The Opti-Cide 3 surface disinfectant wipes are different than most hard surface disinfectants because it works fast to kill microorganisms in 2 minutes while the wipe is extra thick to easily and completely clean and sanitize.
Opti-Cide 3 is a full spectrum, hospital-grade disinfectant that completely kills bacteria, fungi, viruses, and TB on hard surfaces such as glass, metal, plexiglas, formica, stainless steel as well as surfaces in high-touch areas like bathrooms, healthcare offices, schools and child care facilities. 
Opti-Cide is an excellent solution for surface cleaning because it does not have a high-concentrate of alcohol like other disinfectant cleaners and the thick cleaning wipe allows you to clean the surface with one side of the wipe and flip over and use the other side for complete disinfecting, therefore using less wipes. 
Contains 21% isopropyl alcohol. Pre-saturated wipes, 100 wipes per dispensing tub. 

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HEALTH CARE : Cleaners & Disinfectants

Yes

Keeping a workplace clean and free of germs can be a major challenge. Everyone has experienced the office emptying out during flu season or coming in paranoid because everyone has the sniffles. In general, offices, schools and work sites can be incubators for germs because not only is everyone in a contained space, but also common areas are used regularly. Imagine how many people are touching the handle on the kitchen coffee pot or door to the bathroom on a daily basis. For this reason, disinfecting hard surfaces in the workplace is critical to general health. Here are some tips for keeping your workplace a healthy environment for everyone:

Wash your hands and disinfect areas you regularly touch

Believe it or not, germs can travel several feet when you sneeze or cough. Even if you cover your nose and mouth, spray can be sent into the air that then lands on surfaces nearby. To mitigate this problem, many people sneeze or cough into their hands. While this is a common social courtesy, germs that stick to your hands can easily spread throughout the office. Make sure to wash your hands after blowing your nose or coughing into your hands, and also disinfect surfaces that you touch often throughout the day. Consider that even if you wash your hands regularly, if you don't disinfect surfaces such as your desk, keyboard, mouse and other work areas, odds are those germs will end up right back on your hands.

Understand cleaning versus disinfecting 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting a surface are three distinctly different processes; however, many people tend to use the terms interchangeably. Whereas cleaning is the act of physically removing germs and impurities such as dirt and grime from a surface, disinfecting kills germs that are on the surface. Together, these two methods are used to sanitize an area. Therefore, a sanitized surface should have a safe level of germs and help prevent the spread of illnesses.

Be thorough 

The Cleaning Institute notes that scrubbing a surface is not necessarily enough to kill illness-causing germs and that sponges and other cleaning apparatuses can actually spread germs from place to place. For the best cleanliness, thoroughly disinfect every hard surface, rinse with water and follow any other specific instructions on the product's label. The CDC recommends making sure disinfectants and general cleaners are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Furthermore, the organization advises to check the label to see if a product has been approved for killing influenza when trying to prevent the flu from spreading.

Remain aware of chemical products that are abrasive or could harm your health. When using certain cleaners and disinfectants, it's important to wear gloves, respirators, goggles or other personal protective equipment. Always wash your hands after you finish sanitizing an area.

MFASCO Health & Safety Disinfecting Tips, Resources, and Supplies

Disinfecting surfaces always seems straightforward, but there are critical elements to both the process and supplies to consider. Areas commonly touched readily transfer microbials from person to person, and one sick staff or family member can quickly turn into many. Check out the resources below--a few minutes now can save a few days (or more) of sickness later.

Surface Disinfectant Product & Accessories

Disinfectants & Cleaners
Antiseptic Liquid Sprays
Clorox Disinfectant Spray

Individually Wrapped Clorox Bleach Wipes

Additional Resources for Disinfecting Around the Workplace

How to disinfect safety glasses
Defining the difference between sanitizers & disinfectants
How to sanitize a workplace surface

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How To Sanitize A Work Surface

Hello, and welcome to the MFASCO Health & Safety Blog. Working in properly cleaned and sanitized work environments is imperative, whether you work in the food industry, a hospital or a biomedical lab. Keep in mind that particles left behind, such as microbes or dust, can easily transmit infections.

When you need a safe work environment, don't simply wipe off a small surface on which to work. Take the time to not only scrub down the area thoroughly, but also to sanitize every surface. If you're using a cleaning solution, make sure to prepare it directly before use.

Avoid using towels, rags or other cleaning implements that are visibly dirty and change cleaning solution regularly if you're using it for an extended period of time.

For more details, take a look at this great article detailing how to disinfect hard surfaces for workplace health.  

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CaviWipes disinfecting wipes are non-woven disposable wipes pre-saturated with CaviCide solution. CaviWipes, when use as directed, will clean and disinfect surfaces such as diaper changing stations, surfaces, equipment, light switches, refrigerators, vanity tops, door knobs, etc. Use on any Hard, non-porous surface to deodorize clean and kill common germs. Effective against both TB, HBV and MRSA. Towels stay fully saturated and will not dry out during use. 160 pre-moistened wipes per pop-up cannister, wipes measure 6 inch by 6.75 inches.

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Discontinued Items

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HEALTH CARE : Cleaners & Disinfectants

Yes

Safetec Sanizide Pro 1 spray is a hospital-grade, surface disinfectant spray for cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces. Sanizide is different from other surface disinfecting products because it is ready to use without mixing, contains no harmful bleach, hydrogen peroxide or phenol and can be disposed of with normal trash disposal. Sanitizes in 10 seconds and disinfects surfaces in 1 minute, killing microorganisms including TB, MRSA, HIV-1, Norovirus, Influenza A, E Coli, VRE and more.  Sanizide pro is an alcohol based, multi-purpose spray that disinfects and deodorizes hard and soft surfaces. 32 oz ready to use surface disinfectant, includes sprayer.

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HEALTH CARE : Cleaners & Disinfectants

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Bodily fluids on pool hard surfaces are to be treated as infectious

Lifeguards have an important job.  At public swimming pools, they watch for struggling swimmers.  Their work doesn't stop there.  Not only are they in the rescue business, they also protect us from potentially infectious bodily fluids.  The CDC says that blood, vomit, feces and other bodily fluids are to be treated as potentially infectious. 

Proper precautions and procedures should be followed to ensure the safety of workers and guests alike.   When they are not, life threatening Bloodborne diseases could be passed to unsuspecting individuals.  Typical public swimming pool settings should follow the Center for Disease guidelines to ensure the contaminated surfaces are disinfected immediately.

Selecting an appropriate disinfectant is important

A mixture of bleach (usually 1 part bleach and 9 parts water) is recommended. Be sure to only use freshly mixed solutions because their strength and effectiveness wears off fast. There are other approved commercial disinfectants that will work as well. 

The 9 additional steps to clean and disinfect a pool surface include: 

• Clearing the area of people until the process of disinfection is finished. 
•  Wearing disposable gloves is recommended to protect hands from contamination.
•  Disposable paper towel or other types of absorbent materials can be used to wipe up the spill. 
•  All waste should be placed in plastic garbage bags. 
•  After the biohazard is absorbed and disposed of, pour the disinfectant solution over the contaminated area. 
•  The solution should sit for 20 minutes. 
•  After the time has passed, wipe up any solution that is still present. 
•  If you use any "reusable" tools like brooms, mops, brushes etc.., be sure to disinfect them with the solution and then air dry. 
•  All gloves, and any remaining soiled materials should be double-bagged and tied shut in garbage bags and thrown away.

Take a look at our BioSafety Category for Personal Protection equipment and biohazard related products.

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Sanizide Plus Germicidal wipes clean, disinfect and deodorize surfaces and equipment. This pre-saturated hard surface disnifecting wipe is effective against TB, MRSA, HIV-1, Norovirus and E Coli. Alcohol-free disinfecting wipes are extremely durable and low-linting and non-flammable. Each Sanizide Plus disinfecting wipe measures 8.75x 7 and are individually wrapped. Sanizide wipes are sold each and are great for refilling existing first aid and clean up biohazard kits. SOLD EACH.

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HEALTH CARE : Cleaners & Disinfectants

Yes

When we talk about cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing work surfaces, there is often confusion. This brief video helps clarify this topic as they are all uniquely different results.

Cleaning usually means using warm soap and water to remove dirt and grime from a surface. On occasion, a good degreaser/cleaner like GoJo or Simple Green will do the trick.

Disinfecting is using chemicals like bleach to kill germs from hard surfaces. When used together, the process of sanitizing takes place, preventing the spread of sicknesses. This is why it is so important to disinfect and clean your home or workplace to prevent illnesses from spreading.

To see a complete selection of cleaners and disinfectants, take a look here. We have some great articles about disinfecting that you can find here.

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Knowing the difference between a cleaner, disinfectant or sanitizer is important for your safety. They are not all the same and selecting the right one for the job is important to your health and safety. Whether it is for home use, at work or even in a healthcare setting, we are constantly surrounded by dirt, germs, bacteria and even some potentially infectious diseases. This is nothing new but we can help prevent sickness and cross contamination by properly treating the means by which they spread. Each of these 3 types of products are all designed for specific purposes and this article will briefly outline what they are.  Common questions about the use of these products and their applications are also answered below.  

Here are the differences between Cleaners, Sanitizers and Disinfectants

  - Cleaners are designed to remove dirt, oils, organic matter and even some germs. They are not designed to kill germs.
  - Sanitizers are specifically designed to reduce germs from surfaces to a safe level.
  - Disinfectants are designed to destroy germs or keep them from growing. They are not to be used as cleaners. After using a cleaner you can then use a disinfectant.

The Center for Disease Control has a good article about the proper use of cleaners, sanitizers and disinfectants.  We've addressed some of the common questions about this topic below.

Typical questions asked about cleaners, disinfectants and sanitizers

How to know what product you have? Read the label. These products will clearly tell you what their purpose is. The can of Lysol IC is clearly marked as both a cleaner and disinfectant. Reading the back of the can tells us that it is germicidal, fungicidal and crucial. It disinfects and kills MRSA. Disinfectants that claim to be effective against Staphylococcus aureus or staph are most likely also effective against MRSA. This is a great product to use to clean off dirt, grime, germs and even bodily fluids like blood from a first aid kit. 

Is it safe to use around pets or small children? Care should always be used when applying any poisonous materials around small children or animals. The product label will explain warnings and precautions when using their product. 

How long does the product need to be applied before wiping up? This is a very common question. Cleaners generally don't mention this but disinfectants and sanitizers will usually provide the length of time their product should set on the surface applied. In some cases it may need to set for several minutes. Be sure to read the instructions for application.

What should I do with the potentially infected rags, towels or paper products used to clean up? In most states, unless the potentially infectious material has enough volume where it is dripping from the absorbent material it can be disposed of in the garbage.

What personal protection equipment is necessary when using the product? 
Always use Universal Precautions when working with potentially infections materials. The manufacturers label will also inform you of what recommended personal protection equipment to use.   

What are examples of surfaces I should consider disinfecting?
Consider disinfecting any shared equipment such as keyboards. Hard surfaces like desks, counters, door knobs, handles and first aid kit latches are all places where germs and diseases can breed. Places like bathrooms should be disinfected on a regular basis. Also benches, chairs, escalator hand grips and keypad buttons like on an ATM machine are all targets germs. Even gas pump handles are common transfer points that contain bacteria and germs. Floors and walls have not beed directly associated with the spread of diseases like MRSA or staph but is is a good idea to disinfect any surface that comes in contact with the hands.

As always, proper hand washing and the disposal of personal protection equipment should be used.

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Stay Safe and Healthy This Fall
MFASCO Health & Safety has been working hard shipping your orders the same day they are received!  We want you to be safe and healthy during this challenging time.  With this in mind, we have put together hand picked products and resources that are relevant for today. Whether you are going back to school, back to work or just want to be prepared, we are here to help.

Select Items On Sale
See our select items on sale and take advantage of these specials while supplies last.  View our items on sale here. 

Prevent sickness
We've prepared our best curated resources to prevent illness as.  Check them out here.

Other helpful resources
Our Learning Center contains hundreds of great health & safety related articles, infographics, videos and ebooks.  Here are a few of our most popular additions pertaining to disinfecting and sanitizing: 

• 5 Steps To Proper Hand-washing
• How To Disinfect Safety Glasses
• Disinfecting Hard Surfaces For The Workplace
• Cleaners - Sanitizers - Disinfectants - What's The Difference?
• What Is The Difference Between Isolation And Quarantine?
• How To Sanitize A Work Surface - VIDEO
• How To Sanitize Your First Aid Kit
• What Are The Different Types OF Respirators Available?

Make A Kit
If you haven't heard about "Make A Kit", you have to check this out.  Make A Kit has helped many people create custom outdoor kits, emergency response kits, bleeding control kits and hygiene travel kits.   

Go to the Make A Kit page now and give it a try. It is free to use. You will also find a helpful instructional video as well as an FAQ to learn more about this wonderful tool.

We're here to help. Contact customer service if you need help or have questions.

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The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that the Flu season is off to an early start and widespread in many States. Currently well over 40 states are reporting widespread influenza activity. The CDC recommends 3 steps to fight the flu:

1. Get the Flu vaccine
2. Take Precautions to prevent the spread
3. Take Doctor Prescribed Flu Antiviral Drugs

6 Everyday Precautions (recommended by the CDC) you can take right now are:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• Practice good health habits. Get plenty of sleep and exercise, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy food.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine.

We have a variety of flu fighting and flu relief products that can help you during this aggressive flu season.  See our flu flighting products here.

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Classroom safety is important for any educator, but you need the right tools to get you there. Follow this classroom safety checklist to ensure you have the right first aid equipment on hand: 

First aid kit
Whether the kids are running around at recess or working diligently in wood shop, cuts, scrapes and open wounds are commonly experienced in educational institutions. Teachers should always have a fully-stocked first aid kit on hand to quickly patch up wounds, stop bleeding and prevent infection. 

Disinfectants
Between sniffling noses and sticky fingers, classrooms are a breeding ground for germs. It is common for viruses to spread from student to student, especially when kids are sent to school before they get over the flu or don't realize they're sick until they are in the classroom. While the most effective way to stop the spread of germs and illnesses is to keep sick kids at home, that's not always possible. Teachers can also slow the growth and spread of bacteria by cleaning the classroom. Keep cleansers and disinfectants on hand, and follow your school's cleaning procedure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends specifically to clean surfaces and objects that are frequently touched. These may include desk surfaces, toys, door knobs and other classroom equipment. 

Safety equipment
Depending on what subject you're teaching, you may need equipment unique to your classroom environment. For example, sciences classes in which students handle open flames and dangerous chemicals may benefit from from goggles that protect their eyes from all angles. Make sure you have extra safety eyewear in the classroom in case the kids forget to bring their own. This way, you can ensure all students can safely participate. For wood and metal shops, every student should have a pair of indoor safety glasses. Your class may also benefit from work gloves to prevent cuts or splinters when handling rough pieces of wood. Additionally, when students are working with multiple tools, you may want to provide aprons. This way, they can keep several frequently-used tools on hand to avoid reaching over dangerous power equipment or potentially putting their hands in other students' work areas. 

Signs and posters
In medical emergencies, time is of the essence. Therefore, seconds-saving tools can be just as important as the actual medical equipment. One way to save time is to have signs directing people to first aid supplies. Make sure students and other staff members know where you keep your first aid kit by posting a helpful sign above its location. Even if time won't make a life-or-death difference, such as when a substitute teacher is just looking for a way to patch up a student's minor cut, it's still important that they can easily locate the first aid kit.

Certain environments may necessitate unique safety equipment, and signs can also help identify hard-to-spot classroom features. For example, while students should always wear protective goggles when working in a science lab, a chemistry classroom would benefit from an eye washing station. Have an eye wash symbol safety sign so even if you're not in the classroom, students and other staff members can safely direct the victim to the station. Safety and education go hand-in-hand, so make sure your classroom is equipped to handle common first aid emergencies.

MFASCO Health & Safety Provides Easy Access to The Right Classroom Safety Information and Products

School First Aid Kits & Accessories

School First Aid Kits
Classroom & Teacher First Aid Kits
Make a Custom First Aid Kit

Additional Resources for First Aid in Schools

Where should a school keep their first aid supplies?
Where to keep first aid kits in a school
4 tips for school first aid guidelines & procedures

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Preventing cumulative trauma disorder begins with understanding what it is and how it occurs. Known as CTD, this disorder happens when excessive wear to the joints, muscles and tendons occurs over time. The micro injuries happen over and over, slowly wounding the worker.  Eventually, enough injury has taken place, symptoms like swelling, aches and pain begin to appear. Improper ergonomic body positioning and repetitive job tasks are the most common causes of cumulative trauma injuries. It isn't just assembly or production workers who are at risk, office workers are also exposed to these types of injuries. In order to reduce or eliminate cumulative trauma disorder in the workplace, employers and employees should evaluate their job task and identify potential risks.  The four most common factors that contribute to these injuries are:

1. Over flexion or extension (bending)
   
2. Unnatural body positioning
   
3. Repetitive movement
   
4. Strain or force applied during the task

The good news is all of these risks can be reduced. If you stand at a workstation assembling parts or if you are seated at a desk typing, pay close attention to the following points. Some of them are simple and can be applied immediately. Others may require some engineering or modification to the way the task is completed.

• Pay attention to posture
• Adjust the height of your work station to reduce over extending arms or back
• Move monitors or other visual tools so your head and neck are positioned in a neutral state
• Take short breaks to stretch and de-stress the body.
• Use ergonomically designed tools to promote proper body positioning during the task
• Use braces and supports to help limit over flexion or over extension to the body
  
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle
  

Using the tips above and incorporating simple changes to the workplace are all contributors to preventing cumulative trauma disorders. Raising the height of a chair or work station offer surprising results. Bringing the work task closer to the workers body is another common fix. While not the first choice, even protective gear and ergonomic supports can help reduce further injury. 

As always, talk with your doctor about your work task and the risks you encounter. Also, consider adopting a healthy lifestyle. It can't hurt. If your company has a safety representative, talk with them about any concerns you may have with your workstation and work together to make improvements. Happy and healthy employees are generally more productive and preventing cumulative trauma injuries should be a common goal.

MFASCO Health & Safety CTD Prevention, Protection, and Resources

Many jobs demand repetitive movements for hours, and the human body eventually wears down. This means prioritizing the health and safety of your team members is critical for long term success. Since recovery from CTD often requires weeks or months of not doing the job that caused the injury, prevention is the only meaningful approach to CTD. Help your team and help your numbers with this protective gear and list of additional information.

Workplace Safety Products and Accessories

• Industrial First Aid Kits
• Workplace Safety Equipment
• Workplace Signs & Posters

Additional Resources for Workplace Safety

• Why is Workplace Safety Important
• 5 tips for workplace safety
• Disinfecting hard workplace surfaces
• How to protect your hearing in a work environment

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If you haven't flu season is here and it's packing a punch.  Virtually every state has reported outbreaks of influenza and the season has plenty of time left.  The northwest and northeast indicate that outbreaks are worse than last year.  

It isn't just the flu that is making millions of Americans feel miserable.  Other viruses and bacterial infections like the norovirus and strep are also being passed around.  The CDC has indicated that Influenza A (H3N2) is the dominant reported strain that has been making people feel sicker during this 2016-17 flu season.  

This poses a real problem for the workplace.  Sick people should stay home while contagious. But even after they return to work, their productivity levels are low because they are still recovering and need to treat their symptoms.  Employers can keep their workers productive by making available basic over the counter medicines designed for the workplace.  They are individually packaged with instructions and warnings so employees can know what they are taking.  Take a look at our medicines here.  

What can Human Resources do this cold & flu season?
HR should educate and promote the flu vaccine.  Supply for the vaccine is still good.  While it doesn't guarantee you won't get the flu, it sure will reduce your chances.  Human Resources should also promote proper hand washing, sneezing and coughing etiquette. 

Housekeeping should make extra rounds and sanitize hard surfaces, door handles and other places where hands touch potentially infected areas.  Keep recovering employees comfortable and productive by making available workplace medications where appropriate.

The Center for Disease Control has helpful information about the spread and prevention of the flu and other common illnesses.  Take a look at the CDC Flu page here.

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On a lake, ocean or sea, boating is a popular summer activity. As with all outdoor sports, boating first aid is important for staying safe and having fun while riding on the lake. Out on the open water, you'll be away from immediate medical assistance, so you need to be prepared for any emergency on the vessel. If you're taking the family on a weekend boating trip or plan to be cruising along the waves all summer long, it's important to keep these first aid tips in mind:

Safety in numbers 
One of the most important rules of boating is to never go out on the water alone. Since the potential for accidents is high with boating, always take a buddy along so you'll always have someone available to administer first aid. Even if you're just going for a short ride or plan on remaining stationary in the water, it's important to have at least one other person accompanying you and to let someone on land know you'll be on the water.

Wear a life jacket 
If you're leading a boat outing, make sure that there are life vests available for each boater. All passengers under the age of 13 are required to wear a life jacket while on board a moving boat under federal regulations, according to BoatU.S. Foundation for Clean Water and Boating Safety. However, requirements for different ages vary by state, so check with your local laws before embarking on a water adventure.

Head injuries 
With all the tossing and turning on the waves, it's not unusual for a passenger to take a tumble. Even if that person doesn't get tossed overboard, falling while among the hard surfaces of a boat can result in serious head injuries.
If a passenger experiences a head injury, stabilize the upper body by placing your hands on either side of his or her head, advises the National Institutes of Health. This will help keep the injured victim's body steady while someone drives the boat back to shore. If that person is not breathing, you may need to deliver CPR.

Open wounds are common with head injuries, and cuts on the scalp tend to bleed profusely. Press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth from your first aid kit to stop the bleeding. However, if you suspect the skull has been fractured, do not put pressure on the wound. Just cover it with gauze until you reach professional medical help. 
Hypothermia 
In the earliest months of summer, water, especially larger bodies like lakes and oceans, has not had any time to warm up. Falling overboard into the cold water may result in hypothermia. If the victim is shaking uncontrollably due to freezing cold waters, you need to begin first aid right away. Remove the wet clothes and replace them with dry ones, wrap the victim in a warm sleeping bag and apply heat packets to his or her body to help regulate the internal temperature.

Though these tips may help in an emergency, it's best to avoid accidents altogether. When driving the boat, pay attention to the task at hand, and make sure passengers are at a safe distance from the vessel's edge.

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