Businesses have experienced impact by the coronavirus crisis in many ways. Those providing essential services have continued to operate, but under challenging conditions. There is also rapidly changing requirements for working practices and for the safety of their employees and customers.
Businesses that have had to lock down and cease economic activity over the last few months are now looking to quickly restart their operations in a very different economic environment. They will have to adapt to new regulations and guidelines and ensure their premises are safe for staff, customers and other users, both before opening and on an ongoing basis as part of normal operating procedures.
The future developments of the crisis and impacts on operations are uncertain. However, businesses can prepare for new health and safety requirements and assure employees of their safety by implementing a robust pest and hygiene programme.
Rentokil Initial has decades of experience in protecting and enhancing people’s lives and protecting businesses in multiple sectors. They include food, hospitality, manufacturing, education, transport, health and care. We offer an unrivalled range of services in both pest control and hygiene.
Protecting businesses with essential pest control
Many buildings have been left empty or with little human activity during COVID-19 lockdown. This results in greater risks of pest infestation and damage to property. Empty buildings can be a perfect habitat for many types of pest. This is because, they are given the free reign to explore all parts for shelter, nesting and food supplies. When there are sufficient food supplies in a building or nearby, pest numbers can grow rapidly.
Buildings in all sectors, including food processing plants, manufacturing plants, warehouses, education, healthcare, hotels, restaurants, offices and residential accommodation provide ideal environments for many opportunistic pests. Rats, mice, flies, cockroaches, birds, stored product insects, fleas and ticks, for example, are both a health and an economic threat to every business. Rodents and birds also carry insects into buildings as ectoparasites and nest scavengers, posing a double pest threat.
Pest activities still happen during lockdown
Pests are vectors of a wide range of disease and they contaminate and consume food supplies. Rodents alone are vectors of over 30 important pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoa and helminths, while over 200 pathogens are documented in flies.
During the lockdown, rodents in many urban areas will have their normal sources of food shut off by restaurants, cafés and fast-food shops closing down. This drives them to seek new places for food and shelter by starvation and increased competition for scarce resources.
Pest control services are essential not just for businesses that are looking to re-open after shutdown. Essential businesses that have continued during the lockdown need to protect their operations from disruption. These include continuing pest control measures and implementing a sound integrated pest management programme. This is important because it prevents:
- Physical damage to buildings and fittings
- A growing pest infestation that will become much harder and costlier to eradicate
- Contamination of the site with pest faeces, shed insect skins, carried-in dirt and debris from nesting material
- Contaminated surfaces that will require disinfection to protect from the many diseases that pests can carry
Pest control services for a variety of pest issues
Ensure to speak to a pest control company to design a robust and adequate pest management for optimal protection against pests. Some of the essential services include:
- Common pests treatment to cover cockroaches and ants that is often seen in most premises where food and water is available
- Flies control with fly trap unit installed and small flies foaming, particularly for food sensitive businesses including food manufacturing and restaurants
- Rodent control programme targeting at hot spots, heavy activity and infestation and basic line of defence. You may opt for the contact-less rodent solution that utilises sensing technology to monitor and control rodents remotely.
- Dengue cases and mosquito population is still at its peak. Ensure you have comprehensive mosquito control to eliminate both adult mosquitoes and breeding larvae. This is particularly for business premises located within the dengue cluster zones, near to vegetation or presence of receptacles. Find out more about the contact-less In2care mosquito trap today.
Supporting businesses with integrated hygiene solutions
Initially, the other business arm of Rentokil is a world leader in providing hygiene services in over 45 countries worldwide. Initial offers a comprehensive range of integrated hygiene solutions and services for businesses to prepare for re-opening. We also help to maintain a hygienic environment for continuing operations.
COVID-19 is highly infectious and transmitted via infected saliva and mucus in respiratory droplets breathed in. They land on surfaces or spread via the infected person’s hands. The virus is also present in other bodily fluids and able to spread in the washroom from ‘toilet sneeze’ and poor personal hygiene.
In the “new normal” for the workplace, businesses will need to block the chain of infection by using hand, surface and air hygiene solutions. Businesses will need to ask the following questions.
- Are my premises virus-free and surfaces safe to touch?
- How do I develop a strategy to implement hygiene standards?
- What hygiene procedures and COVID-19 control measures need to be in place?
- How do I comply with new hygiene regulations and protect my business, employees and customers from COVID-19?
Initial can help businesses comply with regulations, provide a safe environment and reassure employees and other users that their premises are safe. An integrated hygiene solution targets three crucial areas for stopping the chain of infection.
Surface hygiene
Surfaces act as reservoirs for bacteria, viruses and fungi carried into and around buildings by people. This can happen on their shoes, clothes, hands, and in their respiratory systems. Frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, toilet flush handles, light switches, kettles, coffee machines, taps, furniture and kitchen counters accumulate germs from people’s hands, coughs and sneezes. They contribute to a major cause of infection. Sanitisation is important at this stage to protect us from the many touch points that we contact with.
Rentokil Singapore supplies a range of surface sanitisation that provide up to 30 days of protection from pathogens for large surface areas and surface wipes that protect touchpoints for up to 24 hours. Our disinfectants have been tested and proven effective against coronavirus virus.
Hand hygiene
Hand hygiene solutions include antibacterial soap dispensers, hand-dryers and hand sanitiser dispensers for added protection in the washroom and in strategic locations around the workplace. There are also no-touch dispensers to prevent hands from contaminating these.
Air hygiene
Air purification units with HEPA and carbon filters remove airborne particles carrying bacteria, viruses, mould spores, dirt, and VOCs to help prevent cross-infection from respiratory particles and improve indoor air quality for occupants.
Disinfecting premises for COVID-19 decontamination
There is a risk of local outbreaks of COVID-19 in places where many people visit. The risk remains while the coronavirus is still in circulation. Premises such as schools, care homes, offices, retail outlets, hotels, manufacturing, healthcare facilities and shopping centres need to decontaminate their premises after an infected person has been on site or as a precautionary measure to make sure the facilities are safe.
Our professional disinfection services provide a higher level of cleaning and disinfection than an in-house cleaning team. It includes the use of the highest level of PPE, safe, legal disposal of biohazard material, if necessary, and compliance with safety regulations.
Specialists will survey the site to assess the risks and prepare an operating plan. Highly trained pest control specialists manually disinfect the site using a top-grade surface disinfectant that can protect from contamination for 24 hours. They systematically clean all the key touchpoints and surfaces in the building. They also have specialist equipment and training to decontaminate areas with proper process in place.
For disinfection misting of large areas, our specialists use ultra-low volume (ULV) disinfection fogging. This uses a fogger machine to generate a cloud of microscopic droplets of a disinfectant liquid. These droplets can quickly settle on all sides of objects and reach areas that may be difficult to access using manual cleaning methods.
Supporting your business during the coronavirus pandemic
Integrated hygiene solutions and commercial pest control plays a crucial role during the coronavirus crisis. They enable businesses and organisations to provide safe products and services, prevent disease outbreaks and reduce the risk of downtime.
For buildings that have been closed during a lockdown, pest infestations and risks of contamination will delay the return of a building to normal use when restrictions are lifted. By using pest control and hygiene services prior to reopening and after, infestations can be monitored and dealt with quickly, premises made safe and costs can be significantly reduced.
These services will ensure your business complies with safety regulations. It gives staff, customers and other users the confidence that your premises are safe and you have taken adequate measures to ensure their safety.
Frequently asked questions about disinfection treatment
Surface disinfection is toxic and unsafe for exposure
Treatments are using disinfectants that are safe, water-soluble, low toxicity and environmentally friendly. It is a common misconception due to its ability to eliminate bacteria and viruses and withstanding daily cleaning activities for up to 30 days efficacy. In fact, some surface sanitisation uses tea tree oil that is derived from the Manuka tree and has anti-bacterial components.
These disinfection treatments could not last for long
At this critical stage, most businesses are exercising prudence and are concerned that such treatments are costly and waste of investment. Depending which solutions you take out, some disinfection misting is long lasting and able to deal with constant wetting of surfaces, wiping activities and spilling of water on the floor. It is important to evaluate the pest control company carefully and understand the treatment components and efficacy you are opting for. Contact Rentokil Singapore for the Surface Shield Sanitisation Treatment.
What is the difference among cleaning, sanitising and disinfecting?
To nonprofessional individuals, these sound similar with minimal difference. However, there are differences among these different modes of treatment. Firstly, cleaning merely removes dirt and grime and utilises cleaning agents and water. Secondly, sanitising involves using sanitising components with at least 70% alcohol in form of ethanol to reduce germs. Finally, disinfecting utilises disinfectant to eliminate pathogens and reduce bacteria transmission and spread of diseases.
Why is regular and ongoing protection with disinfection important?
COVID-19 spread is still ongoing with daily active cases reported. With the resumption of operations as we ease the circuit breaker, there are some additional risks that require constant protection with regular disinfection services.
- There is more interaction and activities going in commercial spaces, schools and factories
- We are constantly exposed to contact points such as laptops, chair handles, printers etc
- Potential negligence in personal hygiene and submit ourselves to cross contamination
- Bacteria lands and stays on surfaces for hours and days for some types
- Unable to determine or visually detect pathogens even in a clean environment
What are some common causes of cross contamination?
We can transmit bacteria and viruses easily through interaction, habits and personal hygiene standards. This includes:
- Have close contact or proximity with individuals who are unwell
- Poor washroom habits by not washing hands with soap after use
- Compromised indoor air quality with presence of air-bone germs and bacteria
- Cough or sneeze publicly without using a tissue or paper towel
- Mishandling of food preparation and consumption
- Shaking hands with parties with contaminated hands
- Not drying of hands after wash and harbour bacteria due to its dampness
Call Rentokil Singapore at 6347 8138 for a disinfection and sanitisation services today.
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