Nina Wyers from The Floorbrite Group Ltd, offers practical solutions and innovations to limit the spread of Covid-19 in your workplace.
We are leading the world with our amazing vaccine program, and slowly returning to normal daily and social activities, yet we must not become complacent. Despite the success of the vaccine rollout, the fact remains, people will continue to contract Covid-19 and some will sadly succumb to this awful disease.
Over the last year the Floorbrite Group has delivered numerous articles and a mountain of information on tackling Covid-19 in the workplace. Our simple brochure of great solutions will help give your employees, customers and visitors, peace of mind in your workplaces. Take a look here: Back to Work Solutions for Covid-19 Brochure
Coronavirus has forced businesses to revisit their entire infection control method and focus on the three methods of transmission:
- Person to Person
- Air to Person
- Surface to Person
Person to Person -
The guidelines are clear. Wear a face covering in public spaces where you could be at risk such as shops and public transport. Stay alert to the risks that may be present as pubs, restaurants and the leisure sectors open. Wash and sanitise your hands frequently.
Air to Person -
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises that Coronavirus can be transmitted from person to person via aerosols in the air.
Customers will be looking for contractors to offer solutions to COVID-19 that will eliminate or greatly reduce air borne contaminants, and be keen to demonstrate that they have provided the latest innovation in order to give staff and the public, peace of mind when returning to work.
If your building has been vacant for some time, you should also test and check your risk of Legionella. You have a legal duty to ensure that your water system is as low risk as is reasonably possible to help prevent bacterial growth and the subsequent health hazards.
Surface to Person -
Business owners must plan a robust ongoing hygiene program to give their employees and customers peace of mind and confidence in returning to them. Wiping surfaces once each day will not suffice if the surface becomes infected 5 minutes later. Increased cleaning frequencies to high touch point areas is now a basic priority.
All businesses will want to offer reassurance to staff and customers by having a more visual and on demand cleaning system in place. Cleaning is no longer reserved for after hours when everyone has gone home. How well your premises is cleaned will become a badge of honour, to market to your customers, to promote as being the safest, the cleanest, the healthiest, the most conscious, the most innovative, the most Covid-free.
We recommend a focus on preventative rather than reactive measures. The key is lasting decontamination and disinfection of surfaces, not to be confused with cleaning alone.
Understanding of the differences between disinfectants is also important. Antibacterial or Antimicrobial? Antibacterial disinfectants and cleaners can still kill bacteria and prevent the development of bacteria-induced illnesses, but they are completely ineffective against viruses. So, always opt for an antimicrobial cleaner and check which viruses it is effective against.
Antimicrobial products can be sprayed and wiped in a standard trigger spray bottle but are most effective when delivered by electrostatic spraying or fogging systems for full decontamination. Electrostatic spray guns and fogging machines produce an ultra-fine mist of chemical, ceiling to floor and using specialist chemicals, will deliver positively charged molecules that are attracted to crevices and even the undersides of surfaces and hard to reach areas, ensuring no surface is left untouched. This kind of service should be conducted by specialist teams when areas are vacant. Depending on the chemical used, the molecules can remain active on surfaces for up to 30 days and daily routine cleaning will not remove or disrupt them.
When applied to a surface by spraying, wiping or 'fogging'; these specialist chemicals leave behind a mono-molecular layer that permanently bonds to the surface. These molecules are antimicrobial, silane-based polymers that permanently bond to the surface forming a barrier of positively charged microscopic pins. The pins rupture the cell walls, causing the pathogen to break up with lethal effect.
Perfect across all sectors including office, manufacturing, hospitality, retail, transport and education sectors and anywhere there is a high footfall of traffic and ongoing high risk of contamination.
If you would like more information please take a look at our Back to Work Solution for Covid-19 Brochure or visit our website at https://www.floorbrite.co.uk/coronavirus/