Solutions in the Community

Shaken not stirred sir?

Radio Frequency Identification technology not only allows hotel guests to gain access to their room easily…

…it can allow frequent guests to use it for quick check-ins and check-outs with a special automated kiosk.

RFID can also store details and preferences – so that guests can be greeted by name on arrival and served their favorite cocktail as a welcome drink. RFID allows every hotel staff member to deliver the same hospitality even for infrequent visitors.

The service is always optional for those concerned about intrusion, and RFID bearers can choose to restrict access to information with a simple RF shield that wraps around the tag, blocking information until the bearer gives the go-ahead.

PROFILE 36: The lurking menace

Germs are swarming on every exposed surface. Moulds and bacteria – including the dreaded MRSA and other superbugs – can grow and flourish anywhere. And what is one of the biggest risks? Door handles and ironmongery. They are touched by hundreds or even thousands of people daily… and not all of them are in the habit of washing their hands when they ought to.

This is not necessarily a problem for adults with a healthy autoimmune system: but the ill, the young or elderly, and the vulnerable need to be taken care of. Of course areas where food is prepared or the sick given treatment are an especial risk. Over 100,000 people per year fall ill from new infections caught in hospital, and MRSA alone causes over 1,000 preventable deaths.

What to do? Regular cleaning of exposed surfaces is the obvious first step. It is not always enough, however. Much attention has been paid recently to developing antibacterial coatings for door hardware, to offer improved protection against the spread of infection.

In independent testing, the TAM coating produced for ASSA ABLOY destroyed 99.99% of bacteria and moulds exposed to it over a 24-hour period, including such dangerous organisms as E. coli, Staphylococcus, Listeria, Legionella and Salmonella.

How does it work? Silver utensils have been believed to offer resistance to poison since earliest times: modern science has proven the truth behind this. Silver kills harmful bacteria while remaining entirely safe for humans. Antibacterial coatings contain a thin layer of silver ions trapped in a crystal matrix that slowly releases them over the lifetime of the product, ensuring long-lasting protection that can supplement standard hygiene procedures.

For further information please contact Serena Roadnight on 020 8667 3247 or email serena.roadnight@assaabloy.co.uk