Winnipeg Richardson International Airport further expands on its commitment to provide a safe travelling environment and healthy airport with the addition of a new, high-tech handrail sterilizer in the Arrivals Hall.

This leading technology, installed this week, is one of the many ways the airport is working to ensure all travellers, visitors and airport employees feel safe and confident moving through the airport. The new LED UV-C handrail sterilizer provides an added layer of protection in a critical area of the airport and represents the latest addition to the airport’s comprehensive YWG Clean Program.

The sterilizer is located inside the escalator which leads domestic travellers down to the baggage claim area. This is a high priority cleaning location as all domestic arrivals follow this path. The surfaces of the handrails are now being disinfected after each touch thanks to this sophisticated cleaning technology. The LED UV-C handrail sterilization modules are proven to destroy 99.99 per cent of harmful bacteria and are the first to be installed by Otis Canada in Winnipeg.

“The application of this new technology is the latest example how Winnipeg Airports Authority is incorporating innovative solutions to enhance the traveller experience,” said Barry Rempel, president and chief executive officer of WAA. “Every traveller, visitor or airport employee who enters the terminal can have full confidence the facility is clean and made available to them in a way which strives, always, to ensure their safety.”

As the escalator runs, the two handrails pass by four LEDs which emit strong ultraviolet wavelengths. Built-in side reflectors help ensure every inch of the handrails are exposed to the sterilizing light. The delicate piece of technology is mounted inside the escalator to prevent it from being damaged.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many health and safety measures have been implemented at the airport in collaboration with public health authorities. Cleaning teams are addressing all high-touch surfaces and populated areas using a combination of techniques, solutions and technology to meet a new standard. High priority cleaning locations can be identified by special enhanced cleaning icons, reassuring travellers the area has been disinfected.

As part of the YWG Clean Program, hand sanitizer stations are available to support each step of the travelling experience, air filtration inside the terminal has been set to match that of a hospital setting and touch encounters have been reduced in many areas across campus. The YWG Clean Program is continually evolving to implement best practices to ensure everyone feels safe at the airport.

These actions coincide with other initiatives, such as a mandatory face covering requirement in all public areas of the terminal, to keep the community the airport serves safe.