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Cleaning & Prevention
Prevention & Sanitation
The Department is committed to robust sanitation protocols throughout its facilities and transportation vehicles and has ramped up existing cleaning policies to combat the potential spread of COVID-19. The Department has confirmed that its current sanitation formula is effective against COVID-19. Preventative sanitation and cleaning protocols include:
- Cleaning and sanitizing all DOC housing units, dayrooms, and common spaces once per day
- Cleaning and sanitizing all contact surfaces every two hours
- Cleaning and sanitizing shower areas three times a day
- Cleaning and sanitizing all transport buses daily
- Any transport bus that is transporting a person who is symptomatic of a respiratory illness will be sanitized immediately after transporting that individual.
- In addition to regular sanitation performed by the sanitation work detail and the housing area cleaning detail, dedicated sanitation supplies are placed near the phones and people in custody are encouraged to make use of them.
Additional Prevention Information:
- Hand soap and cleaning supplies: Supplies are offered free of charge to people in custody and replenished upon request, as needed. Supplies include disinfectant, general cleaner, floor cleaner, and gentle scrub.
- Availability of soap: Every person in custody has access to their own bar of hand soap and hand soap is allowed in a person's individual cell. In addition, soap is placed in every bathroom at every sink.
- Most people in custody procure soap from the commissary, but Corcraft soap is available for every person in custody if they need to replenish their supplies.
- Availability of soap: Every person in custody has access to their own bar of hand soap and hand soap is allowed in a person's individual cell. In addition, soap is placed in every bathroom at every sink.
- Additional Sanitation Training: DOC's Environmental Health Unit is providing additional sanitation and sanitization training to all institutional aides and sanitation work details to enhance cleaning efforts and keep workers healthy.
- Regular Inspections and Timely Remediation: As quailty assurance measure, DOC has implemented a process for regularly inspecting housing areas to ensure cleaning and sanitation supplies are available as necessary. This includes:
- Daily inspections three times per tour (for a total of nine times per day) by Housing Area Captains to ensure the availability of soap and cleaning supplies, and that sinks are in working order.
- Daily audits of the availability of these items in housing areas and high-trafficked areas (e.g. intakes) performed by DOC's Quailty Assurance and Integrity staff and staff from the Chief of Facility Operation's office, who advise on any remediation needed.