PPE – Personal Protective Equipment
Since the 23rd of March 2020, the UK and the majority of its businesses have been forced to close due to COVID-19. This has been a very difficult time for everyone, especially businesses that have had to close during this period. The government has recently announced the possibility of resuming business over the next coming weeks/ months.
The NHS has been such an amazing asset for us during this time and every Keyworker has worked extremely hard to get us to this point. Though it would be ideal that we do not return to work, this for many of us is not financially viable. It is for this reason I have written below to allow us as businesses to have a general understanding of what is required of us. This will not only keep our customers, patients, clients safe but will ensure that all the hard work that has been put in by EVERY SINGLE PERSON who has had to work to keep our country going and kept our safety a priority, is not thrown away. Some of us cannot afford a second lockdown, so it is in our best interests to keep as safe as humanly possible, as diligent as we can, and this will ensure the reduce risk of a second lockdown hence the reduced risk of not seeing our loved ones for a prolonged period of time again.
COVID -19 PPE government guidelines are relevant to all industries that are required to be within 2 meters of their Client, patient, the customer in order to resume business e.g Aesthetic injectors/ doctors, Aesthetic Clinics, Private clinics, Beauty therapists, Hair salons, Barbers, Beauty industry, Nail Bars, Lash technicians, etc.
Please first Differentiate if you are classed as undertaking AGP (Aerosol Generating Procedures). AGP is typically defined as internal procedures that produce a cough/ gag reflex. This list defined on the government guidelines is as follows;
- intubation, extubation, and related procedures, for example, manual ventilation and open suctioning of the respiratory tract (including the upper respiratory tract)
- tracheotomy or tracheostomy procedures (insertion or open suctioning or removal)
- bronchoscopy and upper ENT airway procedures that involve suctioning
- upper gastrointestinal endoscopy where there is open suctioning of the upper respiratory tract
- surgery and post mortem procedures involving high-speed devices
- some dental procedures (for example, high-speed drilling)
- non-invasive ventilation (NIV); Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure Ventilation (BiPAP) and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Ventilation (CPAP)
- High-Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation (HFOV)
- induction of sputum
- high flow nasal oxygen (HFNO)
Please be aware that Chair of the JCCP Professor David Sines stated on the 16/05/20 that all intraoral procedures are classed as AGP.
If your business is Classed as AGP, In order to resume business and ensure yours and your client’s safety the following has been recommended;
1) Disposable Gloves
2) Long sleeved Disposable Fluid Repellent gowns (covering the arms and body) or disposable fluid repellent coveralls
3) FFP3 – Filtering Face Piece Respirators
4) Face/ Eye Protection (Visor or goggles)
Where an AGP is a single procedure, PPE is subject to single use with disposal after each patient contact or procedure as appropriate.
If your business is Classed as Non AGP, In order to resume business and ensure yours and your client’s safety the following has been recommended
1) Disposable Gloves
2) Disposable Plastic Aprons
3) Fluid Resistant Type IIR surgical mask
4) Face/ Eye Protection (Visor or goggles)
If you Work in reception/ front of house/ Communal area with possible or confirmed cases and unable to maintain 2 meters social distance
- Fluid Resistant Type IIR surgical mask
- Please utilise an aseptic technique to reduce any cross-contamination. This includes the below routine for Donning and Doffing (putting on and taking off PPE)
Please change dispose of PPE between each individual seen. Where an AGP is a single procedure, PPE is subject to single-use with disposal after each patient contact or procedure as appropriate.
Ensure you carry out a risk assessment, make changes required based on this. Keep contact time to a minimum. Please ask your clients to stay at home if they have ANY symptoms.
On behalf of L1P and Dr Ranjbar, we would like to thank all the key workers during these hard times
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