Businesses urged to 'clean up' this winter to prevent sickness absence

Safety expert Arco is advising companies to take preventative action to stop the highly contagious virus spreading and reduce lost working days due to workers being taken ill.

With at least 25 strains known to affect humans, norovirus can be contracted by people of all ages, lasting between 12 to 48 hours. Symptoms include a raised temperature, headache, stomach cramps and aching limbs. The virus can be transmitted easily from one person to another by contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food and drink or contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.

Prevention is key and Arco is urging businesses to review their cleaning practices to help reduce the spread of norovirus which can survive for several days on surfaces and objects touched by an infected person.

Arco stocks a comprehensive range of cleaning and sanitising products that kill the virus on surfaces, from Magic Safeguard Virucidal Disinfectant Cleaner to Jeyes Cleaner Sanitiser. Arco also offers a fogging machine to fumigate entire rooms that have been infected; it only takes minutes and prevents the norovirus from spreading any further. 

Employees can also help to protect themselves against the spread of norovirus by ensuring they wash their hands regularly. Arco advises that workers should wash vigorously with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, followed by hand-drying with a paper towel. Hand cleaning products from Deb Stoko are available at Arco, along with approved sanitising products that should be installed in workplaces for workers when running water and anti-bacterial soap isn’t available.

Arco has also created a guidance and advice sheet on norovirus which can be downloaded from its website: www.arco.co.uk/norovirus.