JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Keeping home surfaces clean is easy – just remember to do it! – but vehicle fleet managers need to develop a policy for its drivers – especially as trucks and vans might have a number of drivers.
Sanitizing hands in case of contact with another person is important, MasterDrive’s MD Eugene Herbert says, but that might not be enough.
- Ensuring your vehicle remains sanitized should be done with a number of steps by wiping down touchable surfaces before putting the ignition key in the slot.
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds before leaving on each trip.
- If you receive stock or other items during the day spray or wipe them with disinfectant. Do the same with anything possibly touched by others.
- Consider using rubber gloves when items are handed to you directly.
- Ideally, try to both wash and sanitize your hands when leaving – but at least sanitize your hands and keep a sealable plastic bag to take used gloves until disposal.
- At the end of a shift disinfect the car so you or a co-worker can start the next shift with a fully sanitized vehicle – car, truck van, wagon, whatever (refer to image of car interior) which need cleaning with an alcohol-based disinfectant: doors, door and boot releases inside and out, fascia, steering-wheel, gear-shifter, handbrake, radio console, arm rests – and the whole seat.
READ MORE MasterDrive tips here
Alcohol-based disinfectants will not damage the car as long as you do not soak surfaces but do NOT use it on infotainment systems. Include steering-column stalks, mirror, seat adjusters – even fuel cards.
Sanitize anything a passenger might have touched.
So, be thorough to protect yourself as much as possible.
Herbert again: “If everybody does as much possible to reduce the spread of COVID-19 we can reduce its effect on business – and perhaps save a life.”
Carman's Corner 