(
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/14/scientists-call-for-immediate-rollout-of-covid-jab-for-uk-primary-school-children
Top school cleaning tips for 2022
Ian Ansermoz, Head of Operations at Fidelis, explains what we can learn from the pandemic when it comes to cleaning in educational settings.
The last thing that parents, teachers, and children wanted during the pandemic was for schools to close due to the rapid spread of coronavirus. However, this was almost inevitable as school children became increasingly susceptible to the virus – with two to 11-year-olds having the highest rate of infection of any age group in the UK during the height of the pandemic.
This highlighted that schools were unprepared for this sort of breakout and were not equipped nor supported in dealing with it. To better protect students and staff, we must improve infection prevention control in educational settings to ensure schools are prepared for potential pandemics or similar situations in the future.
Precautionary sanitisation
While thorough deep cleans and fogging have proven efficient in eliminating the virus in schools up until now, it’s been a very reactive process when new variants mutate. What will need to happen next is for the industry to assess how to pre-empt the virus and put processes in place to safeguard students and staff against it.
Schools will need to bolster and scrutinise the quality of their regular cleaning routine to ensure they continue to be protected against the transmission of the virus. A new culture will also need to be embedded to ensure hygiene standards are met.
High-touch surfaces
Precautionary sanitisation services have become a popular way for schools to offer reassurance to parents, staff, and children, and offer protection from a future virus. This looks like additional labour provided by an external cleaning company, on top of the regular end of day deep cleans, in which operatives act as a housekeeper and make regular sweeps of the premises, sanitising high-touch points and high-risk areas between classes and during lunch breaks.
Not only does this offer more robust protection against bacteria and viruses that linger on surfaces, but it’s particularly important in a school setting where areas are prone to germs, which could stem from colds, influenza, pneumonia, diarrhoea and even leaking wounds.
School children are likely to regularly touch multiple surfaces, therefore precautionary sanitisation through the regular cleaning of high-touch surfaces is an effective way to reduce the risk of transmission in schools, eliminating infection routes of entry.
High-quality, child-friendly products
Harsh cleaning chemicals traditionally used in schools often give the illusion that germs are at bay, but the reality is the products themselves simply aren’t safe. They commonly contain hazardous materials and chemicals that are toxic and corrosive to the body. With the increase in germs spreading as a result of the pandemic, there’s potential to add to the problem by using these chemicals.
When you invest in neutral cleaning products, you’re promoting a safer environment for students and staff. Not just in the short term to prevent colds and from other potentially harmful viruses, but for their long-term health as well. Using neutral cleaning products can also improve the school’s environmental impact – which is something that needs to be addressed following the pandemic, with the knowledge of how our new cleaning methods attract additional waste products.
Establishing a hand hygiene culture When hygiene is put in the hands of the student, it’s often very unlikely that they will meet the expected standard. Therefore, it’s important for schools to establish a culture of hand hygiene that becomes embedded into the everyday routine of the students. Schools should make it a priority to teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and increase monitoring to ensure adherence.
While these seem like simple steps to follow, many schools still need to adopt them – and there has never been a more pivotal time to make sure they’re fully embedded into school culture. Employing these will ensure that schools are ahead of the curve, if and when another pandemic occurs.
www.fidelisgroup.co.uk
34 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION
twitter.com/TomoCleaning
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94
