UV-C disinfection in the workplace

The global Covid-19 pandemic has made the world much more aware of the dangers of viruses and bacteria, and how easily they can be spread from person to person. Our health and well-being have been at the forefront of our everyday lives for almost 2 years, from everything we touch to the air we breathe.

Everywhere we go we are confronted with the possibility of infection, and this has necessitated a huge increase in the cleaning and disinfecting of public areas to ensure they are virus-free. Heavy-traffic public areas such as schools, shops, offices and public transport need to have a rigorous regime in place to reduce the risk of infection, but traditional cleaning methods can’t always cope with the task.
This is where UV-C technology comes into its own. It has been in use for over 40 years in hospitals and government buildings to prevent infections and is now available for commercial use to help businesses to protect their staff and customers. Using UV rays, our innovative lighting solutions neutralize bacteria and viruses to provide safe environments.

What is UV-C?

Of the three types of UV radiation found in sunlight, only UV-C is filtered out by the ozone layer. UV-A and UV-B are the ones that cause sunburn, signs of skin ageing, and even skin cancer, and are why we need to limit sun exposure and wear sunscreen.
Signify, part of the Philips Group, are world-leaders in UV technology, particularly in UV-C lighting with a proven track record of innovation since the early ’90s.
UV-C is particularly effective on the strain of viruses that includes COVID-19 and has been rigorously tested in laboratories at the University of Boston where Signify’s UV-C lighting inactivated 99% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on a surface with an exposure time of 6 seconds, proving its effectiveness in any protection strategy.
Our partner Signify has developed a range of lighting suitable for a wide variety of applications. This includes upper air systems that disinfect passing air, open UV-C systems and UV-C trolleys that disinfect rooms and locations overnight (or while not in use) and UV-C chambers that disinfect objects.

How does UV-C work?

Signify’s range of UV-C products uses ultraviolet light to inactivate microorganisms like viruses and bacteria, making them harmless to humans. UV-C disrupts the DNA or RNA that enables those viruses and bacteria to multiply.
The wavelength of UV-C light is shorter than the wavelength of the light we can see and spans the range of 100-280 nanometres (nm). It is most effective at inactivating viruses on or around 260-265nm, known as the ‘germicidal peak’. Signify’s UV-C lamps operate at 254nm, which is proven to be highly effective in inactivating viruses, bacteria and mould spores.

Our UV-C Solutions

Lightouch Solutions offers two innovative UV-C systems that can be adapted to best meet your needs.

UV-C Surface Disinfection.

This solution is ideal for use in pharmacies, retail, gyms and spas, industries, industrial kitchens, restaurants, on transport and in hotel rooms, schools, universities, and banks.
Ceiling-mounted lights are used on a controlled timer to flood a room with disinfecting UV-C radiation. This is an environmentally friendly option that provides effective disinfection over the lifetime of the light.
It is important to ensure safety precautions are put in place during the use of these lights. The room must be empty of people and animals during the disinfecting cycle to prevent damage to skin and eyes. Night-time is the optimum time for the cycles to be run when all the people have left for the day.

UV-C Upper Air Disinfection.

If you require a system that can be used for disinfection while the room or space is occupied, we have an alternative solution. It is ideal for offices, meeting rooms, shops, banks, gyms, education establishments, in fact anywhere where people are present and the disinfection needs to be constant. Air particles are irradiated by the UV-C rays either through the natural movement of the air or through a ventilation system. This is an environmentally friendly way of disinfecting a space as there are no ozone emissions during use.
This one involves UV-C at 254nm, which is safe to use with people present. The innovative system is installed high up and provides disinfection through the natural convection process and is high enough to not be a problem to the people below.
This system needs to be positioned at a minimum of 2.3 metres from the ground.

Installation

These professional UV-C systems are only available through Signify Value Added Partners, which we are. We are fully trained in their use, installation and maintenance, providing you with continuous UV-C protection. Our support and advice ensure you get the full benefit of this innovation in disinfection.
Our full turnkey solution ensures you are provided with a comprehensive survey, design and installation carried out by our experts.
UV-C lighting provides a recognized and well-established way to disinfect your premises, it works quickly and effectively to safeguard your staff and visitors from viruses and bacteria.