Safeguarding players with UV-C disinfection lighting

“Signify is a highly trusted partner and a leader in their field,” said Laurie Dalrymple, Chief Executive Officer, Harlequins. “We are proud to be the first professional sports team in the UK to use UV-C disinfection lighting technology, and we expect to see it widely utilized in future across the sports and events industry.”

Mike Lancaster, Harlequins’ Head of Medical, added, “Signify’s UV-C disinfection lighting adds an additional layer of protection to the stringent testing and operational processes we have in place to protect the squad. From a medical perspective, I am very satisfied with the way the technology has been tested in depth and fully proven.”

UV-C disinfection

UV-C is a well-established method of disinfection, used to prevent the spread of diseases by disinfecting air, water and surfaces. UV-C breaks down the DNA or RNA of microorganisms including viruses and bacteria, rendering them harmless. In laboratory testing, Signify’s UV-C light sources reduced SARS-CoV-2 virus infectivity on a surface to below detectable levels in as few as 9 seconds.¹

Signify partner Powercor installed 11 units suspended by brackets 800mm from the ceiling, with potential for more to be installed in other parts of the Club at a later date. This high position, in combination with the luminaires’ design, allows the system to disinfect air as it circulates the room, even when there are people present. Natural convection moves the disinfected air back into the lower part of the room. Additionally, shielding and optics in the luminaire’s design prevent accidental exposure to UV-C radiation.²

“Harlequins have a long history at the pinnacle of English rugby. Top athletes work hard to keep their health at an absolute peak, which extends to managing the risks we all now face in crowded public places. We’re very proud to support the Club’s objective to offer players and supporters the very best protection,” said Andy Gowen, Director Public and Sports Lighting at Signify in the UK&I.

“As a long-term partner of Signify, we are very pleased to extend our professional expertise to UV-C disinfection lighting, which will become increasingly important to our customers in the years ahead,” said Richard Grace, Managing Director, Powercor. “We are proud to play our part in getting the Quins safely to the pitch, and creating hygienic spaces for supporters to enjoy the legendary atmosphere of The Stoop once it is considered safe to re-open.”

For more than 35 years, Signify has been at the forefront of UV technology, and has a proven track record of innovation and strong application expertise in UV-C lighting. Signify’s UV-C lighting is designed, installed, and used according to the product-specific safety instructions, and manufactured using well-controlled industrial processes. UV-C light should always be used by professionals in accordance with the safety requirements and instructions to avoid humans and animals from being exposed to it since it can damage their skin and eyes.

Notes

¹ Nadia Storm et al, Rapid and complete inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by ultraviolet-C irradiation, 2020. Report available at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-79600-8. The UV-C irradiance used in this study was 0.849 mW/cm2.

² The germicidal effectiveness of UV-C light sources is proportional to the exposure time of the microorganism to the UV-C light source and the intensity of the UV-C light source. Therefore, sufficient air flow in the room (which may be achieved through forced air flow or natural convection) is required for effective operation of Signify’s UV-C upper air disinfection luminaire solutions.