We at Tower have a 3-phase approach when working in environments where our staff is likely to be exposed to bloodborne pathogens. We call it I.A.C- Identify - Act - Control.

Identify, this is pre-cleaning stage of each cleaning project. We will identify all high exposure areas. Ensure proper safety equipment and PPE needed for the job. We identify where all emergency response locations are, these include first aid boxes, eye washing stations, and where the MSDS information is kept. Most importantly we ask each technician to report any health issues they may be currently experiencing before entering the building, these issues include, body temperature, flu symptoms, skin abrasions, etc. We not only want to prevent our staff from being exposed to bloodborne pathogens, but we also don’t want our staff to expose anyone else.

Act, the stage is defined by our staff knowing exactly what to do if they have been exposed to a bloodborne pathogen. Depending on the level or type of exposure will determine the next steps of action. In addition, we take precautions while working to avoid unnecessary risks.

Control, this is our final stage of each cleaning project. We train our staff to double check themselves and the environment thoroughly before they leave. It is the responsibility of each technician to ensure that they have not cut themselves while working. In addition, it is each technician's responsibility to ensure that the environment is ready and safe for the next visitors.

Amid the growing Coronavirus Pandemic it is more important than ever for employees and staff to know the risk about bloodborne and non bloodborne pathogens. Properly handling and being aware of all the contaminated surfaces that employees come in contact with is key to preventing an exposure. It is important for everyone to be properly educated and aware of how to keep themselves and others safe.

Using Universal Precautions and assuming that all bodily fluids are infectious is the safest way to prevent infections from bloodborne pathogens such as Hepatitis B and HIV. All employees should be aware of the OSHA standards and what precautions to take incase of an exposure.

Lastly wearing proper PPR is crucial in preventing an exposure. Employers should provide their employees with the proper PPE needed to due their work properly. When cleaning or working with blood/bodily fluids make sure that you are wearing appropriate PPE and are following all guidelines that have been taught to you when you were trained.

Following these simple step will help ensure a safe work environment. 

Bloodborne pathogens refer to the pathogen micro organisms present in blood that cause viruses and diseases. Bloodborne pathogens include viruses like Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Cleaning staff may come in contact with these pathogens when removing trash, changing laundry, or cleaning up after something that has become ill. Bloodborne pathogens are spread through blood and bodily fluids, like vomit and saliva. According to OSHA, The most common method of transmission is when an infected person's blood enters another person's bloodstream through an open wound or cut, or when inhaled through the mouth or nose (https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/2019-03/bloodbornepathogens.pdf).

Subsequently, as a commercial and residential cleaner it is very likely that our staff may come in contact with these bloodborne pathogens. Furthermore, failure to properly handle those pathogens could lead to deadly exposure by our staff members causing illnesses and disease. In addition, by not properly handling these materials can also increase the chances of spreading the bacteria throughout other contaminated and non-contaminated areas increasing the chances of greater exposure to staff and others. Moreover, the potential of exposure to viruses like HIV could prove deadly as there is no cure.

Consequently, OSHA’s Universal Precautions standards dictate that blood and bodily fluids from all patients should be considered potentially infectious and such precautions should always be taken when handling the materials. Therefore, it is ASAC’s responsibility to ensure the safety of our staff if and/or when they may encounter such germs. The first step is creating, maintaining, and frequently updating our OSHA approved bloodborne pathogens handling safety procedures. The plan will address:

• 1.       Our employees using those “universal precautions” when coming into contact with blood or any bodily fluid. What happens if the employee becomes exposed to a bloodborne pathogen? What safety procedures should be enforced by the employee and supervisor? These records will be properly stored and available for no less than 3 years.
• 2.       The proper procedures for handling bloodborne pathogens, including the disinfecting of cleaning equipment and supplies once clean up has been completed. In addition, we want to detail how to properly dispose of waste in the appropriate red or yellow bags, as indicated by OSHA.

• 3.       What personal protective equipment (PPE) will be necessary when handling bloodborne pathogens to protect the skin, mouth, nose, and eyes and reduce the possibility of transmission of deadly viruses to our employees and spread to non-contaminated areas.
• 4.       A plan for routine training and onboarding training for new employees. It will be absolutely necessary to inform all staff concerning the proper protocols and importance of properly identifying, handling, and clean-up of deadly bacteria that can cause sickness and even death.

The manner in which bloodborne pathogens can be transmitted to otherwise healthy individuals is a relatively easy occurrence. Especially within the commercial cleaning industry, as we are often requested to clean medical facilities, doctor’s and dental offices, and other industrial areas where bodily fluids may be present. Therefore, it will be absolutely vital for our employees to be well informed and continually updated concerning the proper procedures surrounding the handling of bloodborne pathogens.

 Shopping around for a professional cleaning company or individual can be nerve racking due to so many companies in the market for your business. No matter what your budget is or specific services you are looking for IJCSA is a one stop shop from maid service, hazardous chemicals, carpet cleaning, biohazard cleaning, janitorial cleaning, and green cleaning, etc.

When hiring a company through IJCSA you know you are getting the best in the business, each individual is tested on the knowledge of every aspect of the cleaning business they are certified and have the logos to prove it. Every company takes pride in their work  and what they have to offer you as a client. 

We are one big family in the cleaning field, what is not offered through one company another family member will be willing to step in to get the job completed regardless of your location; an IJCSA family team member is in your area waiting to report for duty.

Special request of services are acknowledged as well, log onto the IJCSA's website choose a company, call and make your request, schedule a date for a meet and greet , discuss your service plans. At this point,  you my friend can sit back and relax ,let us do the dirty work for you while you enjoy your beautiful family.

Your business will not be a one time service for sure and you will be willing and eager to share the IJCSA Team name with family, friends and even co-workers. You will be able to speak honestly when saying that IJCSA has produced a group of friendly, polite, non-intrusive and professional companies to choose from. 

"THE CULTURE OF CLEANING IS OUR GAME & WE ARE READY TO PLAY"

 Being a member of the IJCSA is very important that I stay on top of making sure that my employees are properly trained and practicing great customer service to ALL customers, and that each employee know how to handle any situation by remembering the 7 essentials of customer service.

1) be aware of the 3 things all customers want.

2) S.E.C

3) Listen to the customer

4) be empathetic with all customers

5) create a solution for your client issues

6) clarify the solution with the customer

7) follow up with all customers

Remembering to SMILE make EYE CONTACT and COMMENT. Will make a great impact on your business! Always make sure your customer feels heard understood and that you care.

Always keep staff up to date and trained properly and that it's ok to think out of the box when it comes to keeping a customer happy.

Medical cleaning practices are very strict in the sense that there are rules to follow when it comes to the cleaning. Since medical facilities need to be properly clean to avoid patient getting sick medical cleaning practices can benefit residential and commercial places. The majority of people won’t be familiar with some of the rules and proper methods went dealing with cleaning chemical.

Some of those standards can help other residential and commercial situations in the sense that if they can implement a higher standard of cleaning there would be less people getting sick. There would be a lower number of people calling in sick to work and to school. Medical cleaning practices implementation at home can also help you avoid going to the doctor because of bacteria’s or virus that could have been avoidable if we were to do a deeper cleaning with the right cleaning chemicals.

A good idea to implement is to have a higher standard level of cleaning for all types of situations, for homes and work places. By implementing medical cleaning practices across the board we can have a better control when it comes to people getting sick. According to the CDC, cleaning alone effectively reduces the number of microorganisms on contaminated equipment. Now imagine having the knowledge to use the correct chemicals it can really impact us in a good way.

Now, that we are in a pandemic cleaning is crucial and knowing and implementing the high standards of medical cleaning can keep a better control of the spread. For example, knowing that we should clean with color rags that way we are not cross contaminating areas and knowing about how to correctly use chemical that can kill harmful virus and germs. Check out

https://www.ijcsa.org/Janitorial-Service-Directory-Find-A-Janitorial-Service-JanitorialServices to find a certified company that can help you in the process.

    In today's ever changing climate of infectious disease the need for bloodborne pathogen training with all staff is vitally important. The possibility that staff in any capacity will come in contact with bodily fluids is increasingly high.

    The ability for the staff to have the knowledge for the proper procedures to avoid self and cross contamination is instrumental in preventing the spread of pathogens. Instructing the staff on proper use of PPE to avoid exposure to infectious diseases is paramount to control the spread of all pathogens. 

    Proper use of PPE, containment kits, and reporting protocol is all established with proper training. 

  It is vital that cleaning employees and staff know about bloodborne pathogens so they know the risks associated with their jobs and the best safety practices to date.

  Having the knowledge of bloodborne pathogens and other OPIM's  helps keep cleaning employees, other staff and, clients/patients safe from bloodborne pathogens.

  Proper training and a control plan will give guidelines on what to do before and after exposure. 

Implementing medical cleaning and sanitization practices into residential or commercial cleaning could greatly benefit the world. By taking the risk of spreading bad germs, bacteria and viruses the population would see a decrease of infectious deaths.

By following proper hand sanitization and PPE for people who are sick or coming into contact with people who are sick or contagious the world could avoid outbreaks of disease and viruses. For example H1N1. How was it spread so vastly and quickly? By people who were infected, some even knowing they were, and still going into public. Either because they had no choice or because they didn't know. 

Implementing medical cleaning to other areas could greatly reduce diseases being wide spread and possibly even spread at all in the future. Businesses would know the correct way to prevent the infection as well as stop it from spreading. By following the proper protocols they wouldn't have to worry about bringing it home to their family/friends and they wouldn't have to worry about customers either contracting it or bringing it in and spreading it. 

Along with understanding the proper protocols of cleaning and sanitization of residential places and commercial areas people being made aware of using PPE and the correct order to put it on could also help to keep residential and commercial businesses from contracting or spreading diseases, viruses and germs. 

To find more information click the link below - 

https://www.ijcsa.org/Janitorial-Service-Directory-Find-A-Janitorial-Service-JanitorialServices

More and more families are considering using a cleaning service to keep their homes clean and comfortable. However, is it safe to use a cleaning service? How do you hire the right service for your family?

If you use a bit of caution, hiring a cleaning service is extremely safe. Before you give anyone a key to your home, always insist on meeting him or her in person. However, even if you feel like this person is nice and very trustworthy, you should also be sure that the service is bonded. Many cleaning services also have insurance to cover accidents or re-keying services. This helps you make sure that if the maid accidentally leaves a faucet running or loses your key, you will be covered financially. After all, even the best cleaning service can have an off day and accidents do happen.

Here's some key reasons to hire a company that has passed the IJCSA RCS Certification:

·         IJCSA has been training cleaning professionals online longer than anyone else in the industry.

·         Bloodborne Pathogens Certification - Required

·         Chemical Hazards Certification- Required

·         Customer Service Certification  - Required

·         IJCSA members has access to a large library of training and certification.

Finally, when you use a maid service, be sure that you respect your cleaning person. After all, this is the person who sees your home at its worst each week and helps it regain its sparkle and polish so that you can be proud of the way it looks.