As Covid-19 cases remain low in southern Nevada, state safety and health officials are giving businesses the green light to relax sanitation measures in the workplace.
At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) released a Covid-19 emergency temporary standard.
The guidance was to help business owners understand what measures needed to be in place to prevent transmission of the virus.
This meant enhanced cleaning, throughout the day with disinfectants approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, that specifically work against Covid-19.
Starting July 1st, businesses can choose to wipe down most surfaces with soap or detergent rather than disinfectants that kill coronavirus.
The guidance released Thursday explained, “when no people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 are known to have been in a space, cleaning once a day is usually enough to sufficiently remove viruses that may be on surfaces and help maintain a healthy facility.”
However, there are no changes to the requirement to disinfect a workplace if an employee shows symptoms or tests positive for Covid-19.
Diane Hale, director of Best in the West’s environmental safety said regardless of the updated guidance, businesses should continue to disinfect the workplace.
“Maybe you don’t have to sit there as everyone touches a knob go behind them with a sanitation, alcohol wipe behind them. Only maybe do it once or twice a day. But I do believe most people have heightened awareness about the transmission of viruses and diseases and the transmission of Covid,” Hale said.
Hale added the guidance is designed to give an alternative and allow the business owners to make a decision on how best to safeguard their workers.
Natalia Badzjo, owner of Big B’s BBQ tells News 3 while restrictions are relaxing, she will continue disinfecting her restaurant. To protect workers and guests from not only coronavirus but other diseases.
The restaurant has always followed strict guidelines from the Nevada Health District when it comes to using disinfectant to clean dishes, sanitizing each table after every guest and all the high traffic areas like handles. With Covid-19 she just added sanitizer for guests.
“Everybody wanted to be extra safe so we enhanced everything from the cleaning procedures, opening and closing days. We had them done several times a day. We had tables wiped down after every guest. Before we had regular spray, right now we’re using the disinfectant, anything that kills bacteria from any virus,” Badzjo said.
What hasn’t changed in the guidance, businesses with more than ten employees need to have a Covid-19 prevention program in place.
This includes cleaning methods, increased air filtration, encouraging vaccination and educating employees.