To:
Geoff Bonar, GLS Safety Manager
From:
Re: Noroviruses from Cruise Ships
This weekend, some of our drivers were assigned charters where passengers infected with noroviruses rode on their buses. In several instances, the buses went on to other charters after transporting these individuals without be sanitized. Many of the drivers were not notified about this situation and did not receive proper instructions in how to handle this scenario.
While I am certainly concerned about the passengers and the buses, I am primarily concerned about the impact on our drivers and washrack personnel. What steps have been taken to protect our employees from possible infection of noroviruses?
A simple wiping down of the buses with shopping cart wipes is not an effective method of sanitizing. These wipes only work on bacteria, not viruses. Proper cleaning techniques would include spraying with Virox or Virkon products.
Drivers should receive written directions outlining ways to prevent infection from noroviruses. The CDC recommends the following:
-Frequently wash your hands, especially after using the restroom and before eating or preparing food.
-Make sure hands are clean before wiping your face or eyes.
-Thoroughly clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces immediately after an episode of illness by using a bleach-based household cleaner.
-Immediately remove and wash clothing or linens that may be contaminated with virus after an episode of illness (use hot water and soap).
Intense cleaning needs to be performed on buses that carried passengers known to be symptomatic. The procedures that should be used include fogging the coach with Virox, wiping down hard surfaces, steam cleaning and disinfecting the A/C evaporator filter and cleaning the restroom.
It is imperative that the company follow these precautionary measures as the health of our employees is of utmost importance. Please issue a notice of the procedures that GLS is taking to minimize this contagious virus.