David Potack, a former TRSA chair, and president, Unitex Healthcare Laundry Services, Elmsford, NY; and Joseph Ricci, president & CEO, TRSA, recently met with New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D) and other assembly members to discuss reintroducing the Healthcare Worker Safety and Sustainability Act.
A workshop recently convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has recommended greater use of hygienically clean reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals and other healthcare settings, according to the official proceedings of the workshop released today.
U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) recently visited the CORE Linen Services (formerly Crothall Healthcare) facility in Johnson City, TN. Facilitated by Kevin Schwalb, TRSA’s vice president of government relations, Rep. Harshbarger met with CORE Linen Services’ CEO Michael Barner; Regional Director Mike Edwards; and members of the plant’s staff during the visit.
For years, laundry operators have mounted cameras both in and out of laundry operations in order to enhance security and help ensure compliance with workplace policies. Now, as artificial intelligence (AI) comes to the fore, a Swedish company is taking this idea in a new direction with a camera-based AI system that analyzes safety conditions.
A groundbreaking development to pave the way for greater use of healthcare textiles (HCTs) as personal protective equipment (PPE) took place March 4-5. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAS) hosted a virtual workshop that examined HCTs’ benefits over disposables, engaging industry and technical experts, policymakers, manufacturers, PPE users and other stakeholders.
REED Manufacturing, Tupelo, MS, recently named Mike Finnel as the company’s director of protective apparel. In this new role, Finnel is working directly with REED’s supply chain to develop new and innovative products for the uniform rental industry.
Research led by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care on personal protective equipment (PPE), intentionally designed and manufactured as reusable, including gowns, goggles, face shields and elastomeric respirators, was conducted to identify prospects for reducing plastic PPE waste with a focus on opportunities for reduction and reuse in the health system. Most of the PPE used in Canada is made of plastic, and much of it is disposable, according to a news release.
TRSA members got a clear look at robotics-driven innovations for linen and uniform service processing during a Nov. 2 webinar that portrayed automated soil-sorting and material handling, plus advanced employee personal protective equipment (PPE).
New York State Assembly Member Amanda Septimo (D-84th District) spoke with TRSA members during TRSA’s New York Regional CEO Roundtable; meeting in her district to discuss AB 6995, the Healthcare Worker Safety and Sustainability Act, which she and State Sen. Cordell Cleare have introduced. The bill would amend the New York State public health law and require healthcare facilities to maintain a 50% operating threshold of specific reusable healthcare personal protective equipment (PPE) textiles.
TRSA recently updated its lineup of events with a New York Regional Roundtable and Plant Tour on Oct. 18 featuring remarks from Assembly Member Amanda Septimo, of the 84th district of the New York State Assembly. The event, located at the Residence Inn Marriott in New Rochelle, NY, will kick off with a networking lunch.
