The proper cleaning and sanitation of any and all healthcare facilities is incredibly important. So much that it could save numerous lives. Now, cleaning of healthcare facilities isn't an easy or simple task. There are many steps and protocols to follow in order to keep a healthcare facility clean and to keep viruses and bacteria from being spread from person to person, surface to surface, and room to room. 

The most important steps to follow, though, is wearing the proper PPE and following proper hand hygiene. These two steps can significantly reduce the spread of germs and diseases from one room to the next and person to person. You may not realize just how easy it is to spread things around because you can't see the microorganisms with your naked eye, but they are always present unless you follow the proper protocols. 

Being sure that you properly clean and sanitize a patient room is the next step in preventing the spread of HAI's. Approximately 1.7 million people contract HAI's every year with around 99,000 of those resulting in deaths. Staph infections being the leading pathogen that accounts for 84% of HAI's. If all facilities were to follow the proper protocol in cleaning and sanitization as well as wearing the proper PPE and hand hygiene the numbers could drop within the first year. 

Follow the link below to find companies that offer cleaning and sanitation services in your area.

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

Janitors and Janitorial staff play a big role in daily life, by providing healthy environments.They help prevent the spread of illness and infection in the workplace, which improves indoor quality. Now more than ever, janitorial and commercial cleaning are needed, in facilities due to the arise of new pathogens that are begin spread in the environment. Buildings and facilities are needing extra serves to make sure they are germ free for their occupants. Janitors provide safe and clean spaces which means less distractions and more comfort for employee and clients. Janitorial and commercial cleaning are now seen as the new first responders when it comes to taking care of all facilities. Janitors and janitorial staff job promotes wellness, health and safety to public facility, schools, work offices, hospitals, and restaurants. Take for instance a school, administration, and teachers rely on the cafeteria, classrooms, and restrooms to be kept clean for school staff and children. Janitors job are to meet the needs of others.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has raised awareness for businesses and their cleaning companies to be focused and diligent to prevent the potential spread of pathogenic organisms that can cause disease in humans.  It's pretty clear that medical facilities have to refresh their approach, but in our industry of cleaning offices, warehouses and large distribution centers--there are also some "must-do" precautions that should be implemented by employers.

Employees must be trained to assume that all people, products and materials should be considered contaminated.  Failure to follow consistent safety practices can be a life or death decision.  First, protective practices begin with cleaners protecting themselves with proper protective equipment (PPE).  This includes eyewear (to prevent splashing, spray, droplets), gloves and footwear.  Also similar to hospital color coding, cleaning staff in warehouses should use color coding of rags and equipment to limit cross-contamination from room to room and client to client.   Proper disposal of trash, rags, towels and gloves is important and disinfecting tools is essential. 

In our disinfection services, we have found that clients are open to discussion that informs how they can protect their employees and allow cleaners better access to help in the fight.  Simple things like clearing your desk and removing personal items or grouping equipment and supplies for easy access.  Disinfection requires attention to detail of all surfaces that are touched frequently, but includes things touched unconsciously like tops of cubicles,  chair levers, chair backs, drawer handles and buttons on machinery.  An informed workforce partnered with a diligent cleaning company can make both cleaning employees and client's workers safer! 

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Germs, bacteria, and viruses are present virtually almost everywhere. To our workplaces, homes, and recreational spaces. Today, with the emergence of constant harmful viruses, advanced cleaning methods and practices are required to keep commercial facilities and residential home safe and healthy. It is important now more than ever for commercial and residential cleaning services to implement medical cleaning practices to their clients.

When people hear about medical cleaning, they assume that the level of cleaning is impeccable, and no germs, bacteria, and viruses can survive from that process. However, the general population does not have the time nor the training to do that for their own facilities and homes. That is why it is imperative to have a commercial and residential cleaning service to provide a medical cleaning level of service for businesses and homes. Commercial and residential cleaning services are trained in bloodborne pathogens, and chemical hazards. With this knowledge, they know how to clean and disinfect surfaces without fail. In addition, commercial and residential cleaning services are trained of how to wear properly PPE gear, and how to properly dispose them, so they can eliminate the spread of harmful illnesses. Furthermore, cleaning services train their cleaning techs on proper safety measures for the safety of their customers as well as their own. This all sounds good, but not every cleaning service can provide that level of service.

Applying a medical cleaning level of service requires a step further of knowing of how to handle a vacuum, mop, and a disinfectant. It requires to have a knowledge of what germs, bacteria, and viruses are, and how to protect from those diseases. Commercial and residential cleaning services that enroll to organizations such as the IJCSA will receive this training and much more. IJSCA members are trained on Green Cleaning, Bloodborne Pathogens, Chemical Hazards and Medical Cleaning courses to help cleaning companies achieve a higher level of cleaning, so communities can be safe and healthy. In addition IJSCA members receive advice and support of how to develop geared training programs for training and safety practices, and there is a vast network of cleaning professionals who are always there to provide insight to new members who just got into the cleaning industry.  Therefore, it is important to make sure that the cleaning service you hire for your facilities or home belongs to a reputable organization such as the IJCSA, so you can have peace of mind from harmful illnesses.

As stated previously, germs, bacteria, and viruses are everywhere. To keep our employees, clients, and families safe, a level of medical cleaning service is required to combat these diseases. This can be achieved when a commercial and residential cleaning service belongs to a reputable organizations such as the IJSCA because their members receive training and support of how to develop a cleaning service that can provide a superior level of medical cleaning for your health and safety.

The importance of us as an employer to provide the proper training and education about bloodborne pathogens and the risks to exposure is vital in order to provide a safe work environment. As its is our duty to  provide our Team with education, training, and the proper tools in order to minimize the risk to exposure, not just for the safety of our employees, staff members, and customers but also to the members of the general public.

When the education, training, and proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is not provided to employees and staff members the risk to exposure to these bloodborne pathogens becomes greater. It is our job as professionals to provide these resources firsthand. As it is important to take all the proper precautions and minimize the risk to exposure.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) also known in association to aids are disease causing microorganisms that are known to be highly infectious through blood or bodily fluids. These are also known as Bloodborne pathogens. Workers in many industries such as housekeeping, healthcare personnel, first responders, and other occupations may all be at a greater risk to exposure to these Bloodborne pathogens. 

Implementing an Exposure Control Plan along with proper vaccinations employee and staff training, education, and access to personal protection equipment (PPE) in conjunction with all other provisions as required by OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standards will aid in minimizing the risk to exposure therefore keeping ourselves and the general public safe.

It is more critical now more than ever, with the Covid 19 pandemic, that we take preventative measures when cleaning. Cleaning should be top priority, and with that a thorough plan should be set in place. With a strong plan set in place, both the workplace and the employees  are safe.

First, we need to understand that bloodborne pathogens are found in a humans blood, vomit, and sometimes saliva that could be harmful if direct contact is made causing serious diseases. These diseases include HIV, HBV, and Hepatitis. We can expose ourselves to these pathogens thru our nose and mouth, but also thru cuts and scrapes on our skin. To prevent ourselves from becoming ill, it is imperative to follow Oshas Universal Precaution, which recommends that blood and certain body fluids from ALL patients be considered potentially infectious and that infection control precautions be taken to minimize the risk of exposure. 

Some precautions required by my cleaning employees are that they wear proper PPE including a facemask and gloves. Anything containing human fluids are to be places in a red hazardous bad and any needles or sharp items be places in a needle container. Proper disinfecting of the area followed by proper disinfecting and/or disposal of the cleaning tools,  PPE and washing our hands. Strictly following these  few guidelines can minimize the risk of exposure and keepong everyone healthy. 

In this day and age, maintaining a proper cleaning regiment in our health care facilities is crucial to stop the spread of infectious dieses. On a regular day, we potentially come in contact with numerous viruses and bacteria's that could really harm us. We never know when it happens and how it happens. As humans, we carry many different bacteria's, viruses, parasites and microorganisms, some are harmful and some are not. When the harmful ones makes us sick, we head straight to a health care facility to help us feel better.

Since we all depend on the health care system to make us feel better, it is imperative that we equip them with all the knowledge and equipment to stop the spread of the infection, protect themselves from becoming sick and most importantly how to stop the infection. Without the know how or the equipment, not only do the medical staff risk exposing themselves but everyone else as well. With that said, everyone should know how to properly clean the healthcare facilities. 

If we do not properly clean the healthcare facilities we risk the spread of any blood pathogens from patient to everyone else. Because we cannot see the bacteria's, viruses and microorganisms with the human eye, we have to make sure we are constantly disinfecting everything in between patients. We cannot take the chance that just because a patient does not seem sick that they are not sick. A simple sneeze can carry thousands of germs that may not have made you sick, but may make the little girl behind you sick. 

We depend on our health care facilities to not only make us feel better, but to save our lives and the lives of our loved ones. In order for them to do that, we need to make sure they are equipped with all the PPE's and chemicals to keep their facilities clean and us safe. Below is a link to a janitorial directory to help you find the perfect company to help keep your facilities clean. 

International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association - Janitorial Services Directory (ijcsa.org)

Understanding Bloodborne Pathogens is important for all, especially those who may be exposed through occupations such as medical and janitorial. Following protocol and regular training can prevent the spread of infectious disease and even prevent death. 

Bloodborne Pathogens training was initially created for hospital staff, however, Janitorial and other staff personnel can be directly affected. Bloodborne Pathogens enter the body through the nasal, mouth or eye canals and can cause serious illness and injury to the human body. 

If one should become exposed to a Bloodborne Pathogen, it is important to follow the protocol set forth by the employer. Immediate knowledge of exposure and action ensures that both cleaning staff member and employer remain safe and healthy. 

Knowledge and understanding of bloodborne pathogens, the potential risks involved when coming into contact with contaminated materials and utilizing universal precautions when placed into situations where you will be handling contaminated materials are all vitally important.

By following universal precautions, you are not only preventing yourself from contracting an infectious disease, you are also minimizing or eliminating the risk for your clients and their clients from contracting an infectious disease. Cleaning service staff removing a hazard safely keep all parties safe.

Following universal precautions to prevent bloodborne pathogen exposure includes, but is not limited to: using the proper PPE for the situation, knowing what sanitization methods to use, knowing how to contain soiled items, always washing your hands and having reporting requirements and protocol in place in case of possible exposure.

Germs and viruses are common in every workplace. Every time you touch your desk, phone, door knob, keys etc. you are coming in contact with germs. there are different ways that germs can be spread. Direct contact infections spread when disease-causing microorganisms pass from the infected person to the healthy person via direct physical contact with blood or body fluids. Indirect contact transmission occurs when there is no direct human-to-human contact. Contact occurs from a reservoir to contaminated surfaces or objects, or to vectors such as mosquitoes,flies, mites, fleas, ticks, rodents or dogs. Wiping down high touch surfaces will help prevent the spread of germs and viruses. Practicing good hygiene will help prevent the spread. Practices that are generally considered proper hygiene include showering or bathing regularly, washing hands regularly (for 20 seconds or more)and especially before handling food, washing scalp hair, keeping hair short or removing hair, wearing clean clothing, brushing teeth, cutting finger nails, besides other practices. Germs and viruses are in every workplace. Bacteria counts are lowest at the beginning of the workday (because offices are often cleaned overnight), but it doesn't take long for germs to show up for work, too. As the day ramps up and more people touch more surfaces, the risk of coming in contact with bacteria goes up. there is no way to completely avoid germs and or viruses. you just have to do your best to prevent getting and spreading them.

Learn More About Bloodborne Pathogens Here