Safety Guidelines for Specific Schools to Reopen and Prepare for COVID-19 Resurgence

With the resurgence of COVID-19 and the continued discovery of new coronavirus strains, parents and teachers are understandably worried about the public health risk associated with reopening schools. So, how do school administrators ensure that their facilities are safe for everyone? There are many ways to do so, but the following are top safety guidelines compiled by experts at Kohl Building Maintenance(KBM), a leading school cleaning service provider in Los Angeles.

Guidelines

Distinguish Between Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting

Research shows that coronavirus can survive and spread on settled dust. Educational facilities should adhere to the full cleaning cycle, which encompasses cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing. But few individuals can tell the difference between these procedures.

Cleaning removes surface grime and dust by washing, scrubbing, and rinsing. School flooring should be damp mopped or vacuumed using HEPA filtered vacuum, which can capture at least 99% of dust particles that are at least 0.3 microns in size and prevent them from getting into the air.

Disinfecting follows the cleaning. It works by using chemicals to kill bacteria and viruses on surfaces. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to improve this procedure’s efficiency. For example, you should allow the disinfectant to stay on the surface for the manufacturer’s recommended dwell time, which is usually 2-10 minutes for most EPA-approved disinfectants.

Sanitizing is an optional procedure that reduces the number of germs on objects and surfaces to a safe level.

At Kohl Building Maintenance, we pride ourselves in using highly environmentally friendly cleaning procedures and products to keep your school buildings’ interiors and exteriors clean and safe for everyone. We offer industry experts carefully selected and thoroughly trained to provide the best possible cleaning services in LA. Feel free to contact us at 818-882-2600 to learn more about our school cleaning services in Los Angeles.

Masks and PPE

All school staff, teachers, and children at least two years old must wear a mask. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) recommends at least two breathable and washable fabric layers that cover the mouth and nose. Masks should be worn throughout except while napping, drinking, and eating. However, the “mask breaks” should occur outdoors or when students and staff are physically distanced from each other.

Masks and PPE

Your staff handling kids unable to wear masks can wear a face shield, in addition to a face mask. At no time should face shields substitute face masks.

Although all staff should wear face masks, some professionals, including cleaners and nurses, may require extra personal protection equipment(PPE) due to their job’s nature. Appropriate PPE may include gloves, eye shield, gown, and medical-grade mask. Cleaners should change their PPE more frequently than before due to the high likelihood of coming into contact with contaminated surfaces.

Improve Indoor Air Quality

There is evidence that coronavirus spreads less in outdoor and well-ventilated spaces. As such, informed HVAC operations may help reduce students’ and staff’s exposure to airborne pathogens that spread COVID-19.

Increase the operation hours of your air handling systems to enhance good air inflow in your school buildings. Switch on your HVAC systems at least two hours before school sessions start, keep them running throughout the day, and switch them off two hours after school.

It is worth upgrading your filters to MERV 13 filters to optimize pathogen removal efficiency. Also, replace your filters every three months, but regularity may vary depending on the filters’ condition.

You can use window AC units to cool rooms during summer, but you may need to replace the filters more frequently or purchase higher efficiency models. Also, rethink your HVAC maintenance schedule; hire a professional HVAC contractor to routinely check your systems and make necessary repairs in the soonest time possible.

Clean More Often

Regular cleaning is more critical than ever, especially in schools where several people frequent the same spaces. And whereas this requirement may present a challenge to your schools’ schedule, more people are willing to put a little extra effort into cleaning to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

You do not have to interrupt school sessions to clean and disinfect every building in your school. Kohl Building Maintenance offers custom school cleaning services that consider your schedule to keep disruptions to the minimum while ensuring every surface is spotlessly clean and free of pathogens. Not only that, but we also follow CDC guidelines for COVID-19 to ensure the safety of everyone in your facility.

Partnering with our janitorial company, you also enjoy the peace of mind that we can send you a cleaning professional anytime you need one. Drop KBM a message here for the convenience, affordability, and effectiveness you have always desired for school cleaning services.

Focus on High-Touch Surfaces and Objects

While custodial cleaning services should be performed daily, highly touched surfaces and objects require frequent cleaning and disinfecting throughout the day.

Frequently touched surfaces in educational facilities include faucet handles, toys, paper towel dispensers, hands-on learning items, computer keyboards, desktops, countertops, handrails, and doorknobs. You also want to focus on cleaning and disinfecting common areas like hallways, staircases, classrooms, gymnasium, restrooms, cafeterias, libraries, playgrounds, and music rooms.

Kohl Building Maintenance saves you the trouble and inconveniences of concentrating on the above common areas and high-touch surfaces. We not only have the experience and the supplies to get your job done immaculately but can also provide you with a small and consistent cleaning team as a precaution to keep everyone safe amidst the pandemic.

The Bottom Line

The above measures and other CDC guidelines for schools reopening will undoubtedly protect students, teachers, visitors, and everyone else in your educational facility.

You can rely on Kohl Building Maintenance to keep your school buildings clean and pathogen-free. KBM offers you well-trained cleaning professionals who adhere to the latest cleaning guidelines for COVID-19 and use environmentally friendly cleaning procedures and products to keep everyone in your school safe.

Call us today at 818-882-2600 or message us online for more information about our school cleaning services.