It’s tough enough being a business owner without the added stress of the Coronavirus pandemic.  Now it’s a juggling act between keeping employees and customers safe while avoiding a government mandated shutdown or costly violations.  You may have regular cleanings from your eco-friendly janitorial service and take the proper precautions to conduct business but…

what happens when an employee had a confirmed case of Covid-19?

First of all – DO NOT panic.  Just because an employee comes down with Coronavirus does not necessarily mean that your business has to close.  Here are some safety tips to combat others from catching the virus and keep your business afloat.

According to CDC guidelines…

• Close off any areas used for an excess amount of time by the sick person.
• IF possible, wait 24 hours before cleaning the area to reduce exposure.  If it is NOT possible to wait 24 hours – wait as long as you feasibly can.
• All surfaces need to be cleaned with soap and water first.
• Then comes disinfection.  Use appropriate products made to combat the SARS-Cov-2, which is the actual virus that causes Covid-19.  You can find such products using the EPA guide HERE or consult your professional cleaning service on proper Coronavirus disinfection procedures and products they will use.
• Follow the instructions on each bottle – there may be wait times to ensure complete disinfection.
• You may need to wear extra protective materials, such as gloves and masks, to reduce exposure while eliminating the virus.  This is especially true if you can’t wait a full 24 hours before cleaning a contaminated space.

At this point, you should send the employee home immediately and educate them on what to do when sick.  This will include staying home for 14 days, monitoring symptoms and consulting with their healthcare provider.  As an employer, you will need to arrange a way for them to work from home, if possible.  You will also need to let other employees know that there was possible exposure to Covid-19 in the workplace WITHOUT revealing the identity of exposed persons.  Confidentiality is IMPERATIVE as required by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).  You may also need to work with your local health department to determine additional precautions and others potentially exposed.

The most important takeaway as a business owner is that – with proper diligence, cleaning and disinfection – an exposure to Covid-19 doesn’t mean your business has to completely close down.  The key is to isolate contaminated areas and then exterminate the virus to keep others healthy.

You can carry out this procedure yourself or hire a local janitorial service such as DM Industrial.  A professional cleaning service that specializes in such disinfection will have the proper equipment and expertise to battle a myriad of viruses and bacteria.  However you choose to carry out cleaning procedures, the goal is to return your office into a safe space for customers and staff.

Find out for yourself why our customers keep coming back!  You can fill out an estimate request HERE or give our DM Industrial Janitorial Service specialists a call at 708.458.2330 and finally see the difference between clean and industrial clean!