Getting you Workplace ready for COVID-19

In January 2020 the Word Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus disease in Hubei Province, China to be a Public Health Emergency of International concern, WHO stated  that there is a high risk or the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading to other countries around the world.

WHO and public health authorities around the world are taking action to contain the COVID-19 outbreak and reacting on a case by case basis in the UK in relation to confirmed outbreaks. However, long term success cannot be taken for granted. All sections of our society – including business and employers – must play a role if we are to stop the spread of this disease.

How COVID-19 Spreads

When someone who has COVID-19 coughs or exhales they release droplets of infected fluid. Most of these droplets will fall on nearby surfaces and objects – such as desks, tables, keyboards or telephones. People could catch COVID-19 by touching contaminated surfaces or objects – and then touching there eyes, nose or mouth. If they are standing 1 – 2 metres of a person with COVID-19 they can catch it by breathing in droplets coughed out or exhaled by them. In other words COVID-19 spreads in a similar way to flu. Most persons infected by COVID-19 experience mild symptoms and recover. However, some go on to experience more serious illness and may require hospital care, risk of serious illness rises with age; people over 40 seem to be more vulnerable than those under 50. People with weakened immune systems and people with conditions such as diabetes, heart and lung disease are also more vulnerable to serious illness.

Confirmed COVID-19 Cases/Locations

The government says the UK is prepared for all eventualities and is working on containing any outbreaks.

That involves spotting cases quickly, isolating them and identifying contacts people have had to stop any spread. Currently this is being done by Public Health England's (PHE) nine regional teams. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements and the resulting infection control is being manged by them. So far it has worked well, as all cases are involving infection abroad.

Simple Ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace

Measures adopted now will help prevent the spread of infections within your workplace, such as colds, flu and stomach bugs, and protect your customers, contractors and employees. Employers should start doing these things now, even if COVID-19 has not yet arrived in the communities where you operate. They can also reduce working days lost due to illness and stop or slow the spread of COVID-19 if you believe it is in your workplace.

Employee Safe Guarding

Our specialist teams can attend site on a reactive or scheduled basis to carry out Bio/Virucidal Deep Cleaning within your workplace to safeguard your employees, visitors and contractors, creating an environment where the possible contamination or spread of COVID-19 and other viruses is eliminated.

Our clients can rely on our detailed and exhaustive approach to ensure this type of specialised cleaning is carried out safely and to the required standard, including:

Site Surveys

Our managers can attend within 24hrs of a request anywhere in the UK to carry out a site survey for an enhanced Bio/Virucidal Deep Clean within a Periodic Cleaning schedule, either to your entire building or selected areas within. Our experience in providing all areas of building Periodic Cleaning outside of  the daily cleaning routines, allows us a unique and unrivalled perspective to implement and manage virucidal deep cleaning processes and maintain your workforce peace of mind.

Our service and costs are loosely based on our emergency cleaning rates, combined with a current client requirement. Managed Specialist Deep Cleaning undertaken by companies outside of current core daily cleaning provision will be extremely beneficial in employer safeguarding during the increasing wave of public uncertainty, and a welcome tool for employers to manage their employee and visitor welfare.