Debate continues over hand drying
June 1st 2010 Dyson is again hitting back at claims made by Kimberly Clark and the European
Tissue Symposium that 'jet hand dryers'have hygiene issues
The Dyson Airblade hand
dryer dries hands
hygienically and energy
efficiently in ten seconds. It has a
number of independent hygienic
credentials including the Royal
Society of Public
Health, and is the
only hand dryer
to have the
Carbon Trust's
Carbon Reduction
Label.
In 2009, the
European Tissue
Symposium paid
University of
Westminster
Trading for
research on
hygienic hand
drying.Dyson says that the report
is not a scientific report from the
University of Westminster. It is the
work of a researcher, Keith
Redway, whose research has not
been scrutinised by scientific peer
review.
Among the claims are that 'jet
hand dryers' increase bacteria on
people's hands.The Dyson
Airblade hand dryer uses a HEPA
filter to remove 99.9% of bacteria
present in the air used to dry
hands.Redway's testing
confirmed this, but still reported
an increase – a contradiction that
is not explained, comments
Dyson.
Shortly, an independent report
on hygiene and hand drying from
Bradford University – which forms
the basis for the Dyson Airblade
hand dryer's hygiene claims – will
be submitted for peer review and
publication.Dyson has
challenged Kimberly Clark and
the European Tissue Symposium
to do the same.
Kimberly Clark recently used
Redway's findings to its
commercial advantage through
its 'Take control of hand hygiene'
campaign.Claims include:
Kimberly Clark says paper towels
'reduce the total number of
bacteria on hands by an average
of 77%.' This is unsubstantiated.
Instead of repeating the tests, the
researcher reported the results as
valid.
Kimberly Clark suggests that the
World Health Organisation only
recommends paper towels.The
WHO report actually says:'Ideally,
hands should be dried using
either individual paper towels or
hand dryers which can dry hands
effectively and as quickly as it can
be done with paper towels,and
have been proven not to be
associated with the aerosolisation
of pathogens.'(p 38).
An independent study
conducted by Campden BRI,the
UK's leading food research
institute, confirmed that
aerosolisation of bacteria is not
an issue for the Dyson Airblade
hand dryer.
The Dyson Airblade hand dryer
has gained hygiene certifications
from the NSF International
(formerly the National Sanitation
Foundation) and the Royal
Society for Public Health.The
machine is currently being used
in hospitals, including the Royal
Marsden and Kingston – after
meeting their stringent hygiene
requirements.
The independent hygiene
research relating to the Dyson
Airblade was reviewed by the
Royal Society for Public Health. It
concluded that the Dyson
Airblade is a significant step
forward in hand dryer technology
and hygiene.This is the first time
a hand dryer has received such
an accreditation.See More articles from Dyson Research Limited: | 
