How to Disinfect Your Warehouse or Logistics Facilities during COVID-19
Warehouse and Logistics facilities can be a challenge when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting, and concerns over COVID-19 have only made the situation worse. In a survey of 10,000 workers, 41% rated their level of concern at 10 out of 10 and 72% rated it a 6 or higher.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends warehouse and logistics facilities take special infection control precautions to deal with COVID-19. These include workplace health and safety plans, engineering and administrative controls, and PPE. The CDC also says it is important to disinfect your workplace regularly. The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) agrees and reports that increased attention to the disinfection of work areas, breakrooms, and restroom facilities is required.
Disinfection Protocols
Proper infection control starts with thoroughly cleaning high traffic areas and frequent disinfection of commonly used surfaces and areas such as the following:
- Shared Workstations or Surfaces
All touchable surfaces and shared equipment should be cleaned and sanitized between shifts or users. Effective disinfection goes beyond sanitizing by requiring the use of products on the EPA’s approved list of disinfectants for coronavirus (COVID-19).
- Delivery Vehicles and Equipment
Delivery vehicles and equipment should be cleaned before and after deliveries and proper sanitation protocols should be employed during deliveries. Disinfection should occur frequently, especially if vehicles or equipment are shared.
- Receiving Areas
Receiving areas also need frequent disinfection because of the large number of people that deliver items. Since these people work for other companies, you do not have any control over how seriously they are taking safety precautions.
How to Disinfect Your Warehouse or Logistics Facility
Disinfecting is a two-step process.
- Surfaces should be cleaned daily with soap and water. This reduces the number of germs, dirt, and grime. Disinfection will not be effective unless surfaces are thoroughly cleaned first.
- Disinfection inactivates germs and viruses, such as those that cause COVID-19 if you use products on the EPA’s approved list of antimicrobial disinfectants. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and keep surfaces wet for the appropriate amount of time to achieve maximum effectiveness.
Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be worn at all times during the disinfecting process.
Certain types of surfaces are harder to clean. For example, non-plastic pallets are more absorbent and can collect pathogens. So, they cannot be disinfected easily.
Why You Should Use Commercial Cleaning Services
Commercial cleaning can be the solution to your infection control program in your warehouse or logistics facility. Commercial cleaners can provide regularly scheduled cleaning and disinfecting services so you do not have to rely on your employees or in-house janitorial team.
Many facilities choose to have commercial cleaning and disinfection services to ensure the safety of employees. OpenWorks' elite network of service providers offers multiple service levels as part of its TotalWorksTM complete cleaning and disinfection system.
- SaniServicesTM
Three cleaning and disinfection options are available. Each includes the use of EPA List-N-approved disinfectant products and disinfection of high-touch surfaces per CDC recommendations.
- InfectaGuardTM
InfectaGuardTM is a deep cleaning and disinfection service that includes hard-to-reach surfaces and surfaces not typically cleaned regularly, such as window blinds and baseboards.
If you have had a confirmed case of COVID-19, another virus, or a confirmed biohazard and need to ensure your facility is completely disinfected, InfectaGuard+TM ensures your facility is thoroughly disinfected. This includes difficult-to-reach surfaces and areas that are not thoroughly cleaned regularly.
Continuous Care
Even after a surface is cleaned and disinfected, it can be vulnerable to new germs or bacteria that can accumulate and grow over time. So, many warehouse and logistics facilities opt for long-lasting protection with a service such as OpenWorks’ Continuous Care. Continuous Care is an antimicrobial surface protectant that is applied after surfaces have been cleaned and disinfected to ensure continuous protection from germs and bacteria for up to 90 days. When applied with an electrostatic sprayer it provides 100% coverage and inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as COVID-19.
Continuous Care by OpenWorks coats surfaces with a nano-bed shield of molecular spikes that pierce germs and bacteria cells. This ruptures their membranes and inhibits the growth of microorganisms to keep your facility protected longer.
Warehouses and Logistic Facilities Trust OpenWorks
OpenWorks’ elite network of service providers is the preferred provider for more than 5,500 facilities nationwide. OpenWorks has a successful track record as one of the nation’s top facility management services for more than three decades and has a customer retention rate that is double the industry average.
Having your facility properly cleaned and disinfected should not be something you have to think about. Contact OpenWorks to get an estimate.
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