School Infection Control Handbook - 2010

Chapter 4: Selection of Products, Dispensing Equipment, and Application Systems

Chapter 4.C. Using the Disinfectant Label Information to Make Informed Decisions

Introduction Properly interpreting the information on a product label is the key to selecting the right products for each purpose and to using it effectively. Because manufacturers design and test their products to be effective under the conditions stated on the label, they cannot stand behind the product if the directions are not followed exactly. In addition, the product’s efficacy cannot be assured. For products designed to be used in more than one capacity (e.g., cleaner, sanitizer, and disinfectant), the label lists the specific dilutions and contact times, which usually vary for each function. The label content for a product may change frequently, so it is important to review the labels of products used on a regular basis. Companies also provide technical sheets listing the effectiveness against microbes in tests of their product. These sheets were helpful when the H1N1 outbreak first occurred to determine whether the product had been tested for influenza. Schools may be able to use the information provided in these sheets to determine whether existing products may be used for current outbreaks. The following information and the more comprehensive companion document, Appendix B.2. Interpreting the Disinfectant Label: Explanations and Examples , provide a comprehensive overview of a label’s information to assist in the selection, use, and management of disinfectants. What is the role of a disinfectant label? A label for a federally registered antimicrobial product (disinfectants and sanitizers) registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considered a legal document because the EPA uses the label to summarize scientific information about that formula and how it complies with the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. The scientific information includes toxicology, environmental impacts, its effectiveness against specific microbes, and its chemical makeup. This information represents the required research and registration procedures that a disinfectant undergoes before reaching the market. The information obtained in this process is referred to as the label or labeling, two similar words but with different meanings. The label is the information printed on or attached to the disinfectant container; it has several interpretations: x To the buyer or user , the label is the main source of information on how to use the product correctly, legally, and safely. x To the manufacturer , the label is the product’s clearance by EPA to sell the product. x To governmental agencies , including the EPA, the label is a way to control the distribution, storage, sale, use, and disposal of the product, and to ensure its proper use. Labeling refers to all the information that might be received from a company or listed on its sales representatives’ Web sites, and other information accompanying the product or referred to on the label.

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