February 12, 2008 — /Atlanta, GA/ — Dyson, the English vacuum cleaner company, announces that their Airblade hand drying system has been awarded certification by NSF International. The system is marketed in the United States by Cannon Hygiene, Inc.
This is the first and only such award the NSF has ever given to a hand dryer manufacturer. Formerly known as the National Sanitary Foundation, NSF is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI.
The organization has become a world leader in standards development, product certification, education, environmental protection, risk management, and sets guidelines to help protect people’s health and the environment.
According to Doug Calvert, president of Cannon Hygiene, one reason why the Airblade earned the certification was the system’s HEPA filter. “Commercial hand dryers can promote the distribution of potentially harmful bacteria and pathogens,” he says. “The HEPA filter captures nearly 100 percent of these containments, preventing them from becoming airborne and harming health.”
Additional Awards and Honors
The Airblade was introduced in late 2006. It does not include a heating element, but generates a curtain of air traveling more than 400 miles per hour. The result is that hands dry in less than 12 seconds.
In addition to the NSF award, the Airblade has been honored with endorsements from the Royal Institute of Public Health, London, an internationally recognized organization that promotes public health, and the British Skin Foundation, a well-respected charity committed to raising funds for skin disease research, also based in London.
“Dyson put more than three years of research and development into developing the Airblade,” adds Calvert. “The goal was to not only build a faster hand dryer, but a healthier one as well [and] fortunately, it appears we succeeded.”
About Cannon Hygiene, Inc.
Cannon Hygiene is one of the world’s top restroom hygiene services businesses. Based in Morecambe, Lancashire, England, it is responsible for maintaining health and hygiene standards for some of Britain’s royal households, including Buckingham Palace.
Today the company’s products are found in more than 30 countries around the world. It is now bringing its expertise to America’s shores.
Cannon Hygiene’s wide range of products and services is tailored to the needs of companies and organizations large and small. Its products and services ensure that restroom hygiene is maintained at a constant and controlled level, specific to the needs of each facility. The company is especially interested in serving the needs of women, including the disposal of feminine hygiene products.