EDUCATIONAL & STUDENT FACILITIES


KEEPING IT OFF CAMPUS


With numerous university contracts under her belt, Facilicom’s Project Director, Toni O’Donnell, shares the impact that COVID-19 has had on higher education cleaning.


Cleaning and hygiene have always been incredibly important in the university setting. From lecture theatres and classrooms, to student accommodation and shared study spaces; it is vital that they are cleaned thoroughly to prevent the spread of seasonal viruses and illnesses.


However, due to high footfall on campus, and the constant movement of people within shared spaces, keeping on top of hygiene levels can be a real test for cleaning operatives.


Pre-COVID, cleaners would carry out one thorough daily clean of the entire premises. They would do this either in the early morning or late evening, when students and teachers were not on the premises. However, since COVID hit our shores last year, the cleaning of higher education facilities has become even more complex, both in and out of periods of lockdown.


COVID challenges When universities closed their doors back in Spring 2020, the usually packed corridors and classrooms became deserted. You could be forgiven for thinking that the lack of students and busy timetables would make a cleaner’s job easier. But the pandemic brought a whole new wave of challenges, due to strict social distancing rules and infection control measures.


Overnight, our cleaners had to take on a new way of working to ensure that clients’ premises were safe and hygienic. And they certainly rose to the occasion.


From navigating one-way systems and wearing face coverings for long shifts, to working individually and using new chemicals to provide enhanced protection; our cleaners transformed their processes.


Touchpoint cleaning became even more critical than ever. In response, our university teams developed an intense cleansing programme that saw key surfaces sanitised two to three times a day to ensure the highest standards of hygiene.


These efforts not only ensured that campuses were kept clean and COVID-secure, but they also provided much-


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needed reassurance to hygiene-conscious customers ahead of restrictions lifting.


Back to school Throughout the pandemic, getting students back into education has continued to be a priority when each lockdown has eased. Although many university lessons remain online, the coming months will see an infl ux of activity on campus.


However, just because some normality is returning to the sector, it doesn’t mean that cleaning should revert to its pre-pandemic ways. Our heightened cleaning regimes must remain fi rmly in place. After all, we have a vital role to play in keeping people and places healthy and safe.


When it comes to higher education settings, the latest government guidance recommends that universities maintain their enhanced cleaning measures, including more frequent cleaning of rooms and shared areas that are used by different groups, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.


In line with this advice, and to restore the confi dence of returning students and teachers, we recommend that all higher education settings invest in these three key hygiene measures:


1. Deep cleans and fogging of all buildings and shared areas, to ensure they are infection free.


2. Install additional hand sanitising stations at key entry points to further encourage personal hygiene.


3. Intense touchpoint cleaning of entrances and exits, handrails and lifts, and other frequently touched surfaces at numerous intervals throughout the day.


As restrictions relax, we must not let down our guard when it comes to hygiene. After all it will continue to be one of the main lines of defence against the virus well beyond our lockdown days.


www.facilicom.co.uk twitter.com/TomorrowsFM


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