FOCUS CLEANING
The Government has now confirmed
that many businesses – such as nonessential
retailers can now reopen and,
although those who can work from home
can continue to do so, the majority of
organisations are preparing workplaces
for at least partial reoccupation. For
FMs this means ensuring that buildings
are made ready to safely reintroduce
occupants and once people are back, are
kept as sanitary as possible.
Before reopening, commercial buildings
will require a deep clean, but what does
that mean in practice? According to Dale
Jones, Head of Technical Development
at Alcumus SafeContractor, under the
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare)
Regulations(1) there is a legal duty to ensure
that all premises and workplaces are kept
su iciently clean, but there is no real legal
definition of what constitutes a deep clean.
However, there is reference within HSE
guidance for the need for high standards
28 JUNE 2020
of cleanliness for controlling exposure to
substances hazardous to health.
“The type and level of cleaning required prior
to reoccupying your premises will depend on
your risk assessment for your particular site
and/or the activities undertaken,” explains
Jones.
“There are a number of things to consider.
For some businesses the workplace may have
been closed down for a number of weeks, so
you will need to consider whether anyone has
periodically gained access to the facility i.e.
to undertake maintenance or security related
tasks. Are you aware of any of your workforce
coming down with COVID-19 and had access
to the facility during the lockdown period or
simply when was the last time the building
was thoroughly cleaned?
“Some businesses are seeing it as best
practice to deep clean their premises, to
ensure everything is as clean and safe as
possible prior to bringing back the team. It is
also a very visual reminder to the workforce
that as a business you are taking safety
seriously.”
In terms of the products you should use to
carry out a deep clean, Dominic Ponniah, CEO
of Cleanology says there are many di erent
systems on the market, but: “We recommend
products that contain active biocides
specifically designed for the cleansing and
disinfecting of hard and so surfaces, as well
as proven for use on skin. It is important to
access all hard-to-reach areas, without leaving
surfaces wet.
“Our system, for example, uses a mist spray
with fogging technology that deals e ectively
with a range of bacteria, viruses and fungi,
including MRSA, E-Coli, HIV-1 and Coronavirus
viruses. Companies should be able to provide
you with a certificate of completion if you
require it for insurance. It may also be prudent
to commission deep cleaning of o ices, toilets
and kitchens, and focus on areas and items
such as IT, carpets and upholstery and hard
floors.”
CLEANING REGIMES
The way cleaning regimes are organised is
one of the most noticeable changes following
CLEAN AND CLEAR As more of us prepare to return to the workplace, cleaning
specialists off er advice on the steps FMs should take to
help ensure their premises remain clean and infection free