Standard precautions (SP) are safety practices you observe with every single person who uses your facility because not all the sick people are in hospitals or stay home with the “sniffles”. For your personal protection, treat every situation as though it was potentially infectious to you or your family. Remember: Because disinfectants are classified as…
“Germs” is not a scientific term, but they are better understood as bacteria, viruses, or fungi because these are living organisms. “Germs” is therefore a broad term we all use to refer to these microscopic organisms that can infect humans and animals. The more proper term for these bad germs would be “pathogenic organisms.” A…
People can carry MRSA and not have any symptoms. These “carriers” can also transmit the bacteria to other people. School is in session this week and we all need to be vigilant in our efforts. MRSA can be easily spread through skin-to-skin contact and by touching contaminated items. Therefore, it is crucial to take measures…
Infection prevention is a proactive process which means that administration must work in concert with the Environmental Health Services team, while keeping workers/students/occupants advised of the “Best Practices” for staying healthy. If there is the belief a “crack team” is able to sanitize the office and completely eliminate the issue of illness within the facility,…
One professionally educated, properly equipped housekeeper or custodian can prevent more infections than a room full of doctors can cure! To be proactive in the face of illnesses, the staff must know how to; Recognize the symptoms, and then take steps to contain the issue. Remove the potentially infected person from contact with others. Once…
The restroom cleaning area of the Academy is finished. It has been a long process, but it has come out well. Next week, the ISSA Master Certification class will be the first to be able to utilize this new addition. We will be teaching ‘Best Practice’ methods for not only hand work, but touch free cleaning…
The Food and Drug Administration ruled on Friday that it is banning the use of 19 active ingredients found in antibacterial soaps and washes. The most common of these are triclosan, typically used in liquid antibacterial soaps, and triclocarban, used in bar soaps. Manufacturers will have one year to remove the ingredients from their products,…
By Kassandra Kania With 80 percent of infections being transmitted through direct contact, it’s no wonder that proper cleaning is as vital as good personal hygiene. In addition to identifying key areas that harbor infectious bacteria, custodial managers are charged with implementing best practices for the removal of these microorganisms. This includes providing custodians with…
In recent months we’ve had multiple contagious viruses arise such as Ebola and the Enterovirus D68 Virus, which was widespread throughout most schools of the US, making it extremely important to not only clean, but also disinfect the surfaces inside our buildings. The current Flu season also makes it more important to make sure your facilities are not only clean,…
The Flu has started its devastating spree, earlier this year than in the past. In fact in the week of December 20th, nearly 7% of the deaths were blamed on pneumonia and the Flu. This percentage has been higher than last years at the same time, but this is just a small problem compared to…
