When your colleagues show up to work spray-sneezing, shivering deliriously from an extreme fever or throwing up, the kindest, cheapest and most humane solution is to taser them from afar, pack them into the back of a yute and banish them into solitary confinement for at least 2 weeks.
But rarely are the symptoms so obvious, especially early in the infection, to warrant this ideal response.
Short of having everyone in the building show up to work daily in hazmat suits, here are some tips on how to prepare offices to minimise the spread of germs.
Killing in the Kitchen
Everyone knows that the only place teeming with more bacteria than a toilet bowl is the kitchen top. Microwaves and the dark corners of refrigerators are also known to sustain vibrant ecosystems.
Germaphobia aside, a responsible Facilities Manager’s civic duty is to ensure all kitchen surfaces are regularly disinfected and wiped down with antibacterial wipes. It is no exaggeration to state that this simple act will go some way in arresting the spread of germs and thereby save lives.
Busting the Bathrooms
You may have taken the trouble to wipe the seat before and after using it. You may even have acrobatically avoided the splashes from the toilet bowl and sink. But even the most accomplished sterilists have trouble turning on the tap, using bins and opening the doors without touching any surfaces.
Facilities Manager again are the first defenders of a community’s health. Regular cleaning with the right equipment goes a long way in the prevention of the spread of germs. Armed with surface wipes, disinfectant sprays and antibacterial soaps, Cleaners are, in a very real sense, frontline health workers and one of the keepers of a buildings / company’s productivity.
Clicking Clean
Hot-desking can be a health hazard. Keyboards and mouses are are some of the most neglected equipment in the office workplace. Because they are viewed as personal accessories, cleaners often do not touch them. As a result, they become verdant breeding grounds for germs and bacteria.
A Facilities Manager’s job is to encourage the daily use of anti-bacterial wipes to clean keyboards and mouses. Prominent signage and easy-to-reach dispensers will help change the office culture and keep the spread of germs at bay.
Of course if all this fails, keep a taser, hazmat suit and yute handy.
