Sitemark, the independent benchmarking service for the facilities management industry, has launched a workplace hygiene programme in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The programme has been developed to enable businesses to maintain clean and hygienic buildings so that building users remain safe and healthy.
See YouTube for more information.
Unlike traditional cleaning specifications, which focus almost entirely on visual standards of cleanliness, this programme will help to identify and control those areas where additional hygiene standards are required. This will minimise the risk of workplace contamination for those key sites which are still occupied and will support those managing empty buildings as they gradually become reoccupied.
The essence of the programme is to identify all areas of a building where the risk of contamination to building users is high, highlight them and then clean them at a frequency that is appropriate to the area they are in. This includes common areas, door handles, lifts and stairway railings.
The highly visual system positively drives the behaviours of building users, cleaning operatives and facilities managers, and is based on the use of 'High Intensity Touch Point' indicators. These will remind building users to wash their hands after passing through a high-risk area, and prompt cleaning staff to pay additional attention to deep cleans of these areas.
The programme is suitable for all types of sites, can be used in conjunction with an existing cleaning specification and can be adapted over time as building usage changes. Implementing the system is a simple 3 stage process:
Step 1: Categorise every area type within your building
Step 2: Determine the 'Touch Point' cleaning frequency for every area type
Step 3: Apply the 'Touch Point' indicators at appropriate locations
Mike Boxall, managing director at Sitemark, commented:
“While there is understandably a lot of focus on keeping buildings safe now, we need to think about how to keep them safe when offices, shops and schools reopen. A lot of people might want assurances that their workplace is fit for purpose.
“Through the use of the workplace hygiene programme, building managers can point to the programme as evidence of the steps they are taking, and the indicators will act as daily visual reminders to everyone of how to stay safe and hygienic.
“Companies will need a thorough cleaning programme that is well communicated to staff in order to get back to business as smoothly as possible.”The programme can be self-managed or independently audited by Sitemark to demonstrate that 'best practice' is being met.
The programme includes the provision of:
- Complete workplace risk assessment tool (available to download free of charge)
- Programme control document
- Hygiene cleaning specification
- Pictogram based method statements (Routine / Swab Testing / Deep clean)
- Wall mounted guide
- High intensity 'Touch Point' indicators
- Audit protocol and scoresheet (optional)
- Independent 'Best Practice' certification
Sitemark provides independent best practice benchmarking of cleaning, recycling and waste services to organisations in all sectors, helping clients improve standards, reduce costs and ensure best value for money.
Sitemark has demonstrable experience in the private, public and voluntary sector having worked with blue chip organisations through to local authorities and landmark attractions. It has benchmarked
more than 300 separate service providers and 7000 sites.
From offices, hospitals, schools, prisons, palaces and even London buses the Sitemark review process helps compare like for like and also between sectors to identify and share best practices.
For more information, visit www.sitemark.co.uk.
Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently on this blog
You can also read additional current and archived articles on our dedicated magazine website
Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£60 to £80 plus VAT), payable in advance via PayPal or credit card or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).
We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.
To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.
If you are a regular advertiser placing series bookings or subscribing to our VIP Packages in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for a specific number of free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.
Also, if you purchase one of our Online and Print Combo packages, Featured Articles or Advertorial packages, posting on this blog is included in the price.
For details and rates for all of our advertising options in print and online, download our media pack contact us or visit our website.
Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833
No comments:
Post a Comment