There is a considerable difference between keeping the office clean and keeping your workspace safe and hygienic during a pandemic. We have been wiping and sanitising for many months now and it is easy to feel that enough is being done. Although we make concerted efforts to maintain optimum standards of cleanliness, it is human nature to become a little complacent. With more and more workspaces opening up as the spike dips we must continue to keep doing what is required to ensure that we are all kept safe. We are still in a pandemic and the virus is minuscule so stringent measures are constantly required. Staying one step ahead, especially if your environment requires the regular movement of staff can be a challenge. Here we outline some simple steps that can lighten the load on this ongoing responsibility: A regular deep clean: Office management companies have been deep cleaning premises for many years before the pandemic hit. They have highly trained staff and industrial strength and quality chemicals. These chemicals are oftentimes more potent than the available store-bought products and require specialised training and protective gear. Having an office management company do a thorough deep clean regularly not only ensures that the premises are in a state of optimum hygiene but also reinforces the strict protocol required during this time. From management, down to cleaning staff, it is understood that the pandemic is serious business when an outsourced department is brought in and the place gets a good scrub! And the responsibility can be lessened if staff are not tasked to do the cleaning themselves. It also makes it easier to maintain a hygienic environment and keep everyone as safe as possible and we highly recommend a monthly or preferably twice monthly deep clean, depending on the number of

Hygiene and handwashing have received their fair share of attention over the past few years as the importance of practicing regular handwashing became a high priority on everyone’s list. We recently had a chance to sit down with John Van Deventer, the Division Manager for Cleaning & Hygiene at FSG. John and his team know how hygiene contributes to keeping customers, visitors, staff, and the properties they manage free of any contamination. We wanted to find out a bit more about hygiene and how it applies to the businesses that FSG services. He was happy to answer our questions. What is the most effective hygiene and handwashing practice? It all starts with personal hygiene… Washing your hands thoroughly is by far the most effective way to protect yourself against several infectious diseases that are easily spread from one person to another through contaminated hands. Hands can pick up an incredible number of microorganisms (germs) and we don’t realise how often we touch our face, nose, or even eyes, where these organisms easily enter the body. It is a good habit to regularly wash your hands well to prevent you from becoming ill, and to reduce the risk of infecting others. To improve the hygiene barrier even further, clean or sanitise the surface areas in your commercial space. It is especially important to give your commercial space a regular wipe-down, not forgetting doorknobs, light switches, telephones, desks, and keyboards. How can I ensure that I am correctly washing my hands? To wash hands properly: Wet your hands with clean, running water, turn off the tap. Apply soap and lather well for 20 seconds (or longer if the dirt is ingrained). Rub hands together rapidly across all surfaces of your hands and wrists. Don’t forget the backs of your hands, your wrists,