Deep Cleaning Your Workplace (COVID-19)

For organisations, deep cleaning has now become an essential element in protecting staff from the COVID-19 virus.

Guidance

The following is advice given on the Government website Covid-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings. Experience of new coronaviruses (SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV) has been used to inform this guidance. The risk of infection depends on many factors, including the:

• Type of surfaces contaminated
• Amount of virus shed from the individual
• Time the individual spent in the setting
• Time since the individual was last in the setting
• The infection risk from coronavirus (COVID-19), following contamination of the environment, decreases over time. It is not yet clear at what point there is no risk. However, studies of other viruses in the same family suggest that, in most circumstances, the risk is likely to be reduced significantly after 72 hours.

What You Need to Know

• Cleaning an area with normal household disinfectant after someone with suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) has left will reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people
• Wherever possible, wear disposable or washing-up gloves and aprons for cleaning. These should be double-bagged, then stored securely for 72 hours then thrown away in the regular rubbish after cleaning is finished
• Using a disposable cloth, first clean hard surfaces with warm soapy water. Then disinfect these surfaces with the cleaning products you normally use. Pay particular attention to frequently touched areas and surfaces, such as bathrooms, grab-rails in corridors and stairwells and door handles
• If an area has been heavily contaminated, such as with visible bodily fluids, from a person with coronavirus (COVID-19), consider using protection for the eyes, mouth and nose, as well as wearing gloves and an apron
• Wash hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds, and after removing gloves, aprons and other protection used while cleaning
• Deep cleaning after a worker has displayed symptoms / tested positive for COVID-19.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• The minimum PPE to be worn for cleaning an area where a person with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) has been is disposable gloves and an apron. Hands should be washed thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds after all PPE has been removed.
• If a risk assessment of the setting indicates that a higher level of virus may be present (e.g. where it’s likely the person has made physical contact) or there is visible contamination with body fluids, then the need for additional PPE to protect the cleaner’s eyes, mouth and nose might be necessary. The local Public Health England (PHE) Health Protection Team (HPT) can advise on this.

Cleaning and disinfection (useful tips)

• Public areas where a symptomatic individual has passed through and spent minimal time, such as reception / delivery bay, but which are not visibly contaminated with body fluids can be cleaned thoroughly as normal.
• All surfaces that the symptomatic person has come into contact with must be cleaned and disinfected, including:
• Objects which are visibly contaminated with body fluids
• All potentially contaminated high-contact areas such as toilets, door handles, telephones, grab-rails in corridors and stairwells
• Use disposable cloths or paper roll and disposable mop heads, to clean all hard surfaces, floors, chairs, door handles and sanitary fittings, following one of the options below.
• Use either a combined detergent disinfectant solution at a dilution of 1,000 parts per million available chlorine
• Or A household detergent followed by disinfection (1,000 ppm av.cl.). Follow manufacturer’s instructions for dilution, application and contact times for all detergents and disinfectants
• Or If an alternative disinfectant is used within the organisation, this should be checked and ensure that it is effective against enveloped viruses
• Avoid creating splashes and spray when cleaning.
• Any cloths and mop heads used must be disposed of and should be put into waste bags as outlined below.
• When items cannot be cleaned using detergents or laundered, (e.g. upholstered furniture) steam cleaning should be used.
• Any items that are heavily contaminated with body fluids and cannot be cleaned by washing should be disposed of.

Laundry

• Wash items in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the hottest water setting and dry items completely. Dirty laundry that has been in contact with an unwell person can be washed with other people’s items.
• Do not shake dirty laundry, this minimises the possibility of dispersing virus through the air.
• Clean and disinfect anything used for transporting laundry with your usual products, in line with the cleaning guidance above.

Waste

Waste from possible cases and cleaning of areas where possible cases have been (including disposable cloths and tissues):

• Should be put in a plastic rubbish bag and tied when full.
• The plastic bag should then be placed in a second bin bag and tied.
• It should be put in a suitable and secure place and marked for storage until the individual’s test results are known.
• Waste should be stored safely and kept away from children. You should not put your waste in communal waste areas until negative test results are known or the waste has been stored for at least 72 hours if:
• The individual tests negative, this can be put in with the normal waste
• The individual tests positive, then store it for at least 72 hours and put in with the normal waste
• If storage for at least 72 hours is not appropriate, arrange for collection as a Category B infectious waste either by your local waste collection authority if they currently collect your waste or otherwise by a specialist clinical waste contractor. They will supply you with orange clinical waste bags for you to place your bags into so the waste can be sent for appropriate treatment.

Disclaimer: This article is supported by our risk management partners, Health & Safety Click. For more information on SMEs returning to work, please visit www.archriskmanagement.co.uk. This is available to most Arch Online Policyholders, to see if your client has membership or to sign up to the website, contact your local Arch branch manager. This article is intended for use by licensed insurance brokers and should be considered for general information purposes only.