OSHA: Cleaning and Disinfecting Safety During Coronavirus
OSHA, or the “Occupational Safety and Health Administration”, has been implementing more standards for cleaning and disinfecting – notably around protecting employees from hazardous chemicals. If a facility is not using professional equipment for chemistry, they run a high risk of not being in compliance!
OSHA’s New Standards and Guidelines
Employers must also protect their workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals used for cleaning and disinfection. Employers should be aware that common sanitizers and sterilizers could contain hazardous chemicals. Where workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals, employers must comply with OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard.
In the post-Covid 19 environment, it is important for employers to have sanitizing and disinfecting processes in place to mitigate potential contamination. Good cleaning and disinfection routines can greatly reduce or eliminate the risk of a viral count of COVID-19 on surfaces and objects in your facility.
Cleaning high-touch areas with most types of soaps reduce germs but do not kill them. The type of product you use is more important when it comes to disinfecting. It is crucial to protect workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals used for cleaning and disinfection. The CDC has provided detailed instructions on how to clean and disinfect workspaces, as well as a list of EPA-approved disinfectants known to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).
Excessive exposure to hazardous cleaning and disinfecting chemicals can endanger our health. In an effort to reassure employees and customers, some workplaces are using cleaning and disinfecting methods that can be unnecessary or counterproductive. Mixing cleaners that shouldn’t be mixed can produce toxic gas or severe irritation to the skin if protective gear is not worn.
Employee exposure to hazardous chemicals when cleaning can present even more hazards. The standards and guidelines by OSHA play an important role in minimizing these hazards in order to ensure the safety of employees in work facilities and other environments. Further, it helps employers reduce costly fines for non-compliance with OSHA regulations.
Lavo Equipment is Safe and Effective
In order to protect employees and customers from hazardous chemicals and also comply with OSHA regulations, it is important to use an effective, professional-grade chemical paired with professional dilution equipment for cleaning and disinfecting facilities, like equipment from Lavo. From lockable cabinets, dispensers that dilute chemicals properly, and sprayers made to safely coat hard to reach surfaces, Lavo equipment can help employers protect their employees and customers by implementing safe disinfecting methods and ensuring compliance.
Lavo’s chemical dispensers ensure the proper dilution rate to protect employees from hazardous exposure in the workplace.
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