CaseStudies

Lepto… what? A complete guide to Leptospirosis and Weil’s disease in the Construction Industry

  • By Blog Admin
  • 08 Mar, 2017

Never Fear a Health and Safety Visit Again

All together now - Lep – to – spir – o sis. You read about it for your CSCS test, but how much you do really know? Leptospirosis is like a loose bath-plug that is slowly draining away your water without you realising it. The disease only causes mild flu-like symptoms: headaches, chills and muscle pain. Weil’s disease is a much more up-front offender; the more severe form of Leptospirosis causes life-threatening problems for the sufferer.

Leptospirosis is spread by animals, but it can also be caught by touching the soil or water that has bacteria from infected animal urine (charming, I know). Rats are the most common offenders during refurbishments or demolition works. So it’s more important than ever to reduce the risks of the disease, especially when your Health and Safety visitor could make an unannounced visit.

What can we do?

·         Avoid stepping in water: a simple but effective solution. Avoid standing in water for lengthy periods.

·         Wear protective gloves AT ALL TIMES to prevent the transmission of infections

·         Wash your hands regularly and avoid hand to mouth/eye contact

·         Take a break! Away from the work area to avoid over-exposure

·         Cover and clean all open wounds (no matter how small) – Leptospirosis enters the body through the smallest cracks in the skin.

·         PPE: you know the drill.

·         Teach your employees about the risks: ensure employees are aware of the cause and symptoms of leptospirosis and ways of reducing the risk. We do in-house training and regular refresher training. 

·         Good house- keeping: Consider Cabin/Site Cleaning: regular cleaning is the main key to reducing bacteria and preventing the presence of pests on-site. Remove the risk of bacteria from animals to remove the likelihood of Leptospirosis developing.

 

Find our more about our cabin cleaning service! Please contact us at info@intritfm.co.uk or call us at 01133200501 (Leeds) or 020374568060 (London). 

By Intrit FM July 15, 2020

At Intrit FMwe pride ourselves on being the most innovative and facilities management company, meaning we know how to adapt to take care of your facilities.

By Livity Shasha May 22, 2020

With lockdown restrictions loosening and the return to work on the horizon, you are not alone if you are becoming more and more concerned about the use and safety of public transport.

Many of us in the UK rely heavily on the use of safe public transport for our daily commutes.

Within the current global pandemic, it is therefore essential for us to know that our safety is of top priority and being accounted for by public transport companies.

By Intrit FM May 5, 2020

Question 1 : What mistakes do you see cleaning service companies making right now in their effort to fight COVID-19 and how would you fix those mistakes?

By Intrit FM May 1, 2020

How can we be certain that we are efficiently cleaning and eradicating germs that we can’t even see?

This is one of the many questions that may be going through your mind when deciding how to take the correct steps out of quarantine and back into normality.

But, how can we?

By Intrit FM April 23, 2020

The Lights are up, the crowd is roaring, in one corner we have the onsite labourer.

In the other we have Welfare Cabin Cleaning Services very own trained professional cleaner.

The bell rings for the first Match, but who will win in this fight against COVID-19?

By Intrit FM April 16, 2020

Whilst most of us are at home, out of the office and not at work it is increasingly important to make sure we are filtering in ways to keep busy, fit and healthy.

And one way to do all three is cleaning!

An NHS study found that those who reported more domestic activity tended to have higher body mass indexes (BMIs) than those who reported less domestic activity.

Despite this research, not all household tasks can make us break a sweat, and that’s why as experts in cleaning here at Intrit FM we decided to put together a 60 minute cleaning workout that could burn nearly 200 calories and make any room in your house sparkle!

By Livity Shasha April 1, 2020

As professional cleaners, Intrit Facilities Management have made the decision to remain open to the best of our ability, offering deep cleaning and regular cleaning to any critical workforces still in operation.


Our expertise and resources mean we are able to keep staff safe whilst maintaining the hygiene conditions of other key workers.


Cleaning is integral to health and hygiene; therefore, we feel it our duty to step up and do our bit to reduce the spread of COVID-19 across the UK.


 If you, like many of us are finding yourself stressed about COVID-19 , then don’t worry, you are not alone.


In this time of high uncertainty, it is more important than ever to reduce stress, this may seem like an impossible task to some of us who’s jobs, health and businesses may seem at risk.


But to help it is important to remember the basics set out by the UK Government & NHS :


  • Hand Washing & Hygiene

Wash your hands with soap and water frequently, this should be done for at least 20 seconds. Singing happy birthday can help you ensure you are doing it for the correct amount of time. 

The NHS states that where soap and water is not available, hand sanitising gel should be used. Freestanding hand sanitising stations can really help as hand washing facilities are often inconveniently located or are unavailable.

By Charlotte Moon March 17, 2020

With the rapid spreading of the corona virus if can be difficult not to worry about the spread of the virus in the workplace. However, following the below preventive cleaning measures will help protect your customers and employees, putting their mind at ease.

Increase Office Cleaning

Whether you’re in a shared or private office viruses can be spread from the sharing of phones and passing of files. Many offices have a cleaner to come in and clean every 2 weeks, however due to the widespread and contagious nature of COVID_19 we suggest a minimum of twice a week to make sure desks are wiped down properly with antibacterial wipes.

A Deep Clean

A deep clean involves disinfecting all areas including all substrates, fixtures, fittings, furniture (including soft) and behind all in the areas including desks. There are 8 main elements involved within a deep clean;

1.    Using the correct PPE, including following correct gowning and de-robing procedures for this equipment.

2.    Isolation of the area to be deep cleaned.

3.    Disinfection with the approved/correct disinfectant, paying special attention to touch points and high-risk areas as indicated by your risk assessment.

4.    Thorough clean of the area in line with BICSc standards.

5.    Clinical re disinfection of the whole area.

6.    Disinfection of machinery and equipment, if any are deployed.

7.    Correct disposal of contaminated materials and PPE.

8.    Shower/clean of cleaning operative(s) after completion of the task.

A deep clean can help reduce illness by killing contagious viruses which can help to stop the passing of COVID_19

For information regarding cleaning contact Intrit on 0113 320 0501
By Charlotte Moon February 25, 2020

We all seem to be aware of the importance of looking after our physical health by cutting down on sugary drinks, fatty foods and exercising more however a lot of the time mental health seems to be overlooked. A truly long, happy and healthy life comes from looking after both you physical and mental health.

Having a good work-life balance can be difficult to achieve when your task list is getting longer. Check out our top tips on how to look after your mental health while at work.

Clear Your Busy Mind and Desk

With client meetings, deadlines and reports to completed it can be difficult to keep track of everything going on at work. The best way to overcome the worry of ‘have I forgot something?’ is to create a to do list, this will help to devise a plan for the week ahead making sure you complete your tasks on time. Due to busy schedules we can sometimes get complacent with the cleanliness of our desk. Research has shown that a clean office can enhance your mood and your productivity so why not hire commercial cleaners to give your office a quality clean.

By Charlotte Moon February 21, 2020

Safety inspections are essential in any working environment, but they are even more important when working on a construction site due to the vast amount of potentially dangerous hazards such as sharp objects, uneven surfaces and heavy machinery. Although safety inspections are important, they can also seem quite daunting so its’s important to prepare thoroughly, check out Intirt’s tips that will help you pass with flying colours.

Correct PPE

Make sure that you and your team have the correct PPE and that it is well fitted. When onsite you and your team can be at risk of being hit from falling objects that’s why a safety helmet should always be worn. For hazards involving chemicals, gas or dust safety goggles and a half or full-face mask should be worn. By law you have to have your mask Face Fit Tested. This measures the exact leakage of your mask and tells you how protected you are against hazardous airborne substances.  

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