“All employers need to take the threat of infection in the workplace more seriously - or risk the threat of legal action. Employers in both the public and private sector have a legal duty of care to protect the health of staff and visitors and ensure there are protocols in place to do this. News about outbreaks of superbugs such as MRSA, C.Diff, swine flu and now NDM-1 often focus on their threat to the NHS and hospital patients, however cleaning operatives, other members of staff or anyone visiting an organisation can be at just as much risk.

“It is not just cleaning operatives or people in hospital or healthcare environments who can come into contact with biohazards which may cause infection. A biohazard is any micro-organism which can be harmful to human health, such as norovirus, Hepatitis B and HIV. That means if a person comes into contact with biohazards such as vomit, blood or urine then they are at risk of becoming infected.

“It is crucial that employers are aware of their legal obligations and understand the legislation which applies to infections in the workplace. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) states that employers must carry out risk assessments and take responsibility for the prevention or control of exposure to biohazards which can cause infection.

“Most organisations either outsource cleaning or have an in-house provision with the aim to maintain the cleanliness and safety of a site, and ultimately reducing the risk of infections. Just because a site looks clean however does not necessarily mean it is hygienically safe. Specific protocols must therefore be followed to minimise risk of infection to the cleaning operative and to anyone who will visit the site. There are still unacceptable numbers of people who aren’t cleaning correctly and in doing so are putting themselves and others at serious risk. From a financial point of view, the potential risks to an employer can be costly legal action, loss of reputation and costs relating to absences from work due to ill health.

“Using outdated cleaning practices such as a mop and bucket or paper towels to clean up body fluids like vomit or urine can spread the potentially infected spill across a greater area and increase risk by reapplying contaminated cleaning solution. For example, mops and buckets are notorious for being used incorrectly. Each time the mop is placed back into the bucket, the pollutant is simply swilled around with the disinfectant before being reapplied to the area – instead of controlling the risk it is multiplied and germs are spread. Another danger is if chlorine based products like bleach are applied to acidic body fluids, such as urine or vomit, then it can result in harmful chlorine gas being released.

“Innovations in infection control however mean that there are methods and products available which, when used correctly, can reduce the spread of disease. Technological advancements in the field have come from biohazard decontamination specialists such as Kays Medical who have pioneered systems that meet COSHH guidelines surrounding the safe treatment and disposal of biohazards. The ResponseBeta™ range produced by Kays Medical has been tested by an independent laboratory to ensure that all component parts of the range work together and guarantee the complete absence of residual bacteria once an area has been cleaned.

“Attitudes to cleaning need to be revolutionised and best practice championed if lives are to be protected. Employers must take responsibility for reducing the risk of infection on their premises. The most practical and cost-effective solution is to ditch the mop and bucket and switch to professional cleaning products and methods which are proven to work quickly and effectively, resulting in healthier and safer environments for everybody.”

View our Response Biohazard Decontamination video here