New Washable Computer Keyboard Protects Against Spread of Infection
Rugged Technologies announces the new affordable Unotron washable keyboard for medical and industrial use.
Windsor Jct, Nova Scotia, Canada (PRWEB) November 17, 2005
Most people would refuse to work if their desk was in a bathroom, yet the average office desktop has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. The computer keyboard is a major source of harmful bacteria that can survive as long as 24 hours on the keys.
“In multi-user environments and high-traffic sites like hospitals, schools, hotels, businesses, healthcare and government offices, this poses a potential threat of infection and cross contamination,” says Russ Amiro, President of Rugged Technologies Inc. a Canadian supplier of washable and disinfectable keyboards and mice to the medical and industrial markets.
The first nationwide study measuring normal bacterial levels inside offices revealed that keyboards are among the top five most germ-contaminated spots tested. Study coordinator Dr. Charles Gerber, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, reported that keyboards are dirtier than toilet seats, and require disinfecting to remove bacteria or viruses.
“Keyboards are hard to clean,” says Amiro “A simple wipe of a rag dampened with disinfectant is not enough. Most of the bacteria remains. Aggressive cleaning can damage conventional keyboards – any liquid which runs into the keyboard can damage it beyond repair.”
“However, we’ve solved this cleaning problem with the affordably priced SpillSpeal® computer keyboards manufactured by Unotron which can be totally immersed in a bath of commercial hospital grade disinfectant” says Amiro. “This keyboard’s patented technology individually seals and protects each key from liquid penetration”
A recent study, conducted at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and presented to a meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, found that keyboards can contaminate the fingers, bare or gloved, of a nurse or doctor who could then transfer bacteria to patients. The study also showed that touching a keyboard even one time was enough to transmit bacteria.
“With the use of bedside computers, hospital settings are especially vulnerable,” continues Amiro, “but classroom, office, and even household computer keyboards are also breeding grounds for harmful bacteria.”
The keys on the Unotron SpillSeal® keyboards never stick or short circuit when in contact with liquid enabling it to be properly and thoroughly disinfected in order to help prevent the spread of infection at home or in the workplace.
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