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Test results of badges

Testing of Clinical Hat Fastening System by TWI, Cambridge.
 

Objective: To carry out badge ‘separation’ testing on three clinical hats.

 

Conclusions

Testing of Clinical Hat Fastening System

TWI Cambridge

A Review of the peel test data and visual inspection of the badge and hat fasteners suggests that:

 

  • A peel test is a suitable and repeatable method for assessing the strength of supplied badge and hat fastening system.

  • The supplied badge and hat fastening system is capable of a minimum of 400 peel separations/re attachments and still performs as designed.

  • There was no noticeable change in dimension for the male fasteners after testing.

  • There is variation in the maximum, minimum and mean av. loads recorded for each fastener/hat combination but this did not affect performance.

  • The materials supplied (hat, badge, fasteners) does not wear or change appearance when subjected to 400 separation/re-attachment tests (conducted in a temp controlled laboratory).

  • The supplied badge and hat fastening system is suitable for its designed use (as a clinical hat with removable ID badge) as the badge can be separated and reattached to a clinical hat many times without a noticeable change in performance or risk of failure.

We recommend cleaning our badges in the same way as any other NHS badge: wipe/clean for 10 seconds and then leave to dry.  

The 25-hour immersion period was extensive and beyond the capabilities which would ordinarily be required for everyday use but it demonstrated that excessive exposure of the badges to various cleaning solutions was possible which conveyed the high resistance, robust quality, and durability of our badges.

Degradation test done by AMCASH (Advanced Materials Characterisation and Simulation Hub) at Birmingham University

 

Objective: to confirm that the badges remain unchanged when exposed to common cleaning products; Actichlor, Clinell and 70% Isopropyl alcohol (IPA).

 

Conclusions

Degradation test

AMCASH

Following the experimental procedure stated in the scope of this report, the following conclusions were drawn regarding the chemical degradation of the Warwick Medical Ltd. polyester badges when exposed in cleaning solutions utilised in hospital environments:

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  1. The badges tested in the 70% IPA cleaning solution were significantly warped, by the end of the 25-hour immersion period.

  2. The badges tested in Actichlor cleaning solution (1000 ppm of available Cl2) exhibited a slight discoloration/yellowing on their back, by the end of the 25-hour immersion period.

  3. The badges tested in the Clinell cleaning solution did not exhibit any discoloration or deformation, by the end of the 25-hour immersion period.

  4. No pigment leaching was observed throughout the 25-hour immersion period, regardless of the cleaning solution (i.e., 70% IPA, Actichlor, Clinell).

  5. No damage was observed on the metallic popper fastening system, regardless of the cleaning solution (i.e., 70% IPA, Actichlor, Clinell).

  6. The mechanical performance of the treated polyester badges was not affected by the exposure in the selected cleaning solutions (i.e., 70% IPA, Actichlor, Clinell). a. No significant difference was detected in terms of the tensile strength recorded between the badges in the control group and the chemically treated ones.

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