WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

HOW WE COMPARE

What are the most important FACTS to know about the application process for disinfectants?

• Disinfecting treatments require a dedicated spray applicator
• Any type of spray applicator you use, must apply the correct amount of disinfectant evenly to the surface and stay wet for the appropriate time: 2 minutes – 10 minutes. No runoff should be created. Ask the disinfectant manufacturer for the EPA testing summary report for their product. This report should provide the contact time required for each claim that is made on their label.
• To achieve the correct surface treatment, training for the technician is required. Two factors are involved, a calibrated spray applicator and the operating technician moving at the correct speed when applying the disinfectant
• Precise spray tip technology is required, to ensure an even coat of disinfectant is applied to all surface areas. Our HDP Proximity Tips 1.5 High Density Misting Tips produce droplets at 100 mls per minute, blanketing the entire surface with high density misting droplets
• NPD’s calibrated spray applicator provides chemical usage accountability. NPD’s “Soft Flow Technology” is a nonadjustable output that ensures consistent replication. (you need to know your applicators output volume) Variable speed applicators leave room for errors to occur
• Although there are various technologies; ULV, Foggers, Paint Sprayers and Electrostatics, they all must apply enough product to stay wet for the appropriate kill time. Cleaning and then disinfecting provides the best results

Others

• ULV: Ultra Low Volume means using less product, this will result in fast air-dry times and not meet the mandatory dwell times required
• Fogging: Is difficult to ensure proper coverage, difficult to ensure cleaning dwell times and the application process is relatively slow
• Paint Sprayers: Use high pressure and some internal components are corrosive when used with some disinfectants
• Electrostatic Sprayers: In certain environmental conditions (i.e. wind, room humidity, etc.) delivery with the sprayer may not be completely uniform. In certain instances, one will have to spray around certain objects and surfaces to obtain full coverage due to size, distance, and substrate variations. If the operator is not properly grounded, the disinfectant often wraps back at the operator instead of being attracted to the target. Or in some cases, the disinfectant will head to the closest negative object, the floor
• Electrostatic Sprayers: With Inadequate grounding, the wrap effect provided by electrostatic sprayers can vary greatly: depending on the actual charge and the type of surface, wind, and the distance away from the surface sprayed

HIGHER RISK OF TRANSMISSION

Here is a list of areas in a facility 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 touching door handles
• Lunchroom Tables: Stagger breaks to ensure all personnel understand how to disinfect and supply the disinfectant product and disposable cloths in the lunchroom. Locate hand sanitizer stations near the break room exits
• Shared Printer Fax Machine: Designate one person to load and disinfect the machine
• Desk 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
• Operator Control Stations: Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator
• Shared Tools: Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator
• Alarm Panels: Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator
• 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
• 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