How can you keep your workplace safe and disinfected in the era of COVID-19? While masks and hand sanitizer help, they only go so far. In the search for solutions, you may have heard about using UV light to kill coronavirus and other germs.
Does this technology work? And is it safe to use in your workplace? Let's answer these questions in-depth so you can make an informed decision about using UV light in your workplace.
Is UV Light Effective Against Germs? Yes
A lot of methods for killing COVID-19 have been peddled since the outbreak began. Many of them, as you doubtlessly already know, don't work. So, you may feel naturally cautious about any claim, including that UV light can kill the virus.
Penn Medicine states, "Studies show that UV light can be used to kill airborne COVID-19 particles and disinfect surfaces. For this reason, some hospitals, subways, and other public locations are using UV light to help disinfect areas when they are not occupied by people. While helpful for cleaning these areas, UV light has not been shown to prevent COVID-19 infection in humans or to kill the virus in infected patients."
In other words, installing UV lights in your workplace will not prevent all possible transmission of the virus or infection among staff or visitors. However, it will ensure your surfaces and the air your consumers/employees breathe are infection-free.
Nevertheless, the lights will effectively disinfect surfaces and prevent you from needing to do so by hand continuously.
Are UV Disinfectant Lamps Safe for Humans?
Whether it is safe to use UV disinfectant lamps depends on how they are manufactured.
The BBC quotes Dan Arnold of UV Light Technology as stating, "UVC is really nasty stuff – you shouldn't be exposed to it. It can take hours to get sunburn from UVB, but with UVC it takes seconds. If your eyes are exposed… you know that gritty feeling you get if you look at the sun? It's like that times 10, just after a few seconds."
For that reason, it is of vital importance to make sure that you are purchasing your germicidal UV lamps from a reputable company manufacturing them to proper safety standards.
Thankfully, it is possible to manufacture UV lights that are harmful to germs but not to humans.
WebMD quotes researcher David Brenner as saying, "Far-UVC light has a very limited range and cannot penetrate through the outer dead-cell layer of human skin or the tear layer in the eye, so it's not a human health hazard … because viruses and bacteria are much smaller than human cells, far-UVC light can reach their DNA and kill them."
Even though many people are only just now learning about UV lamps to kill germs, this technology has been in use for around a century now in hospitals and other professional environments.
So, UV germicidal lights have a long track record for safety and efficacy and are worth investing in to protect your workplace and employees.
Properly Manufactured UV Lights Can Help Disinfect Businesses and Public Areas
Now you know more about UV technology for killing viruses and bacteria. Even though installing UV lamps will not 100% guarantee your workplace's safety, they can still help you disinfect surfaces more effectively with less effort.
Since your staff will no longer need to do this by hand, you may also be reducing their exposure to coronavirus and other germs. That's just another way this technology can protect your workers.
Just make sure you do your research and choose a manufacturer and a product that is built to the highest standards. Superior Energy and Control has done the research, and we only work with manufacturers who have a proven track record. If you have more questions, feel free to contact us today!