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We recommend using the ATP test to validate hand washing procedures because:
The ATP test is a process of quickly measuring actively growing microorganisms through detection of Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. In ATP testing, microorganisms on the surface of the hands combine
with a certain enzyme to produce light which can then be measured using a device called a Luminometer. The amount of light that is “read” by the device is expressed in Relative Light Units (RLU’s). The more microorganisms that exist on the surface of the skin, the more light that is generated and thus, the higher the RLU reading will be. High ATP levels indicate that more organic material—some of which may possibly be harmful—are present. Organic material on the surface of the hands may fall into one of two categories: transient flora and resident flora.
ATP testing terminology |
Resident flora: organisms that naturally occur on skin and do not cause disease. Resident flora are essential to skin health and actually help protect the skin from transient organisms. |
Transient flora: Transient or temporary skin flora refers to the microorganisms that transiently colonize the skin. This includes bacteria, fungi and viruses, which reach the hands, for example, by direct skin-to-skin contact or indirectly via objects. |
ATP testing is one of the easiest ways to validate your hand washing procedures. To get started you'll need:
Note: While there are many ATP testing devices available on the market,
we recommend using Hygiena SystemSure Plus Luminometer.
An effective hygiene event results in reduced microorganisms on the hand. To measure this, make sure to capture a swab of the natural hand first, and then conduct a second swab after a hand wash is completed to measure the difference, following these steps each time:
There are several things to consider when using an ATP test for hand washing procedure validation such as understanding and determining if a percentage reduction or pass/fail limit method will be used, knowing the challenges of each and setting your targets. We go over all of this in our in-depth ATP testing guide which you can download here.
Need help with your hand washing procedure? Our team of hygiene experts are ready to help - Contact us today at 800-932-7707