ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions 
MicroShield™ Offers Protection Against Microbes A new tool to improve facility hygiene and cleanliness is at hand with MicroShield™ , an antimicrobial coating available on hardware products from ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions brands CORBIN RUSSWIN, SARGENT and YALE. The more crucial areas of the doorway that deserve closer scrutiny in a facility hygiene program are high-touch components, including door levers, exit devices, push plates and pull bars. Factory finished antimicrobial coatings inhibit the growth of microbes on the hardware device’s surface. MicroShield™ delivers protection against a broad spectrum of bacteria and microbes. The technology behind MicroShield is a silver-based antimicrobial agent produced by AgION Technologies. How it works MicroShield is a powder-coated, silver-based hardware finish that successfully inhibits growth of bacteria, mold, mildew, algae and other microbes, making it ideal for use in applications that require enhanced facility hygiene. This proven technology is non-organic and destroys the organisms in three ways: by attacking the cell wall, interrupting metabolism and preventing reproduction. The compound incorporates silver ions with an inert ceramic material that controls the release of the ions according to atmospheric humidity levels. Silver-based antimicrobials have been EPA approved to control the growth of bacteria on the treated articles thereby protecting the article itself. These silver antimicrobials are also NSF approved and FDA listed for use in medical and food preparation equipment. A controlled release mechanism ensures continues efficacy. The silver-based antimicrobial coatings contribute to better facility hygiene by reducing microbial growth on the door hardware’s surface. The antimicrobial finish, available on hardware products from CORBIN RUSSWIN, SARGENT and YALE, serves as an accessory to a facility’s hand hygiene protocols and environmental services cleaning initiatives. Customer Testimony The hardware coating is utilized in facilities throughout the world and is becoming recognized as an effective supplement to standard facility cleaning practices. Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Georgia—one of the many healthcare facilities with MicroShield installations—conducted its own testing of the hardware finish and commended the product performance. Lab personnel measured the number of bacterial colonies on a door handle situated on a heavily trafficked doorway. They then replaced the door handle with one coated with MicroShield and repeated the test. “We cultured our current door handle located in a very busy area that is used constantly on a daily basis,” laboratory technical director Suzanne Graham wrote in the testimonial. “Our results showed 26 bacterial colonies. We then replaced the door handle with your product.” After a two week initiation to the hospital environment, the MicroShield-coated lock was tested. The front of the door handle had no growth and the underside had one colony of growth, Graham reported. “This was amazing. I highly recommend your product to control the spread of bacteria within a healthcare facility” Graham stated after the initial test. For more information about MicroShield, visit www.assaabloydsshealthcare.com. |