Dentists who are concerned about how quickly they go through their personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies can use the Burn Rate Calculator, which is now available as an app from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for both iOS and Android devices.
Developed by the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), this spreadsheet-based model is designed to help healthcare facilities plan and optimize the use of PPE in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Users enter the number of full boxes of each type of PPE in stock such as gowns, gloves, surgical masks, respirators, and face shields and the total number of patients at their facility. The tool then will calculate the average consumption rate, or burn rate, for each type of PPE.
This information then can be used to estimate how long the remaining supply of PPE will last based on the average consumption rate. Using the calculator can help facilities make order projections for future needs, the CDC said.
The calculator is available as a Microsoft Excel file for desktops and laptops as well.
Related Articles
OSHA Updates N95 Decontamination and Reuse Guidelines
CDC Releases Guidance for Non-Emergency Dental Care
LLNL Investigating Inexpensive Methods for Sterilizing and Reusing N95 Masks
