But one of the biggest questions for both individuals and building staff is how to handle elevator hygiene. After all, what could go wrong being closed in a box packed with strangers in the middle of a pandemic?
Elevator Hygiene Recommendations
What we’ve seen is a lack of a consistent, thought-out strategy to handle elevator hygiene. Some buildings allow four people, others allow two and we’ve even seen single-rider-only strategies in place. While the thought behind a single-rider strategy may make sense in theory, it just is not practical in reality. How long will it take to fill a high rise in New York City one person at a time?
Then you need to make a long line for waiting for elevators with X’s on the floor 6 feet apart. Lines will stretch out the doors. How much social distancing will be observed if the line is out the door and it starts raining? Then people need bathroom, while waiting in lines, then there will be more lines for the bathroom. The complications go on and on.
We’ve even seen such extreme suggestions as everyone carrying around a box of toothpicks so people don’t have to touch the elevator buttons. But then who will pick up the endless toothpicks that wind up discarded on the floor alongside the masks and gloves we already see? Already strained custodial staffs?
What’s Really Necessary?
“Common sense,” says Tom Peter, CIH CEO of Insurance Restoration Services. “If you are in the elevator with another person, keep as much distance as reasonably possible just like you would in any other social distancing situation. Wear a mask, especially in tight spaces like elevators. The best thing for elevator hygiene is good overall hygiene. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face. ”
Insurance Restoration Specialists, Inc. (IRS) is a premier provider of disaster recovery mitigation, environmental remediation, biohazard emergency response and HVAC inspection and cleaning in the New Jersey-Philadelphia-New York City area. IRS is certified by NADCA and have Certified Air Systems Cleaning Technicians and a Certified Ventilation System Inspector on staff. Services include mold removal,water damage restoration, fire damage restoration, flood damage cleanup, smoke damage remediation, and biohazard remediation.
