COVID-19: Ready to Reopen?

Asking the Right Questions Before Re-Entry

You can feel the anxiety building in our culture as we seek to reopen our economy and society. The next chapter in the coronavirus struggle is figuring out how and when to re-occupy our buildings safely. Local business leaders are seeking solutions on the best way to do this. When it comes to cleaning and disinfecting your facility, there are several things to consider. This blog is to serve as a guide to asking the right questions as you prepare to reopen.

Questions about your facility

• What is the status of my building? You need to understand who has been in your building. During the COVID-19 crisis did your building clear out and everyone worked from home? Are essential workers still in the building or are you still at full-operational status?
• When/How is my building used? What type of operation are you running out of your facilities? Are you 24/7 such as a police station? Are you seasonal like a public school? Does your building occupancy peak from 9am – 5pm?
• What are the current cleaning protocols? Many buildings have been left empty with little to no cleaning going on. Others have doubled down and enhanced their cleaning efforts. It is important to understand where you are right now when it comes to facility cleanliness.
• What has been our exposure to COVID-19? Do you have any confirmed or suspected exposures?
• Who are the primary occupants? Is your facility private or open to the public? Do I have the potential for immunocompromised individuals to enter? How much control do you have of who is entering your building?

Questions about your cleaning capabilities

• Who currently does the cleaning? Do you rely on in-house staff to perform the cleaning or hire an outside firm? If you outsource the cleaning service, are they are direct contractor or a third party who subcontracts out the services?
• What is their current capacity? Is the cleaning company able to keep up with demand? Do they have the capacity to increase service levels if needed?
• What is the training level of the cleaning personnel? What training or certification does the cleaning company hold? Are they prepared for dealing with infectious diseases?
• What is your access to PPE? Will there be adequate personal protective equipment for the cleaning staff?
• What is your access to EPA approved List-N disinfectants? Who is making sure the right EPA approved products are being used? Are the labeled instructions being followed?

Questions about your expectations

• What is your timeline for re-entry? Everyone has a different need when it comes to re-entry. Some businesses are seasonal and can wait. Others need immediate services to get everyone back to work.
• What are my expectations of an outside cleaning firm? Are you looking for a comprehensive, A to Z, service? Are you just going to handle everything in-house?
• How am I paying for these services? Most businesses are privately funded and paying for these services out-of-pocket. The government may offer reimbursement plans for some public buildings and educational facilities. This is something to keep an eye on.
• What is my outlook on the COVID-19 situation? Are you thinking of this as only a short-term issue? Do you believe it may be important to put together long-term plans to deal with infectious diseases in the future?
• Who is my trusted emergency response partner? Do I have a vendor I can turn do in the event of a facility disaster? Am I prepared to deal with other disasters such as a flood, fire, biohazard or storm damage situation?

Soil-Away is cleaning and applying disinfectants for NH businesses

If you are seeking to have your facility professionally cleaned prior to reopening, give Soil-Away a call at 603-641-6555.  Soil-Away is fully prepared with the proper PPE, EPA approved disinfectants, training and quality assurance capabilities. We specialize in disaster response and recovery so that you can get back to business quicker.

This article was composed utilizing the most current information available at the time it was written by resources such as the CDC and EPA. The COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly evolving situation. Please understand that information and best practices are constantly being updated by health and government officials. Everything in this article is subject to change. Soil-Away is making every effort to support your facility needs at this time and will continue to monitor changes and adjust its best practices as new information becomes available. At this time, Soil-Away is cleaning facilities by applying EPA List-N approved disinfectants. Clients who engage with Soil-Away understand that no guarantees can be made about cleaning and disinfecting results, and that any information provided is for the purpose of sharing information, and not for providing definitive advice.