Rentokil Specialist Hygiene works with Saracens to deliver safe return of sport
Last year, we embarked on what was believed to be a UK sport first, in becoming the Official Hygiene Partner for Saracens Rugby Club. Naturally, we were delighted to re-sign as the Club’s Official Hygiene Partner for the 2020/2021 Greene King IPA Championship season in which the team successfully earned its way back into the Gallagher Premiership.
The return of fans to live sport was long awaited by many and a significant step in the nation’s recovery from the pandemic. Our strategic partnership has helped with the ‘Safe Return to Sport’ at StoneX Stadium so fans and players can be assured the stadium is as safe and hygienic as possible. In this blog we’ll recap how Rentokil Specialist Hygiene supported Saracens Rugby Club with a best-practice approach to hygiene and cross contamination prevention.
Purifying indoor air
Rentokil Specialist Hygiene is one of the Rentokil Initial businesses that is helping the club to minimise air to person transmission. It has provided a bespoke range of disinfection services and products including the installation of VIRUSKILLER™ air purification technology, which is proven to kill 99.9999% of viruses, including Coronavirus*. VIRUSKILLER™ units also decontaminate the air, by not only trapping but also killing airborne viruses, bacteria** and fungi. Thanks to its unique filtration process, reactor chamber and UV-C technology, when placed correctly the unit takes control of the airflow in a room, drawing contaminated air in from the ‘breathing zone’ and then releasing fresh, clean air back into the room.
As our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 transmission improved, there is an increased awareness of the need to implement measures to help control the air we breathe in indoor settings. The installation of VIRUSKILLER™ units in key indoor areas of the StoneX Stadium is providing confidence to staff, players and fans, and setting the benchmark for sports stadiums across the country to follow in providing safe and clean air inside, and hygiene-confidence for all.
Addressing hygiene touchpoints across the premises
We are also providing a range of washroom products and services onsite as the club prioritises the health and safety of its players, staff and stakeholders. Disinfection treatments are tailored to each individual area of the site from the players’ changing rooms, to the stands, the main hospitality concourse, washrooms and club meeting room spaces. This includes the use of electrostatic disinfection, mist blowing space treatment and UV-C lamps.
We’ve demonstrated how effective the use of UV-C technology is by conducting an experiment growing bacteria on petri dishes. We swabbed a toilet door handle, an office door handle, and also allowed airborne germs to collate on a petri dish on a meeting room table. We then treated the same areas with UV-C, and swabbed again. We then grew the six samples in an incubator for five days to check on bacteria growth.
The results clearly show that where UV-C light had been applied, there was very little bacteria growth.
Image caption: Petri dish experiment. Samples on the left were treated with UV-C, those on the right were not.
Preparing the kitchens for use
Rentokil Specialist Hygiene has also deep cleaned the onsite kitchens. This has involved the site becoming TR19 compliant, removing the accumulation of grease within extraction systems that can diminish airflow and increase risk of fire.
TR19 is a recognised standard for measuring grease levels and identifying recommended cleaning frequencies. Rentokil Specialist Hygiene helps commercial kitchens across hospitality and industry reach the cleanliness standards required to be TR19 compliant.
Final words
Saracens is committed to taking the necessary steps to providing a hygienically-safe environment both front and back of house at StoneX Stadium for all visitors to the site.
If you’re interested in learning more about our work with the club, or looking for more information on how we can help your business prepare for the safe return of employees and visitors, then get in touch with us here.
* When independently tested against Coronavirus DF2 (a surrogate for Coronavirus), Adenovirus, Influenza and Polio, the unit was found to kill 99.9999% of viruses on a single air pass.
**When independently tested against reference bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. Aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli), the unit was found to kill 99.9999% of bacteria on a single air pass.