Sellafield lab creates hand sanitiser for site and communities
Hand sanitiser created in our Sellafield on-site laboratories is being delivered to our communities to help combat the Coronavirus.
You need hands, from left to right: Mark Hayter, Stephen Kirvan, Doug Cragg with the first batch of their hand sanitiser.
We all know that keeping our hands clean is a vital way to avoid contracting the virus.
With worries that there might not be enough hand sanitiser to cope with demand on-site, the strategy and technical team within Analytical Services developed their own. They worked with colleagues from the Analytical Services process and shift teams to help with sourcing of materials, and design capability in Risley for health and safety assessments.
The team normally carries out studies and supporting decision making in the labs and for the analytical services programme – including looking at new instrumentation for the current lab and the replacement analytical programme, one of the first 3 projects to be delivered under the programme and project partners agreement.
Head of strategy and technical in analytical services, Dawn Watson, said:
The test batch of 10 litres was a success. It is made using the World Health Organisation method, and is over 62 % alcohol which is required to kill the virus.
Making it is like baking, mixing the chemicals together and stirring to create a liquid. We’re limited by the supply of chemicals but are aiming to supply up to 25 litres a week, which would support the site requirement.
With Sellafield’s supplies currently okay we have transferred it to the local Multi Agency Support team for distribution and use in West Cumbria.
We are now sourcing ingredients to continue with this production for either the site or the community for as long as the need is there.