Flu Season Prompts Additional Cleaning In Schools And Public Buildings

The people responsible for keeping facilities in Central Ohio in top shape say that the work done by custodial staffs is an important step in the battle to prevent illnesses this time of year, according to an article on the Columbus Dispatch website.

Schools, office buildings and any place where large groups of people gather indoors are ripe for spreading cold and flu germs. These facilities need to be cleaned well, especially as the weather turns colder, according to Bill Balek, director of legislative and environmental services for ISSA.

“Those facilities should be looking to stepping up their cleaning regimens,” Balek said in the article.

He recommends increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting high-touch areas. Those areas should be cleaned at least once a day year-round, but cleaned at least twice a day during cold and flu season. Cleaning crews should also be trained to follow the directions for the cleaning agents they use to ensure that they’re used safely and effectively.

Both ISSA and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer guidelines for cleaning to prevent colds and flu.

Keeping high-traffic facilities germ-free year-round is a big task, said Jim Goodenow, Franklin County’s director of public facilities management. He oversees more than 40 government buildings used by county employees and members of the public.

“It certainly takes on a heightened sense of awareness during this flu season,” he said in the article. “We try to not only clean the surfaces, but we try to educate our users on how to mitigate the spread of any germs.”

Read the full article here.