If you are looking for commercial janitorial services for your medical facility, you need to make sure that the company you choose has the correct knowledge and certification to clean these types of facilities. Medical buildings and facilities require a much more specialized cleaning regime than regular commercial offices and require specific cleaning products and techniques. In this blog post, we’ll summarise aspects such as the importance of ATP monitors in medical facilities, how to clean bloodborne pathogens and the use of specialist disinfectants.
Ensuring you hire a qualified commercial medical cleaning company to get the job done right is imperative! Some key elements to think about are …
Certification
When it comes to commercial cleaning of medical buildings and facilities, certification is key. The company you hire needs to be certified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to work in a medical environment. This certification ensures that they have the proper knowledge and training to clean up bloodborne pathogens, use specialist disinfectants, and operate ATP monitors.
Bloodborne Pathogens
One of the most important things to consider when commercial cleaning a medical facility is how to clean up bloodborne pathogens. Bloodborne pathogens are diseases that can be transmitted through contact with blood or other bodily fluids. These diseases include HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Commercial medical cleaners need to be professionally trained in how to clean and disinfect areas that have been contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids.
Specialist Disinfectants
Another important consideration when commercial cleaning medical buildings and facilities are the use of specialist disinfectants. There are many diverse types of bacteria and viruses that can cause diseases, and not all disinfectants are effective against all of them. It’s important to choose a disinfectant that is specifically designed for use in a medical environment and that has been proven to be effective against the types of bacteria and viruses that are commonly found in these facilities.
ATP Monitors
ATP monitors are an important part of commercial cleaning medical buildings and facilities. ATP monitors are used to measure the level of cleanliness in a facility. They work by detecting the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is a molecule that is found in all cells and is used as a source of energy. The higher the level of ATP detected, the dirtier the surface is. This allows commercial cleaners to track the progress of their cleaning and make sure that all areas have been properly disinfected.
Different Medical Facilities & Cleaning
Different medical facilities require different levels of cleaning. For example, the cleaning of an Optical facility is likely to be less involved than cleaning a minor surgeries inpatient clinic; and again, a hospital facility is going to require an increasingly significant amount of specialization and knowledge. The cleaning of businesses in the Life Sciences sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, biomedical technologies, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and many others also require specialist cleaning requirements.
An external commercial medical cleaning company that manages the cleaning program for a healthcare/medical facility should have a contract that includes approved environmental cleaning products and supplies, equipment specifications and a comprehensive maintenance schedule. Companies who are employed to clean hospitals for example will also have to undertake specialist training in order to learn how to safely and effectively clean these areas. The cleaning staff working in these environments need to be able to follow strict protocols which have been put in place for the safety of patients, staff, and visitors.
Professional commercial janitorial cleaning companies will ensure the following guidelines and policies are in place when contracted to clean healthcare/medical facilities.
- Cleaning Schedules – frequency, method (product, process), staff responsible for specific cleaning tasks
- Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Contingency Plans
- Performance observations and continuous training for staff to ensure they are working to the latest guidelines
- Monitoring methods & cleaning checklists (frequency and staff)
- List of approved cleaning products, supplies, equipment, and any required specification for their use
General Medical Environmental Cleaning Techniques
For all environmental cleaning procedures, a professional company will also apply the following:
- A visual preliminary site assessment – this is to determine if patient status could pose a challenge, is there a need for additional PPE or supplies due to spillage of blood/body fluids, are there any obstacles or issues that could pose an issue and is there any damaged surfaces that need to be reported before a cleaning contract commences.
- Proceed from Cleaner to Dirtier – start with the clean areas and move onto the dirtier areas to avoid spreading dirt and microorganisms.
- Clean from high to low – this prevents dirt and microorganisms from dripping or falling and contaminating already cleaned lower areas.
Cleaning frequency and levels for different medical environments
Different medical areas require distinct types of cleaning due to the fact that they come into contact with several types of patients. For example, inpatient areas need to be cleaned more thoroughly as people are coming in and out of the rooms all day, whereas a labatory environment would require less frequent cleaning but a higher level of cleanliness.
General patient areas – these include outpatient or ambulatory care wards. These areas require routine cleaning, terminal cleaning (removing all detachable objects, disinfecting lighting and air duct surfaces), and scheduled cleaning.
Body Fluid spills – these need to be cleaned immediately. Cleaning staff should wear appropriate PPE and the spill should be wiped up immediately with absorbent towels, cloths, or granules. The area should then be thoroughly cleaned using a neutral detergent and warm water solution. Lastly, disinfect the area using the relevant intermediate-level disinfecting product and correctly dispose of the used cleaning materials.
Specialized patient areas – these are wards such as ICUs, Oncology & chemotherapy units, operating theatres, and other high-risk areas such as burns units, labor wards and cardiac wards. As the patients on these wards, a more vulnerable they are therefore prone to infection and the possibility of contamination is extremely high. Environmental surfaces and floors in these areas require cleaning and disinfecting with a facility-approved disinfectant.
Operating Rooms – In addition to all of the above ORs require environmental cleaning at three distinct intervals throughout the day which is before the first procedure, between procedures and after the last procedure.
All of the above are just a small snapshot of what’s involved in cleaning high-risk healthcare and medical facilities. More in-depth information on the procedures that professional cleaning companies are required to undertake can be found on the CDC Environmental Cleaning in Healthcare Facilities document.
A-1 Cleaning
Renowned as the best commercial and industrial cleaning services in Long Island, New York, and New Jersey Metro Areas. Founded in 1984, we have been providing janitorial cleaning and associated services for over 36 years. As a family-owned and operated company, we provide facility solutions to hundreds of clients and service millions of square feet of space on a daily basis including many medical & healthcare facilities.
Hiring a qualified commercial medical cleaning company is essential for ensuring that your medical facility is clean and safe. A reputable company will have no problem providing you with the company’s certifications, experience, and product knowledge.
Contact us for more information to ensure you have the correct cleaners for the job.
