodium hypochlorite at 0.5%).
• The cylinders are force-dried
• The cylinders go to the clean zone

“Clean Zone” 

• New stickers or sleeves will be attached if necessary.
• The cylinders are being assembled for transport 
• The cylinders go out through a different door than where the “dirty” cylinders came in.

Both zones have a high circulation of air as this dries the cylinders quick and removes possible contaminants. In the case the dirty and clean zone are in one space, the air enters in the “clean” zone and leaves in “dirty” zone.

Integrated cylinders producers recommend not to use any form of water when cleaning the head of the cylinder (e.g. the manometer is not waterproof). Due to different designs and set ups of the cylinders, there are specific processes for each type.

The Mobile Disinfection System for environments in which COVID-19 cases receive care.
Cleaning is the necessary first step of any disinfection process. Cleaning removes organic matter, salts, and visible soils, all of which interfere with viral and microbial inactivation. The physical action of scrubbing with detergents and surfactants and rinsing with water removes substantial numbers of microorganisms. If a surface is not cleaned first, the success of the disinfection process can be compromised. Removal of all visible blood and inorganic and organic matter can be as critical as the germicidal activity of the disinfecting agent.

Protocols An intensive protocol with guidelines will be created for the entire operation, e.g.: 

• A health and safety protocol will be in place.
• The system must be created in the least invasive place.
• Enough space around the disinfection area to (un)load the cylinders freely.
• Unloading must take place as close as possible to the disinfection sit. 
• The system will be adapted so that the entire operation will take place as quickly as possible in order to cause as little downtime as possible of the cylinders.
• Only trained persons equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment will be allowed to enter the disinfection area.
• Employees in the disinfection zones will have a different color of protective clothing.
• No crossing from one zone to another – except the person responsible for transporting the cylinders.
• The cylinder body and cylinder head will be cleaned by other means for safety reasons.
• All openings of the cylinders will be protected.

Your Disinfection Plan
In order to plan the implementation of the mobile disinfection system, a Gas Services Europe disinfection coordinator must visit your production location.

Depending on your situation a disinfection system is set up. If there is no free space, a mobile solution will be accommodated.

Customers premises
Potentially contaminated cylinders should first be disinfected at the customer’s premises. Because this is the first point of contact, a procedure and (mobile) system should be implemented for pre-cleaning and handling external contaminated cylinders to prevent exposure.

Gas Services Europe is developing (semi) permanent solutions such as mobile disinfection stations at client’s premises, ensuring 100% hospital and gas producers’ confidence. This disinfection station can clean and disinfect other objects as well.

Together
We have to deal with the New Corona Virus crisis together, do not hesitate to give your feedback on the proposed systems.

Gas Services Europe can supply you with the mobile disinfection system as well as people to operate them. In the case your supply chain becomes compromised we can support you with temporary workers.

Please inform us if you are interested in our disinfection services as critical resources are hard to get.

Disinfection coordinators Gas Services Europe;

West Europe
Machiel de Boer
+31-653390150
mdeboer@gasservices.eu

East Europe
Michal Jakubiec
+48-531336404
mjakubiec@gasservices.eu