COVID-19 Workplace Cleaning Practices

Many of the workplaces that have been open throughout the pandemic have adapted to the new reality of a routinely sanitized  environment. For other businesses opening or considering opening right now, the practice of increased routine cleaning of the entire workspace from desks to supplies as well as employee participation and education can be overwhelming.

Creating and sticking to new habits is never easy but a consistent cleaning regimen is critical to keeping your team safe.

Here are a few considerations to help get you started:

Practices for Routine Cleaning (General Areas)

• Write a list of everything that requires cleaning. This should include everything from high touch areas like doorknobs, work-related clothing and towels, kitchen appliances, bathrooms, carpeted floors and drapes, and include outside high touch surfaces like stair railings.
  If possible, try to minimize duplication of shared office equipment use. If items need to be used by more than one employee, adding them to the above list is important too. This would include printing stations, hole punches, paper cutters, drafting tables and more. Depending on your industry, it could include a number of varying items.
  Turning this list into a checklist that is provided to your cleaning team maintains consistency and accountability.
• Ensure cleaning materials used are the disinfectants recommended by Health Canada.
• For employees wearing masks or shields, ensure there is a routine cleaning policy in place.

Practices for Employee Workstations throughout the Day

• Utilize HEPA air-filters. Beyond ensuring the building’s filtration system is using HEPA grade, you can also purchase portable HEPA air cleaning systems that could be placed in office areas where more than one employee sits and air circulation is low.
• Ensure there is ease of access to sanitization wipes and hand sanitizer.
• Ensure there is a well-stocked supply of sanitation wipes and hand sanitizer.

Practices for Employee Participation in keeping things clean

• Ensure employees are routinely cleaning hands with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds at a time.
• Create an expectation for individual employees to regularly clean their workstation.
• Create an expectation for individual employees to regularly clean their computer, electronic devices, phone and work equipment.
• If possible, close multi-use shared equipment (like a shared computer for client meetings) to prevent cross-contamination. If you need to use shared working equipment, ensure there is rigorous cleaning procedures between use.

Our shared suggestions are only to be considered high-level guidelines. Ensure you follow the stated procedures and policies specific to your industry to keep your team and customers safe.