Introduction
The purpose of this report is to determine which hand sanitizer should be provided for the administrative staff of Langara College returning to the on-site work in September 2020.
Background
As a student assistant, I have been tasked with researching sanitization products for the partial campus’ reopening for the fall semester. Langara has already stocked up enough sanitizers and PPEs for people who will be entering campus. The current critical task is to ensure our employees’ safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The college needs to provide a group of 30 administrative staff with a personalized supply of hand sanitizers as a part of the special care package.
Langara joins the campaign of supporting local businesses in COVID-19 response. Hence, the products of Canadian manufacturers will be used for the research, rather than the products of international suppliers. The criteria for selection should make sure the chosen item is safe, free from aggressive ingredients, suitable for sensitive skin, and pleasant for use. Langara will contact the company, whose products will be highly evaluated, for one-time supply, with the possibility of further cooperation.
Summary
The report will compare the size, safety & quality of ingredients, and the gentleness on hands of InstantFOAM®, PURELL® Advanced, and Avagard™. The criteria for evaluation allow for the selection of the most efficient product that meets Langara’s needs. A comparison of three hand sanitizers is provided in the body of the report, with detailed evidence from credible sources. A chart representing the product use duration is suggested for better visualization of how long the given products will last. Based on the findings of this report, a summary will be included with one hand sanitizer manufacturer being recommended for Langara College.
Comparison
Company Selection Process
The companies for analysis were selected based on their location and compliance with Health Canada’s requirements. The products listed by Health Canada (2020) have not been tested for effectiveness against COVID-19, but they are recognized effective in reducing the risk of infection and the spread of microorganisms. Deb Group, GOJO Industries, and 3M were selected as Canada-based companies, whose products are currently on the Health Canada’s list (Health Canada, 2020). Each of the manufacturers has a website with all the necessary information about their hand sanitizers, such as product features, product picture, and recommendations for use.
Criteria for Product Analysis
The criteria chosen to analyze the products are size (bottle volume), safety & quality of ingredients, and the gentleness on hands. The bottle volume is a simple numeric value, while the safety & quality of ingredients and the effect on hands are estimated based on the product description provided by the manufacturer. Since different suppliers suggest different bottle volume options, it may be useful to calculate the approximate product use duration of each item, based on the average number of applications and estimated waste. The safety and quality claimed by the company are critical for the effectiveness of use, while gentleness on hands is necessary for a user-friendly experience.
Size
Big volume packaging over 500 ml have been excluded from this report since they are not suitable for individual use and create difficulties in carrying the sanitizer when there is a need. However, it is still important to provide our employees with a sufficient amount of the product which will last for at least several weeks of comfortable use. The volume of each product is as follows:
- InstantFOAM®: 400 ml;
- PURELL®: 236 ml (8 fl oz);
- Avagard™: 500 ml.
The size of hand sanitizers defines how long the employees will be able to use it and how well it will cover and protect their hands. To estimate the approximate product use duration of each sanitizer, the data on the average volume applied per one use was researched. The recent data suggests that 3 ml is on average a sufficient amount of hand sanitizer for one application by a person with medium hands (“How much hand sanitizer,” n.d.). This report sees 3 ml as an average volume applied for one use and 5 applications as an average number of uses per day by one employee on-site. These numbers make up a 15 ml waste per one employee per day on site.
As can be seen, with such an approach, InstantFOAM® will last for 26.7 days of active use, while PURELL® and Avagard™ will last for 15.7 and 33.3 days respectively. In this regard, only InstantFOAM® and Avagard™ will provide sufficient volume to be used by employees for over a month while working full-time. When selecting the product for Langara staff’s care package, it is wise to estimate for how long they will be able to use their hand sanitizers.
Safety & Quality of Ingredients
Next, the safety and quality of the ingredients are critical for the product’s effectiveness. The hand sanitizer that will be selected for Langara needs to safely stop infections from spreading and be free from harmful aggressive components. In this regard, InstantFOAM® by Deb Group is suitable for environments where a high level of hand hygiene is needed. At the same time, it does not contain perfume, dye, or colorants and will provide safety for people with possible allergic reactions. PURELL® Advanced by GOJO Industries is regarded as #1 hand sanitizer, which kills 99.99% of most common germs and outperforms other hand sanitizers (“PURELL,” n.d.). Avagard™ by 3M kills harmful microorganisms while being free from dye, fragrance, and preservatives. In general, all three manufacturers guarantee the safety and quality of their products, while PURELL® Advanced appears to be most trusted among hospitals.
Gentleness on Hands
Another aspect to consider is the product’s effect on hand skin. Daily use of an inappropriate hand sanitizer can be harmful to people with sensitive skin and allergic reactions. Moreover, even for people without visible issues, the frequent application of disinfectants can cause dryness and irritation. Not only the product’s ingredients but also its texture can be defining for the effect on hands. The pump bottle of InstantFOAM® dispenses foam, which has been proven to prevent skin dryness due to moisturizers it contains (“InstantFOAM,” n.d.). The soothing gel PURELL® Advanced also aims to keep hands soft and moisturized. The manufacturer specifies aloe and vitamin E as active components that prevent skin dryness (“PURELL,” n.d.). Avagard™ comes in the form of easily dispensable foam that is formulated to be non-irritating and non-sticky, and it moisturizes skin with conditioners (“3M™ Avagard™,” n.d.). Overall, all three sanitizers claim to be gentle on skin but only one manufacturer provides a description of active components that ensure the non-drying effect.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Based on the criteria of the report, PURELL® Advanced appears to be the best choice. Despite the smallest packaging size of the product, it contains safe and quality ingredients that will not only effectively protect the employees from infections but also keep their hands moisturized. As to the duration of the product use, it should last for approximately three weeks of working full-time. Should the further supply be necessary, it is possible to contact the manufacturer and discuss alternative product sizes. Based on the results of this report, I would strongly recommend that Langara College stocks PURELL® Advanced for the special care packages.
If you have any questions, please contact me at student’s [email protected]. Thank you.
References
3M™ Avagard™ foam hand antiseptic with moisturizers. (n.d.). 3M. 2020, Web.
Health Canada. (2020). COVID-19: List of hand sanitizers authorized by Health Canada. Government of Canada. Web.
How much hand sanitizer is enough? (n.d.). Becker’s Hospital Review. 2020, Web.
InstantFOAM® Alcohol. (n.d.). Deb Group. 2020. Web.
PURELL® advanced hand sanitizer soothing gel. (n.d.). GOJO Industries. 2020. Web.