Even though we have had some really hot & humid days, I'm not going to complain. Every year, Summer tends to fly by, and before we know it, Winter will soon be here in Michigan. Besides, it's beginning to cool down and we have had many clear sunny days to enjoy!
Moisture and humidity can play a key role in the decontam department as well. How many times have instruments come to your department to be reprocessed that have dried soil on them? This can become a time-consuming issue, making your task much more difficult than it needs to be. The solution is to find a way to prevent organics from drying on soiled instruments. Products like the Humipak consist of a layer of highly absorbent material sandwiched between two layers of waterproof film. To use, place individual instruments, or an entire instrument tray inside the Humipak, add the specified amount of water to the absorbent layer, and seal with the peel away adhesive strip. This creates a water tight, moist atmosphere that will help to prevent organics from drying over an extended period of time. Further, the transparent film allows observation of the contents and a list of contents or instructions can be written directly onto the film. Testing has demonstrated that items will remain moist for up to 3 days, depending upon the type of instruments, and the exact composition of the residue. Make sure to use humidity to your advantage!
Matthew Smith
Senior Manager of Marketing
