August 4, 2020
3 Steps Towards Creating A COVID Safe Facility
With advice coming from all angles and recommendations being added frequently. We wanted to create these 3 steps that enable you to create a building that is safe for you, your staff, your students, and visitors to return to.
Step 1
Adapt your cleaning regimes to suit the ‘new’ normal.
How frequently do you deep clean your facility? And what do you class as a deep clean?
We have seen in several organisations that the two-step cleaning process hasn’t been being followed for several years, and if this is the case in your organisation, this needs to be the first point of change. You will need to implement the two-stage cleaning process. Clean first, disinfect second.
“You can’t simply change your multi-purpose detergent to a disinfectant and expect it to be effective against viruses like coronavirus. Surfaces must be clean before being disinfected.”
Another area to review is your chemical certifications and dwell times. Do you know if the chemical you are using is tested to the correct standards to fight enveloped viruses? If so, are you aware of the dwell time the chemical needs to deactivate the virus?
Some of the most common used disinfectants have a dwell time of 5-10 minutes. How long do you leave the disinfectant on the surface before wiping away? Removing the disinfectant too early will reduce the effectiveness of the sanitiser or disinfectant.
Key Takeaways:
- Ensure you have a solid daily cleaning plan in place
- You follow the two-step cleaning process
- You adhere to the dwell times
Step 2
Focus attention on high touch point areas.
High touch points are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria to thrive. These areas need specific attention and additional cleaning and disinfecting throughout the working day.
Key Takeaways:
- Compile a list of all high touch point areas within your facility ensuring there is a plan in place to disinfect these areas throughout the day
- Review your cleaning equipment to ensure you have the equipment that will help you get better results faster.
Step 3
Install Hand Sanitiser points.
Covid-19 has created a ‘new’ normal that is not going to go away, hand sanitiser is a critical area to ensure your facility is fitted out correctly.
As COVID hit earlier this year – a huge influx of cheap sanitiser and cheap dispensers came to the market to meet the demand, but unfortunately these aren’t always the most cost effective and we have seen an increase over the last few weeks of facilities re-investing in quality dispensers to ensure the facility has a reliable solution.
Key Takeaway:
- Ensure your facility has sufficient and reliable hand sanitiser solution in place.
If you are investing in this solution, consider investing in hand sanitiser station to make the dispenser stand out and have reminders to use it.
We hope this 3-step process has brought some clarity around the essential tips you need to implement within your facility to have a safe environment for your staff, students and visitors.
If you would like further clarity and guidance – book your FREE building cleaning audit today.
