By Healthcare Facilities Today

Restroom fixture manufacturers are responding to research illuminating the role of fixtures in the spread of pathogens in healthcare settings, providing new models focused on containment, according to a Health Facilities Management magazine article.

According to a 2009 study, drain contents in sinks were found to be able to splash up to one meter away, playing a significant role in a drug-resistant bacteria outbreak that affected 36 patients. The outbreak was contained once the hand-washing sinks were replaced with models that prevent splashing.

As a result of this study and recommendations from the Facility Guideline's Institute, manufacturers have offered new models designed to keep the water at the unit. One manufacturer's offering provides soap, sink and hand dryer in a touchless all-in-one unit that encourages patrons to get their hands clean without getting the floor wet.

Another manufacturer has redesigned its intensive care unit sink and faucet system to direct water down into a deep sink cavity to contain splashing. The touchless faucet can also be programmed for an automatic purge cycle.

Automatic faucets continue to gain market share, driven by dropping prices for the units and increased demand for water efficiency. A tweak important in healthcare occupancies is that manufacturers include manual redundancy in some of their automatic models, a critical detail in the event of a power outage.

Other healthcare restroom fixture trends highlighted in the article is the continued move to upscale finishes in patient areas, bathroom-in-a-box retrofit kits to contain costs, and software-based maintenance tools for automatic faucet programming and troubleshooting.

Read the article.