Black boxes for with Glo Germ Kits

You can make your own black box for a Glo Germ training (simulation germs for infection control). Here are instructions:

1. Find box that can comfortably fit 2 hands. (recommended to find a box that can be folded so it can transport easily. If you would like to use the box to transport the training supplies then you can get a box that won't fold down).

2. Spray paint, brush paint, or cover with black paper the inside of the box black (including the flaps).

3. When the box is sitting on its' side, take a knife and cut a viewing hole on the top that measures 1"+ and is wide enough to see both hands (i.e. 4"-6")

4. Cut another hole on top of the box (near viewing hole) that will allow your black light to shine through. Cut the hole based on the type of light (flashlight, bar light, etc.).

5. Use tape to fasten black light onto designated hole cut in the box.

6. Use tape to tape the box flaps to extend dark black area.

7. The box is done!

The following OUTFOX Prevention product review will help you figure out what a Disclosure Center is, what they look like, how much they cost and how they can best be used. The positives and negatives will also help in your buying decision. For related infection control products, use the links in the far right column.

What are Disclosure Centers for Infection Control?

Disclosure Centers were created as a means to conduct hand hygiene trainings and other fluorescent germ simulations in a lighted room. A UV black light always accompanies the Disclosure Center to illuminate the fluorescent germs. The fluorescent germs (in the forms of fluorescent gel, fluorescent powder, fluorescent markers or Clue Spray) are applied to hands, pens and other items to demonstrate to the audience the presence of germs. The student or instructor then places their hands or the item in the Disclosure Center when the UV light can illuminate the germs in the darkened area. Glowing Germs!

These are black boxes to make fluorescent glow brighter

Disclosure Centers can range from simple cardboard boxes to elaborate commercial productions that have camera displays. You can buy several types of disclosure centers on our site or you can make your own. The Disclosure Center pictured on the right is the GlitterBuddy that has the SpotShooter LED UV Black Light (Yellow item that doubles as the GlitterBug nose) clipped onto the top to allow for hands-free viewing. More permanent solutions (expensive Disclosure Centers) have cameras mounted so that many people can see what the simulation germs look like under the UV Black Light.

To make your own, simply take a cardboard box, line or paint on black materials and then mount a UV black light. The black paint or paper will help the simulation fluorescent germs grow brighter. Cut a hole so the students can peek in to the simulation germs.

Many shapes and sizes. Just important to shield the light so the UV black light can shine on the fluorescent materials brightly

Using the following link, you can see a range of Disclosure Centers with their accompanying price points. [Disclosure Centers for Infection Control]. As you can see, special designs have been created to making disclosure centers convenient for instructors. Rather than requiring the instructor to turn the classroom light off each time, the Disclosure Center allows the lesson to be conducted in a lighted room. Also, the instructor can conduct the hand hygiene lesson while students are checking their germs rather than requiring the instructor to hold the UV black light the whole time.

Although most instructors of hand hygiene lessons would love a Disclosure Center, they really are more often used by those that teach hand washing lessons frequently. The Disclosure Centers with cameras are especially useful for assemblies of lessons in front of big crowds, but the pricing can be high. However, the price is often justified because the image can subsequently be displayed on a TV or projected on a wall for many to see.

The following are positive and negative points to consider while thinking of buying a Disclosure Center.

These black boxes can make all the difference!

Allows you to teach hand washing in a lighted room

Allows you to instruct hands-free rather than keeping the UV black light in hand the whole time

Project the simulation germ images on a TV or during an assembly

Most Disclosure Centers double as storage for your infection control supplies

Get people excited for hand hygiene

Disclosure Center makes hand hygiene lessons more official for students

Give us feedback whether Disclosure Centers are good infection control tools

Most indicate that black boxes are worth the price... plus they couple as supply holders

One more infection control item to buy

Purchasing Departments may not see the need above getting a UV black light and fluorescent materials

Centers can be expensive

Sometimes can be bulky if they don't fold down

Cardboard Disclosure Centers can bend and break

Overall, we consider Disclosure Centers very useful and worth the money. They are especially useful with big crowds. However, we do not consider them necessary for a successful handwashing lesson despite being helpful. The new LED UV black lights now being produced are very effective in brighter light which takes care of the issue that old bar UV blacklights had (which required the room lights to be turned out or required a Disclosure Center). The LED lights have a stronger stream of UV light and can illuminate the simulation germs in most levels of classroom lighting. As for the upper end Disclosure Centers with cameras, we think they only make sense for those instructors that do hundreds of hand hygiene lessons.

Good luck in your decision to purchase or not purchase a disclosure center. If you have questions, please email us (info@OUTFOXprevention.com) or contact us.

Tell us what you think about Disclosure Centers for your hand hygiene campaigns!