Disinfecting on the Job

By Cole Stanton, Director of Education and AED Specification, ICP Group.

Requirements for remediation and mitigation of COVID-19 have become a part of everyday practice on jobsites.

Disinfecting policies are going to vary from jobsite to jobsite depending on a variety of factors, including the type of work being performed and the number of workers present at the site.  Access is becoming stricter as well with many places requiring sign in/sign out procedures.  Safety officers’ plans now include protocols for handling tools and should specify disinfectants which are legally compliant from a labeling perspective and included on EPA’s N list or Health Canada’s list. 

Standard operating procedures should include:

• Vehicle disinfecting including dashboards, steering wheels and seat cushions.  Disinfectants must be safe, effective and EPA registered for porous and non-porous surfaces.

• Tools and equipment must be physically cleaned to remove dust and dirt prior to disinfecting.  Ensure the disinfectants are non-corrosive unlike bleaches and oxidizers to prevent damage to plastic and metal components of equipment.  Avoid getting disinfectants into battery terminals or plastic housing when cleaning tools and equipment.

• As always, PPE that can be reused such as full face or half mask cartridge respirators should be properly inspected, cleaned and stored after each use.

• Disinfecting can be achieved with several methods from a spray bottle and clean rag, wipes to spray equipment.  When determining whether to fog, foam or disinfect by wiping, consider whether the space is occupied or not, if the utilities are exposed, where live current is located, etc. 

• When covering large areas, start at high points, work down to low points and start in the farthest point back working toward your exit to minimize cross contamination.

Learn more about Fiberlock’s disinfectant solutions in ICP Group’s RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory.

As of Spring 2020, Cole Stanton is Director of Education and AED Specification for the Building Solutions Group (BSG) of ICP (Innovative Chemical Products). In building out a more structured and robust training, knowledge, and specification capability, Cole continues to engage and serve all 24 brands and over 12,000 construction projects in the BSG portfolio. These product areas include building envelope, environmental restoration & remediation, waterproofing, aesthetic finishes, industrial performance coatings, paint removers, marine applications, cementitious technologies, and recreational/athletic surfaces. ICP is the 10th largest coatings company in North America. ​

​For 22 years prior, Cole served in leadership, technical and field sales roles for ICP’s Fiberlock’s products for remediation of asbestos, lead paint, mold, disaster recovery, and smoke/fire restoration.