COVID-19-RELATED PRODUCTS

Necessity has always been the mother of invention, and there have been no shortage of innovations spawned from the needs created by COVID-19, ranging from cleaning products and regimes to social distancing concepts to detection systems.

Viruses are inherently fragile and their protective outer layer is broken down with suitable cleaning products and procedure. This paves the way for both chemical and light treatments to rid people, surfaces and the air of coronavirus and other potential hazards.

Hygiene needs to be considered both in terms of the public and staff, and both for the protection of people and to help prevent unwitting carriers from further spreading contagion.

Stalwart family-owned company OzKleen – makers of the market-leading Shower Power – have developed a disinfectant cleaning product for hospitality businesses, called Pub Power.

Formed in 1992, OzKleen has become a major distributor of cleaning products, and recognised a need for a multi-use product in the COVI-19 environment. The Pub Power ‘package’ includes OzKleen’s Hand Sanitiser.

“Looking at the chemical products on the market there wasn’t a very specific product for the job at hand so we formulated one here in Australia and produced enough supply to ensure it’s another thing publicans can cross off the list,” says Mark Quinn, CEO.

The Pub Power product formulation is ideal for all areas, to disinfect surfaces and give people confidence.

Both products are manufactured at the company’s Ormeau facility in Queensland.

Barwill provides logistical solutions to the hospitality, focusing on both Hygiene and Efficiency. Their services include solutions in air, beer and water management, and cleaning.

The company’s Aeris Guard is a hospital-grade hard-surface disinfectant cleaner suitable for any hard surface that offers both cleaning and the prevention of germ formation occurring on surface for up to seven days or 200 touches.

It is reportedly the only product listed with the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) to eradicate the COVID-19 virus.

AURES Technologies, manufacturers of POS touch terminals, has developed a disinfecting solution for touch screens that is automated and hands-free – called UV-Clean. The product was developed in the US by Proximity Systems and proven for use in the healthcare industry, independently tested to eliminate 99.9 per cent of pathogens.

It utilises UV-C light to breakdown the pathogens that build up on POS devices and peripherals, and can be mounted in a variety of ways, such as on the top of a touch screen or on a stand for sanitizing mobile and handheld devices. The unit can be left on 24/7, but has a programmable motion sensor that turns off the lamp when a hand approaches, as long-term exposure to the light can be harmful to skin. Its operation is audited for reporting.

The company says many cleaning regimes don’t meet the ‘best practice’ guidelines from SafeWork Australia, specifically switching off and cleaning surfaces between each use if employing sprays. The UV-Clean does not require devices to be switched off.

“As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, we sought to find the best disinfecting solution for touch-based technology, such as self-checkout kiosks, POS devices, gaming machines and the like,” offers GM Phil Wild.

Hunter Technologies has begun supplying the OHAir system, using ‘hydroxyl technology’ to eliminate pathogens in the air and on all surfaces in just one hour.

The system is chemical-free, creating and emitting human-safe hydroxyl radicals (O-H) that react with and destroy viruses and bacteria by rupturing their protective sheaths. It is effective combating viruses, bacteria, moulds, odours and more, destroying 99.99 per cent of particles and producing a safer environment for staff and patrons.

OHAir is available as a portable unit, ideal for individual rooms, or as a fixed installation within the air-conditioning system, such as in bistros, gaming rooms, indoor bars, accommodation areas, offices, receptions or any indoor space.

Hunter’s Iain French reports data finding 57 per cent of consumers saying they are wary of going to pubs and clubs in the coming months.

“With OHAir, you can let your customers know that your venue is doing everything possible to ensure their safety.”

RS PRO – distributors of quality engineering products – are supplying the Medical Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer.

The Thermometer does not detect COVID-19, but identifies someone with a temperature outside of the body’s optimal range, which is seen as one of the more telling signs of the virus.

It features a built-in laser target, with Body or Surface Temperature functions, that provides fast sampling and ensures optimum measurement accuracy. The results are shown on a clear, backlit LCD display suitable for low-light conditions, and the unit incorporates an alarm-setting function and capacity to store 32 measurements.

RRP from $108 + GST

Hospitality specialist Paul Kelly Design is producing a bespoke solution for post-COVID and future gaming rooms.

Gaming Guard is a stylish, clear acrylic screen that is installed on the machine bases, between each machine. Manufactured in Sydney, taking around three weeks to custom fabricate from tailored specifications, they can be shipped anywhere and installed by regular contractors.

The solution aims to offer operators an alternative to switching off some machines or reconfiguring existing rooms, potentially upsetting calculated optimum player circulation and smoking solution calculations. For players, they provide a sense of protection and isolation without feeling like they are behind a ‘sneeze guard’.

“They want the rooms and the machines to be incredible, but will need a sense of safety with the distancing to others,” suggests principal, Paul Kelly.

“Our product Gaming Guard is a long-term design-based solution to provide comfort to patrons without making them feel like they behind a sneeze guard.”

Business partners Jeff Hamnett and Andrew Mcdonald are the force behind Pubz n Clubz, which supplies over 1,000 of Australia’s licensed venues with products such as bar runners, coasters and stubbie holders.

The pair boast over 30 years’ experience behind the bar between them, in New South Wales and Queensland. A few years’ ago a life-changing event in Jeff’s life led him to cross the threshold into supplier territory, forming Pubz n Clubz Hospitality Supplies.

Products can feature custom logos or messages, and the company prints all its work in Australia and uses the latest dye sub-printing equipment “to make sure our products are better than industry standard” Jeff says.

As a local manufacturer PnC is able to keep costs low while offering quick turn-around. It also offers an in-house design service for bespoke work.