Improving Infection Prevention and Control Practices at Work

A safe and healthy work environment promotes productivity, boosts employee morale, and improves their wellbeing. Aside from stocking up on infection control supplies, focusing on effective prevention and control practices is crucial.

 

This article discusses the top infection prevention and control tips that all members of your organisation should implement.

 

Tips to Prevent and Control Infections in the Workplace

Follow these easy tips to prevent and control the spread of infection at work.

 

Encourage good hand hygiene and proper handwashing.

Proper handwashing is the most underrated infection control habit, but it’s the most effective. Workers should wash their hands frequently, especially after using the restroom or handling potentially infectious materials.

 

Make sure that sanitisers and antibacterial soap are always present in the bathroom.

 

Implement proper cleaning and disinfection protocols.

Regular cleaning and disinfection of high-traffic areas and high-touch surfaces is essential in preventing the spread of germs. Such areas include computer tables, lobby furniture, doorknobs, pantry shelves, and water dispensers, to name a few.

 

Conduct weekly office disinfection. Focus on desk areas, kitchens, bathrooms, and places where employees and guests gather.

 

Educate employees on proper respiratory etiquette.

Following proper respiratory etiquette, especially in the current COVID-19 pandemic, is not just a recommendation but an obligation. Employees should be encouraged to cover their mouths and noses with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Help them dispose of used tissues properly by providing sealed disposal bins in your office.

 

If they don’t have a tissue or any covering, they can use their elbow to prevent virus-carrying aerosol from spreading. It’s still advisable to wear masks, especially in indoor spaces like offices and meeting rooms.

 

Establish a thoughtful and effective sick leave policy.

Sick leave policies not only benefit your workers through paid time off work due to illness. It also protects your other employees from contracting the same ailment. A thoughtful and firm sick leave policy looks after your sick employee and protects the rest of your team.

 

Employees who are sick should stay home until they are symptom-free. Encourage your team members to take advantage of their sick leave if they feel under the weather. A considerate policy ensures that they can take the day off without feeling guilty or pressured to return to work immediately.

 

Provide the necessary tools and personal protective equipment (PPE) for infection prevention.

This section will depend on the nature of the work or client you serve. If you’re in the medical field or related services, your employees may need to wear PPE. This equipment includes gloves, gowns, or masks for interacting with patients or clients.

 

Even people from the food and beverage industry are encouraged to observe the proper wearing of protective equipment. Gloves and masks keep the quality and freshness of their food top-notched.

 

Increase infection prevention awareness and communicate regularly.

Regular communication and infection prevention training with employees is crucial. Educating your team on up-to-date information on workplace health and safety policies and procedures makes a big difference!

 

It’s also a bonus if your employees know how to effectively use infection prevention supplies, a skill that can supplement their good practices.

 

By implementing these infection prevention and control practices, your employees can stay healthy and perform their best daily.