Planning To Reopen - Developing A Plan

5/5/2020 (Permalink)

This is the third installment in a series of blogs that we hope will help our communities begin to prepare for the state of Massachusetts to reopen. Please keep in mind the purpose of these CDC guidelines are to serve as a foundation for your planning. 

Developing Your Plan

Evaluate your workplace, school, home, or business to determine what kinds of surfaces and materials make up that area. Most surfaces and objects will just need normal routine cleaning. Frequently touched surfaces and objects like light switches and doorknobs will need to be cleaned and then disinfected to further reduce the risk of germs on surfaces and objects.

• First, clean the surface or object with soap and water.
• Then, disinfect using an EPA-approved disinfect.
• If an EPA-approved disinfectant is unavailable, you can use 1/3 cup of bleach added to 1 gallon of water, or 70% alcohol solutions to disinfect. Do not mix bleach or other cleaning and disinfection products together. Find additional information at CDC’s website on Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility.

You should also consider what items can be moved or removed completely to reduce frequent handling or contact from multiple people. Soft and porous materials, such as area rugs and seating, may be removed or stored to reduce the challenges with cleaning and disinfecting them. Find additional reopening guidance for cleaning and disinfecting in the Reopening Decision Tool.

It is critical that your plan includes how to maintain a cleaning and disinfecting strategy after reopening. Develop a flexible plan with your staff or family, adjusting the plan as federal, state, tribal, territorial, or local guidance is updated and if your specific circumstances change.

Keep in mind, if you oversee staff in a workplace your plan should include considerations about the safety of custodial staff and other people who are carrying out the cleaning or disinfecting. These people are at increased risk of being exposed to the virus and to any toxic effects of the cleaning chemicals. Your plan should include training for the following;

• Appropriate PPE for cleaning and disinfecting 
• Cleaning of PPE and/or proper disposal if necessary
• How to safely apply disinfectants
• How to properly dispose of contaminated materials that can not be safely cleaned

For more information on concerns related to cleaning staff, visit the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s website on Control and Prevention.

We will continue to share with you guidance from the CDC to follow to prepare for reopening. Also, we at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley know that not every business has access to the resources necessary to meet these strict guidelines. For those businesses, we are here to help!

Specialized Training

The Disaster Remediation Teams at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley are specialists in cleaning services and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work of "normal daily cleaning". Call SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley today for a free consultation - (617) 332-9000.

All of us here at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley want you and your loved ones to stay safe and know that we will make it through this together! Rest assured, we will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date and informed!