As we are all fully aware, the threat of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is both real and deadly. Its impact on millions of individuals, families, businesses, municipalities, local communities and society in general will be felt for generations to come, both here in the United States, as well as around the world. The very manner in which we live our lives and conduct business, will forever have been altered.
As employers, we can make daily efforts to maintain a clean and contamination free work environment. The reality however, is that our employees go home at the end of their work day. Even during this enhanced time of social distancing, they see their immediate family members. They get gas at the local service station. They go to their local grocery store. They drive to pick up food to go. They go out to exercise. They’re still coming into contact with all types of persons, places and things, outside of our control, that may or may not be infected. Then, however unintentionally, employees, customers, vendors or visitors, bring potential contamination back with them into our previously contamination-free work environment.
We are implementing an effective daily COVID 19 – Decontamination and Prevention Plan (In Accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.32), focused on maintaining contamination free workplaces, and believe that is the best method that will serve to protect your employees, provide them additional peace of mind, as well as protect your business.
Apache Services offers custom made Decontamination and Prevention Plan options to include daily, several times per week, weekly, quarterly, Semi-Annually and Annually. Additionally, the customer, in consultation with our experts, will be able to select the methods (application) that they feel fits their specific work environment the best.
OUR RESPONSE TO COVID 19 STARTS WITH US
Apache Services understands that the process of successful decontamination starts with us. We are dedicated to providing our employee’s the safest work environment possible, thereby increasing the safety of our customers. Our goal is to simply create the safest work areas and spaces as possible. For that reason, we have implemented the following enhanced health protocols focused on the prevention and potential spread of the virus:
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Maintaining CDC Advisement on Social Distance Guidelines of 6’ radius during safety meetings, breaks and lunch.
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Daily evaluation of employee health, verifiable through temperature readings.
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Increase in employee hand washing and sanitizing, required every other hour.
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Multiple times per day cleaning of community restrooms, high traffic locations, touch points, door handles and desktops.
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Increased frequency of employee PPE disposal (Gloves after each use).
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Immediate removal of employees from site if they start to show any signs or symptoms.
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Providing employees additional time between lunch periods to allow for proper cleaning.
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Employee travel is closely monitored, tracked and limited. We require that employees disclose any intended plane travel for personal or business purposes to management.
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Depending on the situation, we will utilize on-site trailers with change and clean rooms to increase employee safety.
Apache Services provides our decontamination service in a comprehensive 3 step process:
Step 1 - Spraying, wiping and misting
All high touch point areas (door handles, counter tops, desk tops, arm chairs, breakroom areas, appliances, restrooms, etc.) will all be properly sprayed and wiped utilizing our Pure Clean product, Healthcare Germicidal Bleach, or Medical grade FDA approved Cavicide.
Supervisor will ensure that technicians are following our “No Touch” policy.
HVAC ventilation areas, filters and reachable air duct space will all be properly sprayed and wiped utilizing either Pure Clean or Cavicide. The customer will be requested to provide new air filters to be installed during the servicing when applicable. If provided, the replacement air filers will be changed out at this time. The old air filters will be properly disposed of with all other waste items from the cleaning.
Once all of the spraying, wiping and misting has been completed, the Supervisor will perform a final cleanliness check to ensure all cubie holes, restrooms, closets, storage areas, breakrooms have all received proper servicing, prior to moving on to STEP 2.
Step 2 - UVC Lighting
Prior to moving to STEP 2, the Supervisor shall ensure that the necessary amount of UVC signs have been posted at all entrance / exit points. The signs shall read, “NO ENTRY – UVC LIGHTING IN PROGRESS.”
Supervisor shall be responsible to ensure that all company employees are aware of the UVC lighting and ensure that no employees are exposed without them wearing proper UVC rated safety glasses.
Supervisor will remind technicians to not touch the UVC bulb directly with their hands or fingers.
Supervisor shall ensure that all technicians are wearing UVC rated safety glasses prior to giving the go ahead to start the process.
Technicians will coordinate with each other and review room and area assignments.
Once completed, technicians will properly store their UVC equipment, prior to moving to STEP 3.
Additional Information on UVC LIGHTING
UVC lights are UV germicidal bulbs that emit very short ultraviolet wavelengths from 100 to 280 nanometers that damages the DNA of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. UVC light does this by damaging the nucleic acid in microorganisms so they cannot unzip for replication. This means the organism cannot reproduce and will die.
The kill rate of UVC light depends on the specific microorganism you are trying to combat as well as the dosage it receives from the lamp. Dosage is a combination of exposure time and intensity (microwatts per square centimeter). These lamps can help eradicate harmful bacteria and are used for a variety of things, namely in the purification of food, water and air.
Our product choices include:
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Industrial Handheld UV Disinfection Light – Coronavirus – UVC, Fluorescent – 180° Beam Angle
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Industrial UV Sanitation Cart – Corona Virus – 800 sq. ft. Area
STEP 3 - ULV Fogging
The technicians and Supervisor will do a final walk thru of the service area to ensure all cleaning products have been removed, prior to commencing STEP 3.
ULV fogging will be the final hands on step in the cleaning process.
The product selection for the fogging will be our Pure Clean product, unless otherwise changed or requested by the customer.
Once completed, the Supervisor will advise the business on site contact of job completion, review the Scope of Work and obtain job sign off.
Step 3 / ULV Foaming
In unique circumstances within warehouse type of settings, ULV foaming may be a great option. This portion of step 3 is on a case by case basis and only applied when appropriate.
PRODUCT SELECTION
PURE CLEAN – HYPOCHLOROUS ACID
When salt water is electrolyzed, it produces an anolyte solution that consists of <99.3% water, chloride salt and Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl). HOCl is a naturally occurring chemical that is produced by our neutrophils, or white blood cells, to fight bacteria and inflammation after an infection or trauma. HOCl provides a unique power to eradicate dangerous organisms while not causing harm to our cells. HOCl is one of the only agents that is both nontoxic to the delicate cells that can heal our wounds while being lethal to almost all known dangerous bacteria and viruses that threaten our health.
Why isn’t Hypochlorous Acid everywhere?
The overwhelming impediment to its widespread use has been a lack of shelf stability. HOCl is the most reactive ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species). This means it reacts very easily and will quickly turn back into salt water. HOCl solutions have been used for over 100 years. In the early 1900s during the World Wars, HOCl solutions were used for disinfecting medical equipment and dressing wounds. However, until recently, HOCl solutions would only remain stable for about 90 minutes before turning back into salt water.
What has changed?
HOCl is now manufactured in a way that allows the solution to be stable for much longer than previously available. This has allowed for product to be carefully bottled and made available across the world. Although producing HOCl solutions is not challenging, stabilizing the solution is very difficult. In fact, at Pure & Clean our quality ingredients and unique process produce an unmatched product. This is proven by our HOCl industry-best 24-month (not impacted by opening) FDA cleared shelf life on all of our FDA cleared products. Furthermore, we do not add unnecessary ingredients to stabilize or preserve our product stability. The Pure & Clean solution is so stable that we are able to provide a very unique and rare HOCl Hydrogel product – which proves to have a massive impact across a number of medical applications.
This product is ready to be used out of the container and will not be diluted. It is completely safe. The SDS sheet is for information only and not out of any requirement to provide. We will be carefully applying tis product via small plastic spray bottles, however, under certain circumstances, the product can be utilized in all other applications.
CLOROX HEALTHCARE BLEACH GERMICIDAL CLEANER
This product is included in every service and will only be utilized sparingly to wipe/treat the high-contact areas only. Overuse of this product can cause discomfort and irritation to occupants.
Please feel free to reach out to us at your earliest convenience to discuss any Decontamination Remediation Plans you might be interested in implementing. For many of our customers, utilizing a multi-pronged approach, sensitive to the specific areas in question, seems to be working best so far.
CAVICIDE - QUATERNARY / ALCOHOL BASED
Cavicide is a medical grade FDA level product normally unavailable to the consumer market outside of first responders and medical uses. Apache Services, Inc. received an exception to utilize this product. It’s a ready-to-use, all-in-one surface and immersion disinfectant, cleaner and decontaminant. No toxic fumes, no skin irritation, non-staining, no sticky residue. Quaternary/alcohol based.
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Effective against TB in 3 minutes
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Effective against HIV, HBV & HCV in 2 minutes
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Effective against Staphylococcus aureus with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin and Influenza A2 Virus
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Effective against Hepatitis B and C, Herpes Simplex Type 1 and 2
Frequently Asked Questions:
How often do I need decontamination services?
Answer: That honestly depends on several factors that are both within your control, as well as outside of it. The area receiving decontamination, assuming it wasn’t re-contaminated by an outside source, will remain free from dangerous microorganisms, bacteria and virus’s for up to 30 days. If an employee, customer, vendor, delivery person, visitor or any other outside source enters the area that was serviced and is currently contaminated (COVID 19 Positive), the previously contamination free area would then be considered to be contaminated, needing an immediate additional service. Decontamination is about increasing and maximizing safety for your employees, customers, vendors and visitors. Continuing to follow established CDC protocols will serve to prolong the effectiveness of the decontamination.
What are the CDC protocols for self protection?
Wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds.
Avoid close contact with others.
Adhere to Social Distancing (6' Minimums).
Wear face masks when interacting with others.
Always cover coughs and sneezes.
Clean and disinfect high touch points (frequently touched surfaces).
Monitor your health daily by being alert to symptoms and temperature checks.
What are the most common intervals for servicing?
Answer: Again, that changes from customer to customer, depending on the number of employees or level of human potential for recontamination of the space. That said, the most common is weekly, but we have had the full spectrum of requests from daily, 2 to 3 times per week, bi-weekly, monthly and quarterly.
Are the products you utilize safe?
Answer: Yes. All of our products are not only 100% safe, but all are approved by the CDC and EPA.
How long do employees need to wait before re-entering the decontaminated area?
Answer: Since all of our products are 100% safe, the average time is about 1 to 2 minutes.
Is the pricing affordable?
Answer: Yes. We are extremely familiar with the current market pricing and provide not only comprehensive decontamination plans, but plans that are not only competitive to the competition, but will meet and exceed your expectations. Apache Services will guarantee to provide a lower price than any other documented quote that you have received, although we don’t believe one will be found.
We look forward to meeting and exceeding your decontamination and prevention needs.