The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on everyone, and while the worst seems to be behind us, we still have to deal with the effects for many months or even years to come. One of the effects is the need to clean and disinfect office IT gear, just like any other surface in the workplace.
While most companies are fine disinfecting other surfaces in the office for the safety of their employees and customers, many are not quite sure if it is safe to wipe down IT equipment with disinfectants. This is an understandable concern, as most IT gears are likely to be damaged by liquid and other chemicals.
What are the Government Guidelines on the Disinfection of Office Gear?
According to the General Services Administration on the guidance for disinfecting the workplace, it is stated that work surfaces that should be cleaned and disinfected regularly include telephones, computer equipment, and other frequently touched surfaces.
It was also stated that business owners should be sure that any cleaning material being used on office equipment would not damage such equipment. Only disinfectants registered by the U.S Environment Protection Agency (EPA) should be used, and every direction and safety precautions indicated on the label should be followed.
More importantly, it was stated that ‘individual agencies are responsible for obtaining and providing services and/or products necessary for cleaning and disinfecting IT gears.
While the above statement sounds helpful, what about business owners that prefer to clean their offices themselves or have their own in-house cleaners?
How Do I Know What Disinfectant to Use for My Office Equipment?
According to the CDC, electronic devices such as touchscreens, laptops, tablets, and keyboards should be protected with wipeable covers to make it easier to clean them without causing any damage to the equipment. CDC also recommends that the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfection should be followed if there is such guidance.
In cases where a piece of equipment doesn’t have a cleaning and disinfection guidance to follow, the equipment should be cleaned with alcohol-based wipes or sprays that contain at least 70% alcohol, and such surfaces should be dried afterward.
Another method that is suitable for disinfecting electronic equipment in the workplace is UVC light. It is used to kill viruses and other pathogens on surfaces.
UVC light works by disrupting the DNA of microorganisms and condemning their ability to reproduce.
The standard for effective UVC disinfection is UVC light emitted with a wavelength range of 265 nanometers.
Before using the UVC light method, you need to check with your IT gear manufacturer to ensure that your IT is not sensitive to UVC light with a wavelength range of 265 nanometers.
Hire a professional disinfection agency
Safe From Spread is a commercial sanitizing and disinfecting franchise that partners with small, medium, and international corporations to help protect their employees and customers with extensive sanitization techniques.
Our team is well versed in the disinfection requirements of all types of office equipment, and our signature agent, Hydrogen peroxide mixed in CDC’s recommended ratio, can be applied to most surfaces without corrosion. For surfaces that require a more sensitive touch, we have other effective solutions for such surfaces too.
For more information contact us!