Cleaning and Disinfection Protocol, 2020-21
Issued July 17, 2020; Revised October 28, 2020
1.0 PURPOSE
In order to protect Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) staff, students and teachers from the COVID-19 virus, the division will enhance the cleaning and disinfection protocols in accordance with nationally recognized guidance documents. ACPS is utilizing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes, and CDC’s Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting.
2.0 RESPONSIBILITY
The Building Services Department cleans and maintains ACPS facilities. During the school day, non-custodial staff members will be needed to help continually disinfect high-touch surfaces. The shared disinfection responsibilities for learning spaces, technology equipment, and buses is outlined in Section 4.
3.0 DEFINITIONS
ACPS: Albemarle County Public Schools
ATP: Adenosine triphosphate
CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
COVID-19: Coronavirus Disease 2019
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
HMIS: Hazardous Materials Identification System
HOCl: Hypochlorous acid
PPE: Personal protective equipment
VDH: Virginia Department of Health
4.0 PROCEDURES
Providing clean and safe buildings and buses for students and staff members is a top priority for ACPS. ACPS has added enhanced disinfection measures to existing procedures in response to COVID-19. The addition of CDC’s recommended measures coupled with existing industry cleaning standards provides ACPS with a robust school cleaning and disinfection program that will accommodate any school attendance scenario.
A. Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfection Protocols
Based on the guidance provided by the CDC, the following best practices and cleaning/disinfecting measures are part of day and evening custodial responsibilities:
- Wearing appropriate PPE while cleaning
- Wearing of face covering while in the school facility
- Increasing the disinfection of high frequency touch points
- Using disinfectants on EPA’s List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)
- Using new disinfecting technologies
- Additional training for all custodial staff
Disinfectants are used in strict compliance with manufacturer specifications. Safety data sheets for chemicals used in this protocol are linked in Section 4(D).
ACPS cleans and disinfects for health by following a prescribed frequency of task. The routine cleaning and disinfecting are performed by custodial staff on a daily basis with special focus on high-touch areas that includes, but is not limited to desks, chairs, interior/exterior door handles, sink handles, bottle fillers, dispensers, handrails, countertops, and doors. Restrooms are thoroughly disinfected nightly as well as throughout the day. Custodians clean surfaces to remove dirt and debris before disinfecting surfaces. Custodial staff use a general cleaner, a quaternary ammonium disinfectant or a hypochlorous acid (HOCI) disinfectant. The hypochlorous acid disinfectant has a Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) minimal hazard rating for health, flammability, physical and reactivity.
Each classroom/teaching space, teacher lounge, staff restroom will receive hypochlorous acid disinfectant wipes that are safe to use without gloves. Students can assist with using the disinfectant wipes for their personal spaces.
Quality control measures will be reinforced by consistent inspections for cleanliness, custodial training, and by using an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meter. This device is an instrument to detect the amount of organic matter that remains after cleaning an environmental surface in order to continually evaluate the effectiveness of cleaning protocol. ATP systems do not detect viruses directly. However, COVID-19 infected material that contains biological residues will be detected by an ATP system.
Table 1 highlights the areas for disinfection, methods, and responsible parties.
Table 1. Disinfection Areas, Products and Responsible Parties
| Disinfection Area | Frequency | Responsible Group | Products/Resources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Spaces (Classrooms): | ||||
| | High-touch surfaces | Throughout the day | Teacher/TA | Disinfectant Wipes + Disinfectant spray available in classroom restrooms |
| | High-touch surfaces | Evening | Custodians | Refer to Section 4(A) for details |
| | Shared learning equipment, technology and materials | Throughout the day and before/after different user groups | Teacher/TA | Disinfectant Wipes |
| | Eating areas | Before snacks and lunch | Teacher/TA | Disinfectant Wipes |
| | Staff use technology | Throughout the day | User | Disinfectant Wipes |
| Building (Offices, Lobby, Kitchen, Common Areas, Entryways, Hallways, Restrooms): | ||||
| | Building high-touch surfaces | Throughout the day | Custodians | Refer to Section 4(A) for details |
| | Staff use technology | Throughout the day | User | Disinfectant Wipes |
| | Support offices/spaces | Throughout the day | Staff | Disinfectant Wipes |
| | Kitchen | Throughout the day | Child Nutrition Staff | Disinfectant Spray & Wipes |
| | Group Restrooms | Mid-morning, mid-afternoon, evening | Custodians | Refer to Section 4(A) for details |
| Clinics/Isolation Rooms: | ||||
| | Disinfection of patient areas | Throughout the day | Nurses | Disinfectant Wipes & Spray |
| | All surfaces | Evening | Custodians | Disinfecting Mister or Spray |
| Buses: | ||||
| | Disinfection of high-touch surfaces | Before/after each run | Drivers | Disinfectant Spray |
B. School Re-entry Enhanced Cleaning Protocols
ACPS has required additional training for all custodial staff. Training topics include, but are not limited to:
- Proper use of PPE such as gloves, face masks, and goggles
- Proper use of all disinfectants (mixing ratios, chemical interactions, dwell time)
- Proper use of disinfecting misters
- Proper training and documentation on all applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations/requirements.
ACPS is utilizing new technologies to assist in the disinfection of ACPS facilities. Disinfectant misters produce a fine consistent mist that allows for surface disinfecting. Disinfectant misters may be used in the disinfection of building areas, with a focus on restrooms and clinic areas. The disinfectant misters spray the Annihilyte disinfectant linked in Section 4(D).
High-touch areas within the school buildings receive extra attention by custodial staff throughout the building and teachers in learning spaces.
Handwashing signage has been placed throughout each school building to encourage students and school personnel in this effort. Hand sanitizer stations have been added to various locations within each school. All hand sanitizer will meet the CDC requirements for alcohol content. All classrooms will be provided disinfectant wipes for teachers to assist in the disinfection of student work stations.
Table 2 describes the frequency of custodial duties during the school day, and Table 3 describes the custodial night crew tasks.
Table 2. Daytime Custodial Duties for COVID-19 Response
| Daytime Custodial Task | Day Shift Task Frequency | |
|---|---|---|
| Common Spaces and Classrooms: | ||
| Empty trash and replace soiled liners after lunch service in classrooms | 1 x per day | |
| Disinfect the following high-touch surfaces in common areas: | ||
| | Interior and exterior door handles | Continuous rotation |
| Bottle fillers | Continuous rotation | |
| Handrails | Continuous rotation | |
| | Light switches | Continuous rotation |
| | Main office surfaces | Continuous rotation |
| Restrooms: | ||
| | Clean and disinfect urinals, sinks, toilets, partition handles in group restrooms | 2 x per day |
| Empty trash cans and replace soiled liners | 2 x per day | |
| | Disinfectant misting in restroom | 2 x per day |
| Restock paper products | 2 x per day | |
| Clinics: | ||
| | Disinfect isolation room and clinic | As needed |
Table 3. Evening Crew Custodial Duties for Cleaning and COVID-19 Response
| Evening Custodial Task | Evening Crew Task Frequency | |
|---|---|---|
| General Cleaning: | ||
| | Empty trash and replace soiled liners | Daily |
| | Dust furniture | 2 x per week |
| | Dust, mop, vacuum floors | Daily |
| | Spot mop spillage | Daily |
| | Dust ledges | 2 x per week |
| | Spot clean carpeted areas | Daily |
| | Clean and disinfect sinks and counters | Daily |
| | Clean and disinfect tables, desks, chairs | Daily |
| | Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces | Daily |
| | Restock all supplies | Daily |
| | Restock hand sanitizer as needed | Daily |
| | Restock disinfecting wipe buckets as needed | Daily |
| Restrooms: | ||
| | Clean and disinfect urinals, sinks, toilets | Daily |
| Empty trash cans and replace soiled liners | Daily | |
| Clean mirrors | Daily | |
| | Sweep floors | Daily |
| | Wet mop and disinfect flooring | Daily |
| | Clean and disinfect partitions | Daily |
| Floors: | ||
| | Autoscrub hard surfaces | Daily |
| Buff hard floors | Weekly | |
| | Damp mop classrooms | Daily |
C. Response to Confirmed/Suspected COVID-19 Case
The following measures will be taken once a report of a confirmed/suspected COVID-19 case is reported:
- The particular classroom(s) will be off-limits to all school personnel while it is being cleaned and disinfected
- The room(s) will remain off-limits to school personnel as directed by VDH
- All areas that the individual came into contact with will be cleaned and disinfected
- Transportation will be notified for additional measures to be taken for vehicle disinfecting
D. ACPS Cleaner and Disinfectants
ACPS will utilize the following general cleaners and disinfectants in the current protocol:
- General Cleaner: Clean by Peroxy (Green Seal Certified) for use by custodians
- Disinfectant: Annihilyte (Green Seal Certified) for use by staff and custodians
- Disinfectant: Super HDQL-10 for use by custodians
Questions? Please call Building Services at 434-975-9340 with questions about our cleaning and disinfection practices.