Mitigating transmission risk by identifying high touch and high proximity areas
Mitigating transmission risk by identifying high touch and high proximity areas
Posted on March 27, 2020
Creating and enforcing cleaning and disinfecting protocols and practicing risk mitigation for high touch aeas will help control the spread of COVID-19. While many manufacturers have internal protocols in place, others are still developing their processes and procedures. To assist, Made Safe’s team of health and safety experts have created the following guidelines for the manufacturing work-environment. Many of the tips and recommendations below apply equally to all sectors, but some are industry-specific. For questions or insights, please connect with our team of manufacturing experts today at info@madesafe.ca
A higher touch count and risk areas for proximity equate to higher transmission risks.
Made Safe has prepared a list of areas in manufacturing facilities that may receive the most contact from potentially ill persons that also allow COVID-19 to survive for long enough to transfer to someone else. There are more. Think about the surfaces that you personally touch on your way to the lunchroom, the washroom, and in your personal workspace. These are the surfaces that need to be disinfected most often.
| High Touch Item |
Mitigation Opportunities
|
| Door Handles |
For the duration, ask for internal doors to be propped open. Place hand sanitizer station next to external; doors to allow for hand cleaning after touch door handles.
|
| Lunchroom Tables |
Stagger breaks ensure all personnel understands how to disinfect and supply the disinfectant product and disposable cloths in the lunch room. Locate hand sanitizer stations near the break room exits.
|
| Shared Printer / Fax Machine | Designate one person to load and disinfect the machine. |
| Desks / Countertops | Designate single person use or supply disinfectant training and equipment. Monitor and enforce disinfecting procedures, as described above, especially early on to create good habits surrounding disinfecting shared surfaces.
|
| Toilet Seats / Bathroom Stall Handles |
Increase professional cleaning frequency. Make all staff aware of how often they touch their faces between using the stalls and washing their hands. Teach all staff good hand washing procedures (such as here). Focus on the dirty hand turns on the tap, hand gets clean, use a paper towel to turn off the tap.
|
| Computer Mice |
Designate single use mice where possible and single person workstations.
|
| Time Clock / Punch Clock |
Stagger arrival time where possible, relax your attendance policy to allow for physical distance between the workers during sign in. Consider whether an actual punch in is required, or is it possible to have support staff monitor the entrances with a paper attendance sheet and check off people as they arrive?
|
| Light Switches |
Turn the lights on once per day and disinfect at the start and end of shift. Never spray liquid disinfectant directly onto a light switch.
|
| Microwave Handles and Keypads |
Use personal “dialing wands” that can then be washed with soap and water or designate a single person to operate the door and timing buttons (the lunch owner will still load the microwave).
|
| Breakroom Cabinets |
Take the doors off and put them in storage until we have flattened the curve. Disinfect them first before handling them.
|
| Keyboards |
Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.
|
| Remote Controls |
Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.
|
| Operator Control Stations |
Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.
|
| Shared Tools |
Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.
|
| Alarm Panels |
Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.
|
| Vending Machines |
Inform workers of the risk. Use personal “dialing wands” that can be washed (metal or plastic) with soap and water after use or install hand sanitizer stations next to the vending machines.
|
| Faucet Handles |
Post good hand washing technique posters in the washrooms (such as this one) and have the leadership team instruct ALL personnel in the correct technique.
|
| Phones |
Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.
|
| On / Off Buttons |
Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.
|
| Huddle board markers |
Each person that needs to write in information on huddle boards should be provided with their own marker.
|
This is not an exhaustive list and you may not have some of these high touch areas, or you may have other items unique to your business that require extra attention that are not on this list. We encourage you to share this list with your team and ask them to pay close attention to what they’re touching over the next couple of days that isn’t already on this list and add to them as you go.
For more information
Contact our team of health and safety experts for manufacturing-specific insights and supports: info@madesafe.ca
NOTE: This information is intended as best practice guidance, not as medical or legal advice. Information about the Coronavirus changes rapidly. Always refer to a public health authority for medical advice, and consult legal counsel regarding legislative concerns