Workplace Hygiene Standards Every Business Owner Should Know
As a business owner, you are responsible for your team members’ well-being. One of the ways you can take this role seriously is to put workplace hygiene at the forefront. This is good, not just for your staff’s health, but also for productivity.
That said? How do you set and raise standards that assure this? Here are tips that you should keep in mind.
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Regular Cleaning and Disinfection
Start with high-touch surfaces. These are things everyone lays their hands on all day long. They include doorknobs, light switches, keyboards, phones, and even coffee machines. Assign someone to wipe down these areas at least twice a day. Make sure they are equipped with disinfectant wipes or sprays that kill germs.
Then there are bigger spaces. Common areas like break rooms, bathrooms, and meeting rooms need extra attention. Have them swept, mopped, and sanitized regularly to keep bugs and mold away.
Focus on the less visible places, too. Carpets trap dirt and allergens while air vents circulate dust and particles. Schedule deep cleaning once a month to tackle those hard-to-reach spots.
Getting these different places clean can be a taxing experience, and given the implications of not being as thorough, you’d rather have it done the right way. That’s why involving experts like those offering Fort Worth cleaning services or others close to your business may be a grand idea.
These professionals have years of experience in getting hygiene standards up to snuff. Their services can help keep your employees healthy and productive, which can ultimately lead to a better business environment for everyone in your building.
Proper Hand Hygiene
It’s second nature for people to touch their faces, phones, keyboards, and door handles without thinking twice. Hand hygiene can help prevent diseases from spreading when your staff follow this natural and human action.
To help them in this quest, set up handwashing stations. Make sure they have soap, water, and disposable towels or hand dryers. Have hand sanitizers near entrances, exits, desks, and common areas. Look for ones with at least 60% alcohol.
Encourage handwashing after using the restroom, before eating, and after touching shared equipment. Post reminders near sinks or send out friendly emails reminding everyone why this simple decision can go a long way.
Ventilation and Air Quality
Apart from the apparent discomfort, poor air quality can also lead to poor health, thanks to dust, allergens, and viruses that thrive here. To keep this situation at bay, keep your HVAC system running smoothly, and make sure the filters are clean and functioning well. Dirty filters block airflow and spread contaminants, so get them changed every three months.
If possible, upgrade to higher-efficiency filters or install air purifiers with HEPA filters in enclosed spaces like conference rooms. If you’re in a place where natural ventilation makes sense, use it. Open windows whenever you can, as fresh air dilutes indoor pollutants and keeps everyone feeling refreshed.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Masks can help stop germs from spreading, especially if social distancing is an issue. Provide your staff with these vital pieces if they are needed.
If there are tasks where hands touch dirty surfaces, think cleaning, handling food, or sorting mail, encourage the use of gloves. Pair that with handwashing after taking the gloves off to keep the germs at bay.
Social Distancing Measures
Social distancing measures can help keep everyone safer. There are many different and simple ways you can make it work in your business.
Look into physical barriers, for example. Placing plexiglass shields at reception desks or cash registers can allow people to interact without worrying about droplets flying around.
Waste Management
Waste management can make or break hygiene in your workplace. So, what do you do about it? First, have enough bins. Put them near restrooms, break rooms, and entrances. Better if you label them so your staff and customers know what goes where.
Then, empty those bins regularly. Overflowing trash is a source of bad and also attracts pests. Assign someone to check them daily or hire a service if you’re short on time.
Restroom Hygiene
Restrooms should be clean. That’s non-negotiable. A dirty one can be responsible for illnesses like norovirus or E. coli, which might leave you and your team dealing with medical emergencies. It also damages morale and respect for the workplace.
But it’s not just staff that’s affected. Unpleasant odors and unsanitary conditions can deter customers or clients who use the facilities. That’s bad for your business. So, how do you avoid all this?
Start by stocking supplies. Toilet paper, soap, and paper towels (or hand dryers) should never run out. Touchless fixtures are also worth their weight. Automatic faucets, soap dispensers, and towel dispensers reduce the chance of spreading germs, a plus is that they also feel modern and convenient.
Food Safety
If your workplace has a break room or cafeteria, food safety should be at the forefront. Start by keeping the break room spotless, then encourage employees to clean after themselves.
Establish serving guidelines in the cafeteria, too. Gloves when handling food, hot foods remain hot, cold foods cold. Cross-contamination happens easily if temperatures are out of control.
Employee Health Monitoring
This might be the strongest point of all because it directly impacts everyone’s well-being. Ask employees to check for symptoms like fever, cough, or fatigue before coming in. Some businesses even use temperature checks at the door during flu season or outbreaks.
You should also consider stay-at-home policies for affected employees. Offer flexible leave options so they don’t feel pressured to work while ill. A healthy team is a productive team. Keep that in mind.
Closing Thoughts
Raising workplace hygiene standards can make a huge difference not just in your staff’s health but also in their morale and productivity. This guide has introduced you to a few places you should pay keen attention to. Use these tips to create a cleaning plan that works for your business.
If you need it a lot more professionally done, consider getting in touch with a cleaning company you can trust. Let them handle the hygiene part so you and your team can focus on making your business processes count.
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