Dyson Airblade named the world’s first hygienic hand dryer
After extensive testing, the NSF International (formerly the National Sanitation Foundation) has awarded the Dyson Airblade with the NSF certification for hygienic hand dryers (NSF P335).
Dyson is the first and only manufacturer to have received this certificate, making the Airblade officially the world’s first hygienic commercial hand dryer.
“With NSF P335, hand dryer manufacturers can now verify that their products meet appropriate sanitation criteria and dry hands with clean, filtered air,” said Bob Ferguson, vice president, National Sanitation Foundation Water Systems Programmes. “Hand dryers that meet all protocol requirements will bear the NSF Mark.”
NSF International requirements for P335 include:
- Air Filtration – to ensure hand dryer filters out dust and bacteria from the air being blown onto users’ hands.
- Warm Air, Not Hot – using hot air to blow hands dry can remove beneficial oils that can lead to chapped skin. Protocol sets a maximum air temperature just above body temperature.
- Dry Time – to ensure it dries users’ hands within 15 seconds, which studies have shown is the typical amount of time a person will spend drying their hands.
- Automatic Operation – a fully ‘hands-free’ operation to reduce the opportunity of coming into contact with contaminated surfaces
Unlike conventional hand dryers, the Dyson Airblade doesn’t rely on evaporation to dry hands. Instead it filters incoming air to remove 99.9% of bacteria. This clean, unheated air is then forced at 400mph through a 0.3mm gap to create a sheet of air that wipes hands dry in just 10 seconds. Infra-red sensors allow for touch-free operation and an anti-microbial coating prevents build-up of bacteria
Dyson Airblade has undergone extensive biological and scientific testing by Dyson’s in-house microbiologists, as well as research by Leeds University and Bradford University.
It is also accredited by the British Skin Foundation and the Royal Institute of Public Health.
“The certification from the NSF supports the vast research we have undertaken to make the Dyson Airblade, not only fast and energy efficient, but also hygienic,” said Glen Andrew, general manager for Airblade, Dyson. “We are proud to have set this benchmark for the hand drying industry.”
The Dyson Airblade is currently being used in hospitals, schools, offices and public buildings across the UK and has been launched in Ireland, the US and the United Arab Emirates.