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From Attendees to Exhibitors, Clean 2011 Gets Rave Reviews!
ARTA Breakfast at Clean draws record crowd
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Legislative Howard Zins and Hannah Trimble of Hershey Medical Center visit at the ARTA booth during Clean 2011.
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The official head count at Clean 2011 was 11,200, a significant increase from prior Clean Shows. More important, attendees at this year's show in Las Vegas, June 6-9, came to shop and buy from the 430 exhibitors and learn during 40 hours of classroom education.
"Phenomenal," "best show in a decade," these were typical remarks from attendees and exhibitors, according to Clean 2011 Chair David Cotter, CEO of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA).
ARTA President Steve Tinker agrees and added, "We had an excellent turnout at ARTA's traditional member breakfast and education session. In fact, it was the largest turnout ever we've had at a Clean Show for our breakfast," he said.
Future venues for Clean were announced at a press conference during the show:
· Clean 2013, June 21-23, New Orleans,
· Clean 2015, April 17-19, Atlanta
· Clean 2017, June 19-22, Las Vegas
For more information on the Clean Show, visit www.cleanshow.com.
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New Member Special:
Join Now and Get 6 Months Free!
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Perhaps you've thought about joining ARTA, but just didn't follow through. If so, now is the time to join ARTA!
For a limited time, textile service operators and suppliers NEW to ARTA can join and receive 18 months membership for the price of one year.
ARTA members receive access to the Members' Only section of the website, as well as reduced pricing on marketing tools and events. For more information contact Nancy Jenkins at
njenkins@arta1.com.
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www.ARTA1.com
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The mission of the American Reusable Textile Association is to create greater awareness and appreciation for reusable textiles.
Founded in 1982 by Nathan Belkin, PhD
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 | ARTA's Virtual Library Features
New Research, Case Studies and
Clean 2011 Presentations
You can download PDF files now from www.ARTA1.com | If you are in need of data, case studies or information on new processes or market strategies in the textile services industry, ARTA's Virtual Library is a must-check resource open to everyone. You can access ARTA's library by clicking "Resources" at www.ARTA1.com.
ARTA began compiling materials for its Virtual Library earlier this year and recently added new research, articles and presentations, including:
- New Practice Greenhealth Case Study: "Reusable Textiles in the OR," University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD.
- Research from the International Committee of Textile Care (CINET): Three European benchmark studies on the advantages of professional laundering of textiles and work wear versus home laundering and commercial versus on-premise laundering.
- Clean 2011 education presentations organized by CINET, including:
- ARTA's Clean 2011 education presentations and New Marketing Tools from ARTA -- Members only, see article below.
If you have materials you would like to submit to ARTA's Virtual Library OR if you are seeking specific information and can't find it, contact ARTA Executive Director Nancy Jenkins at njenkins@arta1.com. |
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| ARTA Members Only!
Download NEW Marketing Tools and ARTA Clean 2011 Education Sessions
2011 AORN Summary and Reusables FACT Sheet are tools to help you do business better and refute confusing claims by suppliers of single-use disposable items |
It's just darn frustrating isn't it? Suppliers of disposable single-use items invariably claim that their products have the same benefits as reusable textiles. Typically, these claims are not backed by research or if there is research, it was paid for by a manufacturer of disposables.
In response, ARTA hasdeveloped a one-page Reusables Fact Sheet that lists the benefits of reusable textiles, as well as the research to back those claims. ARTA members can download this document in PDF format from the Members'-Only section of the website.
In addition, The Association for periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) recently published its recommendations for 2011. Memberscan download a one-page summary of the AORN reccomendations that apply to textile service operators. Download now!
ARTA Education Sessions at Clean 2011
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Presenting at ARTA's Clean 2011 Education Session were, (l to r) Steve Tinker, Don Pedder, Brendan O'Neill and Ed McCauley.
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"It was the best education session I attended at Clean," said Peter Birovchak, Regional Contract Manager, Lower Mainland Business Initiatives and
Support Services for the healthcare system in British Columbia, Canada. For members not able to attend
ARTA's Education Session, you can download the presentations from the Members-Only section of the website.
Presentations available for download include:
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| ARTA Assists in Development of
ASTM Isolation Gown Standards
Legislative Director Zins to Represent ARTA |
ARTA's Legislative Director Howard Zins and President Steve  | |
Howard Zins
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Tinker have been in discussions with representatives from the National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The subject? What constitutes appropriate protective attire for healthcare professionals? NIOSH suggested ARTA join the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) subcommittee in charge of developing a practical standard for personal protective apparel. This is the same ASTM subcommittee that developed the standards for surgical textiles (ANSI/AAMI standard PB 70:2003). NIOSH is a member of this subcommittee, as are representatives from the disposable industry. Zins will represent ARTA and its membership. Committee work, to date, includes the development of a survey to be distributed among infection control professionals. This survey will provide important feedback on end-user needs, preferences and requirements for isolation garments. Zins will keep ARTA members updated on the development of standards for personal protective apparel. If you are interested in serving on the ASTM committee, contact Zins at hmzins@yahoo.com. |
| The CDC Publishes 'Guide to Infection Prevention in Outpatient Settings:
Minimum Expectations for Safe Care'
Guide specifies that healthcare professionals should use PPE: gowns, face Masks and gloves |
Healthcare facilities face continuing pressure to eradicate and prevent the spread of infectious bacteria. With the explosion in outpatient procedures at surgicenters and clinics, The Centers for  Disease Control (CDC) and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC), have published "Guide to Infection Prevention in Outpatient Settings: Minimum Expectations for Safe Care."
In a nutshell, the CDC and HICPAC recommend that all healthcare professionals exposed to patients' bodily fluids should use personal protective equipment (PPE): gowns, face masks and gloves. In some cases, this may be an opportunity to increase your sales of reusable isolation gowns and face masks.
The recommendations are not new, but based on existing evidence-based guidelines from the CDC and HICPAC. Recommendations on PPE in outpatient settings can be found on page 9 of the new guide. To download the guide, as well as all CDC guidelines, go to:
www.cdc.gov/HAI/prevent/prevent_pubs.html
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| TRSA Refutes Negative Research on Reusable Shop Towels
Study Published by INDA Was Paid for by Disposable Wipe Manufacturer KImberly-Clark Professional | |
Charge! Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA) has rallied its resources to refute negative research on reusable shop towels from the disposable wiper industry.
The research in question was conducted by Gradient and reported  in that laundered shop towels could expose workers to antimony, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead or molybdenum that exceed health-based exposure guidelines set by EPA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Disposable wipe manufacturer Kimberly-Clark Professional commissioned the research.
Specifically, TRSA has questioned the validity of the International Nonwovens & Disposables Association (INDA) analysis published July 11, noting that INDA researchers said they examined only 10 towels to reach their conclusions and they produced no evidence of any harm from use of these items. INDA implied that metals could migrate from towels to users' hands but offered no evidence that any such transfer occurs.
TRSA has provided members who provide reusable wipers with talking points and information to educate customers and dispel any concerns. You can download the information now: (http://bit.ly/clean-towel). TRSA says the study, "Evaluation of Potential Exposure to Metals in Laundered Shop Towels," does not prove the presence of metals in washed shop towels, and if any were present, they could not escape because laundering would bind them to towel fibers.
You can read part of TRSA's official response to INDA below (published July 28 in INDA's enewsletter, NonWoven Industry):
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TRSA's Joe Ricci
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"This is not a human health study. It does not measure the presence of metals from shop towels on human skin. It was not commissioned by any government agency or organization concerned about injuries or illnesses," says TRSA President Joseph Ricci. "It was done by disposable paper wiper marketers to put their product in a positive light by discrediting use of reusable textiles.
"While the study implies that metals could migrate from towels to users' hands, it offered no evidence that such transfer occurs," Ricci says. "The findings assume that workers wipe their lips with a laundered shop towel twice a day," says Ricci. "Such a baseless assumption serves no purpose other than to strike fear and create doubt."
For more information, www.trsa.org.
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