Facility Cleaning Steps Following Disasters

Following a disaster to the facility, cleaning professionals are one of the first to be called. With a goal of getting the facility back up and running as quickly as possible, building executives are going to rely on the expertise of facility cleaning professionals. But tending to such a situation can be challenging, and dangerous. Responsible cleaning professionals should ensure their safety in such a situation. That includes making sure there is adequate ventilation in place during and after facility cleanup.

In situations where water damage is evident, air conditioning (or heat) should be left on continuously to help remove humidity from the air. If the facility has exhaust fans, these also should be left on. Leave all interior doors open, including doors to closets and storage area.

My final piece of advice is to pace yourself when cleaning up after a hurricane or any major storm event. Not only are injuries and accidents possible in the clean-up operation, but fatigue can also lead to even more problems. While your to-do list will be long and many building owners will want your work to be performed as fast as possible, having a slow but steady pace and stopping when tired are necessary to protect your health.

Ron Segura is president of Segura Associates. His company works with organizations to help them streamline their cleaning and building operations as well as promote sustainability and healthier cleaning strategies so that facilities function more effectively and efficiently and realize cost savings. He can be reached through his company website at http://www.seguraassociates.com.