A cleaning audit can be conducted in ANY organization or home.
You don't have to be in a healthcare organization, food service or other
germ hot spots to verify if the environment is cleaned often of illness
and disease.
The benefits of conducting a cleaning audit once or on a normal basis include:
-Verify that areas are being cleaned by environmental service staff, employees or students
-Teach others how to clean properly and thoroughly
-Compile reporting data for management analyzes
-Get all the environmental cleaning staff on the same page
-Reward or punish with objective audit results instead of subjective judgments
-Give a visual for cleaning techniques (Glo Germ Fluorescent Powder)
-Increase the responsibility of the cleaning teams
-Experience less cleaning complaints or claims from clients
-Experience less employee absences from workplace illness
Steps to Conduct a Cleaning Audit:
1. Define Goals of the Audit
2. Develop a Tracking and Measurement Tool
3. Introduction Meeting
4. Conduct Cleaning and Audit
5. Retrain Students of Staff Based on Results
6. Reward or Punish Accordingly
7. Repeat Audits Until Optimal Results are Achieved
Auditing tools (such as Glo Germ, black lights, etc.) can be found here:
Glo Germ Gel- http://www.outfoxprevention.com/home/handwashing-kits-with-glo-germ/fluorescent-gel-for-infection-control
Glo Germ Powder- http://www.outfoxprevention.com/home/handwashing-kits-with-glo-germ/fluorescent-powder-for-infection-control
Black Lights- http://www.outfoxprevention.com/home/handwashing-kits-with-glo-germ/black-lights-for-infection-control
Full Verification Kits- http://www.outfoxprevention.com/home/handwashing-kits-with-glo-germ/hand-washing-training-kits-for-infection-control
1. Define the Goal(s) of the Cleaning Audit.
Before
an audit is be performed, you should clearly know the result you want
to come from your efforts. Conducting cleaning audits without defining
the result, procedure, consequences and so forth can frustrate your team
members rather than motivate them to clean more thoroughly. Treat the
audit more as a motivational campaign rather than negative test. The
following questions, steps and ideas will help you create a positive
experience so that your organization or home can avoid illness and
disease.
Start with the following questions to help define the optimal results you are expecting.
- -Who will be verifying the cleaning test? Who will be evaluated (i.e. which departments, shifts, individuals, etc.)?
- -What are the incentives and penalties associated with the cleaning audit? What consequences will be effective to positively motivate team members towards optimal compliance?
- -Where
are the areas that will be marked for verification and will be checked
on a normal basis? Where will the records be available so that auditors
and managers have access?
- -When will the audit verifications take place? When will the audit program begin and end?
- -Why are the audit verifications important for management and team members? Why will a clean area benefit your organization?
- -How
will the verification results be posted or communicated to the team
members? How will team members be educated for increased cleaning
compliance? How will the cleaning audit fit into other infection control campaigns and hygiene programs?
|
|
2. Develop a Tracking and Measurement Tool for the Infection Control Results.
Tracking tools can
easily be created on spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel or
applications can be created for smartphones or other mobile devices.
Don't fret if you don't know how to or have access to electronic tools.
You can always use a lined piece of paper in the beginning to start
tracking the results of the cleaning audit(s).
Attached to this
instruction is a Jpeg/PDF of an example tracking tool made in Excel.
Make sure the tracking tool is understandable and can be used by all
potential auditors. Creating an electronic version is ideal so reports
and analyses can easily be compiled.
However, starting off with a simple paper system may be the best solution to begin with.
Example headings for the tracking tool may include:
- -Area Verified
- -Name of Auditor
- -Date of Audit
- -Results (i.e. Pass, Fail, Clean, Dirty or have a rating system)
- -Audit Notes
|
|
3. Have an Introduction Meeting about the Audit and Hygiene.
Meet with your staff, students, auditors and other team members involved to introduce the audit
and goals associated with the cleaning campaign. Meeting with them
about the audit will help eliminate rumors that management is "checking
up" on the staff. Make the meeting positive by talking about benefits,
rewards and encouraging the staff to do their best. The meeting should
not be used to accuse, demean or threaten the team members.
Communicate
why this program is important and the positive implications of having a
clean environment. Getting your team members excited will help them
support the program rather than fight it. You will naturally have team
members that are cynics but the better you communicate and motivate, the
more smoothly your campaign will go.
Let the team members ask questions and even see a demonstration of the Glo Germ Verification System. Simply use the Glo Germ Powder or Glo Germ Gel
on a desk and show how the black light illuminates the material. Show
how cleaning eliminates the simulation germs. If the germs remain, then
the area is marked as "Fail" and so forth. |
|
4. Conduct the Audit(s) and Have Environmental Services Clean.
The basics for conducting the audits include:
A: When team members are not present, secretly place the Glo Germ powder, clue spray
or gel. The gel works best on hard surfaces such as tiles, counters,
metal equipment, computers (keyboards, mouse, pens, etc.) and other
surfaces. Placing a small amount on your finger and marking a line,
number or other symbol is sufficient. Ensure it can dry and not be too
noticeable.
The fluorescent powder can also
effectively be used on hard surfaces or on cloth surfaces too. Powder
works great on carpets, cloth room separators, chairs or other soft
surfaces. *It is recommended to replicate the way that germs and other
harmful materials are spread in the respective areas.
B:
Allow the cleaning to take place (immediately after placement or as the
cleaning schedule indicates). Do not share the spot locations or the
amount of areas tested with those that are cleaning.
C: As developed previously, conduct the audit after the cleaning has been completed. Glo Germ shines under a UV black light
which makes it easy to check whether the simulation germs were cleaned
up or left in the areas. According to your tracking sheet, indicate
whether the area has passed or failed, date of audit and who conducted it.
D:
Compile the report(s) for management. Gathering information is not
helpful unless you use the data for improvement. Compile the results in
accordance to the audit goals that were
established in an earlier step. Look for correlations that would be
helpful in designing. We trainings and standards going forward.
E:
Give out rewards or negative consequences based on results. In order
to maintain the integrity of the campaign, punish and reward |
|
5. Retrain Team Members to Clean Better.
Based on the goals of the cleaning audit,
use the information gathered from the verifications to train and
retrain your team members. If your tracking method is working
correctly. You will start to see who is cleaning the best and the
worst. You will also see which areas are not being cleaned as much as
others.
The information gathered is very valuable because you no
longer will lose precious training time with your staff talking about
duties they are performing well. You will be able to focus in on the
areas that need the most improvement. |
|
6. Reward or Punish According to the Infection Control Results.
In order to make the
audit effective and have lasting impact, make sure your rewards and
punishments are in line with the goals established in step 1. Tying
consequences to the audit will make it more meaningful for the team
members involved.
In order for the audit to maintain a positive
reputation, you need to reward or punish quickly. Some organizations
are quick to punish but slow to reward. This will ultimately hamper the
motivation of your team members. Make sure the rewards and punishments
are visible so that other groups and departments can regroup and
perform well for the next audit/verification. |
|
7. Repeat Until Optimal Results are Reached for Your Organization.
Repetition of the
cleaning audit will ultimately set up long term results for your
organization. Only conducting the verification once or twice will not
get your team members in the habit of superior cleaning.
Teaching
your employees that verifications will be the norm sets up better
cleaning habits. It will also be a great tool as you introduce new team
members into the organization. If the cleaning standards are set high
as new people come, they will continue the great habits and likely won't
have the same learning curve as tenured team members.
Again,
your team members may arch their backs and may complain about being
audited. However, as standards are put in place, they should start
seeing the benefits of having a cleaner environment.
Good luck with your cleaning audits! Together we can OUTFOX infection to avoid illness and disease! |
|
OUTFOX information is copyrighted but can be used if a link and reference to www.OUTFOXprevention.com is used. Thanks for helping OUTFOX infection so we can all avoid illness and disease more often!
|
Product Quick Links:
OUTFOX Mindset Items:
Individual Products:
Recent Infection Control Blog Posts
-
Preparation for coronavirus through Glo Germ
Besides the mandates and recommendations passed down from the health organizations (WHO, CDC, Federal and state government health organizations, etc.), what are some ways you can prepare your organization to ...
Posted Nov 24, 2021, 1:38 PM by Todd Fox
-
Top Tips for Selecting a Good Washroom Service Company
Promoting a clean and environmentally conscious workplace not only improves your staff happiness but is also a representation of you as a business owner. Both staff and customers who visit ...
Posted Nov 3, 2017, 12:15 PM by Todd Fox
|