Fall and winter are considered a beautiful time of the year. With leaves changing, the temperature steadily declining, and the need for warm sweaters, who wouldn’t love this time of year? Unfortunately, fall and winter are considered the peak time of year for viral illnesses. As a result of the colder temperatures, diseases can last much longer than they typically would during other seasons. These common illnesses include asthma, seasonal allergies, the common cold, sore throats, and the flu. During the fall and winter, we still need to go to work. With the fear of illness being greater during this time of year, how can we avoid getting sick or getting others at work sick? To prevent sickness in the workplace, here are five easy steps you can take.
- WASHING YOUR HANDS: Hand washing is one of the most effective methods to prevent the spread of bacteria. Whether it’s a handshake or you just finished using the restroom, washing your hands will help prevent the spread of bacteria to surfaces and to others within the office. Areas in which you can wash your hands are the restroom, kitchen sink or if an office has hand sanitizer easily accessible.
- COVERING YOUR MOUTH: Allergies can be viscous during the fall and winter. As a result, sneezing and wet noses are common. With a sneeze that is uncovered, hundreds of thousands of bacteria can travel within the air and onto surfaces. Covering your mouth when sneezing and blowing your nose into a tissue can help limit the spread.
- DISINFECTING HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS & SURFACES: Surfaces such as desks, countertops and restrooms can hold countless forms of bacteria. These areas require long term disinfecting to remove bacteria. A professional clean can help keep those surfaces clean and safe without you having to worry.
- DON’T GO TO WORK IF YOU ARE FEELING ILL: If you are feeling ill, communicate with your supervisors to rest and stay home. Doing so will help prevent contaminating others within the workplace. Wearing a mask is also a great option to prevent getting others sick. Just make sure to keep your distance and wash your hands.
- REPORT CONTAMINATIONS, STAINS, AND SPILLS: Whatever the spill, stain or contamination is, it is essential to report these as soon as possible. By communicating these issues to your property manager or commercial cleaning service, they can help prevent the spread of bacteria and illnesses to the tenants of your building.
Following these five easy steps will help avoid illnesses this fall and winter and keep you safe. If you feel as if your facility is not getting the cleaning that it deserves, contact RWK Services today for your facility cleaning needs. RWK Services has more than three decades of experience cleaning Class A office buildings, medical facilities and more, creating customizable cleaning and disinfection programs to suit your unique needs.