Advice for our Clients

Preventing the spread of respiratory viruses like the common cold, flu, and COVID-19 in the workplace requires a comprehensive, "layered" strategy that combines individual hygiene, building policy and management.

Core Individual Practices

The foundation of workplace infection control relies on personal responsibility and basic hygiene: 

• Stay Home When Sick: This is the most effective measure. Employees should not come on-site if they have a fever or acute respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, sore throat).

• Hand Hygiene: Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after touching high-touch surfaces, coughing, or sneezing. Provide alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) where washing is not feasible.

• Respiratory Etiquette: Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or a flexed elbow. Properly dispose of used tissues in no-touch bins immediately.

• Avoid Face-Touching: Remind employees to avoid touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands to prevent self-inoculation.

Building Policy and Management

Employers can reduce the physical presence of viruses through building management: 

• Optimize Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality: Ensure HVAC systems are well-maintained and maximize outdoor air intake. Use vacuums with HEPA filtration to ensure microscope pollutants are actually trapped such as fine dust, allergens and bacteria.

• Surface Cleaning and Disinfection: Establish routine schedules for cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, light switches, and shared equipment like microwaves.

Strategic Sanitation: Install sanitizer dispensers at building entrances, reception areas, and near elevators

Understanding the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting:

1. Cleaning

   • The cleaning process is meant to remove dirt from surfaces. This usually includes removing a good portion of harmful bacteria and other germs.

   • This approach is appropriate for low-risk surfaces such as office floors, windows, etc.

2. Sanitizing

   • The sanitization process is meant to kill approximately 99.9% of harmful bacteria. This is very useful around food contact surfaces. It is important to know that sanitization does not kill viruses, such as the coronavirus. Most sanitization products on the market have a contact time of around 30 seconds. This means the surface being sanitized must remain wet for at least 30 seconds.

   • Sanitizing should only be applied to food contact surfaces, which is required as part of the food code.

   • Since sanitizing does not make anti-viral claims, sanitizing offers no confidence of killing the flu or other viruses (such as the coronavirus) commonly found on surfaces.

3. Disinfecting

   • The disinfecting process in meant to kill 99.999% of germs. This includes harmful bacteria and viruses. Most disinfecting products (sprays or wipes) on the market today have a contact time of between 5 and 10 minutes. Some are faster.

   • Disinfection is appropriate for frequently touched surfaces and surfaces likely to harbor pathogens, such as doorknobs, light switches, phone handsets, stair railings, etc.

If you would like to supplement the level of cleaning and disinfection in your offices to keep them healthier between our cleaning visits, here are some tips:

1. In-between scheduled cleanings by our cleaners, you should disinfect high touchpoint surfaces frequently, such as doorknobs, light switches, phone handsets, stair railings, etc.

2. When disinfecting:

   • Choose a wipes or spray disinfecting product

   • Find on the product label the required contact time for disinfection (not just sanitization).

   • Pre-clean any surfaces prior to disinfecting.

   • Use disinfecting sprays or wipes as directed on the product label. Ensure you observe the proper contact time.

   • After disinfecting, let the surface air dry making sure it stays wet for as long as recommended on the product label – usually between 5 to 10 minutes, some are faster.

   • If disinfecting food contact surfaces or toys, rinse with water after they air dry.

We hope this has been helpful and insightful information for you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.