CellAntenna Corporation is very fortunate to be considered an Essential Business, since our customers are mostly hospitals and servicing the carriers. We have remained open since the start of the Stay Home orders. However we never took this for granted and right at the beginning of the pandemic , when they were still calling it CoronaVirus and not Covid-19, we put measures into place to protect our employees and our customers from viral transmissions. To us, keeping our employees as safe as possible is both the right thing to do as human beings, and makes perfect business sense.
I recognized that PPE was extremely important and in February, we started to source and purchase face masks from China. By buying in small quantities we did not affect the major purchases that were made by the healthcare industry. I followed up with sourcing hand sanitizers, that along with toilet paper became scarce ( and still is). One source was our local wine store that had 151 proof Everclear ( 75.5 % Alcohol) spirits. They were running out of it quickly, so I began making our own by purchasing a still and distilling wine and vodka to get the 70-80% proof needed to insure are 99.9 % disinfection capability. ( also produces some moonshine which of course I never ever touched)
With packages arriving at our facility and material coming back and forth from the hospital to our offices, I mandated our engineers to research UltraViolet light as a way of disinfection. What was found was the best UV against most pathogens is UV-C. One of our subsidiaries ( CellAntenna International) is involved in manufacturing specialty equipment including ‘Stingray’ type mobile phone intercept equipment, and with some time on our hands , we produced the UV-C Virus Blaster Chamber , a safe way to apply UV-C without exposing anyone to harmful rays. Now our employees place parcels from UPS, USPS, FedEx, mail and tools, mail, the chamber. We hit it with two UV-C dosages of 5 minutes each – more than enough to destroy 99 percent of any pathogen on the surface of the objects. In the same chamber we have a carousel that holds facemasks for disinfection. ( We use 15 minutes). As a result of our successful use of this new product, we now sell the UV-C Virus Blaster Chamber to other businesses for similar use.
What I find to be most important, is to control people entering our premises. No one can enter our facility without using hand sanitizers, and a face mask. There is a sign that greats any visitor telling them to use the hand sanitizer, and put on the supplied face mask ( on the right table) . We also do a thermo check of their forehead with a IR thermometer. With all of this, I now can say we have done our very best to maintain the health of our employees and the consequences of course is the health of the business
Make sure you set up a disinfection station at your front entrance. A sign should be placed blocking off anyone’s ability to walk past. The station should include : a) masks ( even if they are handmade), b) hand sanitizer with either a minimum of 65% alcohol or 3% Hydrogen Peroxide found in pharmacies, c) spray bottle of 65% alcohol ( spray cell phones and computers) and d) Infrared touchless thermometer. Same deal with the back door, or shipping area.
Get one of our Virus Blaster Chambers or something like it, to do surface disinfection to anything that can fit into the box ( not the cat or dog) with UV-C light to lower the ability for surface contact transmission. Whatever you arrange, make sure there is some science behind it. ( There are several Chinese companies selling fake or dangerous products – including several companies on EBAY and Amazon that distribute for them. We tested UVC LED bulbs for instance sold online and found that they are not UVC but in most cases just a bright light. )
Make sure all employees wash their hands,. A few times a day everyone need to disinfect light switches, door knobs, counter tops, cell phone and regular phones, computer keyboards, microwave ovens and coffee machines. Do it at set times everyday – 10 am 2 pm and 4 pm for instance. Everything stops – and everyone participates. Don’t forget the front door handles both indoor and out.
Don’t let anyone compromise the policies of the company regarding safety. I cannot stress how important it is to take all of this seriously. Your business depends on a healthy environment. You must be disciplined in making sure the items above are being carried out. Constant reinforcement by signs, reminders, emails to your employees will insure no mistakes are being made .
We are in challenging times. Putting a permanent health policy into effect will diminish the harm to your business and your customer as we battle this invisible enemy we call COVID -19, and allow you to re-open or continue your business safely.
If you have any questions or want any advice, please do not hesitate to contact me. We are all in this together!