COVID-19: Tips for Sanitizing Vehicles During PM, Inspections

The coronavirus pandemic has likely altered the way your fleet operation is functioning right now, with some employees working from home and others trying to stay safe and healthy in your shop.  

You also have to spend additional time – and resources – disinfecting your fleet vehicles so they are safe for drivers and those maintaining them. To ensure this gets done, vehicles should be sanitized during preventative maintenance and pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), operations should perform the following tasks to limit the spread of the coronavirus: 

• Disinfect commonly touched surfaces in the vehicle at the beginning and end of each route. Detergent or soap and water can be used to clean hard surfaces including: arm rests, door handles, seat belt buckles, light controls, air conditioning controls, dashboard, doors, windows, grab handles and more. 

• For soft, porous surfaces, the CDC recommends using any of the EPA’s registered antimicrobial products, diluted household bleach solutions (read the manufacturer’s label to determine how to prepare the solution), or alcohol solutions that contain at least 70–percent alcohol. These types of surfaces that should be disinfected include fabric seats and seat belts.  
•  
• Frequently touched electronic surfaces – including tablets or touch screens in the vehicle – should also be cleaned. The CDC recommends you follow the manufacturer’s instructions to determine which cleaning and disinfecting products are safe to use. If the manufacturer doesn’t provide guidance, then alcohol-based wipes or sprays containing at least 70–percent alcohol can be used. 

Drivers and technicians should wear personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves when disinfecting the vehicles. Those PPE items should be removed and disposed of immediately after cleaning the vehicles. After removing the safety equipment, the CDC recommends employees immediately wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or apply an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60–percent alcohol. Staff members should also wash their uniforms after their shift to remove any potential germs that could have spread from the vehicle to their clothes.