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Secret heroes keeping hospitals clean

Posted at 5:54 AM, Jul 14, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-14 05:59:40-04

GRAND RAPIDS, MI. — We thank our healthcare workers daily for the heroic work throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, but we can’t forget those who work alongside them.

The Spectrum Health Environmental Service Team are the secret heroes that don’t always get the recognition they deserve. The team cleans around the clock at Spectrum Health to keep staff and patients safe.

Spectrum Health has nearly 500 hospital cleaners in Grand Rapids alone and close to 800 across their system.

They are cleaning and disinfecting some of the most touched areas in the hospital like doorknobs, lobbies and entry points.

Prior to COIVD-19 a room could be cleaned safely in 20 to 30 minutes, but now with the safety and extra cleaning precautions in place the team spends up to an hour on each room to make sure it’s ready for the next patient.

“We've had thousands of employees that are dedicated to this work, they're essential workers. And there's been almost no transmission of COVID between our employee base in our hospitals, in part because we are also vigilant and and one of the main parts of that vigilance is the amount of cleaning that we've been doing and the dedication of these unsung heroes,” says Kevin Vos, Senior Director of Hospitality Support Services at Spectrum Health.

It’s the attention to detail this team is providing in making sure it’s safe for the community and allowing the hospital to bring back more elective surgeries. If you are interested in being a part of the team they have plenty of jobs available on the Spectrum Health website.