Hospital bed rails are hot spots for infection-causing bacteria, and German manufacturer Schlosserei Röll is offering solid antimicrobial copper rails to address this problem.
Hagen, Germany-based Röll has developed a range of touch surface products for hospitals – including bed rails, IV poles, toilet flushes, door and window fittings, overbed tables and custom products – benefiting from the hygienic properties of copper, which can reduce microbial contamination by >80%, helping to reduce the risk of infection.
Röll's antimicrobial copper bed rails, IV poles and toilet flushes have recently been installed at Hagen General Hospital, where door furniture and light switches had already been replaced with antimicrobial copper products.
Copper is a powerful antimicrobial with rapid, broad-spectrum efficacy against bacteria and viruses that cause hospital infections, such as MRSA and norovirus. It shares this benefit with a range of copper alloys – including brasses and bronzes – forming a family of materials collectively called ‘antimicrobial copper’. Touch surfaces made from solid antimicrobial copper are used by healthcare facilities around the world to help reduce the spread of infections such as MRSA.
Röll is a small company established in 1964, traditionally offering specialised welding and metal processing, manufacture of door and window fittings, roofing products and assembly services. It received approval to use the Cu+ mark on its antimicrobial copper range in April, becoming the latest company to sign up to the industry stewardship scheme.
The Antimicrobial Copper brand and certification Mark, Cu+ are used by leading material suppliers and designers, specifiers and manufacturers of components and systems, to indicate that their products and services use Antimicrobial Copper. Their use by an organisation indicates permission to do so has been granted on behalf of International Copper Association, based upon adherence to strict usage rules.
