Integrated Assignment 05
Antiseptic wipes
Antiseptic wipes are a consumer product. They consist of an antiseptic liquid held in a fibre-based sheet. People who buy them expect protection against microbes. They expect the sheet to be soft but strong.
It is your task to produce an outline standard for all antiseptic wipes. There are three areas to look at:
- comparison of tensile strength of different makes of antiseptic wipe, when wet and when dried out. The wipes must not fall apart when people use them.
- effectiveness at preventing growth of bacteria, when wet and when dry. The product must do what it claims to do.
- the fibrous quality of the wipe material. Fibrous material is good at holding the antiseptic liquid without drying out.
You could summarise the three tests that you must do as: compare tensile strengths, test antiseptic effectiveness, test fibre quality.
What you have to do
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Get copies of the following Standard Procedures:
- SP0012-1:2005 Methods of testing strengths of materials - Part 1
- SP0004:2005 A method for evaluating the effectiveness of anti-microbial products
- SP0001:2005 Methods for setting up and adjusting a light microscope
- SP0002-1:2005 Methods of preparing slides for microscopy - Part 1
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Work with at least two ‘makes’ of antiseptic wipe. Make a record of the manufacturers’ claims about their products. The claims are written on the packaging.
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Work with some wipes that are fresh from the packaging and some that you have allowed to dry out completely. You will have to leave the wipes to dry in a warm place overnight or longer. CAUTION: flammable (avoid naked flames).
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Organise yourself. Decide in which order you will do the tests. For each test you will need to plan:
- the equipment you will need;
- what you will measure or observe and how you will record your results.
It will help if you make and complete a table like this. It will act as a planning template.
Make of wipe Wet or dry Test Standard Procedures Equipment needed List of observations and measurements to be made Wet Comparative tensile strength SP0012-1:2005 Dry Wet Antiseptic effectiveness Dry Wet Fibre quality Dry Wet Comparative tensile strength SP0012-1:2005 Dry Wet Antiseptic effectiveness Dry Wet Fibre quality Dry -
For each test in turn, check that a risk assessment has been carried out.
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Use the Standard Procedures to carry out the tests.
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Record all of your measurements carefully and clearly. This would be one way to do that:
Type of test Standard procedures used Make of wipe Wet or dry List of measurements made Result Comparative tensile strength ALLOW PLENTY OF SPACE HERE FOR ALL MEASUREMENTS You would need similar tables for antiseptic effectiveness and fibre quality. You can design your own tables if you prefer.
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Prepare an outline specification for a standard. This should be a list of the minimum testable requirements that you think all antiseptic wipes should meet. You could present your outline in a table like this:
Test Minimum requirement that wipes should meet when they are tested. Comparative tensile strength Antiseptic effectiveness Fibre quality
What you need to think about
- What do real standards look like? You can get an idea of this in the section on Scientists and Standards
- A complete standard is a lengthy and formal document. There is no need to copy the same style in your work here. Your recommendations should be a list of the minimum requirements that you think antiseptic wipes should meet. This should include an outline of how the products should be tested, as found in all standards.
- Before your recommendations can be accepted, a committee of experts and consumers will have to agree to them.
- Is your list or table with your outline standard easy to follow?
- Does it make it clear exactly what standards antiseptic wipes must meet?
- Is there enough technical detail, or too much?