Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine

Although the symptoms of norovirus often mimic those of a cold or the flu, the potential hazards of the bug should not be taken lightly.

Traditionally healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are becoming community-acquired and have found their way into other public spaces, presenting challenges to cleaning professionals regardless of where they work.

Handwashing is the single most effective means of preventing the spread of infection, and more than 20 studies show that, on average, good hand hygiene practices can reduce illness and absence rates and the associated costs by around 40 percent.

Recent studies have shown that there continues to be significant confusion about whether you can both clean and disinfect at the same time and the correct processes and procedures for doing so.

While some companies and facilities have taken active steps to develop internal training and certification programs, there are several organizations that can provide effective curriculum resources and help educate workers.

Not only is cleaning the largest component of the facilities budget, but it is also the most visible piece of the management function — and, it has an impact on occupant health and hygiene.

We are taught from a very young age that clean hands are important; as children, we are instructed to wash them before eating, after visiting the restroom, following contact with sick individuals and any time they appear dirty.

Since 1847, when chlorine was first used as a sanitizer, there have been few, if any, alternatives to the useful, moderately effective but often dangerous substances known as chemical cleaners and sanitizers.

CMMS applications for netbooks, tablets and smartphones are increasingly essential for maintenance management professionals, allowing users to monitor equipment status, as well as file and update work orders, wherever and whenever.

In November 2012, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) issued a health advisory about the dangers of misusing pesticides to treat bedbug infestations.

Besides a person’s health, the cleanliness of a work environment has a direct effect on employee morale, productivity and attendance.

We must recognize the balance of risks and rewards from the chemical mixtures we adopt and form a hierarchy of toxicity to weigh the pros and cons.

Each month, we welcome readers to opine on the noteworthy — or even the trivial — aspects of their lives as JanSan professionals.

Even in the JanSan industry — a realm that is notoriously slow to adopt new technologies — we’re seeing more and more distributors invest in tablets for their sales representatives.

There is opportunity and potential profit in the cleaning of hospitals, healthcare facilities and medical-related offices.

This content was provided by WillSpeed Technology LLC as part of a paid advertisement. For more information, please contact WillSpeed Technology directly at (208) 608-8658 or www.WillSpeedTech.com/GermBloc.

This content was provided by Kaivac Inc. as part of a apid advertisement. For more information, please contact Kaivac directly at (800) 287-1136 or www.Kaivac.com.