Influenza, more commonly known as the flu spreads all year, however in Canada flu season is in the fall, winter and early spring. During these months transmission peaks and as a business owner this can be very challenging. Even if one employee gets sick, the virus can end up being spread around the workplace and infect many employees. This will ultimately create staffing shortages and decreased productivity.
Fortunately, with the right measures you can work to protect your workplace and employees from the flu. The following steps will help minimize the spread this flu season.
A Deep Janitorial Clean
A deep clean will help ensure that all areas of your workplace get fully cleaned and sanitized.
More Frequent Regular Office Cleans
More frequent office cleans by a professional, commercial cleaner during flu season can help maintain the workplace cleanliness and eliminate potential germs before they spread.
Identifying High Touch Points
High touch points are surfaces that have the most frequent contact with hands. These areas contain the most germs and provide lots of opportunities for transmission. Some examples of high touch points can include door handles, light switches, elevator buttons, faucet/tap handles, dispensers, phones and more. It is important to identify high touch points in your workplace as these areas will require more frequent cleaning and disinfection.
Use of Proper Cleaning Products
Ensure that the cleaning agents being used can disinfect and kill germs. Only use disinfectants that have been approved by Health Canada which confirms the product is effective and safe for use. When using cleaning chemicals make sure to always follow manufacturer instructions on the product labels and wear the proper personal protective equipment.
Hand Washing/Sanitizing
People often get infected with germs from their hands, therefor hand washing and sanitizing is an effective way to minimize the risk. Placing hand washing stations and hand sanitizer dispensers throughout your workplace, especially in areas of high traffic, can encourage more frequent hand washing and be a great way to stop the spread.
By following these tips and hiring a commercial cleaning company, you can take the right steps to help prevent the transmission of the flu and other illnesses in your workplace.
Jani-King of Vancouver’s professional and highly experienced team can ensure your commercial cleaning and sanitizing needs are met. Each business is different, and we always work to identify your unique cleaning needs and implement a cleaning schedule for the required services. By working together, we can help keep your business clean and safer for employees, customers, patients, visitors, and all others.