About Full Stop Protection^®

Every DENTAL-EVAC unit ships with Repro-Med Systems' patented Full Stop Protection (FSP) feature which prevents all contamination (viral & bacterial), fluids or pathogens, from exiting the canister and contaminating the health professional or surrounding area. With the Full Stop Protection filter, fluids and pathogens can get into the bottle, but only clean air gets out.  The flow stop protector eliminates overflow, and eliminates any contamination from entering the pump handle or running onto the user.  Available in high volume evacuator or saliva ejector versions, the flow stop protector reduces exposure and prevents the spread of infectious disease.


In the United States, OSHA regulations require that the employers of “…emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and other emergency medical service providers; fire fighters, law enforcement personnel, and correctional officers… must consider and implement devices that are appropriate [to contain bloodborne pathogens], commercially available and effective.” These first responders risk exposure to serious disease, and the employers risk OSHA violations and lawsuits if they fail to consider protective measures such as our FULL STOP PROTETION. There is no other device currently marketed which can offer this protection with their portable suction devices.


On December 6, 1991, the OSHA its final regulation on occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens (29 CFR 1910.1030).   Based on a review of the information in the rulemaking record, OSHA determined that employees face a significant health risk as the result of occupational exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) because they may contain bloodborne pathogens. These pathogens include but are not limited to SARS, HBV, which causes hepatitis B; HIV, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); hepatitis C virus; human T-lymphotrophic virus Type 1; and pathogens causing malaria, syphilis, babesiosis, brucellosis, leptospirosis, arboviral infections, relapsing fever, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and viral hemorrhagic fever. The company has received a letter from OSHA indicating that Res-Q-Vac (the basis of the DENTAL-EVAC unit) with Full Stop Protection falls under OSHA engineering controls.

On May 20,2003 at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued an updated guideline for the management and isolation of potential SARS patients (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome).  Among the recommendations are the use of HEPA type filtration on the exhaust of all suction devices.  Their guideline points out:

“Worldwide, several health-care workers (HCWs) have been reported to develop severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) after caring for patients with SARS. Multiple hospitals have reported cases among HCWs who were present during aerosol-generating procedures performed on patients with SARS, suggesting that aerosol-generating procedures may increase the risk of SARS transmission.”

The DENTAL-EVAC unit consists of a hand-held reusable suction pump connected to disposable suction canisters and HVEs.  The Full Stop Protection is installed in the canister, and each canister contains a suction port at the top of the canister, which allows these canisters to be used on any wall suction, electric suction, or any system which can create a vacuum.  This prevents contamination of wall or electric suction systems, and contains any diseases within the FSP canister.


http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/emtguidance.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/specimen_collection_sars2.htm
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10051