Planned COVID-19 Disinfection

Background

Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC Group is one of the UK’s most successful brick manufacturers. It operates across several locations in the UK, including the Blockeys brick production site in Telford, Shropshire.

The company produces more than 125m clay bricks and pavers every year. More than 1m bricks are manufactured at Blockleys in Telford every month. The site is highly automated and relies on a continual production process.

The Problem

The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic represented a major challenge to maintaining efficient and effective production at Blockleys. When the pandemic first struck in spring 2020, production was halted temporarily.

The company urgently wanted to resume production as soon as it was safe to do so. Large sections of the construction industry continued to operate. Michelmersh did not want to let down its customers. Production and stockholding schedules were closely linked to customer demands.

The safety and wellbeing of Blockleys staff was of paramount concern. To ensure the highly automated production systems could be operated smoothly, they needed to be reassured that everything was being done to ensure their safety.

The method selected was electrostatic spraying of an advanced broad spectrum disinfectant. This has been proven to be effective against enveloped viruses, which include Coronavirus. It is also colourless, odourless and non-toxic for humans and animals.

The Solution

Michelmersh commissioned SafeGroup to devise a planned COVID-19 disinfection programme that supported the social distancing and additional hygiene measures the company also introduced.
SafeGroup’s solution was to deploy a team to carry out thorough decontamination of all production and office spaces, including quarry buildings and vehicles, three times a week. This frequency of service, and its high visibility is designed to maximise reassurance for factory staff.

Proven protection

Electrostatic spraying generates a super-fine ionised mist that envelopes and more effectively clings to objects, providing a much more efficient disinfectant coverage system than fogging.

The effectiveness of the disinfectant and delivery system, combined with the planned, regular spraying across the site by SafeGroup operatives, provided Michelmersh employees with very effective protection against the COVID-19 contamination.
Treatment was contracted to continue until at least April 2021.

Professional COVID-19 decontamination

SafeGroup is a UK leader in bio-hazard cleaning. Michelmersh could be confident our COVID-19 solution was delivered safely and effectively.

SafeGroup operatives are trained specialist cleaners
We use the most advanced PPE, including, where appropriate,
full face respirators
Our operatives were accompanied by the site manager at all time to maintain safety and ensure all key areas
were decontaminated
The presence of SafeGroup personnel reassured production teams that action was being taken to keep them safe
The COVID-19 decontamination process took 90 minutes
to complete each time
Production could be maintained during the decontamination process
SafeGroup operatives followed the full bio-hazard control process
to remove, clean or dispose of protective clothing and equipment

Services compared - fogging vs electrostatic spray - safegroup

The Outcome

SafeGroup is contributing significantly to creating
a low-risk environment for Michelmersh staff
Staff are reassured that effective action is being taken
to optimise their safety
Michelmersh’s duty of care under health and safety at
work legislation and regulation is being supported by
professional COVID-19 disinfection
SafeGroup’s specialist cleaning service is thorough,
dependable and cost-effective
Brick production could be resumed and maintained

We want to ensure a safe environment for staff and customers, along with peace of mind that the working environment is being regularly disinfected and protected. SafeGroup’s Covid-19 treatment service has become a key part of our strategy to maintain a low-risk environment and has been welcomed openly by all our staff.
Amy HarrisMichelmersh Group Health, Safety and Training Manager