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Aseptic barrier washing machines for the healthcare sector, where do we stand?

The invisible enemy of this in-depth study is the pathogen. Bacteria, to be more precise. In fact, among the perpetrators of healthcare-related infections are funguses, viruses or other less common pathogens contracted during healthcare assistance, that can arise and multiply in any healthcare framework. In such environments the risks of microbiological contamination, so-called “nosocomial infections”, are very high. Everything revolves around the concept of prevention. One of the crucial factors is to take preventive measurements to avoid microbiological contamination in the washing process. And this goal can be achieved by using sanitary barrier washing machines practically mounted in a wall that is separating the loading and unloading sides, allowing an optimal hygiene, and preventing like this the contact between the clean and disinfected linen and the soiled one, avoiding any kind of contamination. Which are the technical characteristics of these machines? At which could be their potential applications?

We open this in-depth discussion by meeting
Vittorio Maglione, the Country Manager Italy of Alliance Laundry Systems. “For this product line (sanitary barrier washing machines), we have a wide variety of models for every need, ranging from industrial laundries to hospitals and nursing homes. The whole issue must necessarily be approached with a premise. The European standard UNI EN 14065 “Textiles treated in the laundry – Biocontamination control system” stipulates that in the healthcare sector facilities it is mandatory to install an aseptic laundry. At the moment, Italy has not implemented it yet, unlike France and Germany, so everything is left to the individual discretion. The first bacteriological and infectious transmission mean is actually the linen. As Alliance, we recommend the medium- and long-term investment to protect the health and/or care facility and its users. Which are the characteristics of the machine? It is a twoshaft double door machine with pullman drum. All made in stainless steel, reliable and long-lasting. It is programmable and guarantees an efficient tracking system, which is crucial especially in the health sector.

What is traceability? It means the full control of the machine: water, energy and detergents consumption. The water temperatures used during the washing process…the most interesting thing for healthcare facilities managers is the traceability of the linen batches which allows you to know in detail, how did you washed it, when, with which operator, how long the cycle lasted. The most flourishing market in Europe is undoubtedly France, as European legislation is fully implemented there, but also because of the culture and full awareness of the risks involved. In Italy, as there is no national regulation, it is left not only to the discretion of the individual health authorities but also to the different regional regulations. Water temperature and the chemicals used are the most important factors in this field. Disinfectants such as chlorine and hyperacetic acid are common, although ozone is gaining popularity lately.

As Alliance, we have designed and implemented clean rooms, that is an autonomous room for the treatment of surgical material, equipped with an autoclave, washing machines, tumble dryers and professional thermal disinfectors. We are dealing with a “world of professionalism”, a specific market with its own logistics and dynamics. The purpose of the aseptic washing machine mounted in the wall, is to divide rooms so that the items to be treated do not enter in contact with the cleaned and disinfected ones.The operator that has to pass from the side with potentially contaminated material to the part where it is washed and uncontaminated, must at least comply with a couple of cautions: walk through a sanitising mat that retains impurities, but also wash its hands thoroughly. Following procedures and complying with rules are essential conditions to reduce the risk of bacterial proliferation”, concludes Maglione.

“The sanitary barrier washing machine is required for specific needs and it is necessary to create suitable contexts for installing it. It is also essential to build a barrier around these machines to separate the two environments: one side with potentially infected soiled material and the clean side, to prevent the eventual contamination of the washed linen. For these cases, as Miele Professional, we have a consultancy approach for properly designing the laundry space. How many assisted persons are in the facility? How much linen needs to be processed? Are the questions most commonly asked to the customers to help them choose the right washing machine. Space mapping and dimensioning, from here we need to start”, underlines Egizia Maria Felice, the Marketing Manager of Miele Professional. “We are talking about machines with a drum volume available in a range from 160 to 320 litres, corresponding to a loading and washing capacity from 16 to 32 kg”. In the healthcare premises and nursing homes, the washing machine loading must follow particular guidelines and specific protocols. Starting with the ergonomics of the machine. Our machines are designed with flip-up doors with large opening for easy loading and unloading, even for bulky fabrics or sleeping bags.

In addition, the loading height has been designed so as to allow a trolley to be placed directly under the door. The key element is sanitisation. A safe disinfection is the prerequisite for the treatment of hospital and nursing homes textiles. Special thermal and thermochemical disinfection programmes, complying with the guidelines of the Robert Koch Institute from Berlin, among many other things, are the basis for ensuring the necessary hygiene safety. The soiled linen to be washed, already sealed in water-soluble bags that do not allow the dirty material to come into contact with the surrounding environment during the preparation phase for washing, is loaded directly into the washing machine. There are also guidelines regarding the work clothing for operating such machines, as one side will be treated as contaminated – and therefore with the appropriate precautions such as gloves and masks – and the other as uncontaminated. Our machines have a wide variety of programmes with a large possibility of customisation. Using the programmable controls, all washing parameters can be adapted to the use and different requirements. With such commands you are fully equipped for facing all your professional linen care needs.

Is there a technical feature of the machine that you would like to emphasise? The electronic unbalance control. The high spin output of the washing machine reduces the washing time preparing the conditions for a quick final drying. In this case, the electronic anti-balance control ensures constant residual humidity values at the end of each spinning cycle. It also reduces stress on the shock-absorbing system and the drum bearings: an efficient contribution to the long operational life of the washing machines. And finally, a curiosity, do you have a particular project to be mentioned? Our machines are present in nursing homes and hospitals all over Europe. We have recently equipped a fire station in Netherlands, with not less than eight of such machines, for the treatment of fireproof uniforms, helmets and uniforms”.

Mr. Niccolini (Marco Niccolini, the General Sales and Mkt Director of Renzacci SpA) which is the range of sanitary barrier washing machines offered by Renzacci? We have a new range of aseptic machines, the WB series available in three capacities: WB 25 Kg, WB 35 Kg and WB 70 Kg. They fully meet the virtues of the sanitary barrier machines and are equipped with a computerised system that allows to monitor the entire cycle to the benefit of precision and the information flow between the dirty and the clean part after the washing process. Which is the feature you would like to highlight regarding these machines? The entire range of machines is designed with beaters inside the drum, performing a mechanical action, highly important as it is designed to fully stretch the fabric fibres, and allow the disinfectants to penetrate into the fabric thoroughly. In this way, we achieve a homogeneous and widespread action, avoiding a superficial disinfection.

The precision of these machines, but especially their added value lies in the mechanical action involved between the beaters and drum diameter. The electronics helps to monitor the “water temperature heating curve of the bath levels” with a millimetric precision to ensure high disinfection and high washing quality. Therefore, it is not only important that the temperature is reached at certain standards, but it is also necessary that the temperature does not rise either too slowly or too quickly to avoid causing thermal stress to the fabric. Last but not least, the temperature rise we mentioned has an impact on the molecules and thus on the active ingredients of the detergent. These aseptic barrier washing machines are specifically designed and manufactured for nosocomial facilities, both nursing homes but also hospital facilities where guests and patients are usually immunocompromised. The action of the machine and its performance contribute in these particular environments to protect the health of the guests. This is the real challenge”.

We are delving into a detailed analysis into the twists and turns of this specific sector with Carlo Miotto, the CEO of Imesa SpA, and we focus also on some technical features of these particular machines. “When we talk about an aseptic barrier washing machine, we talk first and foremost about hygiene and safety. Designed to meet the washing needs of the healthcare facilities and nursing homes, where large quantities of linen contaminated with bacteria and organic residues are daily processed, the aseptic barrier washing machines are now also chosen by the industrial laundries and large hotels for their guaranteed results. The increasing market demand is driving us to continuously enhance our D2W machines line that we produce in four models: 18 – 23 – 30 and 55 Kg loading capacity. The innovations we have recently implemented have the specific aim of increasing the performance of the line and consequently creating more value and benefits for the user of our washing machines.

We have focused on four driving goals: – Increasing machine stability, during the spinning stage; – Increasing the efficiency of the spinning phase by avoiding excessive unbalance; – Facilitate technical servicing by reducing working times and by standardising and optimising components for the entire range: the final advantage is a significantly more economical maintenance; – Increased washing quality. Starting from 2024, the D2W Aseptic Barrier Washing Machines will include the technical innovations resulting from the innovation work carried out in the second half of last year. The tests on the field, have offered excellent results and very satisfied customers. The flagship of the D2W line is the IM11 interface installed on all washing machines made by IMESA. Placed on the “infected” side, where the soiled linen is loaded, it allows the programming of washing cycles and the total control of programmes via wifi thanks to the constant connection with the IMConnect portal and the Laundry for You app, by IMESA”.

“Electrolux Professional has recently launched its new highcapacity barrier washing machines series, ‘Linea 6000 Pullman’ an unique combination of ergonomics, user-friendliness, high productivity and reliable hygiene programmes. Thanks to these features, the new barrier washing machines series is able to withstand the most rigorous demands in various healthcare applications, such as hospitals, clinics and nursing homes, as well as industrial laundries, pharmaceutical and food industries”. It is Marco Oleoni, the Sales Manager Laundry of Electrolux Professional, who explains the potential of these machines. But let’s look a little more in detail. “The 6000 Pullman Line, available in 70, 90 and 110 Kg capacity versions, has been awarded with the prestigious 4-star rating for operator-machine interaction by ErgoCert, the first internationally Accredited Body for Ergonomics Certification. All models are equipped with a double-sided drum that automatically positions itself at the end of each cycle for safely unloading high volumes of linen. In addition, the innovative opening mechanism of the inner drum doors automatically pre-opens them at the end of the washing cycle.

The new Line 6000 Pullman series provides a safe, effective and replicable approach to laundry cycle management. All units are designed to be wall-mounted with an easy-to-clean flat frontal part, and are equipped with dual ClarusVibe HD colour touchscreen displays to control the washing machine from the dirty side and access important cycle information from the clean side. The Hygiene Watchdog system prevents cross-contamination, ensuring that the washing cycles are completed with thoroughly disinfected and decontaminated linen. Maximum hygiene and ergonomics are the strong points of the 6000 Pullman line, adds Oleoni, which also enjoys many cost-saving and sustainability benefits that have become a hallmark of the broader 6000 Line portfolio, which also includes the Evolution models. The Evolution line of sanitary barrier washing machines was, for example, the protagonist of the installation at the new headquarters of ‘Lega del filo d’Oro’ in Osimo near Ancona in 2023; an important project that has been developed over the time and that has committed us in making it an example of efficiency and sustainability for the Care sector”, concludes Oleoni.

“Strict hygiene regulations in hospitals, nursing homes, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries and similar premises require efficient machines with very specific characteristics,” we talk about this with Marzio Klos, the Commercial Director of Brentareno. “The configuration of the barrier washing machines ensures complete separation when loading soiled/infected linen in one room, and when unloading clean linen in the opposite room, thus avoiding any contamination between soiled/infected and clean linen. The machines are equipped with an ultra-modern, automatic computer with 7” colour TOUCH SCREEN to ensure maximum hygiene control. Simple and intuitive interface, available in more than 37 languages. This exceptional system is also equipped with an IoT function that allows complete control of the machines even remotely, whenever and wherever you are. It allows you to fully manage the washing, spinning and various work programmes.

But does this precise and accurate digitalisation of the machine also allow for any additional functions? It allows, for example, to generate statistics on the cycles performed, earnings, production reports, water, chemicals and energy consumption reports, workloads, etc. You can carry out full telemetry analysis, with storage and access to all machine data and signals, with analysis of times, temperatures, water levels, product levels, speeds, etc. The machines are equipped with an automatic door alignment device to facilitate loading and unloading. Designed with double door lock, with self-locking and anti-loosening functions guaranteeing safety and easy operation. All washing machines are equipped with electronic inverters guaranteeing high efficiency and low consumption. In closure, I would like to emphasise the importance of guaranteeing professional and timely technical assistance all over Italy”.

At the end of this reportage we talk with Eugenio Boni, the Commercial Director of Italclean. “The industrial laundry sector is experiencing a significant transformation with the introduction of the sanitary barrier washing machines, an innovative response to the needs of the hospitals, clinics and healthcare facilities generally. ITALCLEAN shares the revolutionary vision of these new washing machines, designed to prevent the risk of contamination with pathogens. The BM Series of sanitary barrier washing machines produced by ITALCLEAN, represent a step forward in the separation of clean and soiled garments. Equipped with double door technology and high spinning speed, and designed to be installed in a dividing wall between two laundry areas, one septic and one aseptic, these machines offer the highest level of performance. Which is the added value of these machines? ITALCLEAN washing machines are distinguishing on the market for the implementation of the most modern and sophisticated technologies in terms of safety management and control. The advanced control systems guarantee impeccable and safe results, while ensuring higher hygiene and washing quality. In addition, the new TOUCH computer, a touch screen designed especially for ITALCLEAN, provides a real help for operators thanks to its intuitiveness and simplicity, while ensuring full control over every single stage of the washing and spinning cycles.

The BM series offers three different main loading capacities: 25 Kg, 35 Kg and 70 Kg, thus meeting the various needs of the healthcare facilities. Among the remarkable features of these washing machines are their compliance with the latest standards, the programmable touch screen computer, and the two extra-large loading doors, one for the clean side and one for the dirty side. The loading doors are equipped with a safety door lock, preventing them from being opened during the execution of programmes to avoid accidental contamination. The automatic drum positioning system further reduces the risk of contamination by placing the drum before the user can open the loading door. The 70 Kg version is designed with a two-compartments drum for more efficient loading and unloading, while the stainless-steel cross support and drum guarantees long-term durability. Available in electric or steam-heated versions, the sanitary barrier washing machines offered by ITALCLEAN, are at the forefront of the industrial laundry sector, bringing an essential contribution to ensuring maximum safety and hygiene in the healthcare facilities, hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. Innovation is the engine of progress, and ITALCLEAN is leading the way towards a cleaner and safer future in the industrial laundry sector”, concludes Eugenio Boni.

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