Risk Management: Assessment and Procedures in Commercial Cleaning During Covid-19 Pandemic
30 July 2020Commercial cleaning has been always a part of building maintenance for commercial facilities like offices, stores, and others. But the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way these facilities are cleaned and maintained. Government officials and authorities have come up with comprehensive guidelines that can help people who are conducting commercial cleaning obtain clean and COVID-19-free commercial facilities and buildings.
One of the most important steps in commercial cleaning during the current global health crisis is to assess the risk associated with the whole process. Risk management is vital in commercial cleaning during the COVID-19 pandemic since it identifies all the possible risks and problems that may happen within a vicinity. This process allows cleaners and property owners to set up necessary procedures to avoid the risk, minimise its impact, and cope with its effects.
Risk Assessment in Commercial Cleaning
One aspect of risk management is to identify or assess the main source of all the risks that can possibly show up. Anticipating all the possible problems and issues in commercial cleaning during pandemic allows the involved parties to respond appropriately.
The procedures in commercial cleaning will depend on all the identified risks. One element that must be clearly identified is the way an individual can obtain the coronavirus. For now, two of the most possible ways of contracting the disease is through direct contact with an infected individual or touching an infected surface. Since this factor is already identified, the next steps that must be considered and pursued by cleaners and property owners are to control the said risk.
Appropriate Procedures during Pandemic
The vital element in risk management of commercial cleaning during the current pandemic is the coronavirus itself. Therefore, all procedures in the said activity must revolve around the possible elimination and eradication of all the risks associated with the virus. One of the first few steps that cleaners must do to avoid obtaining the diseases is to wear personal protective equipment. Gloves, face shields, and masks can already help them minimise contact with possibly infected surfaces. Property owners are also advised to do the same to avoid getting infected.
The next step that individuals should do inside a commercial facility is to change how they work and behave. During commercial cleaning, certain systems of work and procedures must be rolled out and implemented to avoid coronavirus exposure. First, the number of individuals and their time spent in performing different cleaning activities must be reduced significantly. Pairing workers together can also be an effective way of limiting the number of people working in a cleaning task.
All the touchpoints or frequently exposed surfaces in a commercial facility must also be cleaned periodically. Individuals who will be cleaning these surfaces must make sure that the chemicals are suitable and safe for use.
Other Methods of Managing the Hazard
Other helpful procedures that can prevent individuals from obtaining the virus include the isolation of people from the hazard through barriers or screens, replacing the hazard by allowing people with symptoms to take a leave and isolate themselves, and physically removing the hazard by advising ill people to stay home for a few weeks or switch to a work-from-home setup, if possible.
For commercial cleaning needs during the pandemic, feel free to contact us at Ausbright Facilities Management. We provide a wide range of facilities management services for offices, councils, commercial buildings, education sectors, medical institutions, health & fitness centres, industrial and building construction industries in Melbourne.
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