This is a legacy version of the WELL Building Standard. Please check the latest version here.

Cleaning equipment

High performance cleaning equipment increases the effectiveness of cleaning practices. Cleaning equipment that removes debris and fomite material not only prevents the spread of contaminants, but also reduces repetitive work and contact time with potentially harmful chemicals for cleaning staff.

This feature specifies cleaning equipment designed to achieve efficient disinfection of surfaces, reduce cross-contamination and decrease exposure to toxic cleaning chemicals.

Part 1: Material Properties

High-touch and non-porous surfaces (refer to Table A1 in Appendix C) meet the following requirements:

a. Constructed of corrosion-resistant materials.
b. Smooth and free of macroscopic defects.
c. Finished to maintain smooth welds and joints.
d. Free of sharp internal angles, corners and crevices.
Part 2: Chemical Storage

All cleaning equipment meets the following:

a.26 In cleaning storage areas, bleach and ammonia-based cleaning products are kept in separate bins from one another.
b.23 Any bins and bottles of bleach and ammonia-based cleaning products are affixed with large, color-coded labels indicating they are not to be mixed.
Urinary
Immune
Endocrine
Digestive
Reproductive

Applicability Matrix

Core & Shell Tenant Improvement New Construction
Part 1: Material Properties - O O
Part 2: Chemical Storage - O O
Commercial Kitchen Schools Multifamily Residential Restaurant Retail
Part 1: Material Properties P O O P O
Part 2: Chemical Storage O O O O O

Verification Methods Matrix

Letters of Assurance Annotated Documents On-Site Checks
PART 1 (Design)
Material Properties
Architect
PART 2 (Design)
Chemical Storage
Auditor Inspection
23

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Protecting Workers Who Use Cleaning Chemicals. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3512.pdf. Published 2012. Accessed October 17, 2014.

29.1.a

OSHA/NIOSH's Protecting Workers Who Use Cleaning Chemicals info sheet recommends the use of microfiber mops, rags and dusters.

29.1.c

OSHA's Protecting Workers Who Use Cleaning Chemicals info sheet recommends the use of hands-free mops.

29.2.b

Protecting Workers Who Use Cleaning Chemicals info sheet recommends avoiding the mixing of cleaning products that contain bleach and ammonia.

24

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Greening Your Purchase of Cleaning Products: A Guide for Federal Purchasers. http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/cleaning.htm. Last updated on 5/12/2010. Accessed October 17, 2014.

29.1.b

The EPA's Greening Your Purchase of Cleaning Products: A Guide for Federal Purchasers provides a list of green cleaning product resources, including Design for the Environment, EcoLogo and Green Seal labels.

26

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chemical Management Resource Guide for School Administrators, EPA 747-R-06-002. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; December 2006.

29.2.a

The EPA's Chemical Management Resource Guide for School Administrators recommends separate storage for bleach and ammonia products.

40

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings. http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/pdf/isolation/isolation2007.pdf. Published 2012. Accessed September 15, 2014.

29.1.d

The CDC's Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings recommends vacuum cleaners be equipped with HEPA filters.