What will you do if an employee (or client or vendor) is diagnosed with COVID at your place of work? In addition to your standard practices and regulations for cleaning and disinfection, you will need a more rigorous cleaning regime. The Centers Of Disease Controls (CDC) offers some specific guidance regarding commercial cleaning and disinfection practices to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Healthcare settings with specific regulations or practices obviously have much more strenuous protocols; this advice is for commercial and retail businesses.
Throughout the pandemic, if no suspected cases have been diagnosed, cleaning once a day is sufficient. By removing enough of the COvid virus on surfaces, you will maintain a healthy environment. However, if an employee has been diagnosed or tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 24 hours, what should you do to keep everyone safe? It would be impracticable to shut down an entire business for a deep clean after a coronavirus exposure.
Before cleaning and disinfecting, secure that person’s office. Your HR team will need to communicate expectations with other employees in that space. Immediately following exposure, the CDC recommends closing off areas used by the ill person for several (and up to 24) hours. Don’t enter until you have good air circulation. While cleaning and disinfecting, open doors and windows and use fans or HVAC to increase airflow in the area.
Wear PPE (mask and gloves) while cleaning and disinfecting. Vacuum the space with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and bags. Dispose of all cleaning materials properly.
Surfaces that have multiple users must be cleaned and disinfected daily: elevator buttons, doorknobs, light switches, handles, stair rails, toilets, faucets. As your business incorporates more shared tools, your cleaning protocols need to keep up, as well.
For electronic touch screens, and keypads, consider putting a durable, wipeable cover on electronics. Between each use, treat with a product on EPA List N. Alcohol dries quickly and is less harmful to electronics. If an EPA-approved product is not available, bleach solutions can be used when appropriate for the surface.
Outdoor high-touch surfaces made of plastic or metal, such as railings, should be cleaned regularly. Cleaning and disinfection of wooden structures (like a picnic table) are not necessary. Contact your local commercial cleaning services professionals to get quality results.
If this renewed responsibility is more than your existing staff or housekeeping team can handle, upgrade to professional commercial cleaning services. PCS Niagara in Niagara Falls has commercial cleaning services and specialists that you need to keep your team focused.
