Proper Cleaning Protects Your Staff From Outbreaks

An outbreak of illnesses can have a significant impact on the productivity of your employees and the profitability of your business. Some of the most common outbreaks in offices are colds and allergies. Every business must work actively to protect members of staff from outbreaks. Proper cleaning protects employees from outbreaks of many diseases.

Transmission of Infection

There are plenty of ways that infections can be spread in an office setting. Some of them include;

• Inhaling airborne germs. The germs may be spread through sneezing and coughing
• Skin-to-skin contact may lead to the transfer of pathogens from one person to another
• Eating contaminated foods or drinks
• Pathogens may be spread through contact with infected body fluids

Every office should have a cleaning program to keep the office clean and comfortable. It can protect the members of staff from disease outbreaks. The following tips may help;

1. Have a Working Schedule

Come with a regimen with details of cleaning tasks and how often they should be done. After creating it, train the cleaners to use the right equipment and safety procedures. Conduct regular inspections to confirm that the office is cleaned as stated in the schedule.

2. It is a Team Effort

Every member of staff has a role to play in ensuring that there are no outbreaks in the office. One of the simplest yet most effective ways of preventing outbreaks is proper hand washing. Have signage in the building reminding the members of staff about the benefits of good hand hygiene. Provide disposable wipes that they can use to clean their keyboards and other personal items. Let every member of staff know that they can be part of the solution.

3. Use the Right Chemicals

Different chemicals are appropriate for cleaning different parts of the home. Encourage your cleaners to always use solutions with short dwell time to minimize the possibility of human error. Proper cleaning protects you from diseases that may arise from a buildup of bacteria and virus.

4. Target Common Touch Points

Viruses can survive on hard surfaces for as long as 48 hours. They can easily be transferred through surfaces such as drinking fountains, door handles, and other common touchpoint areas. Have a list of the touchpoints in your business and ensure that they are cleaned at least once a day.

5. Have Good Ventilation

Your office space should always be well-ventilated. Enclosed spaces can speed up the spread of infectious diseases. All air conditioning systems should be maintained regularly. Where there are no air conditioners, windows should be left open to promote airflow.

6. Encourage Risk Communications

All members of staff must be educated about the risk of exposure associated with their jobs. Different outbreaks affect people differently depending on their health history and age.

If you already have an outbreak in your office, you have to respond immediately. Take extreme cleaning measures and let the members of staff know about the outbreak. Sick employees shouldn’t stay at work as they may spread the infection to others. Ask them to report back when the symptoms have cleared. Ask the cleaners to clean all hard surfaces, common touchpoints, and restrooms.

Unfortunately, outbreaks happen all the time. All offices must have a working outbreak prevention plan. It is the only way of protecting your members of staff. When the workplace is safe, clean, and comfortable, employees are likely to be healthier and more productive.