PPE goggles conforming to BIS specification can be reused: Health Ministry advisory

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday issued an advisory stating that goggles, which are a crucial component of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, confirming to prescribed Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications can be reused after proper disinfection.

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"After use of PPE kit all its components are discarded as bio-medical waste. However, the goggles confirming to prescribed EN/BIS specifications can be reused after proper disinfection," the ministry said.

The purpose of the "advisory on re-processing and re-use of eye-protection goggles" is to enable individuals to reuse goggles, thus allowing an extended use without the risk of contracting infection, it said.

According to the standard operating procedures for reuse detailed in the advisory, the kitting of the PPEs with goggles will be done away with and all goggles that conform to prescribed EN/BIS specifications will be re-used after disinfection.

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Reprocessing and reuse of goggles must be done only when it is dedicated to each individual (write name over the band) and reprocessing must be done after every use before using it again.

Manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and disinfection of goggles should be adhered to. If such instruction are not available, goggles can be cleaned and disinfected while wearing gloves.

"Clean goggles with soap/detergent and water and then immerse in 1 per cent freshly prepared sodium hypochlorite for 10 minutes. Wash/wipe the inside and outside of goggles with clean water to remove residue. Air dry completely on a clean flat surface or by hanging in clean place or use clean tissue papers/gauge to dry it," the SOPs stated.

They should be stored in a paper bag/in a clean area to avoid recontamination. Eye protection must be discarded if damaged/rendered optically non-clear on repeated usage.

Goggles may be issued to each healthcare worker who will decontaminate them after every use and they should be disinfected by users and re-used at least five times each, whereby one pair of goggles will suffice for six days.

"They may use them rationally till their transparency decreases or they get damaged. The ratio of issue of goggles to coverall is recommended at 1:6," the advisory said.