At the forefront of Singapore’s response to COVID-19

When the coronavirus pandemic began, we worked closely with our hospital customers to implement all the safety and precautionary measures required by the relevant authorities. We have since transferred this expertise to our non-healthcare customers – to help businesses of all kinds stay safe and operational in the new normal.

As the leading provider of facility services to the healthcare sector in Singapore, our teams actively support the health authorities and customers by taking part regularly in all the disease outbreak trainings and exercises. Conducted like military exercises, the drills ensure all hospitals and healthcare facilities in the country know exactly what to do in case of an outbreak. These exercises have been intensified after the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic in 2003.

“When COVID-19 first hit Singapore, it was like hitting a switch – we had a group of people ready to go, who are well-trained, fully-equipped and know the protocols inside out,” explains Kelvin Eyu, Chief Operating Officer of ISS Singapore. “We continue to review and adjust protocols as per advisory from the relevant authorities as the situation evolves.”

 

Keeping business open and safe

A cornerstone of our approach is sharing best practices between teams, countries, and regions – so that staff and customers can benefit from the experience we have gained. Therefore, ISS Singapore consistently transfers knowledge from its healthcare function to its non-healthcare teams.

From the start of the COVID-19 crisis, this knowledge helped essential businesses – from banks, manufacturing facilities, to offices and schools – continue operating safely. Today, it helps keep our customers’ employees safe in the new normal.

We provide a wide range of services to business across Singapore, from front-desk reception to facility management, food and more. All these staff receive special COVID-19 training. In addition, our cleaning teams are trained and certified to provide decontamination and infection control solutions like UVC (Ultraviolet C), HPV (Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor) technology, centralised washers, and electrostatic sprayers to maintain the best possible hygiene standards – essential in today’s environment.

Support from the Hygiene Specialist Team 

Any business in Singapore with a confirmed case of COVID-19 is required by the authorities to disinfect affected workspaces or premises. To support our customers, we created the Hygiene Specialist Team. Made up of highly trained staff, the Hygiene Specialist Team thoroughly cleans and disinfects customer premises, following all the latest protocols to ensure the business can resume operations quickly and safely.

“It’s not just about meeting requirements,” says Kelvin. “It’s about safety and peace of mind. We ensure the workspace is safe for the company’s employees and their customers.”

To date, ISS’ Hygiene Specialist Team has carried out over 450 disinfections for non-healthcare clients in Singapore. That amounts to more than 500,000 m2 of premises cleaned.

Protecting the frontline heroes 

To control an infectious disease and effectively support the long-term campaign against COVID-19, we must first keep ourselves safe. Thus, our top priority is the health and safety of more than 9,000 frontline employees in ISS Singapore.

At the start of the pandemic, we protected 600 vulnerable members of our staff, including those over 60, by putting them on paid leave. Throughout the crisis, ISS Singapore’s infection control team and safety officers have delivered weekly internal updates on the latest information from the authorities. Our trained nurses also manage a 24/7 Careline to render assistance and support to our staff whenever they need updated facts on the virus, information on how to self-care, or emotional support for those who are placed under quarantine by legal order from the authorities.