Newswise — When it comes to cleaning, school environments pose many challenges from the number of germs introduced every day to the variety of settings that need to be cleaned. Each setting, whether it is a classroom, gym, cafeteria, or bus, requires special attention, including knowing what products and equipment to use and whether surfaces should be cleaned, sanitized, or disinfected.
Maintaining a safe and healthy school environment is not just the responsibility of one person. Everyone in a school, from the teaching staff and custodians to the food service workers and bus drivers, plays a role in helping prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
To help school professionals better understand their role in helping to prevent the spread of germs, the NEA HIN has created a series of fact sheets that explain the importance of cleaning, sanitizing and targeted disinfecting in specific school settings. The fact sheet series was created through an educational grant from The Clorox Professional Products Company.
“Every education professional and student deserves a safe, clean, and healthy school environment and this starts with a school’s cleaning and maintenance program,” said Jerry Newberry, executive director, NEA HIN. “While establishing this environment starts with the school district, maintaining it is the responsibility of everyone, so every member of the school community needs to know the facts about safe and healthy cleaning practices and infectious disease prevention. When it comes to preventing the spread of infectious diseases such as the flu, Norovirus, and MRSA, the old saying couldn’t be more true, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’”
The free, online fact sheets offer tips and best practices to help fight the spread of infectious diseases in high-traffic areas, including cafeterias, athletic facilities, classrooms and school buses. A fact sheet for custodial and maintenance staff addressing the school building as a whole is also available. Each fact sheet outlines the key components of a comprehensive cleaning program; describes the difference between cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting; and provides guidance on how individuals can help prevent the spread of communicable disease.
“We are proud to work with the NEA HIN to offer this resource to school professionals across the country,” said Craig Stevenson, vice president and general manager, Clorox Professional Products Company. “Clorox fully supports the development of school Infection Control Plans and these fact sheets are an excellent way for staff to easily understand their role and how they play a part in helping to keep the greater school environment safe from infectious diseases.”
For more information and to download the free fact sheet series, please visit the NEA HIN website at www.neahin.org/health-safety/environmental/cleaning-for-health.html.
About The NEA Health Information NetworkThe NEA Health Information Network is the 501(c)(3), health and safety division of NEA, the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million education professionals. NEA HIN advocates for health protections in the workplace and develops training and technical assistance materials that help employees and students practice healthy behaviors and make healthy decisions. For more information, visit www.neahin.org.
About Clorox Professional Products Company Clorox Professional Products Company offers a full line of established brands designed to address your workplace challenges. Our professional products include the industry’s most recognized brand names, including Clorox® Germicidal Bleach, Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes, Green Works® Cleaners and Pine-Sol® Cleaners. Whether it be offices, schools, hotels or any other commercial setting, we at Clorox are committed not only to understanding the ever-changing demands of your professional environment, but to developing solutions to help you excel in your business. For more information, visit www.cloroxprofessional.com
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