The coronavirus pandemic has caused many adverse effects in every aspect of the economy, and businesses have had to adapt quickly. Many organisations have dramatically changed how they are doing things to ensure employees and customers feel safe. While the scope of financial devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to be fully measured, the positively-inclined could potentially find a silver lining in the lens that COVID has put on business practices and protocols.
One of the most greatly affected areas has actually been business restrooms. After all, while organisations try to limit contact points by reducing capacity and spacing outlines, washrooms cannot be monitored closely (for obvious reasons). The primary goal of the changes done in the bathrooms of businesses today is to minimise contact. It also prevents the virus from spreading from one person to another. In this piece, we will look at some of the ways that businesses are updating their restrooms amid this pandemic to ensure that they are offering safer facilities for everyone.
Using Touchless Accessories and Fixtures
The risk of surface transmission of COVID has been called “exaggerated” by some researchers and reported as “not thought to be the main way the virus spreads” in a carefully worded statement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Whether surfaces are a significant vehicle for transmission or not, their perception as such is persistent among customers and business administrators alike.
One way to reassure customers is to reduce surface exposure altogether with touchless fixtures in bathrooms. After all, one of the great ironies of public sinks is the fact that they are high-touch surfaces. Careless handwashing can in some cases result in an increase rather than a decrease of exposure to germs and viruses. For years, businesses have already been embracing touchless hardware, but COVID-19 has exponentially increased the demand for these types of measures.
Businesses are also incorporating the use of touchless paper towel dispensers, which help in minimising the spread of the virus. The user does not have to touch the device to use the towel. Generally, the touchless paper towel dispenser only requires a fixed length then the paper towel will come out automatically without anyone having to touch the device. Additionally, businesses are also implementing the use of automated doors, which also prevents hand-to-surface contact.
Sanitising Procedures
While cleaning procedures are nothing new, they have become more rigorous than ever. Many businesses have ended up hiring professional cleaning companies to help clean and sanitise their bathrooms. Thorough cleaning and sanitisation should typically focus on high-touch areas like doorknobs, sinks, faucets, and the like. Due to the high traffic inside bathrooms, this makes it a hazardous area where the virus can be easily transmitted. Hence, businesses are using the best cleaning detergents to ensure that all surfaces are clean and disinfected.
Businesses have also set up hand sanitiser stations outside bathrooms for people to use on the way out. Businesses have developed a routine of checking if the handwashing products are sufficient, and they restock adequately.
Replacing and Updating Bathroom Materials
According to construction suppliers like Fast Partitions, one unexpected result of the pandemic is that more businesses have opted to upgrade toilet partition materials to improve ease of cleaning, as well as enhance the feeling of cleanliness in bathrooms for patrons. The most common upgrade is powder-coated metal for partitions made from plastic laminate or other cheaper materials. Powder-coated metal only requires soap and a small amount of water to be wiped clean but is also able to withstand harsh cleaning chemicals without becoming discoloured. It is also convenient because it comes at affordable prices, and businesses don’t have to spend a lot of money in making this change. They are also durable, and they will serve the many workplaces that have incorporated their use for a substantial amount of time.
Furthermore, in making sinks, materials have also been upgraded to seamless materials to prevent the growth of moulds and the accumulation of dirt. This makes cleaning relatively easy and efficient. Moreover, it also saves time during the cleaning process. Bigger businesses have also incorporated the use of other materials that are easier to clean, like the stainless-steel toilet partition, for instance. It is the most expensive toilet partition material, but it is also the most efficient to clean. It requires less water, fewer detergents, and it doesn’t require a lot of effort to clean or disinfect the restrooms. Stainless steel will also last for many years, saving the businesses the stress of worrying about cleaning even post-COVID-19.
Improved Ventilation and Air Circulation
While authorities are hesitant to make absolute statements, one of the few things everyone seems to agree on is that the primary mechanism of the transmission is through close, person-to-person contact via respiration. Typically, business bathrooms have only one entrance or exit, are windowless and are relatively small rooms compared to the surrounding parts of the building. This is a recipe for poor ventilation.
With so many facilities closed or running on reduced hours, now is a better time than ever for businesses to invest in updated ventilation systems. A good start is to look for ways to bring in more outside air. Another area to look at is determining how much air is being recirculated and investigating the possibility of improving filtration.
Posting Signage
Finally, organisations have also adopted the use of posting signboards in their restrooms to remind people to wash their hands frequently.
While “Employees must wash hands” has a seemingly universal presence in business bathrooms, an increasing number of signs are being directed at the general public to remind them not to neglect this simple task.
While reminders to wash hands, practice social distancing, and wear masks when instructed to are seemingly unnecessary, it is also an unobtrusive and low-cost way to enhance safety measures.
A workplace restroom has a lot of traffic, and it is one of the places that a person can easily contract COVID-19. Thus, adequate measures to avoid the spread of the disease in workplace bathrooms are essential. What measures is your business taking to prevent transmission and make customers more comfortable?