If one or more of the employees at your facility is either suspected or confirmed for contracted Covid-19, they may have shed the virus, and now you must decontaminate the workspace. Before doing this, you will want to identify the potential contaminated workspace and equipment.
The CDC and other healthcare professionals find that the Covid-19 virus can travel up to one meter or 3.2 feet through respiratory droplets, while there is some evidence that says it can travel even further. The CDC also recommends that any facility contaminated with coronavirus be decontaminated for up to 7 days from the last day the contamination occurred. Staff who are responsible for decontamination will want to wear PPE to protect themselves from becoming infected.
Encourage Staff To Wear PPE
When staff is decontaminating for Covid-19, they are basically cleaning. This often involves chemicals, soaps, and disinfectants that they will not want to contact during the cleaning process. The cleaning staff has two general reasons to want to wear PPE: first, it is protection from the Covid-19 virus and its mutant strains, and second, they will want protection from the chemicals and soaps they are using.
By using chemicals, PPE staff can get the job done faster and more efficiently because they will be able to pay better attention to what they are doing without constantly worrying if they will brush up against something contaminated. Even when using a mild cleaner, an employee can still get something splashed back into their eyes, and this is one more reason why employees should be encouraged to wear PPE. Some employees will need this encouragement because of their vanity. They may be concerned with how they look while wearing PPE and therefore must be reminded that their health is more important.
PPE That Protects Cleaning Workers
When decontaminating a surface, staff will want to protect their hands so that they do not help the virus travel to where it can infect someone through mucous membranes. Nitrile gloves are often the best way to protect your hands because they are both practical and biodegradable. Latex gloves are also a good idea. It is important to remember that the virus can live on these gloves, so it is wise to change them throughout the day. If you go on break or use the bathroom, you will throw them away and get a new pair.
A face mask covering your nose and mouth is recommended, and an even better solution is an N95 or higher respirator. An isolation gown is also recommended to prevent the virus from getting onto your clothing or skin. Isolation gowns are made from various fabrics and a wide range of fibers that are of nonwoven bonded fibers. The material is usually polypropylene, polyester, or polyethylene fluid-resistant fiber. For eye protection, you should wear goggles or a face shield. Goggles should fit snug around the eyes, and a face shield should cover the front and sides of the face from your forehead to chin area.
Putting these efforts in place will ensure that the workplace is properly decontaminated and other works are protected during the process.
in Blog