Compounding of Hand Rub and Sanitizers

In lieu of the public health emergency, the Food and Drug Administration has pronounced a policy for all facilities compounding certain alcohol-based hand sanitizer products. Even though the FDA’s guidance is not legally responsible or required, these guidelines are highly recommended. Due to the pandemic, there is a worldwide shortage of all alcohol-based hand sanitizers. This has called the FDA to temporarily provide flexibility with respect to certain impurity levels in some productions of hand sanitizers to allow for an increased supply. The FDA is working with most industries to ensure that harmful levels of impurities are not present in ethanol-based hand rubs. The FDA does not intend to act against the compounding of fuel or technical grade ethanol hand sanitizers that does not meet USP or FCC requirements.

The Preparation of The Product

• Alcohol that is not less than 94.9% ethanol by volume OR Isopropyl Alcohol USP Grade
• Glycerin USP or FCC Grade
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Sterile Water (Meeting specifications for Purified Water USP)

What is the difference between Ethanol and Isopropyl Alcohol?

Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is produced using fermentation and distillation process usually used for consumable goods. Fuel or technical grade ethanol can also be produced via fermentation and distillation. This grade can include harmful chemicals, including gasoline and benzene, which is a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). These impurities would not be expected from a typical fermentation and distillation process but may be present due to the manufacturing environment (e.g., equipment, containers). In addition, FDA has received data that indicate that certain fuel ethanol products contain excessive levels of acetaldehyde, which appears to be a genotoxic carcinogen when in direct contact with tissues.

Isopropyl Alcohol, also known as IPA or isopropanol, is almost exclusively manmade. IPA evaporates almost instantly and is relatively non-toxic compared to other solvents. IPA is used for computer technicians, cosmetic industry, in the medical field, and can also be used in the automotive industry. This type of alcohol is much more toxic than ethanol in small amounts. Accidental ingestion can have harmful effects on your health.

Denatured vs Non-denatured?

Denatured Alcohol is ethyl alcohol plus some toxic additive chemical. Denaturing is critical because there have been reports of adverse events, including deaths, from ingestion of hand sanitizer. Most reports are for unintentional ingestion in young children. The alcohol should be denatured at either (1) the point of production by the alcohol production firm or (2) the point of manufacture or compounding of the hand sanitizer. Denaturing the alcohol using specified formulas outlined by FDA gives the hand sanitizer a bitter taste to discourage oral consumption.

Nondenatured means no additives. Nondenatured ethanol is pure ethanol. It is food safe and safe for consumption.

The Compounded Finished Product

• Alcohol (Ethanol) (formulated to 80%, volume/volume (v/v)) in an aqueous solution; or Isopropyl Alcohol (formulated to 75%, v/v) in an aqueous solution
• Glycerin (Glycerol) (1.45% v/v)
• Hydrogen Peroxide (0.125% v/v)
• Sterile Distilled Water

Important Notice

It is important that Isopropyl Alcohol or ethanol-based hand sanitizer or hand rub is not swallowed. It is very toxic and can be fatal in high enough quantities.

Which Hand Sanitizer does The Lab Depot Produce?

We are happy to supply your lab, business, office, or classroom with DISSOLV Topical Hand Sanitizer.

DISSOLV is formulated with 75% Isopropyl Alcohol, killing 99.9% germs. It is ethanol free with no additional additives and impurities. It meets WHO and FDA requirements while being manufactured in an ISO 9001:2015 accredited, cGMP, and FDA registered facility.

We offer it in 16 oz bottles with dispensing pump tops which are perfect for your sanitizing stations.

If you are in need of COVID-19 Supplies or equipment such as, PPE, Fume Hoods, Pipettes, or Forced Air Ovens, check out our Supplies tab. Feel free to email us or call our live customer service support at 1.800.733.2522.

The NEW Ohaus Technology is uniquely designed into each of the Guardian Hotplate Stirrers. These Hot Plate Stirrers combine durability and affordability while keeping your lab new and modern. The "Smart" features include SmartLink, SmartPresence, SmartHeat, SafetyHeat, SmartRate, and SmartHousing.

The best discoveries in science always begin by taking a seat.  Whether it is endless hours spent working with liquid handling devices in a wet lab, or pouring over spreadsheets in a dry lab, it is critically important for researchers to be properly supported while they work.

Lab workers and spend much of their time sitting while they work, which means the chairs they sit in affect them in a variety of ways. Every variable inside a lab influences overall lab productivity, but the way one sits is a variable that massively impacts efficiency. Researchers working long hours in pharma, biotech, university, or medical settings should seek laboratory-specific seating developed purposely to fit their needs. Labs, hospitals, and offices that take wellness seriously and provide employees with ergonomic furniture will enjoy a decrease in absences and an increase in overall productivity. 

Durability

The first step to improve lab productivity begins when selecting where to buy chairs for your lab. Chairs purchased from office supply stores aren’t designed to withstand harsh conditions which means the chair’s durability is not well-suited for long-term lab work. If a chair has to be replaced or repaired because it isn’t manufactured for the appropriate conditions, time and resources will be wasted replacing these chairs. Most office store chains offer limited warranties that cover only one year of use, whereas Lab Depot offers a 15-year warranty. Chairs sold in office supply stores were not made with labs in mind, and are often manufactured with fabric upholstery which is not permitted in most lab settings.

Cleanability

Big box store chairs are not made with sturdy components or easy-to-clean materials. Productivity is improved when labs use chairs created with materials like antifungal and antibacterial vinyl and self-skinning polyurethane that can be easily cleaned with readily available cleaning agents. Lab Depot chairs and stools are manufactured with vinyl with a closed pore system which makes it inherently antibacterial which is vital following the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Back Support

Another thing to consider when selecting the right chairs for your lab is comfort, back support, and ergonomics. Poor seat height, back support height, and back support angle can negatively affect posture and might create back problems. A person’s back is composed of an S-shape formed by three natural curves. When these natural curves are properly aligned, ears, shoulders and hips are in the same plane. It’s important to have a seat that supports these curves, because poor posture could lead to pain and serious injury.¹ Lab Depot offers chairs with built-in lumbar support and backs that are fully adjustable for different height and angles.

Ergonomics

It is important to find chairs suitable for the conditions lab workers face every day. Certain design features help ergonomics and improve posture. For example, a waterfall seat is designed to relieve the pressure off thighs and lower legs with the contour and slight downward slope of the seat. If this style of seat is used in conjunction with a foot ring, it dramatically improves blood circulation to lower limbs. Additionally, adding seat tilt to a chair can allow better blood flow for extended seating periods.

Arm Position

The height, angle, and depth of a chair’s arms reduces strain in hands during repetitive motions such as typing or moving a mouse. It helps increase precision while doing extensive tasks like benchwork with pipettes or plating cell cultures. Developing cumulative trauma injuries due to repetitive tasks like pipetting, use of small hand held tools, or opening and closing vial caps is a risk for laboratory workers. The mobility of arms prevents improper posture that could be a health hazard. Prolonged awkward postures at a microscope, laboratory hood or biological safety cabinet, and a variety of other laboratory tasks can also create injuries.²

Seat Angle and Height

The angle of a seat can help reduce lumbar pressure if the work involves leaning forward like working with a microscope. OSHA recommends tilting your seat forward or using a seat wedge when working in a forward posture, while being sure not to extend their chin forward when working. OSHA also states workers should adjust the position of their work, the work surface, or the chair so that they sit in an upright, supported position. ¹  Unlike many costly designer chairs found in office settings, Lab Depot manufactures chairs with easily adjustable controls which the user can adjust the settings to best fit their body type out of the box.

In summary, laboratory seating should not be viewed as merely an accessory needed to outfit a lab, but rather as a very important piece of furniture.  The health, comfort and long-term productivity of all researchers can be dramatically improved through the use of purposely designed, carefully crafted ergonomic chairs and stools.

 

¹https://www.osha.gov/Publications/laboratory/OSHAfactsheet-laboratory-safety-ergonomics.pdf

²https://uhs.berkeley.edu/facstaff/ergonomics/laboratory