Crisis-resistant textile management
In times of the coronavirus, the Swiss textile care industry has made a significant contribution to combating the current pandemic. Companies in healthcare and industry have recognized that crisis-resistant textile management is part of a functioning business.
Hospitals, nursing homes, doctors' offices, but also the food industry or industrial companies depend on clean and hygienically perfect textiles every day. "Bed linen, work clothing, protective equipment - without these textiles, the healthcare system or even food production would not function," emphasizes Melanie Saner, Managing Director of the Association Textile care Switzerland VTS. The "extraordinary situation" in times of Corona showed this once again. With their performance, dry cleaners and laundries form an effective barrier to interrupt the infection chain via the textile cycle. It is now all the more important for companies to think about how they can establish crisis-resistant textile management. To this end, there are various factors to consider.
Do not wash work clothes at home
Especially in times of Coronavirus clean workwear is of paramount importance for hospital staff. The members of the Swiss Textile Care Association are proving to be system-relevant suppliers in the crucial areas of healthcare and public supply. A closure of laundries and dry cleaners due to COVID-19 would have been devastating for the supply of healthcare and nursing home facilities.
Viruses and bacteria can be transmitted by liquids and dust particles in addition to direct contact of wounds with hands, instruments and textiles. The washing of Professional clothing from the health and social care sector is extremely sensitive, as these textiles may contain not only the coronavirus but also other invisible hospital germs. Many companies are not aware of this problem and allow employees' work clothes to be washed at home. How long the coronavirus survives on textiles is still controversial - studies range from 20 minutes to 9 days. Besides viruses, there are also Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli, which are pathological agents and cause serious illnesses such as wound infections or blood poisoning, especially in people with a weakened immune system. These can only be eliminated by validated washing and disinfection procedures.
The Swiss Textile Care Association considers this to be a serious problem, as viruses and bacteria are carried into one's own four walls and can also contaminate other laundry through improper care. The Swiss Textile Care Association therefore once again stresses the importance of having workwear - including that from other occupational groups - professionally prepared. "It is part of an employer's duties to ensure the occupational safety and health protection of its personnel," says Saner: "This also includes clothing!"
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