Do you know all the steps you should be taking to protect your building from an outbreak in these tough times? The COVID-19 global pandemic not only has negatively impacted the way we do business, but it also seems like new recommendations come up every day to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and there are chances that your facilities have been affected by these recommendations. How can you maintain all these recommendations?
As a facility manager, there is always a long list of logistics to battle with, but right now, it seems like that list is a bit longer than before. What do you need to know to care for your building during COVID-19? How can you keep your occupants and building safe?
Establish a Safe Work Space
The safety of your workers and your on-site contractors is your topmost priority. Employees who are working from home should help promote physical distancing within your workplace, but in some places like restaurants and grocery stores, your workers can’t work from home, and their work is essential.
To protect these employees, you can help keep your building safe and prevent the spread of infectious diseases by putting certain measures in place. For example, Facilities Net suggests the following measures:
- Splitting your staff into shifts or sets of days to work so that fewer people are working in the building at the same time.
- Dedicating separate entrances for employees and visitors.
- Temporarily disabling building fobs or security passes if your employees should be home.
Change Operating Procedures and Set Points for Lower Occupancy
Suppose your building is currently empty and all of your occupants are working from home. In that case, your building should be programmed to operate on light loads, so you aren’t spending unnecessarily on utilities.
Check HVAC, water heater and lighting settings to save energy during this period. There’s no reason to pay to heat or cool a building if no one is using it. Keeping things running at low period levels keeps your systems functioning and working order without overpaying for utilities.
Ensure Your Emergency Systems are updated
Are your fire suppression systems and fire detection systems up to date on their inspections, testing and maintenance?
The National Fire Protection Agency is working hard to respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Personnel who service these fire suppression and detection systems have been deemed essential workers and still are working. They can check to ensure that if an emergency happens, your systems are prepared to respond accordingly—regardless of your building’s occupancy status.
Keep Your Facility’s Air from Drying Out
Cold, dry air with low humidity levels makes it easier for airborne viral particles to spread—that’s why we see an increase in flu cases during the winter. You can help by adding a humidifier to raise humidity levels to reduce the spread of airborne particles drastically.
A level of 40-60-percent humidity seems to be perfect; the air is humid enough to reduce the spread but not so humid that airborne droplets containing the virus can land on surfaces and survive for longer periods of time.
Provide Sanitizing Options for Your Occupants
Sanitizing hands and high-touch surfaces are two major ways to help prevent the spread of disease. If your facility houses an essential business, there is a probability that your occupants are worried about protecting their business and keeping themselves safe. You can help out by providing hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes for building occupants and their visitors.
Sam’s cleaning and Hauling provide complete commercial cleaning services that include all of the proper sanitizing procedures. We provide national janitorial services, so if you manage facilities in multiple locations, we can be there to help at each and every building, from sanitizing to floor maintenance.
The COVID-19 situation is complicated enough. Simplify your work by having one detail-oriented commercial cleaning company take care of all of your locations instead of having to track down multiple COVID-19 cleaning companies.
If you are looking for a professional building’s coronavirus cleaning service? We are here to help.
Get a free quote today!