Keeping Germs from Your Workplace like a Cleanroom Cleaning Company
One of the primary problems with germs is that they can easily be spread. For instance, they can be spread to the hands by coughing, sneezing, or rubbing the eyes before being transferred to other people. So, if you have employees who come to work sick and go on to inadvertently spread germs to co-workers and management, things can get bad fairly quickly.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there have been, from October 1, 2022 through December 3, 2022, the following:
- 13 million to 27 million flu illnesses
- 6.1 million to 13 million flu medical visits
- 120,000 to 260,000 flu hospitalizations
- 7,300 to 21,000 flu deaths
One study shows that the flu results in 111 million lost work days due to absenteeism annually—and that adds up to a staggering $7 billion a year in lost productivity.
And while the flu threat is high this time of year, don’t forget that COVID-19 isn’t over and possibly won’t ever be. Your business needs to be on high alert to keep the workplace safe for management, staff, customers, and anyone else who enters your workspace.
Continue reading to learn more about contamination control and how to keep germs from spreading in the workplace like a cleanroom cleaning company.
8 Ways to Prevent Germs from Spreading in Your Workplace
Keeping your workplace clean of contaminants and germs doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are eight ways you can act like a cleanroom cleaning company and maintain a safe, healthy workplace environment.
Tell Sick Staff to Stay Home
Since germs are highly contagious, it goes without saying that avoiding an outbreak at work means telling sick employees and management to stay home until symptoms are gone. Employees must understand that coming to work sick isn’t a sign of commitment. It’s better to exercise caution and show due regard to others by staying home when sick. Sick staff and management won’t be able to spread their germs to others if they stay home.
It’s a good idea for your company to set up the infrastructure for remote work so that staff and management who aren’t well can still stay on top of their responsibilities if they’re able to. Your company will be able to slow the spread of germs if the sick are essentially quarantined at home.
Respect Personal Space
You likely remember during the early stages of COVID-19 when the CDC recommended that people stay two meters apart from others. Physical distancing makes sense if you want to keep germs from spreading in the workplace. Staff and management can still interact and work together. It’s just that everyone should have sufficient space. This is all the more essential if you have employees who believe they may be coming down with something.
In addition to physical distancing, employees and management must be careful about sharing items in the workplace. They should be wary about sharing pens, keyboards, phones, and other things that can easily factor into the spread of germs in the workplace.
How often do you need to clean your commercial building to keep it safe from germs? Explore our blog to find out.
Cough Into a Sleeve
Another way to keep germs from spreading in the workplace is to encourage people to be wary when coughing or sneezing. It’s best to do so in their sleeves or tissue paper. It’s a bad idea, however, for them to do so in their own hands. If they cough or sneeze in their hands, they can easily spread germs to other people in the workplace. And you’ll want to stop that from happening.
Practice Proper Hygiene
Good hygiene will help to keep germs from running amok in your workplace. While it should be obvious, people at work need to practice good habits when using the restroom. That means washing their hands with soap and warm water. They should also use hand sanitizer regularly throughout the day to eradicate germs from their hands. If people simply wash their hands properly and use hand sanitizer as needed, that’ll help stop germs from spreading. Your workplace needs to have a culture that places a priority on cleanliness.
Wipe Down Surfaces with Disinfecting Wipes
Another essential practice is wiping down surfaces with disinfecting wipes. People at work should use the wipes periodically to wipe down their desks, lunchroom tables, keyboards, and computer mouses. Germs can easily spread if any of the above things are contaminated. So, using disinfecting wipes regularly will help to keep germs from spreading in the workplace.
Open Windows or Improve Ventilation System
Does your workplace have a good ventilation system in place? If so, that’ll go a long way toward improving air quality and helping to filter the air. Otherwise, try to open windows whenever possible. You won’t be able to open them wide during the winter months, but you may be able to open some of them to some degree so that fresh air gets inside.
Educate Employees and Management
Another way to keep germs from spreading in the workplace is by educating employees and management. Everyone needs to be on the same page. You must communicate what is expected of everyone, such as when it might be best to call in sick. Once you communicate the rules, you can hold everyone accountable.
Hire a Professional Cleaning Company
It pays to consider hiring a professional cleaning company with experience working in spaces like your own. You can select from various service options to keep your workplace clean, sanitary, and safe for management, workers, customers, and others. If germs run amok in your workplace, productivity will take a massive hit. The spread of germs is no laughing matter. You need a strategy to eradicate germs and create a safe working environment. Signing on with a professional cleaning company will ensure germs don’t overrun your workspace.
We Have What You Need at Brenner Facility Services
At Brenner Facility Services, we offer many types of commercial cleaning services for office spaces and commercial buildings. Our commercial services include day porter, janitorial/custodial, deep cleaning, and cleanroom cleaning services. We also serve a wide range of commercial and governmental facilities.
Are you interested in learning more about how we can help you? Get in touch for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ve offered professional commercial cleaning services to businesses and organizations in Eastern New England since 1986. You can count on us to provide the level of service you deserve and expect.