Read Our Article on Disinfecting COVID-19 In the April 2020 Issue of the IFMA NYC Facilitator Newsletter
DISINFECTING COVID-19
In today’s uncertain and ever-changing climate, the future of a facility and the people in it lies in a sustained effort to maintain a clean, safe and healthy environment.
For the past few months, offices throughout the country have shut down, with many retaining a skeleton crew and most employees working remotely. While the return-to-work date continues to be pushed back, employees need peace of mind that — when they do return to work — they are entering a safe and healthy workspace.
So how does a company ensure its space is safe, healthy and free of the threat of the coronavirus and how does a facility ensure its employees, customers, clients and anyone who walks through its building is safe?
As COVID-19 continues its spread throughout the U.S., it’s crucial that companies create a proactive and preemptive disinfection program as an integral part of a facility’s ongoing maintenance program. As the new normal becomes more and more apparent, disinfection will become part of everyone’s regiment – no longer cleaning just for appearance but cleaning especially for health.
There are several factors to consider when choosing a comprehensive disinfectant system, and the products and processes involved. The products used should be EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectants, which meet the CDC/EPA efficacy requirement against the COVID-19 that is, they kill 99.999% of bacteria and viruses on contact.
Cleaning is required before disinfecting in order to remove dirt, debris and dust because inorganic and organic materials that remain on surfaces may interfere with the effectiveness of disinfection. Simply wiping down your space is not enough to rid your environment of COVID-19. A professional atomizer fog application is the best option to ensure broad treatment and coverage to kill 99.999% of bacteria.
Electrostatic spraying/fogging for disinfection is a simple, yet effective, solution. This method uses a compressor to drive air through a charger in the sprayer/fogging nozzle. These devices deliver an accurate amount of chemistry to surfaces, allowing them to be wetted without dripping them on the floor.
Armed with PPE equipment, including goggles, rubber gloves, surgical booties, N-95 masks and Tyvek suits, technicians pre-clean surfaces to remove any bacterial biofilm, soi or debris from surfaces. It is only then that disinfectant is applied and is allowed to remain wet for 10 minutes to kill COVID-19. It’s important to note that spraying/fogging gets better coverage than wiping and puts out more product in a larger area. If a surface is still wet, it is wiped down.
Experienced firms understand how to dial in their electrostatic sprayers and fogger machines based on the ambient temperature and relative humidity of a space in order to deliver the right amount of chemistry without unnecessary over saturation. For targeted disinfection, you must think in terms of surfaces that an infected person would touch: door knobs, computers, printers, phones, elevator pads, and bathrooms – especially faucets, toilet partitions, towel dispensers, etc.
The amount of time it takes for disinfection depends on the size of the space, but the average rate for a technician with one fogging machine is 4,000 square feet per hour. Upon completion, work can resume almost immediately.
The disinfectant products are safe in a variety of environments, including schools, healthcare facilities, corporate offices, airports and transportation centers, restaurants, retail establishments, gyms, museums, conference centers and construction sites. As time goes on more and more environments have become targets for disinfection: EMS vehicles, ride shares, buses, subways – the list goes on.
Facilities should not take shortcuts when it comes to proper disinfection. A hired firm needs to be experienced, professional and qualified, one that has the right chemistry, equipment and protective gear to handle the ongoing threat of COVID-19. This is the new normal.
By Randy Weis, President, RD Weis, LLC.
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