Deep clean equipment and surfaces
Overview
This standard is part of the competence area related to providing cleaning services, including the use of equipment. It is about deep cleaning equipment and surfaces. It is for cleaning operatives who clean the equipment and surfaces which may involve the use of specialist machinery. Conducting deep cleaning may also require the use of tools, brushes, specialist chemicals and treatments such as heavy-duty degreasers, de-waxers, tar and glue remover, acid cleaners, metal detergents, solvent de-greasers, waxes and polishes. Deep cleaning often involves disassembly of equipment, de-scaling, dusting hard to reach spaces and touch points, sterilising various surfaces and equipment. In food premises it is important to refer to the operator's food safety management procedures when conducting deep cleaning as they may require following special procedures or precautions. When conducting deep cleaning, it is important to be vigilant of health and safety risks such as chemical fumes, damage to surrounding surfaces that may occur from exposure to cleaning agents and treatments.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Preparation and protection
1. carry out health checks and follow organisational procedures for safe working practice
2. comply with risk assessment procedures and undertake a dynamic risk assessment at place of work and in response to extant conditions
3. take the relevant actions depending on the outcome of risk assessments carried out
4. ensure all required products and protective equipment are available
5. wear the relevant protective equipment while carrying out cleaning
6. follow organisational procedures for reusing or disposing of protective equipment
7. ensure the safe systems of work and requirements are followed
8. select the appropriate colour-coded equipment
9. ensure any relevant safety and warning signs are displayed clearly
Controlling the risk of infection
10. follow your organisation's requirements for mitigation of risk of infection in the workplace
11. follow the cleaning procedures depending on environment and identified risks
12. examine areas for cleaning and identify any high contact touch points
13. carry out cleaning in accordance with work schedule and required frequency depending on the outcomes of risk assessment
14. use cleaning products including specialist cleaning solutions, antibacterial and antiviral chemicals
15. use disposable cleaning equipment to reduce viral loading in the areas being cleaned
16. follow the enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures for suspected or confirmed virus contamination
17. use specialist equipment for disinfection, including fog, mist, vapour and ultraviolet (UV) systems and follow relevant procedures for re-entry
18. dispose of used cleaning and protective equipment in accordance with specified safety procedures
19. clean and disinfect reusable cleaning equipment
20. wash and dry your hands thoroughly and safely in accordance with organisational requirements
21. ensure the hand washing facilities are maintained with an adequate supply of washing solution, disinfection gels and a hygienic means of hand drying
Prepare the work area for cleaning
22. identify the relevant surfaces or equipment requiring deep clean
23. obtain the operator's specification for deep cleaning from the relevant member of staff
24. ensure your level of personal hygiene meets the operator's standards and is maintained throughout the cleaning process
25. remove any personal items that may harbour bacteria, or may be damaged by exposure to specialist treatments or surface soiling
26. identify the equipment or surface for treatment and choose the most suitable cleaning agent or solution
27. examine the equipment or surface to ensure that it is suitable for the planned treatment according to the nature of the material and the type, position, form and amount of soiling
28. refer to the manufacturer's instructions when dis-assembling equipment
29. identify and report damaged or deteriorating surfaces, food equipment
30. inform the relevant member of staff in a timely manner if the nature of soiling is unknown or if you think that the surface may be damaged by the cleaning operation, or the substance might pose a risk to health
31. isolate electrical or gas supplies before the cleaning in accordance with operator's safety requirements, purge supply lines and protect isolation points against accidental switching on during cleaning
32. adhere to any additional standards that need to be applied to the work such as operator's instructions
33. ensure there is enough ventilation in the work area when carrying out deep cleaning, and to aid the drying process
Treat the work area
34. ensure the authorisation is obtained for using any deep cleaning equipment before beginning work
35. check your own relevant health and safety instructions against operator's workplace procedures to protect yourself and members of staff throughout the cleaning process
36. assemble the relevant tools required for deep cleaning depending on the type of surface or equipment
37. ensure that cleaning equipment is in safe working condition before beginning work
38. remove any dust and debris before commencing the deep clean
39. prepare the relevant agents and solutions for deep clean
40. carry out test cleans for colour fastness of materials, shrinkage and soil removal in an area where marks are least likely to be noticed
41. soften the in-grained soil and stains with relevant agent or solution before trying to remove them
42. apply the treatment safely, without over wetting or damaging the surface in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions
43. ensure the treatment is applied evenly and methodically and that any absorbent patches are pre-treated, concentrating the treatment on the most stubborn or ingrained soil or stain
44. undertake cleaning in accordance with the operator's food safety management procedures
45. use the deep cleaning equipment or machinery efficiently, following your organisation's and the manufacturer's safety instructions
46. identify and report to the relevant member of staff any faults or reasons for not using the specified equipment
Reinstate the work area
47. rinse treated surfaces taking care not to affect the surrounding area, where applicable
48. examine the treated surface for an even appearance, ensuring it is free from dirt and excess of moisture
49. apply protective treatments or coatings, where applicable
50. report to the relevant member of staff any stains or soil that could not be removed
51. put everything back in the designated area, protecting furniture and equipment where a wet treatment was used and ensure no residues remain
52. ensure you carry out a check for pest infestation and take the appropriate action to deal with it
53. where equipment with moving parts has been used, ensure it is functioning correctly after deep cleaning and re-assembly
54. report to the relevant member of staff any defects or damage caused during cleaning
55. dispose of used and un-used solutions according to manufacturer's instructions, and clean your equipment thoroughly
56. put away cleaning agents and treatments securely when you have finished with them
57. clean and store or dispose of all protective equipment following the relevant workplace instructions, procedures or guidelines
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
Preparation and protection
1. the health checks and relevant procedures for safe working practice
2. your organisation's principles of dynamic risk assessment within the workplace
3. the relevant actions depending on the outcome of risk assessments carried out
4. the products and protective equipment for carrying out cleaning and infection control
5. how to reuse the protective equipment or dispose of it in line with your organisation's safety procedures
6. the organisational requirements for safe systems of work
7. how and where to display the relevant safety and infection control signage for cleaning areas
8. your organisation's requirements for minimising risk of infection while working on premises
9. why it is important to choose the correct colour coded equipment and how to use it
Controlling the risk of infection
10. your organisation's procedures for mitigating the risk of infection
11. the frequency of routine cleaning in communal areas, facilities and high-contact areas
12. the enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures for suspected or confirmed virus contamination
13. the areas for cleaning and how to identify high contact touch points
14. the range of specialist cleaning products and how to use them safely and effectively
15. the cleaning procedures to follow, depending on the environment and risks identified
16. how to use specialist equipment for disinfection using fog, mist, vapour and ultraviolet (UV) systems
17. your organisation's procedures for cleaning and disinfection of reusable equipment
18. your organisation's procedures for disposing of used cleaning equipment and protective equipment
19. the duration of hand washing procedures after the protective equipment is removed
Prepare the work area for cleaning
20. how to identify and assess the work area and its contents for required cleaning
21. why it is important to have the operator's cleaning specification and from whom it can be obtained
22. the level of personal hygiene required for the area in which you are working and why it is important to maintain personal hygiene
23. why it is necessary to remove your personal items and where they should be stored during cleaning
24. how such factors as type, position, form and amount of soiling may influence the type of cleaning required
25. the available and the most effective methods of treatment to use
26. how to assess whether the equipment or surface is suitable for the planned treatment
27. why is it important to report damaged or deteriorating surfaces and the effect that applying treatments may have on them
28. the reporting procedures for any concerns about the cleaning activity and why this should be done promptly
29. how to isolate electrical or gas supplies safely and why you must do this before starting cleaning
30. the relevant standards that need to be applied to the equipment and work surface and who is responsible for ensuring these are adhered to
31. why it is important to ventilate the work area
Treat the work area
32. how to obtain the authorisation for using any deep cleaning equipment before beginning work
33. how to monitor the cleaning you are undertaking and why it is important to maintain standards according to the operator's food safety management procedures
34. the relevant tools required for deep cleaning depending on the type of surface or equipment
35. why there are checks and restrictions in-place for the use of deep cleaning equipment and why these must be adhered to
36. how to check that equipment is in safe working condition before use, the circumstances in which equipment may not be used and to whom to report any problems
37. the relevant agents and solutions for deep clean
38. why it is important to remove superficial dust and debris before commencing the deep cleaning process
39. why treatments should be applied to surfaces evenly and the effect of not doing this
40. how to soften ingrained soil or stains and why it is necessary to do this
41. how to identify the most appropriate place to carry out test cleans and why this should be done before applying treatments
42. your organisation's health and safety instructions and why these should be checked against workplace procedures
43. where to find manufacturer's instructions for dis-assembling and re-assembling food equipment, applying treatments, operating cleaning equipment or machinery and why it is important to follow these
44. the reporting procedures for faults or reasons of not using the specified equipment
Reinstate the work area
45. the treatments that require rinsing, how this should be performed and the potential consequences of the inadequate removal of residues from food areas
46. who to report the soils or stains that could not be removed
47. the factors to take into account when considering whether to apply more treatment to surfaces
48. the surfaces that require protective treatments and how to apply these, in accordance with relevant instructions
49. the designated place for all items to be moved before and for duration of the cleaning activity and why it is important to put items back to the original place before they were moved
50. how to identify signs of pest infestation and to whom to report this
51. how to check that cleaned equipment is functioning safely and the relevant procedures for reporting any problems or damage
52. the relevant procedures for disposing of used or unused treatments and why these should be followed
53. the relevant method for cleaning equipment or machinery used during your work and why it is important to leave it in a clean condition
54. the designated place for storing cleaning treatments, equipment and machinery