For our final Check the Facts topic, we are focusing on one of the most frequently asked questions we receive, “How do you know if UV-C technology is working”? Although UV-C has been utilized by healthcare facilities for decades, it’s still a largely misunderstood technology due to the inability to visually see results. In this blog, we’ll show you how to validate your dose delivery so that you can truly see the difference between UV-C technology that works and UV-C that doesn’t.
What makes UV-C effective?
We’ve learned in our previous #CTF topics (link to previous blog) that UV-C is a direct line of sight technology, meaning it can only disinfect surfaces in its direct path. If there is an object creating a shadow, it will inhibit the light’s path, and therefore that surface will not be disinfected. That’s why Surfacide patented its trio of UV-C robots – to reduce as many shadows as possible and disinfect more surfaces.
Think of this real-life example: You set a water sprinkler in your lawn, and in that space, there is a shed. If the sprinkler is placed on one side of the shed and turned on, the water will be blocked by the shed and will not reach the grass on the other side. UV-C light works in the same way. When you use three UV-C robots in a triangular formation, the UV-C light will reach surfaces that it otherwise wouldn’t without repositioning.
How can you see the results for yourself?
We’ve established that three UV-C robots will outperform a single robot, but how can you see those results firsthand? We mentioned above that UV-C light is invisible, so to see the results, we recommend using a third party validation tool such as dosimeter cards. Dosimeter cards make measuring and monitoring UV-C disinfection process visible; they are designed to measure the amount of UV-C energy delivered to a surface.
It is critical to audit any UV-C disinfection device to ensure optimal performance and confirm that doses of germicidal irradiation have actually been delivered.
It’s your turn to UV-C the difference
Want to give the dosimeters a try for yourself? Contact our team to take on the challenge!
