Proper Medical Office Cleaning, Just What The Doctor Ordered

Just like any workplace, medical offices must be kept clean for the comfort and safety of those who work there as well as those who seek care in the office. Some medical practices choose to clean the office themselves, but others choose to leave that to professionals. Many office cleaning services know just what it takes to keep any office space clean, including the specifics of cleaning a medical office. For this reason, outsourcing your medical office cleaning needs may be the best bet.

The United States Department of Labor created OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Administration) in order to provide guidelines and standards put in place to protect employee health and safety in workplaces including those in medical offices. The cleanliness of medical office is definitely an area of potential risk to people so it is an area that is monitored by OSHA. Before hiring a professional office cleaning company, be sure that they are familiar with and follow all guidelines set up by the government when they clean medical office buildings.

Cleaning vendors who include medical offices as part of their clientele have to ensure that their cleaning schedules include cleaning all patient exam rooms, laboratories, surgical areas, bathrooms, office spaces, hallways and waiting areas. In addition, cleaning staff must correctly handle furniture, carts, surgical drapes, gowns, bed linens, work surfaces and containers, and waste products. Spills and exposure to chemicals are also common cleaning needs in medical offices and OSHA guidelines are to be posted and employees must be trained about any potential hazards that may exist.

Based on OSHA requirements, medical office rooms must be cleaned and decontaminated with approved disinfectants. Hospital grade disinfectant chemicals are most commonly used when cleaning medical offices to provide the best results. Antimicrobial products are registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect against the spread of infections. According to the EPA, appropriate disinfectants can be diluted bleach solutions along with antimicrobial products such as tuberculocides, sterilants, and products registered against HIV/HBV. Sterilants or high level disinfectants should be used to sterilize equipment.

Special circumstances exist in medical offices that are not considered when cleaning other workplaces. Things like used needles and laundry must be handled appropriately by everyone involved with them including cleaning vendor. Used needles must always be contained in special leak and puncture proof closed containers. As an added precaution, laundry bags should not be held close to the body or squeezed when they are being transported to avoid punctures from improperly discarded needles or sharp objects. Contaminated laundry should be bagged and handled with minimal agitation and should be bagged in the location where it was used. OSHA guidelines also require that contaminated waste containers or medical equipment and laundry must be properly labeled to help maintain sanitary conditions.

These are just a few of the precautions that should be taken daily by medical office staff as well as any cleaning staff who handles cleaning the office. If you choose to hire a janitorial service, don't settle for less than a cleaning company that is fully aware of the requirements necessary for meeting all guidelines and standards designed to keep patients and employees healthy and happy.