Dealing with a serious spreadable disease has been a familiar ordeal for all of us over the last couple of years, so conversations about how to prevent monkeypox in your workplace can feel raw for some. But our past experience has made us wiser to pivot when these circumstances come up, and in this article we’ll address how monkeypox can spread through the workplace and what you can do to create a safer work environment.
Without further delay, let’s get started!
- Cloth surfaces like Office chairs, coat hangers, cubicles
What makes the spread of monkeypox alarming compared to COVID-19 is how easily it transmits on surfaces, especially cloth and fabric areas. Human contact or interaction isn’t the only means for spread.
Shared seating like conference rooms chairs, lobby furniture and even cubicles can transmit the disease if they come in contact with human touch from someone who has it. - High traffic surfaces like conference tables, reception desk, door handles
Higher traffic areas like these where large numbers of people congregate can be a hot spot for the spread. Monitoring the spread of monkeypox is also more difficult if your office has customers that come into your place of business. - Coughing, handshakes, open cup or food exposure
While airborne transmission is less common with monkeypox, people can still contract it from others coughing or sneezing. According to the CDC, “Monkeypox spreads in a few ways…” including “Contact with respiratory secretions”. This type of transmission can occur through both air and physical touch like handshakes (if the person has used their hand to sneak and hasn’t sanitized.)
Also having a communal snack like a bowl of candies or box of donuts can potentially attract airborne monkeypox.
Level one precautions you can take
There’s certain action steps your office can take to help scale back the spread of monkeypox. We call these “level one precautions” as they won’t completely remove the risk, but they are an effective first step to creating a safe work environment for your employees.
- Communicate preventive guidelines
Encourage your team members to visit an urgent care or call their doctor if they’re feeling under the weather before coming into work. Encourage mask wearing if someone has a cough and keep some spare masks at the front entrance for people to easily access.
Use posters around the office to remind team members to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer, and mention it in your recurring team meetings. - Use toilet set covers
It’s alarming how many facilities we clean have restrooms that don’t include toilet seat covers. Public toilets carry one of the greatest risks of transmitting monkeypox along with other germs, so empowering team members to practice safety while using the restroom is critical for halting the spread.
If you don’t already have these installed in each restroom, you can order some online from Amazon for an affordable amount. - Keep hand sanitizer handy
Because germs and viruses transmit so easily through human contact, encouraging the use of hand sanitizer for your team can help curve the spread of monkeypox. Make hand sanitizer available in high traffic areas such as break rooms, conference rooms, reception areas and restrooms.If the spread of monkeypox is heavy in your community, you might also encourage teammates to switch to elbow or fist pumps instead of hand shakes. No, some of us may not enjoy the idea of practicing some of those old social distancing protocols like we used to. Just remember, if we all do our part in preventing the spread of smallpox, we can help get through it much more quickly.
Level two precaution through electrostatic and the benefits
The best way to create a safe environment from monkeypox is by scheduling a full top-to-bottom cleaning using electrostatic technology. This type of cleaning has actually been around for decades and has been used to clean medical facilities for years because of its ability to quickly and effectively fight viruses and germs that can spread from patients. However, with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for workplaces to create a safe environment for essential workers, this method of cleaning has become more popular.
If you’re not familiar with this cleaning process, here’s a few important aspects of why it’s best for a level two preventive step for your workplace:
- How electrostatic cleaning works
We use the Total 360® Electrostatic Sprayer system which is designed for taking on dangerous pathogens that settle on surfaces. Electrostatic technology works by extracting small electrical charged-liquid droplets as they move through a sprayer nozzle. The charged droplets settle on surfaces and fight against any bacteria or viruses on the surface. - Why it’s effective for cleaning ALL surfaces
Unlike wiping down surfaces with a disinfectant wipe or spray, electrostatic technology creates that mist of electrical charged liquid to cover all hard to reach areas and surfaces. It can be used to clean walls, floors, furniture, display objects and even fabric chairs and couches. You can also clean an entire room from top to bottom in about 25% of the time it would take to try manually cleaning an area. - Why it’s safe on sensitive surfaces
Because the solution is extracted as a mist, the solution is safe to use on all areas and won’t cause discoloration or warping.
Scheduling an electrostatic cleaning
Maintenance One is a proud user of the Clorox Total 360® Electrostatic Sprayer system and has been creating safe and healthy workspaces for companies through this fog cleaning process.
We also provide other commercial cleaning services, such as general commercial cleaning, toilet seat cover stocking, and hand soap refilling. That way your team members are always empowered to practice self-sanitation that can slow down the spread of monkeypox.
If you’re ready to take your workplace to a level two safe environment, contact us today to schedule a free walk-through and quote. As always, we’re not afraid to stand behind our work. If you’re not satisfied with our service – we’ll pay for your cleaning with the next service you hire. If you’re ever dissatisfied with our performance – you’ll get that day for free.
