By Stephen Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group, LLC

“Each winter, seasonal flu kills approximately 36,000-40,000 Americans, hospitalizes more than 200,000, and costs the U.S. economy over $10 billion in lost productivity and direct medical expenses.” - World Health Organization (WHO)

As staggering as the WHO figures are regarding seasonal flu, health experts are now warning about a far more lethal kind of flu - a pandemic flu that could kill over a half of a million people in the U.S., hospitalize two million more, and cost the U.S. economy an estimated $70-$160 billion.

Seasonal flu outbreaks occur annually, most often in the winter in regions of the U.S. that have temperate climates. Healthy adults are not usually at risk for serious complications from seasonal flu and local and national health systems typically can meet public and patient needs.

In contrast, a pandemic flu may come and go in waves, each of which can last for six to eight weeks. An especially severe influenza pandemic could lead to high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Healthy people may be at increased risk for serious complications, health systems may be overwhelmed and effective antivirals may be in limited supply.

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in a very short time. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places could become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts can range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Business Reaction
In the event of pandemic influenza, businesses will play a key role in protecting employees' health and safety as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy and society. Therefore, business planning for pandemic influenza is critical. When it comes to professional housekeeping, a key factor for reducing the rate of infection, both for seasonal and pandemic flu outbreaks, relates to facility cleanliness and sanitation.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Chamber of Commerce are excellent resources of information about how businesses should prepare for and react to a pandemic flu outbreak. Among a long check list of actions includes providing sufficient and accessible infection control supplies (e.g. hand-hygiene products, tissues and receptacles for their disposal) in all business locations.

Green Cleaning: How It Can Help
An effective Green Cleaning program can help reduce seasonal or pandemic flu infection at a public facility because it requires a collaborative effort involving senior management, building management staff responsible for cleaning and facility occupants. Infection Control is serious business. Health care facilities in particular know this well. How many of us have heard about someone going into a health care facility and catching something else while they were there! We want to feel confident that we are cleaning and disinfecting our work areas appropriately, while providing the appropriate tools for our cleaning staff. We also want to clean our workspaces based on science, not on perceived risk.

The following tips may serve as a checklist for facility managers and housekeeping staff in the event of a serious seasonal flu or pandemic flu outbreak.

1) Define Standards of Cleaning by Area
In the event of a seasonal or pandemic flu outbreak, the health care industry cleaning standards offer good guidance. Just as regulators provide guidance in how to properly disinfect reusable medical equipment, guidelines should be established for properly designating and cleaning high-traffic and high-density work areas.

We can designate the areas within our work place as: a) critical, b) semi critical and c) non critical care areas, depending on the level of risk of infection. It’s logical to assume that the more densely populated and higher traffic areas are the most critical in a place of work.

2) Use the Appropriate Product
In high-risk areas, such as bathrooms and hotel rooms, special attention must be paid—as always—to the spread of bacteria from urine, feces, saliva and sputum. In general, Green Seal Certified Products should be used for general cleaning and EPA registered disinfectants as needed.

Cleaning products with low volatile organic compounds should be chosen to reduce the potential for air quality problems. Concentrates should be used wherever possible by cleaning staff that are educated about proper dilution. Vacuums should meet the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI’s) Green Label Program.

3) Staff In-service
At all times, but especially during a flu outbreak, housekeeping staff must be trained so that the appropriate chemical and process is carried out in the appropriate area. The key to compliance is good training. Ensure that Material Safety Data Sheets are obtained for all products and placed in a notebook available to staff around the clock. Educate all users on proper product use. Read and follow manufacturer directions and take any necessary steps to ensure that non-English speaking housekeepers also clearly understand requirements!  Finally, appropriate storage of cleaning products is a crucial piece in the quality-cleaning puzzle.

4) Monitor Your Efforts
During a flu outbreak, it would be wise to conduct frequent evaluations of facility cleaning activities to ensure any new protocol adopted to help reduce infection is adhered to and all staff is educated on the new interim policy. Make sure to provide feedback to housekeepers and front-line staff.

5) Its a Team Effort
While we always encourage communications with the occupants to help them understand the role that they play in keeping buildings healthy, this is especially important during a flu-outbreak.  Occupants should be encouraged to wash their hands more frequently and special communications materials should be prepared in advance so that it can be distributed to the occupants reassuring them of the efforts being made to maintain a safe and healthy workplace.

6) Organizational Planning
While those of us who are focused on housekeeping and what we can do to prevent and minimize impacts from a flu-outbreak, it is important to keep in mind that the organization itself has other issues that must be addressed (i.e. prioritizing the critical functions that must be maintained even when a significant portion of occupants are absent).

Ultimately, our commitment to the safety of our customers, employees and the environment demonstrates our commitment to the success of our organization and public health.

For additional information on seasonal flu visit: http://www.hhs.gov/flu/
For additional information on pandemic flu visit: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/general/