7 tips for better hygiene in the workplace
Disinfecting and sanitising public areas and workplaces
Your company premises may look clean — but failing to disinfect commonly touched surfaces in the workplace could lead to the spread of germs. To reduce the risk of spreading disease, new cleaning methods must be selected that make disinfecting surfaces a high priority.
These seven tips can help your business get started in terms of disinfecting the workplace effectively.
Seven tips for better hygiene in the workplace:
- Determine your priorities for cleaning before you start.
- The most important thing is to ensure your cleaning staff are protected.
- Design your workplaces so they meet the relevant hygiene requirements from the outset.
- Purify the indoor air on a regular basis.
- Keep all employees involved in the process.
- Increase the frequency of cleaning tasks.
- Always use appropriate cleaning agents for the application.
1. Set priorities for cleaning tasks
When cleaning company premises, it is likely that you will focus on the areas that gather the most dirt. By "cleaning", we typically mean the removal of dirt and dust. Your cleaning staff will probably spend most of their time mopping floors, wiping away stains and cleaning up spills in the production area.
2. Train and protect your cleaning personnel
If your cleaning staff focuses on cleaning and disinfecting areas in which there is a high amount of interaction with germs, there is a high risk that they will come into contact with the germs that need to be eradicated. The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) recommends strict compliance with PPE protocols to protect cleaning staff working in potentially contaminated environments against disease. Ensure that gloves and eye protection are provided and train staff to safely put on and take off protective equipment.
3. Hygiene by design
Choosing the right concept can make disinfecting your workplace easier in the long-term. According to the FOPH, visibly contaminated surfaces made of hard and non-porous materials should be cleaned before disinfecting. The Swiss Federal Office for the Environment's list of disinfectants for hard, non-porous surfaces should then be consulted. Consider removing soft and porous materials such as carpets, rugs or materials in high-traffic areas and disinfecting them, provided that appropriate products are available.
4. Don't forget to ventilate!
The ventilation system in your building plays a critical role in workplace hygiene. According to the FOPH, ventilating and filtering using a ventilation system can reduce the concentration of viruses in the air. The FOPH recommends using HEPA filters to reduce the number of pathogens in the air and increasing indoor humidity to more than 40% to reduce the lifespan of viruses transmitted by droplets.
5. Get everyone involved and pitching in
The FOPH recommends promoting personal hygiene among your employees to prevent surfaces from being contaminated with microbes. Your company may not be able to adhere to a strict glove-based system of hygiene, but employees can be motivated to keep their hands clean and disinfect their workplaces on a regular basis.
6. Increase the regularity of disinfection and cleaning activities
Disinfecting frequently reduces potential exposure to pathogens for your staff. As your cleaning staff shifts focus from cleaning to disinfecting, you should increase the regularity at which commonly touched are disinfected.
7. Make sure you select the right cleaning agents for the application
Finally, make sure that you use a suitable disinfectant. The FOPH maintains a list of over 500 disinfectants that are certified for the control of viral pathogens and contain active substances ranging from citric acid to ammonium chloride. They are all certified disinfectants, but simply wiping the surface may not be enough — ensure you follow the instructions for the product and allow time for the disinfectant to act.
Disinfection plan for industrial premises, offices and workshops
Download the plan as a PDF— free of charge
We offer our customers support, no matter what the hygiene requirements are at their company, including: Hygiene inspections, creating individual hygiene concepts, developing disinfection plans, customer-specific solutions for disinfectant dispensers, employee training and workshops on hygiene and disinfection as well as comprehensive hygiene checks. You can download an example disinfection plan in advance, which has been created especially for companies in the industry.
Download the free disinfection plan now:
Arrange a free hygiene check for at your company premises:
- Finding the right hygiene concept can be overwhelming for companies.
- Our specialists can help you to determine the best products and measures.
- After a guided tour of the premises taking just one hour, we will be able to provide some initial starting points and highlight areas of potential improvement.
- We will analyse the situation at your premises.
- We will uncover any potential risks.
- We will offer recommendations on how to act.
- We will offer skilled support during your next steps.
- Your personalised, free hygiene check — one hour that pays off!
Contact us at sales@brw.ch
We will be happy to help you find the right hygiene concept for your company.