As we contemplate returning to our workplaces and public spaces, social distancing is likely to be the norm for some time.NIC is defining the cleaning standards for the ‘new normal’ which will be essential to know your premises is safe and hygienic– and how do we keep them that way and evidence that to you?
We all have a legal responsibility to do everything “reasonably practicable” to safeguard our employees and others affected by our operations. That means Defining cleaning standards for the ‘New Normal’
• It’s likely open office concepts may need to change dramatically due to increased remote working and social distancing requirements.
• We will all need reassurance that our premises are being thoroughly cleaned and sanitised on a regular and ongoing basis.
• We will all need to feel that our public and workspaces are safe and hygienic.
• People will expect that cleaning protocols have been fully reviewed and deployed in line with the new normal and to recognise the new risks we all face.
• Cleaning “Ways of Working” will have to change; our new normal will be “need to clean”/ “clean to need” rather than output specifications or standards-based specifications, with an emphasis on measuring and reporting on those things that can’t be seen are hygienically clean and safe
To summarise, employees, customers and other premises users need to feel safe and confident knowing they are going into environments that are in a healthy, safe, hygienically evidenced and clean condition.
Hygie-NIC
We have over half a century of experience delivering cleaning and support services to environments such as food retail, high street retail, retail destinations and shopping centres, restaurants, distribution, offices, pubs, sports arenas, cafes. Sports clubs, leisure centres, education, and healthcare to name but a few We’re used to environments that need to be cleaned and sanitised effectively to protect employees and customers or other premises users from acquiring preventable infections. Our “Ways of Working” or as we call them or WOW factors will be key in Defining the cleaning standards for the ‘new normal’ and along with our in-house microbiology department makes NIC uniquely placed to deliver a fully evidenced hygienic reactive or ongoing cleaning and disinfection service to your business.
Whether it’s a one-off ‘deep clean’ to ensure an environment is safe before reopening, ongoing cleaning and disinfection or both, we have specialist teams applying state-of-the-art infection control solutions that don’t just kill viruses and other pathogens, they offer residual protection against SARS-CoV-2 and other harmful organisms.
Led by our in-house microbiology team, we rely on a methodical, scientific approach to keeping premises and the environments that people occupy or use safe and hygienically clean.
In terms of what we use to assure total disinfection we use products and systems that are:
• Scientifically validated
• Give residual protection against germs on treated surfaces
• Proven to kill 99.999% of germs
• Safe in use, non-toxic, biodegradable
The Need to Change – Adopting the new normal
In defining the cleaning standards for the ‘new normal’ we all need to reassure our colleagues, customers, clients and the general public that we are doing everything possible to combat the spread of viruses. Cleaning will no longer be seen as being a routine task mainly carried out for an appearance, its profile has been raised as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is now at the very centre of all of our daily routines. Measurable hygienic cleaning will need to become the “new normal” responsibility of every business across the globe.
Many suppliers are now offering ‘deep cleans’ but are vague about what that really means and how they evidence and measure the service provided.
Many cleaning companies don’t always use the most appropriate chemicals or equipment available, implement the right processes or the right “Ways of Working” or employ adequately trained and certified teams.
In the ‘new normal’ you will need to have the confidence that your cleaning suppliers have as a minimum:
- A clear understanding of what “needs to be clean” against what you can “clean to need”
- Validated and robust cleaning processes.
- Correct chemicals and equipment.
- A certified training programme.
- A detailed reporting of works carried out Biological testing to evidence standards achieved.
- Biological testing to evidence standards achieved.
The risks of not doing so are simply too great. Questions like; are they qualified, insured to carry out the necessary work? What disinfectants will they use and are they rated for viruses? What’s the application method? How are they validating what they do? How are they recording it? will need to be asked prior to selection or engagement.
The Hygie-NIC Difference
Devastating though this pandemic is, NIC wholeheartedly welcomes the improvements it will force across the entire cleaning industry to change by Defining cleaning standards for the ‘New Normal’, NIC will excel not just because we can already demonstrate the right knowledge, skills and credentials, but because we have always taken a different approach.
We always establish a precise cleaning process with every customer that satisfies each customer’s individual needs and that ensures all surfaces will be effectively disinfected.
Then we perform regular cloud-based audits using our in-house app based system to make sure everything is recorded and that your standards remain consistently high.
We build relationships. We build trust. We build partnerships with our clients – which is why we enjoy such high customer retention rates.
Right People
All of NIC colleagues are trained and certified in infection prevention and control and fully understand its importance. They are also trained in both the processes and in the equipment used.
We know that poorly trained staff can render a surface less safe than how they found it, which in many industries can be an expensive lesson to learn – and even more so in the ‘new normal’.
Right Processes
We use intelligent work scheduling to ensure critical surfaces are prioritised while keeping the overall process efficient using a ‘Need to Clean’ vs ‘Clean to Need’ metric. This allows us to continue to stay competitive while ensuring that our customers their colleagues and the general public stay safe.
For example cleaning a floor daily may not be as critical in the ‘new normal’ as cleaning door handles and touch points throughout your premises. So, handles or touch points would be “Need to Clean” and a floor would be “Clean to Need”.
We also continually reinvest in the most innovative technology available which will be used in defining the cleaning standards for the ‘new normal’ We are constantly looking for and trialling and helping to develop (through our trusted partners) new equipment and cleaning methods – which we then only offer to our customers after an exhaustive validation of both the science behind them and the customer benefits they bring. No gimmicks, no magic, no smoke or mirrors.
Right Products
Defining cleaning standards for the ‘New Normal’ will mean all of the chemicals we use are independently tested to ensure they conform to the highest standards and that they inactivate greater than 99.99% of bacteria and viruses. We also ensure they are manufactured from completely biodegradable raw materials from sustainable sources.
We are also actively eliminating traditional, harsh cleaning chemicals from our supply chain and replacing them with cutting-edge biologics, dramatically reducing our combined carbon footprints.
For example using a biological product on a ‘Clean to Need’ floor gives better results than traditional, harsh chemicals and frees up time to concentrate on keeping high-touch points and critical surfaces safe.
COVID-19 and Your Business
Many experts are predicting this virus is likely to be with us for years, not months, and the likely ‘new normal’ may involve society and industry repeatedly going in and out of lockdowns at a national, regional, or even a community level to manage surges in infection rates.
We believe managing this and the uncertainty it creates provides more than enough headaches for businesses. We want to take the stress of managing cleaning and hygiene away so you can concentrate on running your business and looking after your people in these incredibly challenging times.
We offer many solutions to many industries but want to keep it simple – so defining the cleaning standards for the ‘new normal’ we’ve split our Hygie-NIC offering into three tiers.
NIC Standard Tiers
GOLD STANDARD
Regular, thorough cleaning concentrating on fomites
- Our highly-trained staff clean to an agreed standard using products guaranteed to kill SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19
- Regular customer reviews to ensure standards remain high
DIAMOND STANDARD
Gold Standard plus electrostatic protection/ certification
- Extra disinfection stages at agreed intervals using state-of-the-art biocide electrodeposition technology
- Formal audit reports confirming biocidal efficacy of products and processes used
PLATINUM STANDARD
Diamond Standard plus validation
• Audit reports post-disinfection with additional validation using agreed, standard methodologies to confirm bioburden removal
When to Clean and Which Standard?
Defining the cleaning standards for the ‘new normal’ NIC can devise a hygiene schedule to suit your individual needs, to make sure it’s a perfect fit for your business, taking numerous drivers into account such as industry type, setting, layout, number of employees etc.
For example it could be either of the following:
- • It could be that you need a one-off Platinum Standard clean to further support your current cleaning routines, or before reopening a facility, due to the COVID-19 shutdown.
- • If could be that you are working in an environment at higher risk such as food manufacturing, distribution or retail or health and social care or your activities involve other Key Workers, you will probably need to work to a higher standard than you currently do to achieve the new normal.
- • The scientific and demonstrable validation offered by a periodic Platinum Standard clean combined with regular Diamond Standard cleaning would give you the added peace of mind offered by regular recertification and periodic revalidation.
Whichever of the three options suits you, your customers, your employees or the wider public, our highly trained and certified teams consistently deliver. Using our scientifically validated application technologies combined with innovative chemistry and proven disinfection protocols can dramatically reduce the risk posed to your business and your people by bacteria and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19.
For many customers we are already an integral part of their COVID-19 business protection strategy. Our systems give staff increased peace-of-mind after a suspected or confirmed case of the illness as well as knowing their working environment is protected.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you validate surfaces are clean / safe?
NIC products are independently tested to multiple international standards to guarantee efficacy. We do offer additional validation with ATP monitoring or Biuret testing as part of our Platinum Service.
ATP testing looks for adenosine triphosphate, the cellular ‘petrol’ that drives every active process in every living cell. It’s a ‘semi-quantitative’ test that gives a numerical reading.
The Biuret test looks for protein and provides a simple colour change in a few minutes.
Both are indicative of biological contamination or ‘bioburden’ and are ideal for detecting the presence of invisible biological contamination.
These tests are not indicative of the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2, but they are a fast and effective way of showing if a surface is biologically clean. If the virus is there, it will have been carried there on respiratory droplets or other bodily fluids which either of these tests will pick up.
At the current time NIC are not offering RT-qPCR testing which is indicative of the presence of viral RNA given the NHS needs all the capacity for this diagnostic technique that it can get.
Note that some companies are offering ATP testing to detect the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2. This is nonsense and just displays their lack of knowledge – viruses do not contain ATP.
How long does residual protection last?
How long is a piece of string! The golden rule is ‘you can’t disinfect dirt’ so any residual protection that kills germs landing on a surface only lasts as long as the surface remains visibly clean.
Dirt gives microorganisms a place to hide and is also food for bacteria. This is why most professional cleaning processes in critical environments rely on a cleaning step followed by a disinfection step, indeed that is a legal requirement for food contact surfaces.
Any residual protection offered by the raw materials used in hygiene chemicals can only last until the surface becomes dirty again.
We see many companies making residuality claims of up to 30 days for biocidal products and cannot see how such claims can be justified unless they have rewritten the established laws of chemistry and biology.
If a client wishes to use one of these ‘miracle’ products we will happily have our technical team give a thorough, written evaluation of the product and the claims made.
Which surfaces are ‘Need to Clean’?
Common touchpoints such as handles, switches and taps and especially areas with high footfall: kitchens, offices, in warehouses (pack benches, toilets, canteens etc,) are all critical surfaces and while we don’t ignore anything that needs cleaning, we pay particular attention to these.
What Is Electrostatic Protection?
NIC use electronic dispensing guns which add an electrostatic charge to the disinfectant liquid which ensures total coverage while minimising chemical use.
THESE CHARGED PARTICLES WILL ‘SEEK OUT’ AND COVER SURFACES UP TO 1.2M AWAY – EVEN THOSE NOT IN LINE-OF-SIGHT.
The system coats entire surfaces evenly and uses 40% less chemical – making it safer and more efficient.
Independent tests have shown electrostatic spraying is up to 1,000 x more effective at killing bacteria than traditional spraying – but with 40% less chemical (1).
Using the electrostatic sprayers enables a quick and effective chemical application. Fully charged droplets hit the surface and create an even spread. Particles hold their cationic (positive) charge until they make contact with a surface. This allows the solution to cover hidden and shadowed areas, and also enables efficient coverage of large areas.
The sprayers have been designed to meet dwell times for our chosen solutions so that they can work to their full capabilities.
(1) Independently validated: J Food Prot. 2018 Nov;81(11):1864-1870. doi: 10.4315/0362- 028X.JFP-18-249.
What chemicals do you use?
Defining the cleaning standards for the ‘new normal’ we use synergistic blends of cationic biocides that kill viruses, bacteria and other germs instantly on contact by destroying their cell membranes as well as disrupting other cellular activity required for life. These are complemented by biodegradable surfactants derived from sustainable sources such as coconut oil or fermentation by-products.
They offer residual protection against bacteria, viruses, yeasts and spores. They then bind to the cleaned surface at a molecular level to give residual protection against harmful microbes.
The biocides we use are completely safe but devastating to microbes, remaining on surfaces even after wiping to give residual protection for as long as the surfaces remain visibly clean.
When the electrostatic spraying and disinfectant process is applied to cleaned surfaces or objects that need protection, it will instantly kill 99.999% of germs and then give residual protection against pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms.
Do the chemicals you use kill SARS-CoV-2?
First, we should point out that technically viruses are non-living (or we get long emails from our lead microbiologist).
They’re trouble wrapped in protein and in the case of SARS-CoV-2 a bag of fat as well.
Technical distinctions aside, the chemicals NIC use rip the virus to pieces and – to use the proper term – render it totally ineffective on contact. Just because it can cause serious illness when it infects people and (as yet) there’s no vaccine or specific treatment doesn’t mean it’s tough to kill on a surface. The products we use make very short work of it.
People often confuse how easy something is to treat or kill INSIDE the body with how easy it is to kill OUTSIDE the body. They are not connected.
Which standards are products tested to?
SARS-CoV-2 is rendered ineffective by detergents. Its fatty coat makes it susceptible to simple soap and water. But we like to make sure.
We use products certified to at least BS EN 1276 or BS EN 14476.
EN 14476 shows effectiveness against Poliovirus Type 1, Adenovirus Type 5 and Murine Norovirus. These viruses are mandated by the test because they are notoriously tough to kill. Because of their structure coronaviruses are far, far easier to kill so EN14476 sets the bar way above that needed for SARS-CoV-2.
EN 1276 is a bactericidal standard (showing the product is effective against bacteria). This is one of the required EN Standards for sanitisers / disinfectants used on food contact surfaces so far more cleaning products have been tested to this standard than EN 14476. Despite 1276 being technically not relevant (because it’s a test of efficacy against bacteria, not viruses), any product that passes this standard will be effective against coronaviruses.
NIC preferred products all have multiple independent certifications assuring their biocidal credentials against multiple organisms. Many are also tested to EN14476:2013 + A2:2019 guaranteeing their effectiveness against all coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19.
Are your chemicals environmentally responsible?
All the biocides we use are entirely safe, non-tainting, completely biodegradable and comply with the Detergents Regulations 2004 (EC 648/2004) and the Biocidal Products Regulation (EU 528/2012) and are tested to multiple international standards.
NIC discuss product choice with each client but our preferred options use natural and safe raw materials derived from plant and/or biological sources. We try to avoid toxic products from chemical plants to keep our carbon footprint low.
We also minimise packaging waste by using super-concentrates diluted on site.
Do you use UV disinfection?
As a rule, no. There are some applications where a UV robot can be deployed, provided the area is completely cleared of staff.
And yes, it is true that ultraviolet light can kill bacteria and viruses – but what about areas in shadow that won’t be exposed to the UV?
UV light is electromagnetic radiation that sits between visible light and X-rays on the spectrum, from 10-400 nm wavelength. UV is made up of higher energy waves than visible light and has enough energy to cause chemical reactions and damage DNA.
UV light is further divided into biological relevant categories of UVA (400-315 nm), UVB (315-280 nm) and UVC (280-100 nm). The ozone layer filters out 97-99% of UV radiation from 315-200 nm, so the UVB and part of the UVC spectrum. If it didn’t the sun’s rays would be far more harmful.
On the Earth’s surface there is about 500 times the intensity of UVA than UVB, and almost no UVC.
- • UVA penetrates deeper into the skin and does cause long term ageing effects.
- • UVB affects the skin surface but causes sunburns and damage that can lead to skin cancer.
- • UVC could cause extreme damage even with minutes of exposure.
The challenge is the type of UV (UVC) and the intensity required to guarantee complete disinfection means that no one can be present while such a system is operating – you would exceed the annual maximum UV exposure allowed by Health and Safety legislation in minutes – with the attendant risk of skin cancer, blindness and other harmful effects. This is why when used in a hospital the room is completely cleared and staff go to great lengths to ensure no one can enter while the process takes place.
Please note hand-held UV ‘wands’ add absolutely nothing to a disinfection process or cleaning standards. The wavelength and intensity of the light they emit will not be sufficient to guarantee a surface is free of pathogenic bacteria. And if it is strong enough it would cause severe eye and skin damage.
Do you use steam cleaning?
NIC has found steam can be quite useful for dislodging ingrained dirt and can be effective at killing microorganisms, indeed this is how hospital autoclaves sterilise equipment and other materials.
But autoclaves are built to work at very precise temperatures and pressures to ensure infectious agents are killed or otherwise rendered ineffective. They use saturated steam at 121°C and at least 15psi of pressure for 15-30 minutes. Anything less than this is not guaranteed to be effective.
NIC have seen companies wafting a steam wand at low pressure with no temperature control over a surface and claiming this is an effective form of disinfection. It isn’t.
Steam disinfection (as opposed to steam cleaning) is a very precise science and the disinfection is being achieved through a combination of high temperature and pressure, the medium for which is superheated, saturated steam. It’s not a case of “any old steam will do”.
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