Health and Hygiene

Health, Hygiene and Cross Contamination

Meet PAT products are produced using premium materials, linked with smart design to make world class, safe, hygienic and great tasting water stations.

All components used in wetted water point contact areas of Meet PAT water stations are made from approved AS/NZS 4020 materials. In most cases, these components also are approved for FDA, NSF and have Watermark. AS/NZS 4020 prescribes tests for analyzing the suitability of products for use in contact with drinking water, with regard to their effect on the quality of the water.

 

Approved materials comply with taste, appearance, growth of aquatic micro-organisms, cytotoxicity, mutagenicity, and extraction of metals, including specific procedures for high temperatures.

All external wetted components/water exit points and human contact areas in Meet PAT Water stations are made from 304 and 316 stainless steel. Defined by being easy to clean, hard, tough and corrosion resistant which doesn’t effect taste and limits microorganisms from colonising. In addition, Meet PAT uses Electro-polishing on some of the stainless steel areas which substantially reduces product contamination and adhesion due to the microscopic smoothness of an electropolished surface (much like a glass surface).

Key Health, Hygiene and Cross Contamination Features

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Bottle Refill Window Nozzle
“No touch” nozzle recess limits direct contact (water bottle rim or objects) from coming into contact with the nozzle. Medical grade stainless steel mesh barrier limits foreign objects from entering/exiting nozzle.
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Bottle Refill Window
316 Stainless Steel material with electro-polishing finish. Bottle shaped window tapers to limits directly touching nozzle with water bottle or foreign objects. Drain cover limits splashing and water build up.
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Push Buttons
Raised and easy to find buttons made of 316 Stainless Steel material. They have soft touch operations and include a large flat surface with limited ingress part-lines. They're easy clean and wipe down.
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Nozzle Button Separation
We’ve created distance from all nozzles to buttons. This is “defined separation” feature to limit hand contact with nozzle and nozzle/mouth areas, reducing cross contamination to the nozzle.
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Drinking Fountain 'Bubbler' Splash Guard and Nozzle
Mirror polished 316 stainless steel material. A splash guard with custom hood which limits direct mouth contact and contamination of nozzle. Guard limits residual water splashing from users mouth back to the nozzle. Anti-contamination nozzle pin. A world first nozzle design limiting contaminant objects being inserted into the outlet. Medical grade stainless steel mesh barrier preventing foreign objects or contaminants from entering/exiting nozzle.

Cleanliness and appearance
Along with materials and component design, cleaning and maintenance forms an integral part of Meet PAT’s world class products. Cleanliness is an important aspect both for perceived hygiene, which results in better user experience and adoption, as well as from a safety and contamination perspective. Meet PAT products are designed having a range of common features, some include being easy to clean, having completely removable and replaceable graphics panels (which reveal the inner working of a water station) as well as interchangeable and removable components.

Cleaning Kit
As an additional safeguard, Meet PAT has developed a unique cleaning kit to flush all internal wetted components. This can be incorporated into ongoing maintenance of a water station and is based around a hydrogen peroxide solution which is proven to be safe while eliminating bacteria by oxidizing their cell walls.

Drainage and Stagnant Water

Sitting water or pools of standing water brings with it significant heath risks.  Sitting water is a breading ground for many kinds of bacterial, fungi, mold and parasites (including mosquitoes) who help carry these diseases to humans. In conjunction with health, “water fountains with excess spillage or absent drainage can give negative impressions of wasted water and lack of maintenance. They can also be unappealing if the area becomes muddy due to excess water spillage” Reference: Provision of drinking water fountains in public areas Vic Health 2014.

Meet PAT’s products have been design to limit/remove stagnant or standing water, as well as reduce splashing or excess spillage though unique water drainage systems.

Download this information here, “Meet PAT Health, Hygiene and Cross Contamination” PDF