13 minute read
Cleaning and Covid-19
by Ian Coles
Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility
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Reopening Bermuda requires all Each product has been shown to be of us to move forward together effective against viruses that are harder to by practicing social distancing kill than viruses like the one that causes and other daily habits to reduce our COVID-19. risk of exposure to the virus that causes Here’s a framework to follow for COVID-19. Reopening the island cleaning and disinfecting your facility — also relies on public health strategies, or your home. including cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools, 1 Normal routine cleaning with soap and water will decrease how much of and your home. the virus is on surfaces and objects, which
Every Bermuda resident has been reduces the risk of exposure. called upon to stop the spread of the virus through social distancing and prevention 2 Disinfection using EPA-approved disinfectants against COVID-19 hygiene, such as frequently washing can also help reduce the risk. Frequent your hands and wearing face coverings. disinfection of surfaces and objects Everyone also has a role in making sure touched by multiple people is important. our community is as safe as possible to reopen and remain open. The virus that 3 When EPA-approved disinfectants are not available, alternative causes COVID-19 can be killed if you disinfectants can be used (for example, use the right products for cleaning. The 1/3 cup of bleach added to 1 gallon of United States Environmental Protection water, or 70% alcohol solutions). Do Agency (EPA) has compiled a list of not mix bleach or other cleaning and disinfectant products that can be used disinfection products together — this can against COVID-19, including readycause fumes that may be very dangerous to-use sprays, concentrates, and wipes. to breathe in. Keep all disinfectants out of the reach of children. A few important reminders about Coronaviruses and reducing the risk of exposure: • Coronaviruses on surfaces and objects naturally die within hours to days. Warmer temperatures and exposure to sunlight will reduce the time the virus survives on surfaces and objects. • Normal routine cleaning with soap and water removes germs and dirt from surfaces. It lowers the risk of spreading COVID-19 infection. • Disinfectants kill germs on surfaces. By killing germs on a surface after cleaning, you can further lower the risk of spreading infection. • Store and use disinfectants in a responsible and appropriate manner according to the label. • Do not overuse or stockpile disinfectants or other supplies. This can result in shortages of appropriate products for others to use in critical situations. • Always wear gloves appropriate for the chemicals being used when you are cleaning and disinfecting. Additional personal protective equipment (PPE) may be needed based on setting and product.
DEVELOP YOUR PLAN
Evaluate your workplace, school, home, or business to determine what kinds of surfaces and materials make up that area. Most surfaces and objects will just need normal routine cleaning. Frequently touched surfaces and objects like door handles will need to be cleaned and then disinfected to further reduce the risk of germs on surfaces and objects. Examples of frequently touched surfaces and objects that will need routine disinfection are: tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets and sinks, touch
screens, ATM machines.
You should also consider what items can be moved or removed completely to reduce frequent handling or contact from multiple people. Soft and porous materials, such as area rugs and seating, may be removed or stored to reduce the challenges with cleaning and disinfecting them.
It is critical that your plan includes how to maintain a cleaning and disinfecting strategy, keeping it flexible with your staff or family, and adjusting as guidance is updated and if your specific circumstances change.
Some surfaces only need to be cleaned with soap and water. For example, surfaces and objects that are not frequently touched should be cleaned and do not require additional disinfection. Additionally, disinfectants should typically not be applied on items used by children.
Outdoor areas generally require normal routine cleaning and do not require disinfection. Spraying disinfectant on sidewalks and in parks is not an efficient use of disinfectant
supplies and has not been proven to reduce the risk of COVID-19. You should maintain existing cleaning and hygiene practices for outdoor areas. The targeted use of disinfectants can be done effectively, efficiently and safely on outdoor hard surfaces and objects frequently touched by multiple people. Certain outdoor areas and facilities, such as bars and restaurants, may have additional requirements.
There is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread directly to humans from water in pools, hot tubs or spas, or water play areas. Proper operation, maintenance, and disinfection (for example, with chlorine) of pools, hot tubs or spas, and water playgrounds should kill the virus that causes COVID-19. However, there are additional concerns with outdoor areas that may be maintained less frequently, including playgrounds.
If your workplace, school, or business has been unoccupied for 7 days or more, it will only need your normal routine cleaning to reopen the area. This is because the virus that causes COVID-19 has not been shown to survive on surfaces longer than this time. Q
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Is your building clean?
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As the Covid-19 virus continues to spread, we are committed to the health and safety of our community. Protection of employees and safety is our number #1 priority, so that our clients, their families and others feel safe.
We offer sanitising services for companies, schools, workshops, warehouses and other businesses, to help reduce the risk of exposure to this deadly virus. Our trained and certified managers will arrive on-site to perform your disinfecting and sanitising service wearing the proper PPE and N95 respirator masks. As we learn more from the CDS, EPA and other experts, we practice the best measures to ensure your safety.
Transmission of corona virus occurs more commonly through respiratory surfaces, like handles and doorknobs, droplets than through objects and countertops, keyboards and toys.
However, current evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a ‘best practice’ measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings.
Having a clean office is important to our clients and their employees. The first impression for any client is based upon how clean the office area is. For your staff, to have peace of mind that their workspace has been not only cleaned but sanitized, allows them to focus on their work and be more productive. In addition, a clean work area reduces the number of allergens and bacteria that settles in the building, and keeping a clean area also helps employees stay healthy throughout the year. www.atlanticcleaning.bm. Tel: 236- 4051. Email: info@atlanticcleaning.bm Q
16 Market Lane, Pembroke HM07 Office: 236-4051 Mobile: (Allen / General Manager) 333-4050 Mobile: ( John Ferreira / Chief Executive Officer) 338-1958 info@atlanticcleaning.bm www.atlanticcleaning.bm
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Green Cleaning Green Cleaning for a Sustainable for a Sustainable FutureFuture
Whether for commercial space or home, Bermuda Cleaning Ltd (BCL), voted W hether for commercial space or home, Bermuda Cleaning Ltd (BCL), voted Bermuda Best Cleaning Company 2019, Bermuda Best Cleaning Company 2019, is your one-stop call for environmentally is your one-stop call for environmentally friendly cleaning and janitorial supplies. friendly cleaning and janitorial supplies.
What is green cleaning? What is green cleaning?
Green cleaning has many definitions, Green cleaning has many definitions, but its main goal is to use solutions but its main goal is to use solutions and methods that keep us and our and methods that keep us and our environment healthy. environment healthy.
How does green cleaning benefit our How does green cleaning benefit our environment?environment?
The green cleaning movement The green cleaning movement encourages people to live in a more encourages people to live in a more environmentally friendly way. Going environmentally friendly way. Going green has positive side effects for the green has positive side effects for the environment, including cleaner water, environment, including cleaner water, cleaner air, preserving natural resources, cleaner air, preserving natural resources, and reducing the impact of global and reducing the impact of global warming.warming.
Reducing chemical usage, cleaning Reducing chemical usage, cleaning with sustainable products, and saving with sustainable products, and saving plastic bottles for reuse are among the plastic bottles for reuse are among the simple ways to protect our environment. simple ways to protect our environment. These easy tactics can start right at home These easy tactics can start right at home or in your office.or in your office.
Five easy steps to clean green Five easy steps to clean green 1 Declutter. Take a look around to see what bits and bobs you think are 1 Declutter. Take a look around to see what bits and bobs you think are obsolete, reusable or able to pass along obsolete, reusable or able to pass along to a friend. Plastic containers, bottles, to a friend. Plastic containers, bottles, clothes, equipment, and other knickclothes, equipment, and other knickknacks can always be helpful to others. knacks can always be helpful to others. 2 The Basics. Environmentally friendly products, microfiber cloths, 2 The Basics. Environmentally friendly products, microfiber cloths, mops, dusters, and Hepa-filtered mops, dusters, and Hepa-filtered vacuums are all basic tools to help kickvacuums are all basic tools to help kickstart your green cleaning movement. start your green cleaning movement. Remember, there’s absolutely nothing Remember, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with buying commercial green wrong with buying commercial green equipment or products. These are our equipment or products. These are our personal preferences because there’s no personal preferences because there’s no mixing or measuring, and they do a great mixing or measuring, and they do a great job with less “elbow grease.” However, job with less “elbow grease.” However, there are also multiple household there are also multiple household remedies that work safely. remedies that work safely. 3 Green Cleaning Products Lemon juice: disinfects and easily 3 Green Cleaning Products Lemon juice: disinfects and easily degreasesdegreases White vinegar: loosens dirt and White vinegar: loosens dirt and disinfectsdisinfects Castile soap: foaming all-purpose Castile soap: foaming all-purpose cleanercleaner Olive oil: great for polishing wood and Olive oil: great for polishing wood and ridding surface dirtridding surface dirt Baking soda: effective scrubber reacts Baking soda: effective scrubber reacts with vinegar and lemonwith vinegar and lemon Washing soda: effective stain remover Washing soda: effective stain remover and the perfect laundry supplementand the perfect laundry supplement 4 Bottle Bank. Reuse your plastic bottles whenever possible. This isn’t 4 Bottle Bank. Reuse your plastic bottles whenever possible. This isn’t just for cleaning; reuse all those take-out just for cleaning; reuse all those take-out containers and plastic shopping bags. containers and plastic shopping bags. 5 Call the professionals. Bermuda Cleaning Ltd specialises in all levels of 5 Call the professionals. Bermuda Cleaning Ltd specialises in all levels of commercial and residential cleaning. It has commercial and residential cleaning. It has a wide range of expertise and thrives on a wide range of expertise and thrives on building its environmentally friendly ethos. building its environmentally friendly ethos. Its trained team can answer questions or Its trained team can answer questions or meet for a free site visit and consultation. meet for a free site visit and consultation. And its retail store, Bermuda Janitorial And its retail store, Bermuda Janitorial Supplies Ltd, stocks a wide variety of green Supplies Ltd, stocks a wide variety of green cleaning products, equipment, and supplies.cleaning products, equipment, and supplies.
Tel: 295-1378; www.bermudacleaning.Tel: 295-1378; www.bermudacleaning. bm; 21 Serpentine Road, Pembroke. n bm; 21 Serpentine Road, Pembroke. n
OFFICE CLEANING OFFICE CLEANING OFFICE CLEANING OFFICE CLEANING CONSTRUCTION CLEAN UP CONSTRUCTION CLEAN UP CONSTRUCTION CLEAN UP CONSTRUCTION CLEAN UP RESIDENTIAL CLEANING RESIDENTIAL CLEANING RESIDENTIAL CLEANING RESIDENTIAL CLEANING WINDOW CLEANING WINDOW CLEANING WINDOW CLEANING WINDOW CLEANING GREEN CLEANING METHODS GREEN CLEANING METHODS GREEN CLEANING METHODS GREEN CLEANING METHODS Been there, cleaned that... again! Been there, cleaned that... again! Been there, cleaned that... again! Been there, cleaned that... again!
ON SITE AREA RUG CLEANING ON SITE AREA RUG CLEANING ON SITE AREA RUG CLEANING ON SITE AREA RUG CLEANING (PICK UP & DROP OFF AVAILABLE) (PICK UP & DROP OFF AVAILABLE) (PICK UP & DROP OFF AVAILABLE) (PICK UP & DROP OFF AVAILABLE) CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING POWER WASHING POWER WASHING POWER WASHING POWER WASHING GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED PRODUCTS` GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED PRODUCTS` GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED PRODUCTS` GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED PRODUCTS`
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COMMERCIAL CLEANING PRODUCTS COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL VACUUMS COMMERCIAL CLEANING PRODUCTS COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL VACUUMS COMMERCIAL CLEANING PRODUCTS COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL VACUUMS COMMERCIAL CLEANING PRODUCTS COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL VACUUMS HOUSEHOLD CLEANING HOUSEHOLD CLEANING HOUSEHOLD CLEANING HOUSEHOLD CLEANING ALL PARTS & ACCESSORIES ALL PARTS & ACCESSORIES ALL PARTS & ACCESSORIES ALL PARTS & ACCESSORIES CLEANING EQUIPMENT & TOOLS CLEANING EQUIPMENT & TOOLS CLEANING EQUIPMENT & TOOLS CLEANING EQUIPMENT & TOOLS ECO FRIENDLY PRODUCTS ECO FRIENDLY PRODUCTS ECO FRIENDLY PRODUCTS ECO FRIENDLY PRODUCTS GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED
Vacuum World! Vacuum World! Vacuum World! Vacuum World!
Commercial Steam Mops Commercial Steam Mops Commercial Steam Mops Commercial Steam Mops
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Committed to a sustainable path
As one of the world’s largest multiline property and casualty insurers, Chubb has a responsibility to control our ecological footprint in the communities in which we work and live. By introducing numerous environmental initiatives, we strive to reduce our impact on the local environment and are committed to promoting a healthy and sustainable planet.
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The Chubb Building in Bermuda is LEED Gold® and is using the LEED Dynamic Plaque™ to manage its building performance. The LEED Dynamic Plaque measures and displays current building performance data spanning energy, water, waste, transportation and human experience. Learn more at LEEDon.io.
