Virginia’s new workplace safety mandates require employers to develop plans and procedures aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19. For companies trying to comply with all of the requirements, outsourcing some of the work can ease the burden. As one of the leading commercial cleaning services in the Metro DC region, Mister Kleen is ready to help organizations meet the state’s workplace safety standards.

WHAT IS THE NEW POLICY

Emergency Temporary Standard Infectious Disease Prevention: SARS-CoV-2 Virus That Causes COVID-19 was adopted July 27^th and will remain in effect for six months. The safety rules cover personal protective equipment, sanitation and disinfecting, social distancing, infectious disease preparedness and response plans, record keeping, training, and hazard communications in workplaces across the Commonwealth.

“Keeping Virginia’s economy moving forward has never been more important, and keeping our workers safe is critical to sustained economic recovery,” Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball said in a statement in July. “COVID-19 is unfortunately going to continue impacting our everyday lives, and these regulations will provide for safer, more predictable workplaces for Virginians.”

Failure to comply could result in fines by Virginia’s Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) program of up to $130,463 for willful and repeated violations, according to media reports.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS

Some highlights of the mandatory requirements include cleaning and disinfection of:

• Areas occupied by someone with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 before other employees can access the space.
• All common spaces (including bathrooms), frequently touched surfaces, and doors at the end of each shift, at a minimum.
• All shared equipment, workspaces, and tools before they are used by another employee.

The standards also require that only EPA-listed disinfectants against SARS-CoV-2 are used. In addition, they mandate the products are properly applied for the amount of time listed by the manufacturer, and that the proper PPE is worn by the cleaning crew.

Since the pandemic, Mister Kleen has been assisting clients in the commercial and high security sectors in cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting their facilities. We have the expertise and experience to help businesses and agencies meet the state’s new cleaning and disinfection standards for workplaces. Contact us for a custom quote by  clicking here to email us, calling us at (703) 719-6900, or filling out our online form.