University of Galway Campus Cleaning in the Covid-19 Reopening Period 

In line with public health recommendations, the University has undertaken measures to prevent community spread of COVID-19, which include enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures developed by Buildings & Estates. The following table illustrates our cleaning & disinfection measures and frequencies:

 

Enhanced Cleaning Protocols

1. Public areas and Circulation Spaces - Touchpoint Protocol

Touchpoints such as door handles, door push, handrails, buttons etc. are a known risk for viral spread, as numerous individuals come into contact with them on a daily basis. A touchpoint protocol has been developed to reduce the spread of Covid-19 through contact with surfaces whether physical or transmitted onto the surface through the air by coughing or sneezing. All of these surfaces are cleaned at least once per day. Cleaning chemicals with an EN14476 rating will be used on these surfaces to ensure any traces of Covid-19 are removed.

 

2. Teaching Venues (Theatres, Classrooms, PC Suites etc.) 

Large buckets of sanitising wipes suitable for use on hands and surfaces will be provided in all teaching venues. All staff and students must take two wipes when entering the venue.

First, use one wipe to clean down the surface of your workstation/desk/keyboard/Mouse etc. and then use the second wipe to sanitise your hands. Finally, place the two wipes into the bins provided in the venue. It is extremely important to appropriately dispose of the wipes you have used so the teaching venues do not become littered with wipes.

3. Hand Sanitisers

We have installed hand sanitiser dispensers in key locations throughout every building which are checked regularly by cleaning service contractors and Buildings & Estates staff. These are identifiable by the sticker beside the dispenser which features contact information for our Helpdesk in the event people find them empty or broken. 

Some units have chosen to procure, install and service their own hand sanitiser dispensers for staff and students located in their centres of operation. These do not have the Buildings & Estates sticker and we do not service them. 

4. Office Cleaning 

All employees should keep a clear desk to enable thorough cleaning of work surfaces. Employees should regularly wipe down their personal work areas and frequently touched objects with sanitising wipes (i.e., workstations/desks, keyboards and telephones). If your desk is not clear, the cleaners will not attempt to clean it. 

Shared Printers/ Photocopiers are a risk in an office setting, as numerous individuals come into contact with them on a daily basis. Each unit should decide the most appropriate way to reduce such risks from undertaking your own touchpoint sanitisation practices to reducing the number of staff who have contact with this type of equipment. 

5. Deep Cleaning after suspected Case of Covid-19 

Should a Staff/Student/Visitor test positive for Covid-19 on the day that they are on campus Buildings & Estates will arrange for the closure of the spaces the individual has occupied on campus that day. Buildings & Estates will arrange for a thorough cleaning and disinfection of these spaces that day or the following morning. 

 Please contact us at deepclean@universityofgalway.ie detailing
(1) each area or venue the person had recently occupied and
(2) the date & time when they had last been there 

Please note: the use of this email address is for reporting and requesting deep cleans as a result of a positive Covid-19 case only and not for requesting general cleaning on campus. 

Requests for general cleaning on campus should be sent to the Buildings & Estates Helpdesk buildingsandestates@universityofgalway.ie 

6. Kitchens/Kitchenette Cleaning 

All kitchens and kitchenettes on campus are the responsibility of each unit and may be used provided appropriate cleaning and disinfectant measures are in put in place and monitored. 

Note: Buildings & Estates do not arrange cleaning for these facilities as they are managed directly by each unit.

 


 

Further information on cleaning services is on our FAQ section