The landscape of occupant health in commercial buildings is rapidly evolving. Although the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that more Australians are spending some of their week working from home, most workers still spend a significant portion of their waking hours in the workplace. This makes those environments critical hubs not only for the exchange of goods and services but also viruses, bacteria and other sources of infection.

Surfaces within these environments, particularly those frequently touched by multiple people, become hotspots for germs and bacteria.

In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates between 5 percent and 20 percent of all Americans contract flu annually. Contaminated surfaces and direct human contact spread up to 80 percent of all infections. Adults touch their hands to their faces an average of 23 times per hour, presenting hundreds of opportunities each day to transfer illness-causing organisms into our bodies.

Once an infection takes hold, the next step is usually the doctor’s office, followed by the sickbed, resulting in thousands to millions of dollars in lost productivity from employee absenteeism. In fact, according to a National Health Interview Survey, influenza alone is responsible for 200 million days of diminished productivity and 75 million days of work absence.

Avoiding germs

Understanding which surfaces pose the greatest risk for disease transmission at work allows organisations to implement effective cleaning practices that reduce these risks and minimise infections.

Employers should educate staff on how to avoid germs in the workplace, especially in the following areas:

• Telephones: Office phones, used by multiple employees, can harbour thousands of germs per square inch. Regularly sanitising handsets and keypads is crucial.
• Lift buttons: Frequently touched by numerous people, elevator buttons, particularly the ground-floor button, are hotspots for bacteria. Using your elbow or a covered hand to press buttons can help minimise contact.
• Water fountains: Public drinking fountains can harbour millions of bacteria per square inch. Bringing bottled water from home or using a sports bottle is a safer alternative.
• Keyboards: Like telephones, keyboards are often shared and can harbour a significant amount of bacteria. In fact, they can contain more than 200 times as much bacteria as a toilet seat. Regular cleaning with disinfectant wipes is recommended.
• Bathrooms: Often the germiest areas in a workplace, bathrooms are hotspots for cross-contamination. Pathogenic E. coli and other fecal toxins often contaminate nearly every surface. Using paper towels to turn off taps and open doors, and closing toilet lids before flushing, can reduce the spread of germs.

Implementing a hygienic cleaning system

Adopting a nightly, health-focused cleaning regime is essential to maintain a healthy workplace. Using hospital-grade disinfectants effectively kills harmful organisms, while advanced cleaning techniques remove dirt and germs, reducing health risks. Studies indicate that a comprehensive surface disinfecting and cleaning protocol can cut absenteeism by as much as 50 percent.

Combining this cleaning method with a robust hand hygiene program provides a hygienic barrier to help reduce the risk of illness and improve the quality of work life for all building occupants.

Including hospital-grade disinfectants in your cleaning compounds helps reduce the overall risk of illness by killing harmful organisms on surfaces in your facility. Their prudent use, especially in the germiest areas mentioned above, is a critical component of an effective daily, hygienic cleaning system. It’s essential to disinfect during nightly cleaning and provide employees with disposable disinfecting wipes to wipe down high-touch areas throughout the day.

The introduction of backpack vacuums with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filtration is another key element of hygienic cleaning that can help reduce airborne germs and improve overall indoor air quality. The backpack platform increases productivity by 70 percent compared to traditional upright vacuums. HEPA filters the air down to 0.3 microns, preventing the release of harmful germs from recirculating back into the air.

Another important factor in an effective hygienic cleaning system is the use of microfibre textiles in cleaning cloths instead of cotton, other fabrics, or disposable paper towels. Most cloths and rags don’t sufficiently remove dirt and germs, but actually spread them around and contribute to cross-contamination. In contrast, microfibre is a very fine, round synthetic fibre that undergoes chemical treatment to split the individual round strands into open, star-shaped channels. These channels have proven to be 99 percent more effective at capturing and removing bacteria and dirt.

When using microfibre cloths, workers must frequently turn and change cloths to maintain their germ and soil removal capabilities. Additionally, colour-coding the cloths assigns each colour to a designated workplace area, preventing cross-contamination.

Empowering employees with information

Finally, employers should equip their teams with the knowledge and tools necessary to protect themselves. Regular communication through flyers, emails and meetings can reinforce the importance of good hand hygiene. Providing well-stocked hand sanitiser stations can also help minimise the transmission of germs.

By combining effective cleaning practices with comprehensive hygiene education, organisations can create a healthier work environment. This proactive approach not only enhances employee well-being but also boosts productivity by reducing absenteeism.

About the author:

Peter J. Sheldon Sr. is the chief strategy officer at Anago Cleaning Systems, one of the world’s leading franchised commercial cleaning brands and a leader in technological advances relating to business operations and facilities services with over 1,800 franchisees across North America.

A version of this article was published on ISSA.com.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.