Is your sterilization room still up to date? In many dental practices these
Rooms are getting on in years and no longer comply with current regulations.
Patients rarely see it on their way to the dental chair, but the sterilization room is one of the central rooms in a practice. In many places, however, these rooms no longer comply with the applicable regulations. Often they are not lockable with a door, but this is now obligatory. The physical separation between the individual zones is often missing inside the sterilization room. Even the IT solution for clean documentation is not yet integrated into the room in many places.
As an interior design firm specializing in the planning and implementation of high-quality medical facilities, we at KillerLei are often confronted with such initial situations – and have been able to provide the solution many times. We make sure that the workplaces are ergonomic and safe – the best prerequisite for efficient work.
As little hand contact as possible
The door is the first challenge to be overcome. Opening and closing should be possible with as little hand contact as possible. Therefore, it is recommended to install an electric sliding door. It should be possible to open it with the elbow or by hand movements.
Contact-free operation should also be ensured within the sterilization room so that cross-contamination can be prevented. This is especially true for the unclean area as well. It is helpful to have a waste element with knee operation or a throw-in opening. For this variant, we recommend a pedestal-free element with a waste cart and a 60-liter bag.
The washbasin should also be operated without contact: a sensor-controlled faucet system is recommended, even for soap or disinfectant. However, it is also conceivable to equip the fitting with an extension so that operation with the forearm is possible.
Easy cleaning and disinfection
It is important that the surfaces are as smooth as possible, waterproof, resistant to disinfectants and free of cracks and inaccessible corners. Therefore, materials such as chrome steel or acrylic stone (e.g. Corian) come. It becomes somewhat more favorable with a synthetic resin-coated plate. The washbasins are installed without edges and flush with the surface, so that easy cleaning and disinfection can be ensured.
Railing bars with hanging elements for more efficient use of space without taking up countertop space
If possible, the work surface of the sterilization room should not become a storage surface. We at KillerLei therefore recommend open furniture parts in the superstructure to store material temporarily. For example, in the receiving zone, where incoming trays can also be placed above the work surface. We also like to implement this in the unloading zone to allow the trays to cool down. An additional storage level is created by a railing bar with hanging elements.
Sterile instruments are best stored in a cabinet that can be opened from two sides. Trays are filled from inside the sterilization room, removed on the other side.
It is also important to have good lighting in the sterilization room that complies with standards. In the case of workplaces for visual inspection, an even higher illuminance is required (1000 lux). To achieve this, we recommend special under-cabinet lights.
Preventing water damage
If a sterilization room is renovated, it should be ensured at this opportunity also that a water damage can be prevented as far as possible. Or, if a leak should nevertheless occur, that this damage remains as small as possible. This can be achieved by water sensors, which automatically close the electrovalves in case of humidity. To keep the damage as low as possible, we at KillerLei also lay a floor covering in each case, which is pulled up a little along the wall.
Detailed information on the subject of sterilization can also be found in the brochure “Good practice for the reprocessing of medical devices”. It is posted on the swissmedic website.
Plan a new practice or a renovation? The architects and interior designers of KillerLei AG will be happy to support you, from the lighting concept to new furnishings to the entire practice interior, including implementation planning throughout Switzerland.