#Brushed copper cabinet pulls windows#

Less than one year after these findings were published, the Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI)-a world-leader in researching the best approach to patient care-listed copper as a top technology to watch in its “2014 Top 10 Hospital C-Suite Watch List.” Similarly, the Canadian Network for Environmental Scanning in Health (CNESH) featured copper in its “Top 10 New and Emerging Health Technology Watch List: 2014.” This highlights the growing role of evidence supporting copper’s role in infection prevention and control. computer mouse, monitor bezel, laptop palm rest) Īdditionally, further research concluded infection rates in patients who stayed in copper-outfitted rooms versus non-copper outfitted rooms were reduced by 58 per cent. nurse-call device and data input device ( e.g.This is a collection of antimicrobial copper door hardware products.įor the study, the following six objects in the room were retrofitted with copper: Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina-demonstrated copper and copper alloys reduce the amount of bacteria found on surfaces by 83 per cent continuously, when compared to other surfaces such as plastic, wood, and stainless steel. hospitals-the Medical University of South Carolina, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, and the Ralph H.

To that end, recent studies conducted at three major U.S. While, the bacteria-fighting capability of copper has been known anecdotally for many centuries, proving it was another matter.

#Brushed copper cabinet pulls windows#

You May Also Like Accessibility of operable windows Innovative solutions to reduce HAIs are needed now more than ever, creating an unprecedented demand for continuously active antimicrobial surfaces like copper alloys. Antibiotic-resistant hospital superbugs like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus faecalis (VRE) can survive on traditional surface materials like stainless steel and plastic for days, putting patients, healthcare workers, and visitors at risk. Many of these infections are believed to be caused by direct contact with contaminated surfaces in the healthcare environment. 2 Additionally, approximately 8000 people die from nosocomial or HAIs annually. Suffice to say, any surface in the physical environment humans touch on a regular basis can benefit from being fabricated with an antimicrobial, copper-based alloy, such as brass or bronze.Įvery year, an estimated 220,000 Canadians develop hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), according to figures from the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program. This includes everything from countertops, push-plates, handrails, and door handles, to computer key pads and cellular telephones. Photo courtesy of Chris Baroody, Department of Veteran’s AffairsĪs a result, an emerging new application for copper is in the use of touch surfaces-sheet, shapes, and extrusions-for various objects with which people come into contact daily. Johnson Veterans Administration Medical Center in South Carolina was a test site for an antimicrobial copper study. 1 The intensive care unit (ICU) inside the Ralph H. Department of Defense (DoD) study, “Copper Surfaces Reduce the Rate of Healthcare-acquired Infections in the Intensive Care Unit,” conducted inside the intensive care units (ICUs) of three hospitals. Over the past few centuries, humans have continued to expand the use of copper in fungicides, antifouling paints, topical medicines, oral hygiene products, hygienic medical devices, and antiseptics.Ĭopper’s ability to kill bacteria has been scientifically proven by a 2011 U.S.

It was at this time scientists began to understand how humans could capitalize on copper’s antimicrobial properties.

During the 19 th century, scientists discovered the existence of microbes and the role these tiny organisms had in causing infections and diseases. Long before the existence of micro-organisms was recognized, the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Aztecs used copper compounds for hygiene and disease treatment. One attribute that may not immediately be mentioned is the fact copper inherently kills bacteria. Others might cite the lack of maintenance copper alloys require and their long lifecycle. Some might mention the natural colour-from the bare, polished, salmon colour of new material to the mature, patinated, green of aged material-or the warmth copper and copper alloys bring to any assembly. When an architect, designer, or specifier is asked what characteristics of copper they are drawn to, the answers can be intriguing.