A Story From the Field: The Machines Are Running, but Workers Are Still on Leave

A mid-sized component manufacturer in Bang Pu Industrial Estate, Mueang Samut Prakan, employs several hundred people, most of them production staff working in shifts. A few years ago, the HR department opened a small childcare center for employees' children aged roughly one to three, on the ground floor of the staff welfare building, right next to a lactation room where mothers can express milk during their shifts. That modest center became one of the main reasons many employees chose to stay with the company.

During the 2026 floods, water surged into the ground floor of the welfare building to about a hand span deep and stayed for several days. The engineering team worked flat out to restore the production lines, and the machines were running again within days. The childcare center, however, remained closed. When Nid, the HR manager, inspected it after the water receded, she found the children's nap mattresses soaked and speckled with mold, the foam safety mats swollen, toys lying submerged in their baskets, tide marks on the walls, the refrigerator in the lactation room flooded, and the whole space smelling of damp mixed with the drain odor that had backed up through the floor drains.

In the very first week, absenteeism among production staff shot up. Several shift leaders reported that mothers and fathers had nowhere to leave their children: their own homes had only just dried out, and relatives were still cleaning up their own houses. Some left their toddlers with neighbors as a stopgap. Others had to take leave to look after them. The production line that had just been rescued was now short of people on certain shifts.

This article is a plan for HR teams, workplace safety officers and childcare staff at factories and industrial estates who need to restore an on-site childcare center and lactation room after a flood, using professional disinfection fogging and ozone treatment as the core steps.

Why a Factory Childcare Center Must Be Restored With Particular Care

Toddlers are the most vulnerable. Children aged one to three crawl and sit on the floor, put things in their mouths, and still have developing immune systems. If floors, mattresses and toys still carry germs from floodwater, such as those that cause diarrhea, toddlers pick them up easily, and once one child falls ill, others in the center often follow.

Mold in the nap room. An air-conditioned nap room, mattresses and foam mats are prime places for mold, and children breathe that air at close range for hours. Mold spores can trigger allergies, coughing and asthma.

The lactation room. This space must be especially clean, because it is connected to the milk a baby will drink. If the milk refrigerator, the sink and the table where pumping equipment is placed are still contaminated, mothers will not feel confident using it, and some may stop expressing milk at work altogether.

Flood-related disease. Mud washing in from the estate's drainage system may be contaminated with sewage and rodent urine, raising the risk of leptospirosis for employees who help with the clean-up without proper protective equipment.

The business case. A childcare center that stays closed for weeks leads to absenteeism and resignations, short-staffed production lines, and a loss of confidence in a benefit the company was proud of. Restoring the center quickly and correctly is a direct investment in the workforce.

Common Fixes That Fall Short in a Childcare Center

• Having factory housekeeping clean it the same way as the production floor. Cleaning products and methods used on factory floors may not be appropriate for a toddler area, and they rarely cover walls, cupboards and hidden corners.
• Sun-drying mattresses and toys and putting them back. Mattresses, stuffed toys and foam mats that were submerged hold dirty water inside. Sunlight does not make them truly clean.
• Turning on the air conditioning and spraying air freshener. This masks the smell for a while, but mold in the walls and ceiling remains, and strong fragrance is not suitable for small children.
• Repainting before the walls are dry. The paint will blister and the mold will return, after the children are already back in the room.

Sorting Items in the Childcare Center and Lactation Room

Discard: nap mattresses, pillows and blankets with mold; stuffed toys; wooden and foam toys; foam safety mats that were submerged; picture books; diapers and formula that came into contact with water; and milk storage bags and stored breast milk from a refrigerator that lost power for a long time or was flooded.

Wash, disinfect and keep: hard plastic toys with no hollow spaces where water can collect, plastic tables and chairs, and stainless steel containers. Wash with soapy water, rinse with clean water, then disinfect following the product's instructions.

Check before use: the lactation room refrigerator, any shared electric breast pumps, and other electrical appliances that were submerged. Have the factory electrician inspect them first, and replace them if in doubt.

Keep a list and photos of discarded items to support budgeting and any insurance claim the company may make.

The Solution: CHEMGENE HLD4H Fogging and Ozone Treatment Before Children Return

The disinfection service from World Health Disinfection uses CHEMGENE HLD4H, applied with ULV (ultra-low volume) fogging equipment. The fine mist reaches floors, walls, skirting boards, the space behind cupboards, under tables, the children's restroom, the food preparation corner and the lactation room.

After fogging, the team uses the ozone treatment service in rooms that can be closed, such as the nap room, the playroom and the lactation room. Ozone helps destroy airborne mold spores and break down the odor molecules that have soaked into walls, ceilings and curtains.

The step-by-step process

1. Survey with HR and the safety officer. Check how high the water reached and inspect the children's rooms, restrooms, lactation room and connecting corridors. Set a work date that does not disrupt production and when no children are in the center.
2. Mud removal and sorting advice. The team advises which items to discard, which can be washed and kept, and how long to wait for walls to dry.
3. Prepare the space. Remove children's belongings, breast pumps and mothers' personal items, cover electronics, and take plants out of the rooms.
4. ULV disinfection fogging. Every surface in the childcare center, restrooms and lactation room is fogged while nobody is present.
5. Controlled ozone treatment. Rooms are closed with no people, animals or plants inside, and the dose and duration are matched to each room's size.
6. Ventilation. Doors, windows and ventilation systems are opened, and the team tells HR when it is safe to re-enter.
7. Re-check before reopening. After new mattresses and toys are set out, odor and moisture are checked again.

Ozone safety: during ozone treatment there must be no children, caregivers, employees, animals or plants in the room, and the room must be fully ventilated before anyone returns. We recommend treating on the center's day off, such as Sunday, and allowing ventilation time before children return. Electronics, rubber items and delicate materials should be covered or removed.

A One-Week HR Plan: Reopen Quickly Without Skipping Steps

Days 1–2: remove mud and sort. Use the housekeeping team and employee volunteers wearing boots, gloves and masks to shovel out mud, discard damaged items and wash floors and walls.

Days 3–4: dry out. Open the rooms to let air through, and use the factory's industrial fans and dehumidifiers to speed up drying. Have an electrician inspect the ground-floor wiring.

Day 5: disinfect and treat with ozone. Book the team to fog and ozone-treat the childcare center and the lactation room, and allow full ventilation.

Day 6: set the rooms up again. Lay out new nap mattresses, return disinfected toys, install a new refrigerator in the lactation room, and have the air conditioners cleaned.

Day 7: re-check and invite parents. Check odor and former mold spots once more, then invite employees who use the center to see the rooms before children return.

An extra precaution for factories: if floodwater passed through production areas or chemical stores before reaching the welfare building, the safety officer should assess whether chemicals may have been carried in with the mud, and handle it according to the factory's own safety procedures before work begins in the childcare center.

After floods, mosquitoes usually multiply in puddles around the estate. A mosquito spraying service around the welfare building helps reduce dengue risk for both children and staff.

How to Communicate With Employees Who Use the Center

• Announce the plan through company channels. Share the disinfection date, the ozone date and the reopening date through employee LINE groups, notice boards and shift leaders, so that workers on every shift hear the same message.
• Name the product and explain the steps. Parents feel more confident when they know which disinfectant is used and how the center is ventilated before children return.
• List what has been replaced. Nap mattresses, toys, safety mats and the lactation room refrigerator.
• Consider temporary flexibility. While the center is closed, HR may consider shift swaps or flexible leave for employees with no one to look after their children, in line with company policy.
• Invite questions about children with health conditions. Parents of children with allergies or asthma should consult their child's doctor and let the center's caregivers know.

Keeping the Lactation Room Clean and Trusted

The lactation room is a small space, but it carries a lot of weight for working mothers. Some practical steps help restore confidence after a flood.

• Replace rather than rescue. A refrigerator that was submerged, chairs with fabric upholstery that soaked up water, and curtains with mold are best replaced. Choose wipe-clean chairs and a refrigerator raised on a stand.
• Provide wipes and a disinfectant spray. A ready-to-use product such as CHEMGENE HLD4H spray placed by the door lets mothers wipe the table and chair before use.
• Label and date milk. Ask mothers to label milk containers with their name and the date, and set a simple rule for how long milk may be kept in the shared refrigerator, following guidance from health professionals.
• Schedule regular cleaning. Assign housekeeping to clean the sink, table and refrigerator handle at set times each shift, and record it on a simple checklist on the door.
• Keep the room for its purpose. After a flood, small rooms are often borrowed for storage. Make sure the lactation room is cleared and returned to its intended use as soon as it has been treated.

Protecting Employee Volunteers During the Clean-Up

Factory employees are often keen to help restore a benefit they value. The safety officer should make sure that enthusiasm does not create new risks.

• Provide rubber boots, waterproof gloves and masks to everyone handling mud or moldy materials.
• Ask volunteers to cover cuts and scratches on hands and feet before starting, and to wash thoroughly afterwards.
• Keep children away from the welfare building until disinfection and ventilation are complete.
• Rotate volunteers in short shifts, provide drinking water and rest breaks, and avoid the hottest part of the day for heavy lifting.
• Remind everyone to see a doctor and mention the flood exposure if they develop fever, muscle pain or unusual symptoms in the following weeks.

10 Reasons Factories Choose WHD for Their Childcare Center

1. We schedule work on the center's day off, so there is no disruption to production and no children on site.
2. We use CHEMGENE HLD4H disinfectant, a named product HR can share clearly with employees.
3. ULV mist reaches behind cupboards, under tables and into the corners toddlers love to crawl into.
4. Ozone treatment for the nap room and the enclosed lactation room.
5. No need for air freshener, which suits a toddler environment.
6. We control the ozone dose and cover electronics before treatment.
7. We coordinate directly with the factory's safety officer and facilities team.
8. We can continue to the canteen, staff rest rooms and employee dormitories.
9. Mosquito spraying around the welfare building after the water recedes.
10. Easy to reach by phone and LINE, so HR can coordinate quickly.

Before and After: A Childcare Center Ready for Employees' Children

A Zone-by-Zone Checklist for the Childcare Center

A factory childcare center is small, but it contains many different kinds of space, each with its own risks. Walking through it zone by zone helps the HR team, the caregivers and the facilities team agree on what has been done and what still needs attention before any child comes back.

• Play area: Remove foam mats, soft toys, cushions and fabric play tents that absorbed floodwater. Hard plastic toys that the team decides to keep should be washed thoroughly and dried in the sun. Check the underside of low shelves and the lower parts of walls for mold.
• Nap room: Replace mattresses, pillows and blankets that were soaked. Look behind cupboards where bedding is stored, because enclosed spaces hold moisture longest.
• Feeding and snack corner: Discard food, formula and drinks that came into contact with water or were stored in a refrigerator that lost power for a long time. Clean the sink, counter and cupboards before restocking.
• Toilets and hand-washing area: Clean floor drains, small child-height toilets, potties and changing tables. Sewage smell often returns from drains, so flush them and check the traps.
• Lactation room: Remove breast pumps, personal items and the milk refrigerator contents. Clean the chair, table and sink, and check the air conditioner.
• Caregiver office and storage: Sort paperwork, children's records and art supplies. Paper and cardboard that got wet are best replaced, as they harbor mold.
• Outdoor play space: Clear mud and debris, empty containers holding standing water, and check play equipment for loose parts before children use it again.

When every zone is ticked off, the room is ready for CHEMGENE HLD4H fogging and ozone treatment, and the result is far more likely to last.

Building Trust With Parents After Reopening

For a working parent, leaving a toddler at a childcare center that was recently flooded is a big decision. Clear, honest communication is what turns hesitation into confidence. Before reopening, share a short summary of what was done: which items were discarded and replaced, how the rooms were cleaned, when disinfection fogging and ozone treatment took place, and how long the rooms were ventilated afterward. An open house for parents, even for half an hour at shift change, lets them see and smell the rooms for themselves.

During the first weeks, ask caregivers to keep a simple daily log of any musty smell, damp spots or new marks on walls, and to report them at once. Keep windows open when the weather allows, run air conditioners only after they have been serviced, and keep the toy-washing routine more frequent than usual. If a child shows signs of illness, follow the center's normal health policy and advise parents to consult a doctor. These small, visible habits show employees that the company takes their children's wellbeing seriously.

In the Words of an HR Manager

"Production got the machines back quickly, but we were short of people because they had nowhere to leave their children. So we set a goal of reopening the childcare center within a week. The team came on Sunday to fog and run the ozone and gave us a clear ventilation time. On Monday we invited the parents to see the rooms, on Tuesday we reopened, and absenteeism dropped soon after."

— HR manager at a factory in Bang Pu Industrial Estate (a story from the field)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the work be done while the factory is operating?
Yes. The work covers only the childcare center and lactation room, not production areas. However, no children may be in the center, so the center's day off is recommended.

When can children return after ozone treatment?
Once ventilation is complete. The team will tell you when it is safe. We recommend allowing at least one day before reopening to children.

Can breast milk stored in a refrigerator that lost power be used?
If the refrigerator was off for a long time or was flooded, the milk should not be used. Discard it for the baby's safety, and consult a health professional if in doubt.

Does the lactation room need ozone treatment too?
If it is an enclosed room with a musty smell or mold, yes. Remove breast pumps and personal items first.

What should the company prepare before the team arrives?
Remove mud and discard damaged items, take out children's belongings and equipment, inform employees who use the center, and have an electrician check the wiring.

Can the canteen and employee dormitories be treated at the same time?
Yes. The team plans the childcare center first, then moves on to other welfare areas in order of priority.

Reopen Your Factory Childcare Center With Confidence

Factories and businesses in Bang Pu Industrial Estate and across Samut Prakan can contact us for a survey and a plan scheduled on the center's day off.

View Disinfection Service – Click Here

Book Ozone Treatment – Click Here

Call 065-556-6294 · LINE @whd268 · Email worldhealthdisinfection@gmail.com

Related Articles and Resources

• Residential ozone disinfection
• CHEMGENE HLD4H spray for high-touch surfaces
• Dust mite removal service
• All articles
• External sources: WHO: Floods and health and Thailand Department of Health

#PostFloodDisinfection #DaycareDisinfection #OzoneTreatment #MustyOdorRemoval #MoldRemoval #Disinfectant #EmployeeWelfare #FactoryFloodRecovery

Keywords: factory daycare disinfection after flood, ozone treatment childcare center, workplace childcare center, industrial estate daycare, lactation room after flood, Bang Pu Industrial Estate, Mueang Samut Prakan 2026