From homes and automobiles to churches and businesses and everything in between, Disinfectant Task Force can do it all to help the community stay safe from viruses.
Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new business, owned by Emanuel and Dara Matthews, on Monday.
Explaining what Disinfectant Task Force does, Dara said, “It is a company for disinfecting of – obviously, right now, the COVID virus – but we also do other viruses and bacteria spraying, especially with flu season coming up. But we also have a 90-day application that we put to shield against bacteria growth that causes staining and odors. Also, it shields for 90 days against mildew, fungus, mold and algae growth.”
They also have a power-washing service that they offer, spraying docks, piers and homes, laying down that shield application as well, she said.
“We are contracted on with an OSHA compliance officer and we offer safety course classes and training and get employees and facilities certified in first response,” Dara said.
Adrian Cantu, the authorized OSHA compliance safety officer who works with Disinfectant Task Force, said he normally goes into a work place and does normal safety inspections and looks at all the hazards in relation to industrial safety, which includes COVID-19.
“What OSHA says about COVID-19 and what the EPS says about it, and we train people as far as how to handle waste in the workplace and also into residential because a lot of people now want to actually learn CPR, first aid, want to understand what OSHA says. We get calls all the time, they want more information and what does the government say about COVID-19 and safety and how it relates,” Cantu said.
Disinfectant Task Force offers classes through Cantu, including COVID-19 safety and social distancing certification; blood borne pathogen training for managers; OSHA 10- and 30-hour training; first aid, CPR, AED certification; RCRA eight-hour and HAZWOPER 40-hour certification.
“See, there’s no set rules right now, there’s just recommendations with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration right now, so those are some of the recommendations I give according to information I received. So that’s what I do for this company as their safety officer,” Cantu said.
Besides facilities, Disinfectant Task Force does automobiles, all transits, school buses and taxis.
“All of our products are EPA registered and in accordance with the CDC,” Dara said. “We’re out here to make a difference and keep our community safe and keep them open. Keep everything going.”
Emanuel said that is one of their main focuses: To just keep the community safe and help everyone’s business to stay open.
“Because once our businesses go down, the economy goes down,” Emanuel said. “That’s one of our main things is to just keep our community safe and keep our community thriving and to stay open, to keep our economy strong.”
By keeping buses and other transportation safe, Emanuel said that will help keep the children safe as they go to and from school and other places.
As for the safety of the chemicals they use, Dara said, “What we do is when we apply the chemical to a facility or home, we clean it, we spray and allow it to fully dry.”
Emanuel said it takes about an hour to cure.
“It’s safe for pets. We just ask that the pets are taken out for an hour. When everything is dry and ready, it’s 100% safe for them to return to the home,” Dara said.
At a restaurant, Emanuel said once the chemical has cured for an hour, it’s safe to prepare the food in the kitchen for dining again.
“Whenever it dries, it’s safe and ready,” Dara said.
If a kitchen employee comes down sick at night, instead of closing down the business the next day, Disinfectant Task Force is on call 24/7 and can respond that night so business can go on the next day.
Dara said they’ve been working on opening their business for almost two months.
“Getting things in order, doing our research, getting training and becoming more knowledgeable about the products we use, the equipment we use and how to apply it properly throughout homes, restaurants, bars and automobiles to make sure everything is up to par and safe and clear of viruses and bacterias,” she said.
Emanuel said that between them, “In disinfecting, we have over 20 years of experience. So we just decided once the COVID-19 hit, to do something to help our community.”
While their main focus is Kosciusko County, they aren’t limited to it.
“We’d like to expand and help out other communities that are close by, and as we grow, we will expand out further and further,” Dara said.
To contact Disinfectant Task Force, call 574-800-9592, email disinfectanttaskforce@gmail.com or visit the website at www.disinfectanttaskforce.com.
