Proper cleaning during coronavirus pandemic

Besides ensuring employees stay home or a safe distance away from others, one of the most impactful things organizations can do to keep their people safe is to properly clean their facilities.

If your organization has an infectious disease prevention program, a section on cleaning schedules and details on coverage and prescribed cleaning agents should be included. If you do not currently have such information, we recommend creating these guidelines.

Use the correct equipment and chemicals

One of the most important parts of cleaning is using the right equipment and chemicals. The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at UW has produced a helpful and approachable handout that provides good information covering disinfectant options. Specifically, the handout discusses safer disinfectant choices; many of these options can eliminate the need for PPE – especially respiratory protection – while using. In a moment where PPE shortages are reaching concerning levels this is a clear benefit.

The UW resource also includes recommended practices for safe and effective cleaning. This can be a good checklist to compare to your organization’s current cleaning plan, or a starting point for those just building this program.

AWC Retro strongly recommends member organizations consider the safety level of cleaners used during this time and ensure proper PPE availability can be continued for staff members assigned cleaning and disinfecting tasks.

Disinfectant database

The EPA has a searchable database of disinfectants registered for use against SARS-CoV-2. If unclear if your cleaning agent meets requirements, search this database and speak with your vendor.