The Viennese Database for Disinfectants (WIDES Database)

• German version

The WIDES Database

• is an industry-independent information system of the ecological procurement program ÖkoKauf Wien of the City of Vienna in cooperation with partners.
• facilitates the legally required consideration of effectiveness, occupational safety and environmental protection in the procurement and safe use of disinfectants in the hospital and care sector.
• contains information on independently tested efficacies, as well as occupational health and safety and environmental protection properties of commercially available disinfectants and their ingredients.
• enables product comparisons in relevant application areas at the click of a mouse.

WIDES Database - Sign-on

Contact

For technical suggestions and questions about the database, as well as applications for product inclusion, please send an E-Mail to: post@wua.wien.gv.at.

Training Videos

• General introduction into the WIDES Database
• Substance and product assessment of the WIDES Database for choosing disinfectants
• Training Video WIDES Database

Inclusion of disinfectants in the database

Disinfectant manufacturers who would like to have their products integrated into the database can apply to the Vienna Ombuds Office for Environmental Protection (WUA).

WIDES Database for disinfectant manufacturers

• Overview of disinfectants included lists more than 300 products with independently tested efficacy, including a traffic light assessment of the active ingredients used. Particularly problematic ingredients are visible at first glance due to red colouring.
• Overview of assessed ingredients provides a colour-coded overview of the current hazard classification of over 200 ingredients.
• Hand disinfection during pregnancy: The products listed in an overview of hand disinfectants for pregnant workers meet the criteria of the Ministry Decree BMASK-461.308/0016-VII/A/4/2016

Folder

The Folder "The WIDES Database for Choosing Disinfectants" is available as download or as a printed copy. It can be ordered for free online or by phone (+43 1 4000-73420) or by E-Mail: komm@ma22.wien.gv.at

Download or order

Project partners

The WIDES-Database was and is further developed and updated by the Vienna Ombuds Office for Environmental Protection (WUA) as part of ÖkoKauf Wien in cooperation with

• Austrian Workers' Compensation Board (AUVA)
• Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK)
• Austrian Society for Hygiene, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine (ÖGHMP)
• Bureau For Chemical Engineering TB-Klade
• Vienna Health Association
• Eco Counselling
• WINGIS-online - Professional Association for Building Industry (BG-BAU)
• Health Care Without Harm - Europe
• The Austrian Consumers Association (VKI) and the Central Labour Inspectorate in the Ministry of Social Affairs participate in WIDES team meetings or use WIDES in their work.

Awards and Recommendations

• The WIDES received an "Honorable Mention" at the Procura Plus Awards: of the global city network ICLEI in 2017. Subsequently, both ICLEI and the EU Commission published information on the database as a positive case study for responsible procurement.
  • Procura+ Case Study (750 KB PDF)
  • Purchasing non-hazardous disinfectants - European Union
• WIDES was awarded by the European Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) as a case study for optimal employee protection: Austria: A disinfectants database - substituting hazardous products in hospitals, schools and other public facilities
• WIDES is officially recommended in a manual of WHO and ILO: HealthWISE: Work Improvement in Health Services - Action Manual (14 MB PDF)
• The database was used in the SAICM 2.0 project to advise hospitals on the purchase of disinfectants or targeted products for substitution: Promoting safer disinfectants in the healthcare sector
• In an article on the NABE platform, WIDES is recommended as a comprehensive guide: Mit der österreichischen Datenbank WIDES zu den schonendsten Desinfektionsmitteln für Mensch und Umwelt (german only)
• The position paper of the Working Group indoor air on ventilation-supporting measures for infection prevention is intended to help authorities, room users and building operators to reduce the risk of transmission of viruses indoors and thus also the risk of resulting diseases. The position paper mentions the WIDES as a relevant source for certified disinfectants and processes: Luftreiniger und Einbringung von Wirkstoffen (Maßnahmen zur Infektionsprophylaxe) (350 KB PDF) (german only)

Publications

The following english publications may deepen the understanding of WIDES:

• SAICM 2.0 Final Report (8 MB PDF) (2020)
• Webinar recording: promoting safer disinfectants in the global healthcare sector (2019)
• The WIDES Database (8 MB PDF) - European Medical Hygiene (2014)