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ron_miller wrote:Regarding concerns about using 1:10 household bleach-to-water solutions to decontaminate vertical gear, this issue has come up previously in the context of rescue workers needing to decontaminate rope and webbing materials following exposure to human pathogens.
NZcaver wrote:ron_miller wrote:Regarding concerns about using 1:10 household bleach-to-water solutions to decontaminate vertical gear, this issue has come up previously in the context of rescue workers needing to decontaminate rope and webbing materials following exposure to human pathogens.
Ron,
Without straying too far off track, is there any chance this strength loss could be cumulative?
I'm thinking of how a tiny drop of sulphuric acid will only weaken a rope marginally at the time, but a week/month/year later that point in the rope might be a fraction of it's original strength. I wonder if bleach has a similar effect?
NZcaver wrote:ron_miller wrote:Regarding concerns about using 1:10 household bleach-to-water solutions to decontaminate vertical gear, this issue has come up previously in the context of rescue workers needing to decontaminate rope and webbing materials following exposure to human pathogens.
Without straying too far off track, is there any chance this strength loss could be cumulative?
ron_miller wrote:I wouldn't be too surprised if it is in fact cumulative, but the point is that each cleaning event with bleach will have very little effect on strength. Based on the test data, it takes 14 washes to reduce strength by a total of 2%. Although it is certainly speculative to do so, dividing 2% by 14 yields a strength loss of 0.14% per wash.
wyandottecaver wrote:hmmm well 97% mortallity at 4 caves last year for a total of 8-11,000 bats and 9 infected sites this year with no way to know yet if people can or cant carry it accidently on gear convinced me :) but reasonable people can agree to disagree
With the increasing concern for personal safety when dealing with bloodborne pathogens, a procedure was needed to decontaminate rope and harnesses that was not in conflict with safe washing of these products. For an answer, we contacted the engineering staff at Wellington Commercial Cordage.
Rope that has come into contact with blood or other body fluids can be cleaned using chlorine bleach per your department’s protocols for decontaminating equipment. Wellington said that the small amount of bleach specified in most decontamination protocols would have minimal effect on the rope’s fibers. This would hold true for harnesses and other web products although some minor discoloration may occur.
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