Story by Ella Kelley, FS Communications Student Assistant
According to the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee currently has some of the highest numbers of flu cases in the country. During the flu season, Facilities Services works proactively to keep students and staff as healthy as possible.
Building Services has a variety of procedures in place to counteract the spread of germs and fight off sickness to the best of their ability. With a commitment to hospital-grade cleanliness across campus, Building Services pays special attention to classrooms and restrooms in the fight against sickness with a focus on disinfecting all surfaces.
Using Technology for Disinfection
Building Services uses a hygiene-meter to count how many germs are on a surface. They want to keep it between 30,000 and 40,000 parts per million, which Tyler Vandiver, a Facilities Warehouse Specialist and former custodial supervisor, described as hospital grade cleanliness.
“If it’s good for a hospital, it’s good for y’all,” Vandiver said.
To disinfect, they use HDQ and NABC. HDQ is a cleaner and disinfectant used almost everywhere on campus, and NABC is a non acid bathroom cleaner. Building Services prioritizes cleanliness without the use of harsh or dangerous chemicals.
The primary tool used for disinfecting classrooms is the Clorox Total 360 Clean. This machine uses an “electrostatic sprayer” with Total 360 Disinfectant cleaner. This cleaner kills 99.9% of bacteria in five seconds, sanitizes surfaces, and eliminates odors. It also kills cold and flu viruses, MRSA, and norovirus in 2 minutes or less. The machines are electrically magnetically charged, so as the product is sprayed, it wraps around the surface it is cleaning. The user stands a few feet away from the target object and sprays back and forth. The disinfectant will wrap around and uniformly coat the surfaces it lands on. This is especially effective for hard-to-reach areas like the bottom of desks and chairs, keyboards, and some soft surfaces.
Building Services uses the Total 360 Clean machine to clean classrooms, bathrooms, and office spaces. After someone reports they are out sick, Building Services will enter their office or classroom space with proper protective equipment to spray with the Total 360 Clean machine.
Keeping Sickness at Bay
Building Services performs monthly checks with the hygiene-meter to maintain their standard of cleanliness throughout campus. They also offer Clorox wipes in every classroom to make it easier for students and staff to clean surfaces if needed. They have hand sanitizer dispensers across campus so students can do their part to keep themselves and others healthy.
“We are here for the students. We always want to make sure they’re in there first. If they’re not here, we’re not here. So we always want to make sure they’re taken care of,” Vandiver said.