Tag Archive for: covid

Minimizing Allergens in the Workplace

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At Evergreen Building and Maintenance is concerned with the health of our clients and customers. The Spring and Summer season is the time for allergies that can be triggered by pollen and ragweed outdoors. Allergic rhinitis, the condition describing a variety of uncomfortable symptoms affecting the nose, is common among allergy sufferers, but allergens can also affect the lungs, throat, sinuses, ears and eyes.

A survey commissioned by Johnson & Johnson also suggested that as many as 10 million Canadians suffer from allergy symptoms and that 55 percent of Canadians claim that their allergies cut into their work productivity.

The immune system identifies and reacts to different allergens. When an allergen enters the body of someone who is predisposed to allergies, it triggers an immune reaction which results in the familiar symptoms allergy sufferers know all too well. Improving the upkeep of your office is crucial in reducing and maintaining indoor allergens and ensuring the wellbeing of everyone in the workplace environment.

The Evergreen Building Maintenance team can help you with…

  • Eliminating dust mites and other indoor allergens
  • Cleaning mold or mildew on concrete flooring or walls
  • Cleaning carpeting to prevent moisture seepage
  • Improving the air quality by assessing ventilation (we conduct air quality reports)
  • Window cleaning –to remove dust and debris build up

While a deep clean is integral to reducing allergens in the workplace, certain cleaning products actually emit chemicals such as VOCs that contain allergens that many people react to severely. With this in mind, we do not use VOCs to ensure that we’re doing our best to meet your health and safety needs.

According to The Lung Association, a study found that 72 percent of people in Canada with asthma had adverse reactions to chemicals found in fragrances (Canada Safety Council). Our products are specifically fragrance and scent free to avoid any kind of contact allergy situation.

At Evergreen, we make every effort to reduce airborne concentrations of allergens. With proper training in healthy and safety, we implement strong training programs to keep our employees up-to-date with the latest protocol.

Fill out our service request form today!

How to Keep Your Facility Germ and Bacteria Free During Flu Season

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Clean and hygienic workplaces are healthy workplaces. Thorough, regular cleaning is vital to ensuring this, because even when an office or building that looks clean, bacteria can still be lying in wait, ready to infect the next person who wanders through. Healthcare facilities, including hospitals and retirement residences, require particular cleaning methods and treatment to avoid the spread of germs that cause infection or illness. The same thing goes for schools and universities, as these are the places where germs spread fastest. Regular cleaning, especially the continuous sterilization of germ ‘hot spots’, is essential to maintaining productive study environments. Follow these important suggestions to keep your building healthy and safe during flu season:

GERM HOT SPOTS

Cleaning isn’t just for some people or some places; it’s for everyone and every workplace. Reducing the incidence and spread of workplace illness has a real bottom line impact on productivity, and limits the number of sick days employees need to take. Regular cleaning is important, especially for contact surfaces, which are areas in your building most often touched or handled by people passing through. Examples include: stair railings, door handles, light switches, elevator buttons, phones, and virtually any item or surface in the bathroom. These hot spots are prime mingling locations for bacteria and germs, and it is essential that they are cleaned thoroughly and regularly to stop the spread of infection and illness, especially during the fall and winter months when cold and flu infections are more prevalent and most likely to affect workplace productivity. As of 2015, Evergreen Building Maintenance maintains six municipal halls, three libraries, a 347 student educational facility, and fifty-eight public restrooms. This kind of experience has taught us how to handle high traffic areas while upholding immaculate levels of cleanliness.

HYGIENIC HABITS

Good hygienic habits contribute to cleanliness, and hand washing is perhaps the most essential habit to stop the spread of germs. In schools, teachers and parents teach children proper hygienic habits to keep them from getting sick at school. Regular hand washing – especially after a cough or sneeze, can significantly cut back on the spread of germs. It’s a simple but essential practice to stay healthy and productive. Employers and facility managers may also consider installing hands-free appliances that make it easier to keep hands clean, such as automatic toilet flushers and sensor-activated hand dryers and soap dispensers. By eliminating these high traffic touch points, you immediately reduce the chances of cross-contamination. Another good idea is to provide regulated hand sanitizer dispensers for when employees, patients or students are unable to get to a sink to wash up with soap and water. Making sure the restrooms in your building are maintained and stocked with the necessary sanitary products (such as soap, hand sanitizer, hand towels, etc.) enables people to maintain proper hygienic habits.

BREATHING IN THE CLEAN AIR

As we spend the vast majority of our day inside, it is essential that any building or office maintains good air quality. Air pollutants that linger indoors include bacteria, dust, and even mold. Clean air is essential in the maintenance of good health, and this goes even further for indoor air where it is usually warmer and where there is less ventilation. Therefore, keep all of your vents clear of any blockages, encourage a more scent-free environment, vacuum regularly with approved HEPA filters and maintain your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

HIRE THE PROFESSIONALS

When something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right, so hire a professional and reputable cleaning company that is specially trained to understand and follow all procedures and requirements for the work that you assign them. Ensure that all cleaning techniques, equipment and products used by the company serve to provide the cleanest environment possible. Look for detailed safety standards and the continuous training of employees in best practices.

A healthy workplace will help your staff be at their best all year round by reducing the spread of infection and decreasing the impact of flu season on their health and productivity. Evergreen Building Maintenance is qualified to undertake any type of cleaning contract, regardless of the size or unique requirements. Our goal is to create a janitorial program that is seamless for our clients. Contact us today to learn more.