From the beginning of the pandemic back in March, custodial staff have been on the front lines. They’ve also been busy completing online trainings, with emphasis on the proper use of PPE and cleaning and disinfecting techniques.
“We developed a comprehensive COVID-19 cleaning and disinfection plan in concert with the Emergency Operations Center and based on CDC and Madison County Department of Health guidelines,” says Michelle Butzgy, custodial supervisor. “All academic, administrative, and athletic buildings have been cleaned and disinfected.”
In early July they added a daily disinfection of touchpoints in these buildings and conducted routine summer work campuswide — including waxing floors and shampooing carpets to ensure that these spaces are ready.
Custodian Brandon Frederick went back to work in April on a rotating schedule. “When I went to my first shift after the initial lockdown, I was very stressed out,” he said. “Between having a newborn and a very high risk parent, I was terrified I would contract the virus and possibly pass it on to them. But once I saw the measures Colgate and our supervisors had put into place and the high-quality PPE we were using, I was very much set at ease,” he said.
Custodial staff are now turning their expertise, elbow grease, and disinfecting wipes to all residential spaces.
Butzgy says her staff have worked with Student Health Services and Environmental Health and Safety to develop PPE requirements. Staff are also trained in PPE donning and doffing for routine cleaning and for entering isolation and quarantine spaces. “We will have additional training coming up prior to the start of the semester,” she added.