Month: March 2020

It might seem obvious that when you need to recover from a disaster of some sort, you’d want a contractor who would completely restore your home to pre-loss condition. Some people, however, assume that they should call one company for restoration services for water extrication and clean-up and then a general contractor afterward for rebuilding. The reality is that there are options out there where you can work with one company for every part of the restoration. There are several advantages involved with choosing restoration services from a general contractor.

First of all, you are only dealing with one company, which makes the logistics of the various phases easier and less complicated. There is less chance of a miscommunication with the insurance company, as well. Another reason is that a general contractor has a more advanced background in structural considerations and knows more about how different building materials can be affected by smoke, fire, mold, and water. For one thing, they know that for your home to be completely dry, it must be thoroughly tested and documentation provided for your peace of mind.

A full-service, certified restoration services provider is also more likely to salvage more as they are also trained in contents restoration. A nontrained company is more likely to throw everything out, and that would be a shame for things that are not replaceable.

If you need restoration services in the Carolinas and you want to streamline the process by working with a general contractor who has firm understanding and background in all phases of restoration, turn to us at Emergency Restoration Xperts (ERX). Our technicians are certified in a variety of restoration services, including carpet cleaning, odor control, upholstery and fabric cleaning, water damage restoration, applied structural drying, applied microbial remediation, and fire and smoke restoration. You can be confident that we will work diligently to get your home and its contents back to normal as promptly as possible.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Hand Hygiene:

• leaning staff should wear disposable gloves and gowns for all tasks in the cleaning process, including handling trash.
  • Gloves and gowns should be compatible with the disinfectant products being used.
  • Additional PPE might be required based on the cleaning/disinfectant products being used and whether there is a risk of splash.
  • Gloves and gowns should be removed carefully to avoid contamination of the wearer and the surrounding area. Be sure to clean hands after removing gloves.
• Gloves should be removed after cleaning a room or area occupied by ill persons. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
• Cleaning staff should immediately report breaches in PPE (e.g., tear in gloves) or any potential exposures to their supervisor.
• Cleaning staff and others should clean hands often, including immediately after removing gloves and after contact with an ill person, by washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%-95% alcohol may be used. However, if hands are visibly dirty, always wash hands with soap and water.
• Follow normal preventive actions while at work and home, including cleaning hands and avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Additional key times to clean hands include:
    • After blowing one’s nose, coughing, or sneezing
    • After using the restroom
    • Before eating or preparing food
    • After contact with animals or pets
    • Before and after providing routine care for another person who needs assistance (e.g., a child)

Additional Considerations for Employers:

• Employers should work with their local and state health departments to ensure appropriate local protocols and guidelines, such as updated/additional guidance for cleaning and disinfection, are followed, including for identification of new potential cases of COVID-19.
• Employers should educate staff and workers performing cleaning, laundry, and trash pick-up activities to recognize the symptoms of COVID-19 and provide instructions on what to do if they develop symptoms within 14 days after their last possible exposure to the virus. At a minimum, any staff should immediately notify their supervisor and the local health department if they develop symptoms of COVID-19. The health department will provide guidance on what actions need to be taken. When working with your local health department check their available hours.
• Employers should develop policies for worker protection and provide training to all cleaning staff on site prior to providing cleaning tasks. Training should include when to use PPE, what PPE is necessary, how to properly don (put on), use, and doff (take off) PPE, and how to properly dispose of PPE.
• Employers must ensure workers are trained on the hazards of the cleaning chemicals used in the workplace in accordance with OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200external icon).
• Employers must comply with OSHA’s standards on Bloodborne Pathogens (29 CFR 1910.1030external icon), including proper disposal of regulated waste, and PPE (29 CFR 1910.132external icon).