To best answer this question the first thing we need to
establish is what is clean? And the truth is that it depends. “Clean” in
an office is different than “clean” in a hospital. “But why?” you say.
“Isn’t there a universally applicable standard of clean?” Well… yes and
no.
Fundamentally cleaning has two purposes: to make a space
look nice (to turn disorder into order – akin to pushing a reset button)
and to reduce the “bio load” on a surface. Bio load is a fancy way to
describe the dust, dirt and grime (i.e. the organic material) that
accumulates. Normally, some of this you can see (obvious dust and dirt)
and some of this is only perceptible through a microscope. If you do a
swab test in an office or home you are likely to find soils from the outdoor environment, as well as human skin and bacteria from human nasal cavities and other orifices.
Since an office tends to have a lower level of traffic, and
this of primarily healthy individuals, it isn’t necessary to clean
using the same methods and procedures one would in a medical facility.
Cleaning commercially centers on making a space look presentable,
removing dirt, and maintaining surfaces (e.g. such as carpet, tile, and
vinyl flooring) so that they stay in good repair. Pathogens tend to
collect on high-touch surfaces such as doors and telephone receivers so
it is important to regularly disinfect these, especially during flu
season.
A hospital or medical facility, on the other hand, is
bombarded by an enormous quantity and variety of pathogens on a daily
basis because, after all, the primary function of these facilities is to
serve sick people. Thus, reducing the bioload on a surface and
eliminating pathogens in a medical facility, is a preeminent and
on-going focus. Patient care rooms are thoroughly cleaned and
disinfected on a daily basis and/or every time a patient is discharged.
Patient care equipment that is reusable is generally sterilized. In
addition, housekeeping staff are constantly making rounds throughout the
day removing trash and soiled linen and disinfecting high-touch
surfaces, including:
- faucet handles
- light switches
- bed rails
- nurse call buttons
- over-bed and bedside tables
- foot boards on beds
- remote controls
- telephones
- drinking faucets
- call buttons in elevators
The need for proper and frequent disinfection is most vital
in areas like the Intensive Care and Isolation units because these
patients tend to have immune systems that have already been severely
compromised by infections or accidents. The Emergency Room is another
high-risk area for infection because it is a major admitting center for a
hospital and patients have not been separated yet based on their
condition or type of illness.
Regardless of the unit they are serving in, it is important
for the head of Hospital Cleaning (also known as Environmental
Services) to stay in close contact with the hospital’s infection control
officer to make sure that the products they are using have a kill claim
that encompasses the full range of pathogens that may be present in the
facility. We also use Westlaw to stay abreast of the latest changes in State regulations.
Most facilities will fall somewhere on this office to hospital continuum in terms of stringency and purpose of cleaning.
Company : Swiss Cleaning Services
Address : 7119 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90046
Phone : (323)744-7170
Address : 7119 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90046
Phone : (323)744-7170
Website : www.los-angeles-cleaning.com
