FOCUS WASHROOMS
toilet flush and more recently airplane
style flush devices on toilets that not
only reduce water consumption, but
also decrease the amount of airborne
particulate being realised at point of
flush.”
Although the use of automatic doors at
the entrance to toilets may sound like a
solution to touching surfaces on the way
out of the loo, (rather says Doak like those
used in trains), the washroom experts
concurred that privacy issues might
make this an innovation too far. Instead,
suggests Gilliard, there are ways in which
FMs can make doors easier to open when
exiting with clean, freshly washed hands.
“For example, brackets can be fitted so
that a door can be opened with your
forearm, or double swing doors can be
fitted. Either option can reduce
the spread of dirt and
germs and also make for
a washroom that is
easier to clean.”
Bins should be emptied
more frequently, to ensure they
don’t overfi ll and become diffi cult
to manage, with the liners being
CLEAN
PRACTICES
Aside from
the increasing
adoption of
automation, more
stringent cleaning
practices will be
the best way to keep
buildings infection-free,
and FMs will need to increase
the amount of cleaning and checking
of washrooms to achieve this. According
to Wakefield: “It is now more important
than ever that washroom facilities are
in good working order, and remain wellmaintained,
sealed correctly and the
correct PPE worn.”
well-stocked, and regularly
monitored. A er all, people are unable to
wash their hands if the soap has dispenser
has run empty.”
Doak agrees that although there will
still need to be a human element for this
to happen, the number of users could
38 SEPTEMBER 2020
1,000 parts per million available chlorine)
following Government advice to ‘think one
site, one wipe, in one direction.’(v)
She adds that “disposable cloths or paper
roll, and disposable mop heads should
be used to clean all hard surfaces, floors,
chairs, and sanitary fittings. Any used
cloths and mop heads must be put into
waste bags and disposed of as normal.
“If an individual has displayed symptoms
of COVID-19, any waste from cleaning of
areas where they have been (including
PPE, disposable cloths and used tissues)
should be put in a plastic rubbish bag
and tied when full. The plastic bag should
then be placed in a second bin bag and
tied, and placed in a suitable and secure
place. It should be marked for storage.
A er 72 hours, or if the individual receives
a negative test result before then, it can be
placed in the normal, communal waste.”
She concludes that FMs should strive to
o er a welcoming and pleasant washroom
experience, because this helps to promote
good hand hygiene.
“With all these practices in place,
providing clean and hygienic facilities
will be even more critical for business,
as customers o en judge the overall
perception of an organisation based on
their experiences in the washroom.”
be monitored automatically, “avoiding
unnecessary checks if the facilities have not
been used very frequently.”
Gillard advises that FMs should plan
and ensure a regular and thorough
cleaning schedule is followed; and
that washrooms are checked
even more regularly to prevent
toilet tissue, soap or hand
drying dispensers from
running empty. “To help
avoid this situation, FMs can
install high capacity toilet
roll or continuous towel roll
systems. This will also help
minimise labour intensive repeat
refilling of dispensers throughout
the day.”
WASTE DISPOSAL
As Doak explains, with increased hand
washing being encouraged, it is likely that
washroom waste will also increase, not
only through paper towels and tissues,
but also discarded PPE such as masks and
gloves.
He advises that: “Bins should be emptied
more frequently, to ensure they don’t
overfill and become di icult to manage,
with the liners being sealed correctly and
the correct PPE worn. Collections should be
increased to ensure waste is not stored on
site any longer than necessary, thus cutting
down infection risk.
“O ensive waste streams should be
introduced into washrooms if not already
in place and appropriate receptacles
should be used (such as pedal or auto bins)
to ensure waste can be deposited without
the need to touch any lids or surfaces
unnecessarily. Regular sanitisation of these
receptacles should also become part of the
new, enhanced cleaning regime.”
Another area which might need
consideration is the materials used to carry
out the cleaning of washrooms. Gillard
advocates using a combined detergent
disinfectant solution (at a dilution of
REFERENCE NOTES
(i) www.unicef.org/coronavirus/everything-you-need-knowabout
washing-your-hands-protect-against-coronaviruscovid
19
(ii) www.independent.co.uk/life-style/coronavirus-washhands
correctly-photos-black-light-germs-a9384321.html
(iii) 60–70% of women and 50–60% of men report having
sensitive skin to some degree www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/
articles/PMC6533878/)
(iv) Aerosol and Surface Stability of HCoV-19 (SARS-CoV-2)
as Compared With SARS-CoV-1 www.nejm.org/doi/
full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973
(v) www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-
decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings/covid-19-
decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings
/)
/coronavirus-wash-hands-correctly-photos-black-light-germs-a9384321.html
/everything-you-need-know-about-washing-your-hands-protect-against-coronavirus-covid-19
/NEJMc2004973
/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings
