University Stores is now distributing disinfectants to departments in need at no cost as Washington State University prepares for the start of the fall semester.
The availability of these supplies is made possible by WSU centrally purchasing disinfectants and hand sanitizers. These supplies will be safe and effective against SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – and won’t require personal protective equipment to use.
This is the latest step in an ongoing WSU effort to protect the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors following the outbreak of COVID-19.
WSU Environmental Health and Safety, a key resource in this effort, has aided departments in developing disinfection plans for common touch surfaces. This planning is critical as WSU works to ensure an adequate supply of cleaning and disinfecting products during the upcoming fall semester.
Under Phase 3 of the Safe Start Washington guidance from Gov. Jay Inslee, WSU must ensure frequent cleaning and disinfection of common areas such as classrooms, dining facilities and other spaces where students, faculty and staff gather. It also must ensure access to disinfectants for these groups to use.
While custodial and facilities staff will continue to clean and disinfect common touch surfaces and high-traffic areas, students will also be asked to lend a hand during the fall semester. Disinfectant and hand sanitizer containers will be in all classrooms as well as other student occupied areas and will be regularly checked and refilled by Custodial Services staff to ensure an adequate supply.
To ensure an adequate supply system-wide, Environmental Health and Safety is asking departments to consider the following measures:
- Assume the need for one container each of hand sanitizer, Alpha HP multi-surface disinfectant cleaner and electronic disinfectant, if there are shared electronic devices, per common area.
- Eliminate meetings in individually assigned offices
- Don’t order backup containers. Instead, order additional supplies when needed to ensure existing supplies meet anticipated demands.
- Coordinate departmental/area orders to reduce demands on University Stores’ delivery personnel.
- Return all empties to the drop off bin in your building; the EH&S website lists buildings with drop off bins.
- Don’t return classroom containers to drop-off bins; they are filled by Custodial Services staff.
Questions can be submitted to Jason Sampson at SampsonJ@wsu.edu.
