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CLEAN SWEEP ARCHIVES
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How well are you protecting yourself from germs? During the cold and flu season, most people take some additional precautions by washing their hands one extra time, covering coughs, maybe taking a vitamin or two. But are you really protecting yourself and those around you?

In recent news, a strain of bacteria commonly referred to as MRSA has been grabbing headlines due to outbreaks in schools and in the workplace. Dubbed a “super bug,” MRSA is easily spread and is resistant to many common antibiotics. The best defense? A good offense.

BG Service Solutions has the knowledge and experience to help protect your workplace from MRSA with a combination of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved disinfectants and infection prevention cleaning programs. In this issue of Clean Sweep, learn about the importance of personal hygiene and cleanliness in preventing the spread of MRSA—and how our services can help.

What is MRSA?
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph infection that commonly used antibiotics, like Methicillin, can’t kill. Staph are bacteria frequently carried on the skin or in the nose of 25 to 35 percent of healthy people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In most cases, the presence of these bacteria is normal and does not present a health concern. But sometimes, staph can invade the body through an open wound and cause an infection.

MRSA can be spread among people having close contact with infected individuals, and is almost always spread by skin-to-skin contact. It is also possible to spread MRSA by touching contaminated
objects and then touching your nose, mouth, eyes or broken skin.

Initially, MRSA was found primarily in the healthcare setting, affecting those with a weakened immune system, and could be fatal. In 1998, health officials began to recognize a new, community-based strain that affected otherwise healthy individuals. It is this strain that has become a threat in the workplace. But not to worry, community-based infections are usually superficial and much easier to treat.

The spread of MRSA is preventable. The most important thing is to educate yourself on proper hygiene and cleanliness, while making sure your workplace is equipped with proper MRSA prevention products and services.

What can you do to avoid illness created by the spreading of germs? Practice good hygiene and encourage those around you to do so as well. Here are some tips to help keep you and your co-workers healthy.

• Practice good hand hygiene and cover your coughs (cough etiquette).
• Provide an ample supply of easily accessible hand hygiene products, such as soap and water, alcohol-based hand sanitizers such as PURELL®, as well as tissues.
• Begin worker education on proper hand hygiene and cough etiquette immediately, so that good habits are well established for every flu season.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
• Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

Everything you touch connects you to lots of other people—and their germs. While a majority of germs are normal and our bodies are not harmed by them, good hygiene helps protect you against cold, flu and other illness-causing bacteria and viruses.

For more information, visit www.bgserve.com

BG HELPS COMPANIES PROTECT AGAINST MRSA
BG Service Solutions is experienced and prepared to mitigate in the event of an active MRSA outbreak. BG will consult with the senior management team to:

• Identify hot-zone areas and/or possible areas of current infection.
• In partnership with management, BG will develop a course of action to sanitize frequently-touched surfaces where there is a high probability that MRSA will be spread to others (e.g., restrooms, break rooms, copy rooms, water fountains, handrails, locker rooms and showers).
• Discuss the implementation of additional disinfecting products to quickly reduce the spread of infection.

Products Utilized May Include:
SaniGuard: For a critical outbreak, SaniGuard sanitizing spray and foggers disinfect “hot spots” with 99.99 percent efficacy against more than 30 bacteria, viruses and fungi, and is the only dry-on-contact sanitizer on the market that is completely safe—no need for protective equipment—and is safe for surfaces that come in contact with food (FDA CFR 178.101).

Portion Pac Germicidal Detergent: For frequently-touched surfaces, this EPA-designated, hospital-grade detergent gives your workplace the same level of protection and cleaning that hospitals receive.

Oxivir Tb and Virex Tb: EPA-registered, these disinfectants offer a 60-second kill time, which is highly effective against pathogens such as MRSA. With a health hazard rating of zero, it is well-suited for use in the office setting.

Additional Recommended Products:
PURELL®: Convenient and cost-effective, Purell® is an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that kills 99.99 percent of most common germs to help keep you healthy, even when soap and water are not easily accessible.

HEALTHY WORKPLACE GUIDELINES
These tips are among the critical elements from the guidelines for preventing the spread of MRSA in the workplace, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

• Cleaning and disinfecting should be performed on surfaces that are likely to contact uncovered or poorly-covered skin infections.
• Clean surfaces with detergent-based cleaners or EPA-registered disinfectants.
• Ensure that routine housekeeping procedures are conducted.
• Encourage workers to practice good hygiene that includes thoroughly washing hands, keeping cuts clean and covered, avoiding contact with other people’s wounds or bandages, and not sharing personal items.

For full guidelines, visit www.cdc.gov

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I get MRSA from someone at work?
MRSA is transmitted most frequently by direct skin-to-skin contact, or contact with shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else’s infection (e.g., towels, bandages).

Some settings have factors that make it easier for MRSA to be transmitted. These factors, referred to as the 5 Cs, are: Crowding, Contact (frequent skin-to-skin contact), Compromised skin (i.e., cuts or abrasions), Contaminated items and surfaces, and Cleanliness (lack of cleanliness).

How do I know if I have MRSA?
MRSA most commonly appear in the form of skin infections that look like a boil (may resemble a spider bite) and can be red, swollen, painful, and/or have some kind of drainage. If you suspect you may have MRSA, contact your doctor immediately.

If I have MRSA, can I go to work?
Unless directed by a healthcare provider, workers with MRSA infections should not be routinely excluded from going to work. If you suspect you have MRSA, consult your doctor immediately. Protect friends, family and co-workers by: covering open wounds with clean, dry bandages; following good personal hygiene practices, including frequent washing of your hands; not sharing personal items such as uniforms and towels.

What should I do if there is an MRSA outbreak in the workplace?
When an MRSA infection occurs with an individual in the workplace, additional cleaning and disinfection should be performed on surfaces that are likely to have been in contact with uncovered or poorly-covered infections. Immediate action is critical to stop the spread of MRSA.

BG Service Solutions has the knowledge and resources to take immediate action, in the case of an MRSA outbreak, by using EPA-approved products and government-approved procedures to ensure that the infection does not spread to others in the workplace.

The house was an exciting “Green Build” collaboration between Habitat KC and BNIM Architects. Designed by longtime Habitat KC supporter, Laura Lesniewski, and sponsored by Ashley Schaffer, H&R Block and Citigroup, this project seeks to push the envelope of residential green building technology, and is intended to serve as a model that other Habitat for Humanity affiliates can emulate.

BG HELPS YOU CLEAN GREEN
BG Service Solutions has been designing and practicing green cleaning programs since 1996. Why? Among the many benefits of green cleaning, according to the U.S. Green Building Council, are:

• Reduced health effects, such as allergies, for building occupants
• Reduced likelihood of accidental chemical spills
• Reduced environmental impacts of chemical accumulation in streams, plants and animals
• Reduced costs of chemical exposure, such as lost productivity and litigation, for employers and building owners

BG tailors its green cleaning services to each facility’s conditions and management’s priorities.

Contact us today to find out how you can “Clean Green.”