With Valentine’s Day next week, we are spending a lot of time showering our loved ones with chocolates, flowers and all kinds of luxuries. However, one luxury we may not think about is making sure our work environment is clean and safe. Dust can collect is and be hidden in high places, which can cause all kinds of issues. Not to mention, facility disinfection cleaning services are more important than ever to the health and safety of your employees. You might be wondering how you can take care of your building as well as your employees this Valentine’s Day. Here are some solutions to keep your work environment clean and safe.
Combustible Dust Remediation
When dust is dispersed throughout oxidized air, it can create an explosion hazard. When the dust cloud is confined in a closed area it does not have the air movement from wind to disperse it; dust particles can instead stay suspended in the air for days at a time. This allows the levels of dust particles in the air to increase and provide more fuel for the resulting explosion. Some dusts can ignite just from touching hot machinery, while other dusts ignite after being exposed to a small fire, spark, static electricity, or even a lit cigarette.
- Using the Right Safety Equipment
- Wearing Appropriate Safety Gear
- Training and Certification
Using the wrong methods and equipment to clean combustible dust can be catastrophic. From protective clothing to vacuum hoses, every piece of equipment counts when it comes to safety and compliance. This is also why a professional cleaning company needs to come in to remove combustible dust. They will have been provided with the proper PPE, OSHA training, and industrial dust removal equipment.
High Surface Cleaning
Vibrations in the facility can shake built up loose dust, dirt, grease, and other materials commonly found on the high surfaces, which could contaminate the production below. Chunks of this debris can enter the ventilation and clog up the HVAC system. This creates poor indoor air quality, which according to the EPA is a leading environmental threat and cause of airborne sickness. Not to mention, some dusts can become a fire hazard when built up on high surface areas. Numerous explosions have occurred when built up dust created an explosive dust cloud. High surface cleaning services should include:
- Ceiling
- Ceiling truss
- Rafters
- Conduit
- Lighting
- Exterior of ductwork
- Exhaust hood ventilation
- Beams
- Storage racks/shelving
- Fire suppression systems
- Ceiling deck
- Piping
HVAC Duct Cleaning
Commercial duct cleaning can help your business save money on energy by allowing your facility’s ventilation system to run more efficiently, and help reduce the risk of fires in the ductwork — especially in manufacturing facilities where combustible dust is present. It also helps improve indoor air quality by removing dirt, dust and debris from your HVAC system. This includes cleaning the grilles and registers, which helps to keep particles out of the ambient air. In fact, according to the Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) recommends the following for prevention of air duct contamination.
- Perform routine preventive maintenance on HVAC systems, by complying with manufacturer schedules for changing HVAC filters, cleaning coils, and other components.
- Ensure that air intakes are located away from contaminant sources.
- Routine inspections of ductwork. The National Air Duct Cleaning Association (NADCA)’s standard, “Assessment, Cleaning and Restoration of HVAC Systems-ACR 2013,” recommends that HVAC systems be visually inspected for cleanliness at regular intervals, depending on building use. For healthcare facilities, the standard recommends annual inspections of air handling units and supply/return ductwork.
UVC Light Disinfection
UVC Lighting uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellular functions. UVC refers to ultraviolet light with wavelengths between 200 – 280 nanometers (nm). Light in the UVC wavelength can be used for disinfecting duct work, sterilizing surfaces, destroying harmful micro-organisms in food products and in air.
- UVC Lighting at The Coil
- UVGI For HVAC Systems
- Upper Air UVC Solutions
- UVC Light Disinfection Wand
- Mobile Remote UVC Disinfection System
- Ceiling/Wall Mountable Germicidal UVC Systems
Facility Disinfecting
Facility cleaning/disinfection solutions, has several solutions that can help protect your facility from bacteria and viruses spreading and take over the winter months. According to the CDC, COVID-19 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials.
- Hand Wiping
- Air Purification Systems
- Electrostatic Disinfection
- BIOPROTECTUs™ System
Hughes is Here to Help
Hughes Environmental specializes in helping facilities become safer, cleaner, and code compliant work environments by providing quality environmental cleaning and facility disinfecting services. We service a wide variety of industries including, Industrial, Commercial, Education, Healthcare, Long-term Care, Hospitality and Government facilities.
Our technicians are trained, certified and up-to-date on common best practices. We have an OSHA trainer on staff, and our technicians have been through OSHA 10- or 30-hour training. We also have Council-certified Indoor Environmentalists (CIE) and Council-certified Microbial Remediators (CMR) on staff.
Contact Us Here or call 888-845-3952
