Facility Care Tips to Stay Safe & Healthy During the Winter Months

As we enter the winter months that typically bring harsh conditions across the nation, it’s critical for facility maintenance teams to have the right protocols in place ahead of time. 

Facility management is heavily relied on by so many to provide a safe and healthy environment to work, learn, and continue our established daily routines. 

With proper floor care and pathogen control strategies, your building and its occupants will be even more prepared for the 2023-2024 Winter season.

Prevent Injuries with Winter Floor Care Protocols

As the ground freezes over or snow melts along pathways, trip and fall hazards arise. A simple yet efficient way to prevent these accidents is by implementing an entryway matting system.

This can be achieved by investing in good scraper mats on the exterior and interior of your entrances that are long enough for people entering the building to take 3-4 steps on the mats before they step onto your regular flooring.

Additionally, consider wiper mats, anti-fatigue mats, and safety mats to reduce hazards and cover all your floor care safety bases.

Do you have effective entryway mats? Here are 4 signs you have the mat right for the job:

1. Stops soil and water at the door. Effective mats provide a combination of scraping and wiping to stop the maximum amount of soil.
2. Absorbs soil and water for removal. An effective entryway mat will provide a way for the soil and water to be contained on the mat so that they cannot spread to the surrounding floor and create a slip/fall hazard.
3. Reduces tracking in soil and water. This is best accomplished by matting with a bi-level construction that provides an upper surface for walking and a lower area where soil and water are stored until removed by cleaning.
4. Provides a slip-resistant walking surface. The bottom of the mat should be slip-resistant to minimize movement on the floor when it is walked on.

BONUS TIP: Use deicers as a powerful snow/ice removal tool to beat the blizzards brought to your front door and ensure safe entrances.

Six Easy Steps to Combat Winter Viruses

Influenza, COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus have been among the winter illnesses¹ circulating this year.

It is projected the number of hospitalizations this year will be close to last year’s data²(100,000-200,000 people were hospitalized with RSV, 300,000-650,00 with flu, and 700,000 with COVID-19).

With proper cleaning strategies and supplies combined with expert training and education tools you can help protect your building occupants against the viral trifecta of the season.

With these 6 steps you can help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses this season:

	1. Enhanced Hand Hygiene Solutions 80% of all infectious diseases are spread by touch – clean hands save lives and create a healthier building environment.  Encourage your building occupants to practice the 1-2-3 of Hand Hygiene, which is wash, dry, and sanitize!
	2. Comprehensive Surface Cleaning Solutions Dirty surfaces create ideal conditions for pathogenic microbes to survive and thrive – clean surfaces decrease pathogenic microbes and create a healthier building environment.
	3. High-Touch Surface Disinfecting Solutions High-touch surfaces are a potential source for pathogen transfer to building occupants – targeted disinfection of high-touch surfaces will inactivate and suppress the growth of harmful pathogens and create a healthier building environment.
	4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Safety Solutions Cleaning and disinfecting facilities results in opportunities for potential exposure to hazards – appropriate use of PPE will protect users against these health and safety risks and create a healthier building environment.
	5. Indoor Biological Pollutant Source Control Solutions Other sources of indoor pollutants and pathogens can be found throughout a facility – identifying these sources and employing effective facility maintenance strategies can limit potential exposure to indoor pollutants and pathogens and create a healthier building environment.
	6. Cleaning Industry Expertise and Training Solutions Misapplication and misuse of cleaning and disinfecting solutions can lead to ineffective results, and even potential injury – partnering with a trusted adviser can help to optimize results and create a healthier building environment.

If you’re looking to improve health and safety at your facility for the winter months, it’s not too late! Contact us today, and our experts will identify best-in-class facility care solutions so your business is ready for whatever winter brings. 

1. Winter Illness Guide - Johns Hopkins
2. Respiratory Disease Season Outlook - CDC