Respiratory Infectious Diseases / COVID-19 – Tips

• This procedure provides an overview of steps to be taken to disinfect common touchpoints (high touch) throughout the office non-production and production (plant) areas.

• This Standard is applicable to all production plants and offices for Company XXXXX.

High-Touchpoint Surface:

A surface where bare hands come in contact from multiple people, multiple times.

Disinfectant:

A solution used to destroy or irreversibly inactivate all specified organisms on a surface within a set timeframe.

Selected disinfectant XXXXX:

A ready to use disinfectant approved by Health Canada that has virucide properties and has been selected by corporate purchasing for food processing or manufacturing plants and offices. Alternatively, bleach, where tolerated can be used as a replacement disinfectant.

Wiping and leaving a film:

The action of wiping using a saturated cloth (with the disinfectant) such that when the surface is wiped, the surface still appears wet, without requirement for further wiping.

To execute the SOP, the following items are required:

1. Disposable gloves worn by the person applying the disinfectant.
2. Dedicated clean and dry microfiber cloth (should be changed daily).
3. Properly labelled spray bottle of selected disinfectant OR bleach solution.
4. Checklist of surfaces to be treated routinely throughout the day (high-touch points).

1. Appropriate production or office personnel are responsible to provide the SOP, and any associated training material or templates and ensure the supervisor who is in charge of cleaning staff that will be executing the task are fully trained.
2. The supervisor is responsible for reviewing the SOP, providing training, reviewing any tools, or templates and ensuring cleaning staff successfully deploy the SOP as written.
3. Appropriate production or office personnel alongside supervisor identifies the high touchpoints to be treated and itemizes them on an appropriate checklist template.

1. The supervisor overseeing the cleaning staff is responsible for having each person sign off on the SOP to acknowledge that they are trained and competent to perform the tasks outlined. This includes the review of the disinfectant MSDS being used.

1. Disinfection of Common Touchpoint Surfaces
   1. Appropriate plant and cleaning supervisor are to identify touchpoints in common work and welfare areas throughout the plant or office. This would include but not limited to areas such as: offices, cafeterias, changerooms, washrooms, and laundry rooms. Plants should be considering all possible touchpoints from the moment a person enters and exits the facility.
   2. Touchpoints can include but not limited to items such as:
      • Door handles
      • Sink handles
      • Paper towel dispensers
      • Counter tops
      • Wheelchair access buttons
      • Turnstiles
      • Microwave and refrigerator handles
      • Elevator buttons
      • Vending machines
      • Printers/Photocopiers
      • Coffee makers
   3. Clean before disinfecting. Cleaning removes dirt and germs from surfaces or objects and helps to reduce the spread of infection more than disinfecting alone.
   4. Each plant or office is to establish a frequency of disinfection for the items identified in section 7.1.2. All identified touchpoint surfaces must be treated at minimum every 2-3 hours depending on the size of the non-production area and staff available for disinfecting.
   5. Use a checklist to record compliance and to create a daily record of disinfection.
2. Disinfecting Common Areas
   1. Using selected disinfectants:
      1. Wear approved personal protective equipment (PPE (i.e. latex or nitrile gloves).
      2. Apply the selected disinfectant for the first time on a clean and dry microfiber cloth. Ensure the cloth is saturated with the disinfectant before treating the touchpoints identified in 7.1. Reapply the disinfectant to the cloth as needed.
      3. Make sure the surface to be disinfected is visibly clean. Do not disinfect a visibly soiled surface.
      4. Apply the selected disinfectant on the surface to leave a visible film.
      5. Allow the surface to air dry. This will ensure the contact time needed (one minute) for the disinfectant to be effective.
      6. Reapply the selected disinfectant to keep the cloth damp between surfaces.
      7. Cloths must be changed daily or when cloths become visibly soiled.
   2. Using bleach solution:
      1. If household or commercial disinfectant cleaning products are scarce, hard surfaces can be disinfected using a mixture of 5 mL (one teaspoon) of bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) and 250 mL of water; or 20 mL (4 teaspoons) bleach and 1000 mL of water (4 cups). 
      2. Always add bleach to water, not water to bleach.
      3. Bleach solutions should be prepared daily; beyond 24 hours they lose their disinfectant properties.
      4. Bleach should not be mixed with any other solutions. Mixing bleach with vinegar, glass cleaners, ammonia, alcohol, and other chemicals can produce toxic gasses or products.
      5. Never use bleach or diluted bleach on yourself or others.
      6. Bleach is corrosive. To prevent damage test surfaces before using a bleach solution. test the solution on a variety of surfaces before fully implementing. Continue to monitor as surfaces are treated.
      7. Follow steps 7.2.1-7.2.3 in the previous section, use the bleach solution instead of the selected disinfectant to dampen the cloth.
      8. Apply the disinfectant on the surface to leave a visible film.
      9. Allow the surface to air dry. This will ensure the contact time needed (max 2 minutes) for the disinfectant to be effective.
      10. Wipe the surface down with a dry cloth to remove the remaining bleach residue on the surface.
      11. Reapply the bleach solution to keep the cloth damp between surfaces.
      12. Cloths must be changed daily or when the cloths become visibly soiled.
3. Disinfecting after a Positive COVID-19 Case

   In the event of a known or suspected case of COVID-19:

   1. Close off all areas the person used or was in. Consider common areas (e.g., washrooms), and any shared items (e.g. touch screens).
   2. Increase air circulation in those areas by using the ventilation system or by opening doors and windows.
   3. Wait 24 hours if possible before cleaning the areas.
   4. Use routine procedures for cleaning and disinfecting.
   5. Additional cleaning and disinfecting are not necessary if seven or more days has passed since the person who is ill or tests positive for COVID-19 was in the facility.
   6. Continue with routine cleaning and disinfecting.