Due to prevailing risk of Covid-19, Brilliant Office Cleaning Melbourne
and Brilliant Builders Cleaning Melbourne have designed an article to demonstrate the responsibilities of the commercial cleaners to mitigate the risk of corona virus. This briefs you should know about the cleaners' responsibilities to mitigate the health risk. Please click here for more detailed published in our article.
What is the Covid-19 Virus?
Before talking regarding the commitments of our cleaners, it is required to clarify what this virus is. Covid-19 is a human-transferable virus. It usually spreads via droplets whenever an affected person coughs or sneezes. The droplets carry viral particles that can land on the faces of other people or be inhaled. It is projected that an infected person can infect further 400 people within 30 days, if they behave as usual.
How far will Covid-19 exist on inanimate surfaces?
The amount of time that Covid-19 survives on inanimate surfaces could vary depending on elements such as the background temperature and humidity, and the volume of contaminated body fluid, such as respiratory droplets. Generally, the Covid-19 virus is unlikely to live when the droplets released by coughing or sneezing have dried. The following survival times have been spotted by specialists:
Ø In air – 3 hours
Ø Paper tissues - 3 hours
Ø Copper - 4 hours
Ø Cardboard - 24 hours
Ø Wood - 2 days
Ø Cloth - 2 days
Ø Stainless steel - 2-3 days
Ø Polypropylene plastic - 3 days
Ø Glass - 4 days
Ø Paper money - 4 days
Ø External area of a surgical mask - 7 days
You are likely to notice almost all of the above surfaces and items in your office. As a result, the entire cleaning world has now changed. The ordinary cleaning to "make the office environment tidy" has now changed to "make the workplace healthy". This increases the necessity for cleaners to be aware of alternative cleaning techniques required to minimize the risk.
What are the high-risk areas in a regular company?
The simple response is, "everything". Nevertheless, the tables, chairs, floors, toilets, kitchen basins and equipment, handrails on staircases, light switches and door handles bring a major risk, compared to other areas of a typical office.
What are the responsibilities of the cleaners?
Educating clients
Amongst other obligations, educating customers regarding the risk and available risk mitigating cleaning processes is a top priority for a qualified cleaning organization. This does apply to current clients and also to prospective clients that come on board in future.
Designing and implementing additional cleaning methods
What are the appropriate cleaning practices to minimize Covid-19 risk?
The cleaning operations varies depending on the environment of your work area/warehouse. Below are examples of processes to mitigate the risk of infection, but not an exclusive listing of procedures.
Ø Thorough disinfection of bathrooms: This includes seating, covers, under commodes, inside commodes, sinks, flooring, urinals, paper towel dispensers, hand dryers, patronal walls, light switches, etc.
Ø stairway handrails: This is a high-risk area, as COVID-19 can exist for two to three days on stainless metal surfaces. A proper hospital-grade cleaning detergent have to be used to frequently wipe handrails.
Ø Door handles and light switches: This is another high-risk area that need to be significantly focused on. Cleaning agencies have to wipe these areas on a frequent basis with a suitable cleaning detergent.
Ø Floors: Research has disclosed that floors can easily enable the transmission of COVID-19. The primary reason for this is that the virus can remain alive on floors for a significant time. Cleaning service providers should appropriately mop floors using a proper cleaning detergent.
Ø Kitchen: It is very important to frequently wipe microwaves, internally and externally. Kitchen bins must have liners at all times, and the outside of bins require to be cleaned effectively using an appropriate cleaning detergent. Other items, such as toasters, should also be wiped down frequently. One another necessary cleaning operation is wiping door handles and the exterior surface of refrigerators.
Ø Tables, chairs, door handles, light switches, window ledges: These are points that a number of individuals touch regularly. So, regular and extensive wiping, with the correct, cleaning detergent, is necessary.
Moreover, the cleaning service provider should advise the customer to use a appropriate alcohol-based hand sanitiser. It is advised that an automatic hand sanitiser be used to decrease pressing.
Demonstrating integrity
A professional cleaning service will not take advantages of the current situation. We have noticed that some cleaning agencies are trying to overcharge clients for COVID-19 mitigation cleaning. A professional cleaning organization will not do this, but will help their customers to overcome this difficult time period, and not take advantage of the current situation. Cleaning prices must be fair and reasonable, and moreover, the amount charged should provide appropriate value to clients.
Appropriate cleaning detergents
Ø TGA-listed hospital-grade disinfectant that has antiviral activity (according to label/product information).
Ø Chlorine-based products such as sodium hypochlorite, where indicated for use, i.e., a combined detergent/disinfectant wipe or solution.
