A recent article in Healthcare Management Forum noted the heightened importance of reusable personal protective equipment in the healthcare setting in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study concludes that reusable PPE has many benefits besides its effectiveness in protecting healthcare professionals and patients from infection by microorganisms. These advantages of reusable PPE include lower costs, domestic jobs and improved environmental performance.

New York State Assembly Member Amanda Septimo (D-84th District) last week introduced AB 6995. The legislation would amend the New York public health law, and require healthcare facilities to maintain a 50% operating threshold of certain reusable healthcare protective textiles in their inventory. New York State Sen. Cordell Cleare (D-30th District) introduced the New York State Senate companion bill.

TRSA has updated its 10-page white paper that portrays uniform rental as the superior risk-minimization option for healthcare wearers and their employers. Published initially in 2018, the updated Curbing the Infection Risk of Healthcare Garments factors pandemic-era research and consumer behavior into explaining why linen and uniform service laundering is more hygienic than home washing.

Randy Bartsch, chair and CEO of Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service, Vancouver, Canada, oversees his family-owned company’s 10 healthcare laundry facilities in the U.S. and Canada. Recently, Textile Services Weekly interviewed Bartsch – along with other industry experts – on supply-chain trends in the post-COVID-19 era as background for an upcoming article in Textile Services magazine. Below are excerpts from our discussion with Bartsch, who also is vice chair of TRSA.

The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shortages brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be an opportunity for a Virginia health system to not only address supply chain issues, but also to improve its environmental footprint, according to a news release.

Enhanced templates for members’ use in documenting their programs for compliance with OSHA bloodborne pathogens and hazard communication rules are now available on TRSA.org. These Microsoft Office files, accessible via TRSA member logon and password, enable linen, uniform and facility services companies to insert their company names and edit provisions to suit their specific practices.

TRSA recently updated its Infection Response Center online with information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health on how linens contaminated with the monkeypox virus should be handled.

Cupron Inc., Richmond, VA, and Up To Date Laundry, Baltimore, recently announced an exclusive agreement to offer Cupron Medical Textiles to Up To Date’s healthcare customers in Maryland, Delaware and Washington, DC, according to a news release.

While the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 7 begins hearing a challenge to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on employee vaccinations/testing, the ETS remains in effect – at least for now. Laundry operators with 100 or more employees who aren’t taking steps to comply with the ETS’ vaccination and testing requirements could face fines, and possibly even criminal penalties, said TRSA’s Kevin Schwalb during a one-hour webinar on OSHA’s ETS.

The COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over yet, but Congress and the White House are busy trying to prepare for the next pandemic episode. TRSA is making its case for positive changes aimed at safeguarding supply chains ensuring hygienically clean scrubs for healthcare professionals.