Are you looking for ways to improve workplace health, safety, productivity, and satisfaction? As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to change lives, it’s only safe to return to work when your health is guaranteed.
With a good sanitizing strategy for your workplace, you can improve your employees’ efficiency. They will be less prone to contagious diseases. Increased productivity in your office leads to high revenue and more growth opportunities.
While office sanitizing seems like a technical task, it comprises simple practices. Here are seven proven ways you can implement and maintain these practices:
1. Encourage Frequent Hand Washing
Make hand sanitizing and washing stations easily accessible across your workplace. Install sinks in your eating areas, food preparation areas, and bathrooms. You should also hand signs that remind people to use these stations often.
Have hand dryers, paper towels, soap, and water for washing and drying hands around the office. Your sanitizer dispensers should have sanitizer with at least 60 percent of alcohol. You should also have foot-pedal or no-touch trash cans within the office to reduce hand contact.
Hand sanitizing can help reduce respiratory illnesses such as colds amongst your employees. It also helps reduce diarrhea cases and weakened immune systems. Tell your workers to use soap and water instead of a sanitizer only when their hands have dirt.
2. Disinfect When Needed
Use an EPA-approved disinfectant to keep your office surfaces free of disease-causing germs. Bleach solutions may also work if they are compatible with the surface.
When disinfecting, wipe down surfaces in one direction without going back over. You may deposit germs that were eliminated in the first wipe if you go back in the opposite direction
Stick to the directions on the label to safely use the disinfectant. The label may highlight the application instructions and other safety measures to observe. You should also wear suitable PPE (such as goggles or gloves) when using the disinfectant.
Keep your windows and other ventilation systems open when disinfecting surfaces. Remember to use room temperature water (unless advised otherwise) to dilute the product. For the best outcomes, use only the recommended amount.
3. Have Your Office Surfaces Cleaned
Cleaning helps lower the risk of infection and remove contaminants from surfaces. Your workspace should be cleaned once a day to clear pathogens.
Thoroughly clean shared spaces with high traffic to reduce infection risks. Adopt a cleaning schedule based on the disease transmission and vaccination rates in your community. If these rates are high, you should clean offices frequently.
Frequently touched surfaces such as chairs, desks, counters, and tables need a thorough cleaning. Other high contact surfaces include handrails, elevator buttons, doorknobs, and light switches.
Always avail the cleaning products before work begins. You should also adopt a realistic cleaning schedule for every part of your workplace. Remember to target hard-to-reach areas such as ceilings and shelf tops.
4. Invest in Personal Protective Equipment
Count on PPEs to help lower your workers’ exposure to contagious diseases. Invest in high-quality PPEs such as respiratory protection gears, face shields, and gloves. You should also inform your employees on why they should use these items while cleaning.
Check the CDC and OSHA websites for insights and updates on recommended PPEs. Assign PPEs to your workers depending on their risk levels. They should also be fitted appropriately and refitted when protecting workers against infections.
Encourage your employees to properly remove, clean, store, or dispose of PPEs. When improperly disposed of, these gears may contaminate the environment.
5. Collect Garbage Regularly
Increase the garbage storage and collection points at your business premises. You should also separate and empty them throughout the day. This practice helps prevent health issues and accidents caused by uncontrolled waste disposal.
Switch to products with sustainable packaging to reduce non-biodegradable waste in your facility. You should also encourage your employees to recycle waste products such as plastics.
With garbage lying in your trash cans for days, your workplace will be less favorable to occupy. You’ll notice a sudden increase in insects around the waste pile. The odor that comes from the waste materials may also expose you to respiratory problems.
6. Create an Outbreak Preparedness Plan
An outbreak preparedness plan helps you avoid the adverse effects of an outbreak. Your plan needs to focus on the specific cleaning measures taken during a health crisis. It should also help you identify the signs/symptoms of an outbreak of disease.
Your workers should learn how to use PPEs and how to choose sanitizers in a particular situation. This practice can help you cope with an outbreak before its effects get worse. It also enables you to detect an outbreak early and implement a workable strategy.
The outbreak preparedness plan will involve exercises and simulations for monitoring. It can help you pinpoint and correct any shortcomings for improved operational effectiveness. You can use the plan when assigning roles and responsibilities in times of an outbreak.
7. Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned
Have the ducts cleaned if they have molds growing in them or are infested with insects or rodents. Cleaning will also be ideal if they have excessive amounts of debris and dust trapped in them.
Clean your air ducts to bring in more fresh air to your office and improve the air quality. You should also limit the number of workers in shared spaces to avoid straining your ventilation systems.
Maintain an indoor relative humidity of 40 to 60 percent in fall and spring. Lowering the relative humidity levels during winter can help prevent a lot of moisture from clogging your air ducts.
Keep your outer doors and windows open for an uninterrupted supply of air. Your air conditioner should come with an open vent or an outdoor air intake feature.
Get Office Sanitizing Help Today
With these office sanitizing tips, you can now maintain high hygienic standards at work. Include them in your office cleaning schedule for the best health and safety results. Be consistent with these practices for long-term effects and sustainability.
Count on our top-quality janitorial services to clean and disinfect your premises. Our goal is to make your workplace welcoming for both your employees and customers. Speak to one of our representatives today for a free quote.