Unsung University Staff Providing First Line of Protection in Battle Against H1N1 Virus

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Health care professionals at the University of Arkansas are leading the campaign to prevent the H1N1 virus from spreading on campus, but several hundred often overlooked university staff are also playing an important role.

“We are emphasizing to everyone the importance of good hygiene to protect against the H1N1 virus,” said Mary Alice Serafini, associate vice provost and director of the Pat Walker Health Center. “But the university staff members who work in custodial, housekeeping and the food service are doing even more. In a very real way they are providing a first line of protection against the virus.”

University facilities management employs 117 custodial workers, working in three shifts, around the clock, to keep the buildings on campus clean. That job has become more intensive in the past month.

“All of our custodians have received extra training and instruction on the importance of using disinfectant when they clean,” said Avery Minor, director of building services, operations and maintenance. “That goes well beyond the restrooms: they are regularly using disinfectant on handrails, door knobs, light switches, all the places people are likely to touch in the course of using the building.”

The custodians have also been trained to protect themselves while they clean.

“They know to wear gloves whenever they think there is an extra danger of being exposed to the virus, especially when emptying any container that might hold things like used tissues. We don’t want them to get the virus while trying to protect everyone else.”

The housekeepers who work for the university housing office provide similar services in the residence halls The staff of 48 housekeepers work from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with a smaller staff working weekends from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Housekeepers are more likely than most workers to come into contact with students who have the flu, especially in cases of students who are self-isolating in their room while recovering from the virus. Housekeepers have received additional training about the challenges related to the H1N1 virus, and the precautions they need to take. They wear gloves when cleaning, and have additional protective equipment, such as face masks, for special situations.

Housekeepers have also expanded their normal daily cleaning routine. They now frequently disinfect things like telephones, elevator buttons, sink faucets, door plates, public computer keyboards and other equipment that students use every day.

Computer keyboards and printers in the public computer labs on campus are also getting extra attention. The Information Technology staff who manage the labs are providing hand wipes and hand sanitizers for students who use the machines.

Perhaps the most visible effort to protect against the H1N1 virus comes from the dozens of food service workers at Chartwells.

“Everyone in the food service industry is very conscious of hygiene issues, so our national company took steps very early to provide training about the H1N1 virus,” said Kim Johnson, marketing director for Chartwells on the Fayetteville campus. “Here at the University of Arkansas we started our own internal effort as well – we call it the WYH initiative – Wash Your Hands.

“Our staff are taking all of the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the virus in our dining halls, but we wanted to do more. We have created decals that we are posting around all of the buildings where we have food services; we’ve made WYH lapel pins that we are distributing to the campus; we’ve also printed thousands of “tip cards” to be shared with all our customers and anyone else on campus. The response has been so positive that we’ve been asked to share our ideas with Chartwells operations at other schools.”  

Chartwells dining halls have also made arrangements with the housing office to provide “carry out” plates and drinks for students who are ill and sell-isolating in their residence halls.

About Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services

Chartwells, a division of Compass Group, provides dining services for over 210 colleges and universities nationwide. Chartwells has been a proud partner at the University of Arkansas since 1998. For more information contact Kim Johnson at 479-575-6892.