Kettering Hospital opts for ‘built-in’ infection control

Upgraded pathology laboratories at Kettering General Hospital, Northants, have been equipped with Marshall-Tufflex’s all-curved Odyssey Bio antimicrobial cable containment system to enhance infection control measures within the sterile services section of the hospital.

Part of a major £1.1m refurbishment to the pathology departments by Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust, the project has involved the fitting of more than 400 linear metres of Odyssey Bio (with red coloured back boxes to provide Part M compliance at a competitive cost) in a phased 18 month programme of works whilst the department remained up and running.

Odyssey Bio is a specialist building product from cable management experts Marshall-Tufflex. Different to many other antibacterial cable containment systems, not only does its unique and attractively curved profile avoid the collection of dust, but it has bacteria-fighting, silver-based active ingredients included in the PVC-U during manufacture rather than applied as a surface coating.

For these reasons consulting engineers for the refurbishment, Building Services Design, Corby, Northants, chose Odyssey Bio for the research laboratories: “Its new qualities were appealing,” said project consultant Jens Haugaard. “I like the fact that the antimicrobial formula is integral to the plastic so that, despite what happens to it, it will continue to do its job. Additionally its curvature is easy to wipe clean.”

Once scratched or damaged, cable management systems that have antimicrobial agents applied as a surface coating can become contaminated by germs penetrating the flawed surface. Odyssey Bio benefits from having inherent, ion-based, antimicrobial additives distributed evenly through the product, which continue to neutralise some of the most harmful and dangerous bacteria such as MRSA, E-Coli and Salmonella, rendering them harmless even if the trunking becomes damaged.

“The client is happy, it is a good product and it is looking good on site. We have had no problems and are very pleased,” Mr Haugaard said.

Odyssey Bio was supplied by Edmundson Electrical, Northampton, and fitted by Mann Electrical Services, also of Northampton, in the pathology laboratories where it has been used on the bench top upstands and against walls. Where there are no upstands to benches, Marshall-Tufflex supplied triangular bench trunking units to special order. The containment systems carry essential power to analytical equipment used by the department.

Bob Farmer of Mann Electrical Services is also happy with the performance of Odyssey Bio. He said: “It looks good and the necessary specification changes to the special bench trunking units were dealt with efficiently.”

By working continually around the clock, silver-based antimicrobial cable containment systems, such as Odyssey Bio, are playing an important role in infection control when used in conjunction with meticulous hygiene and cleaning regimes. Untreated trunking systems can harbour harmful bacteria and, if touched, be a source of cross-contamination.

Odyssey Bio has been tested to the quantitative standard ISO 22196:2007. Results show the survival rate of tested bacteria to be less than 0.1%. Cat 6-approved Odyssey Bio is also registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and compliant with the European Biocidal Products Directive (BPD).