EN 12791, “Chemical disinfectants and antiseptics. Surgical hand disinfection. Test method and requirements (phase 2, step 2),” has just been revised. The new 2016 Edition is available now from Document Center Inc. It cancels and replaces the previous 2005 Edition.
This is a test method standard for phase 2, step 2 testing. It provides you with information on testing to simulate practical conditions for determining if a surgical handrub or handwash actually reduces microbial flora on hands. The test method should be used on products for situations where disinfection is required medically. These types of disinfectants reduce the release of resident and eventually present transient microbial flora.
When would such a product be used? There are many situations in patient care where disinfection of hands is required. Of course, you immediately think of hospital usage. But you’ll also find these products in community medical facilities, dental institutions, school clinics, child care facilities, and nursing homes. They can even be used in various workplaces, the home, and facilities like kitchens and laundries that serve a variety of patients. And it is, of course, a requirement in the European Union.
If you have questions about whether or not you should be using this standard, EN 14885 specifies in detail the relationship of the various tests to one another and to “use recommendations”. It references quite a number of test methods standards like this one.
Now to figure out how to purchase this standard. EN 12791 is only available in the various national editions that are released by each country in Europe as it is adopted for use in each jurisdiction. So you’ll have a variety of choices when it comes to your document purchase. The BS EN 12791 is the official English language edition. Should you want a less expensive alternative or pdf delivery, try the SS EN 12791 or the DIN EN 12791 editions. While the BS EN 12791 has already been released in the 2016 Edition, the updates for the other national adoptions will soon follow.
One question folks often have about this situation is whether or not one EN national adoption is the same as another. FYI: All English, French and German language editions are identical in the EN technical content. Only the cover sheet material is different. So an English language edition from SIS (the SS EN 12971) published in Sweden or the DIN (DIN EN 12971) Edition from Germany will be the same English language EN standard as the BS EN 12971.
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