Cleaning & Maintenance - October 2022

C M

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

Hospital & Healthcare Establishment Hygiene

C M

OCTOBER 2022

The standards of cleaning and hygiene in hospitals and other healthcare settings are critical. Post-COVID, superbugs are on the rise again as healthcare staff struggle to cope with crowded A&E departments and over-full wards. This feature looks at what can be done to tackle these HAIs and also focuses on how facilities managers can achieve cleaning standards in an efficient and sustainable manner... as well as discussing the importance of the washroom in healthcare settings.

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

C M

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

Why ‘conscious cleaning’ is the future of the hygiene industry post-pandemic

Over the past two years, we’ve been given the chance to analyse, assess and adopt a new collective understanding of hygiene and health, hygiene for health, as well as the impacts and benefits of ‘conscious cleaning’ and hygiene.

THE OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE CLEANING SHOW

BOOK A DEMO WIN A VAC.

Y o u c o u ld w in a B r a n d N e w V - C A N - 1 2 T u b V a c u u m w h e n y o u b o o k a n O n - s it e M a c h in e D e m o n s t r a t io n w it h T e n n a n t U K in O c t o b e r .

U s e t h e Q R c o d e a n d e n t e r y o u r d e t a ils in t o t h e f o r m a n d a m e m b e r o f o u r t e a m w ill b e in t o u c h t o d is c u s s y o u r p r e f e r r e d d e m o n s t r a t io n d a t e a n d lo c a t io n .

P r iz e W in n e r s w ill b e s e le c t e d a t r a n d o m a n d n o t if ie d o n M o n d a y 7 t h N o v e m b e r 2 0 2 2 .

B o o k y o u r F R E E d e m o n s t r a t io n t o d a y a n d e n t e r o u r p r iz e d r a w !

O r c o n ta c t o u r te a m fo r m o r e in fo r m a tio n a b o u t

A month of reflection, optimism and challenge

The sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II left us all reflecting on what this amazing monarch meant to us personally. Many queued to show their appreciation, many laid flowers, and many reflected on the impact she had on us all during her reign. For Delia Cannings, the British Cleaning Council’s deputy chair, it brought back happy memories of when she met the Queen and Prince Phillip.

Delia, who was then working as head of vocational sciences at a Birmingham college, was awarded a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for training specifically focused on the cleaning and hygiene industry. She was invited to a ceremony at Buckingham Palace and afterwards was able to speak with both the Queen and Prince Philip. Delia recalls: "I met both the Queen and Prince Philip at the same time. It is such a wonderful memory. It was an absolute honour and I shall remember it dearly for the rest of my lifetime. After the event in the Picture Gallery, the Queen discussed the cleaning issues encountered at Windsor after the fire. The chandeliers, she mentioned, were ‘simply ghastly to clean‘ whilst Prince Philip was more concerned with the state of ditches in the countryside due to rubbish dumping. He was also mesmerised by the seethrough vacuum cleaner. ‘Such a novel idea’ he said, and asked me if I had one."

Further proof, as if it were needed, that our Queen truly took an interest in – and had an understanding of – everything.

In other news, the CHSA has called for support for the cleaning and hygiene sectors in the face of the current energy price crisis. Lorcan Mekitarian, chair of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association, said: “Our members are

being hit hard by the soaring cost of both fuel and energy… We welcome the news that the Business Secretary is capping wholesale energy costs for businesses. However, certainty fosters growth and suggestions this support is limited to just six months does not provide it for the medium to long term. We are calling on the Chancellor to do three things. First, we want HMRC to adopt a flexible approach to payments, as was done during the pandemic, to ease cashflow. Second, we want a freeze on business rates. This will give members certainty in a very uncertain environment. Finally, our members work hard to be energy efficient. We want the Government to expand the support currently offered to energy intensive sectors. The Government must also keep an open mind, ready and willing to respond to changing circumstances in the coming months.”

Since this statement, the Chancellor has produced his ‘minibudget’ which went some way to addressing some of the concerns troubling business owners. How these measures will assist CHSA members only time will tell. We look forward to hearing from the CHSA as it keeps track of business pressures during the extraordinary times in which we find ourselves.

I wish you a clean, tidy and healthy month ahead.

Neil Nixon, Editor Cleaning & Maintenance Magazine

INFORMING, INSPIRING AND CONNECTING THE INDUSTRY

After a successful return to London in November 2021, the Cleaning Show will be back in 2023, taking place from 14–16 March at ExCeL, London.

Organised by the British Cleaning Council and Quartz Business Media, the Cleaning Show has become the ultimate destination for the cleaning and hygiene sector to connect, learn and discover new products, services and suppliers.

ORGANISED BY:

INDUSTRY NEWS

In the news this month… 'Limitless’ Lewis Hamilton like you’ve never seen him before, ECHA open for entries, Jangro celebrates two years of Planet Mark accreditation, Hako announces new distributor for NI, Tennant UK agrees floorcare partnership with Hugh Crane, Tidy Green Clean achieves further accreditations.

PEOPLE

Personnel news and new appointments from across the cleaning and FM sectors.

CONTRACTS

We take a look at all the latest contracts awarded across the industry.

SPECIAL REPORT: SOURCING SUSTAINABLE UNIFORMS FROM A CHARITY SHOP

Simon Duke, MD of NuServe, reports.

SPECIAL REPORT: WHY ‘CONSCIOUS CLEANING’ IS THE FUTURE OF THE HYGIENE INDUSTRY POST-PANDEMIC

Dr. Lisa Ackerley, director of medical and scientific engagement, hygiene at Dettol Pro Solutions, reports.

NEW PRODUCTS

An overview of some of the new products available on the market this month.

03 Editor’s Comment

A look at the cleaning sector this month.

13 BICSc Comment

Is anybody there?

Stan Atkins, CEO of BICSc, reports.

14 BCC Comment

Safety and hygiene in the wee room. Raymond Martin, MD of the BTA, reports.

15 Contractor’s blog Lee Andrews reports.

SPECIAL REPORT: HOW LAUNDRIES HAVE THE POWER TO PROTECT MARINE WILDLIFE FROM MICROPLASTICS

Paul Hamilton, technical director at Regenex, reports.

FEATURE: HOSPITAL & HEALTHCARE ESTABLISHMENT HYGIENE

The standards of cleaning and hygiene in hospitals and other healthcare settings are critical. Post-COVID, superbugs are on the rise again as healthcare staff struggle to cope with crowded A&E departments and over-full wards. This feature looks at what can be done to tackle these HAIs and also focuses on how facilities managers can achieve cleaning standards in an efficient and sustainable manner... as well as discussing the importance of the washroom in healthcare settings.

‛Limitless’ Lewis Hamilton like you’ve never seen him before

HYGIENE solutions provider, INEOS Hygienics, has collaborated with Formula One legend, Lewis Hamilton, to lead a national campaign called #Limitless.

Known for his endless drive, the aptly dubbed #Limitless campaign shows the seven-time world champion amongst an infinite series of reflections - positioned to dramatise what life could look like with limitless potential, through staying fit and healthy.

The INEOS Hygienics campaign with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team driver unveils a new range of hand washes to keep hands clean and protected - designed to ensure Britons are stronger and more resilient than

ever before. Lewis is pictured wearing a red outfit whilst holding a bottle of INEOS Hygienics hand wash, created to ensure smart hygiene and high-performance. He said: “I believe as humans, we really are capable of anything, and

ECHA open for entries

THE organiser of the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards is calling for service providers, manufacturers and distributors to share their achievements, as entries officially open for the 2023 event.

As the only pan-European awards for the sector, the event provides the opportunity for businesses and individuals from the professional cleaning industry to share their stories of success. From sustainability and diversity commitments to technological innovations and training initiatives, the awards, now in their sixth year, provide recognition for those going above and beyond.

Michelle Marshall, editor of the European Cleaning Journal and founder of the awards,

said: “We are delighted to have opened entries for our 2023 event. The awards not only provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase your achievements, but also deliver a platform to exchange knowledge and experience to help our sector thrive. It was fantastic to get everyone back together at this year’s awards, which was our most successful event to date. We cannot wait to see the entries come in and shine a well-deserved spotlight on our finalists and winners in Dublin.”

There are 10 categories designed to recognise success and reward excellence in the cleaning and hygiene sectors. They are:

• Start-up business of the year.

• Best use of smart solutions by service providers.

Jangro celebrates two years of Planet Mark accreditation

JANGRO has achieved its second year of being Planet Mark certified. This renewal means that the company has been successful in reducing its carbon emissions by at least 5% over the past 12 months. In fact, in the latest reporting period (1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2021), emission sources including electricity, natural gas, water, fleet, business travel, waste, and paper were reduced by 6.9% per employee.

Through this ongoing accreditation, Jangro is furthering its commitment to realising a brighter

and more sustainable future. It continues to measure and reduce its footprint, plan long-term ambitions and motivate its team to innovate. Additionally, it remains committed to measuring its social value contributions (the net social and environmental benefits generated by its team).

Jo Gilliard, CEO of Jangro, said: “We take our responsibility to the planet seriously and are committed to helping our customers do the same. After all, making more environmentally responsible decisions is essential for the long-

I find putting good habits in place and creating routine helps me perform and be at my best. The pandemic taught us all the importance of good hygiene. We were all washing our hands thoroughly and constantly sanitising surfaces. Being slowed down by sickness or fatigue isn’t an option for me - so hygiene has always been something that I have been very focused on. Even more so now. We all want to be able to live without limits - so we need to make sure we are looking after ourselves by washing and sanitising our hands, and INEOS Hygienics gives me and my team the tools we need to live life to the full; both on and off the track.”

WWW.INEOSHYGIENICS.COM

• Investment in training.

• Excellence in client/contractor partnerships.

• Sustainability - best practice.

• Commitment to diversity in the workforce.

• Best initiative raising the profile of the cleaning sector.

• Technological innovation of the year.

• Leader of the year.

• Rising star award.

Entries will close in spring 2023 and the winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony and gala dinner, which will take place on Thursday 5 October at The Round Room at The Mansion House in Dublin.

Entry form: WWW.ECHAWARDS.COM

term future of the cleaning and hygiene industry. We are proud that as well as ‘talking the talk’ we can demonstrate that real action is taking place. Our continued certification with Planet Mark highlights our constant efforts to measure and reduce our footprint and, hopefully, inspire others in the sector to do the same.”

WWW.JANGRO.NET

Hako announces new distributor for NI

HAKO Machines UK has announced Cyril Johnston as a distributor of its cleaning machines for Northern Ireland. One of the largest suppliers and distributors of garden machinery and leisure goods in the UK and Ireland, Cyril Johnston will now add the extensive range of sweepers and scrubber driers to its portfolio.

Managing director of Cyril Johnson, Tom Black, said: “There is great synergy between the two companies. We have the same core values especially when it comes to products and customer service. We are very excited at the opportunity to work with Hako and to introduce the machines to our customers. Customers don’t just want to look at a brochure. They want to drive and test and use the machines to make sure they do the job properly. We can’t wait to get out and start demonstrating what these machines can achieve.”

Founded in 1954, Cyril Johnston has worked closely with the public sector and

Tennant UK agrees floorcare partnership with Hugh Crane

TENNANT UK has welcomed Hugh Crane Cleaning Equipment Ltd as an official authorised partner for the distribution of Tennant floorcare cleaning equipment to the East Anglia region.

As an authorised partner Hugh Crane can now support its own customers with a wide range of Tennant cleaning machines and floorcare equipment, providing solutions for cleaning large and compact spaces, both indoors and external areas.

Hugh Crane (Cleaning Equipment) Ltd is a family firm and was formed in 1983 to satisfy a demand for high quality industrial cleaning equipment. The business operates three depots in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire offering sales, service and hire across East Anglia. WWW.TENNANT.CO.UK

municipalities for over 50 years providing ground care equipment and hopes to include the Citymaster range of street cleaning machines going forward.

Sylvie Giangolini, Hako’s managing director, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Cyril

Johnston and can’t wait to see how this relationship progresses. We’ve already had some very successful training days in which they embraced the product and the Hako ethos.”

WWW.CYRILJOHNSTONCLEANINGEQUIPMENT.COM WWW.HAKO.CO.UK

Salisbury wins back-to back golds

FOR the second consecutive year, Salisbury Group has secured a Gold Award from RoSPA - the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. In a rigorous process, Salisbury was awarded RoSPA's highest accolade for health and safety achievements.

The RoSPA Health and Safety Award is an internationally-recognised process for demonstrating continuous improvement in health and safety management techniques. Gold Award winners are those organisations that have achieved a very high level of performance, well-developed occupational health and safety management systems, outstanding controls of risk, and very low levels of error, harm and loss.

Andrew Lunt, Salisbury's group managing director, said: "Winning a Gold Award for the second year running shows that we take very seriously the safety of our people, customers and partners. Safety is not just a word on a policy or a charter but is about growing a strong and proactive culture. Indeed, safety is one of our core values and we look for new ways to provide everyone with better places to work and visit. We thank RoSPA for this accolade and congratulations go to all Salisbury employees who contribute to safe

and welcoming workplaces every day."

Julia Small, RoSPA's achievements director, said: "This is a fantastic and welldeserved accomplishment. By receiving this recognition, Salisbury joins like-minded businesses who represent the very best in their approach to health and safety. I would like to add my personal thanks for all the work that it has taken to secure this welldeserved award - you are a fantastic example to others in your sector."

WWW.SALISBURYGROUP.COM

From left: Jamie Wilson, Hako municipal sales manager; Matthew Barr, CJ sales executive; Keith Johnston, CJ sales executive; and Ian Ellis, CJ sales manager.

Tidy Green Clean achieves further accreditations

TIDY Green Clean, the environmentally friendly commercial cleaning business that operates on a franchise model with headquarters in Aberdeen, has achieved a fresh set of accreditations this summer, including Safe Contractor and BICSc, to support its growth ambitions and commitment to putting peopleboth customers and employees - at the centre of its business. Alongside this, it is investing in online training for each member of staff to support and improve career opportunities and customer service.

With seven franchises across Scotland employing more than 400 people, Tidy Green Clean has – over the summer - achieved Safe Contractor status, become a member of the British Institute of Cleaning Science, has implemented a Train At Your Leisure online training

course for its entire business, and is becoming a Living Hours business, to enhance its Living Wage Foundation accreditation. The business has also become a Disability Confident Employer.

Co-founder and managing director, Andrew Alleway, said: “Tidy Green Clean continues to drive standards up in our industry by putting our people and our customers first. We are committed to creating a culture where our staff are well-trained, properly paid, where they know well in advance the shifts they’re working - and where our customers are immediately confident in our abilities to perform well because they see the investment we’ve made to achieve recognised sector and global standards.”

WWW.TIDYGREENCLEAN.CO.UK

PPS grows hospitality business with acquisition

PPS, the independent janitorial supply business, has acquired hospitality supplies specialist, LTES. The deal, which was prompted by retirement, sees PPS acquire LTES’s customer base and stockholding.

Based in Shipley, LTES has been trading for over 30 years supplying the hospitality sector in Yorkshire with cleaning chemicals, glass washer machines, glasses, and hygiene paper. As part of an ambitious growth plan, this move marks the second acquisition in quick succession for the York and Keighley-based company. The deal will bolster the company’s hospitality supplies business, which already includes supplying more than 1000 hospitality businesses across the north, including restaurant groups, pubs, schools, and entertainment venues.

Joseph Fitzpatrick, managing director of PPS, said: “We are delighted to share that we have acquired LTES. LTES is a great addition to PPS - with its strong customer base, and a complimentary product range. We felt that this was an ideal opportunity for us to progress our growth plans. We have a deep understanding, built up over two decades, of what it takes to successfully supply the hospitality industry. We understand that speed of service as well as quality is key. With depots in York and Keighley and 18 vans on the road delivering each workday, we look forward to continuing to provide exceptional service to even more customers across the Yorkshire region.”

WWW.PPS-ESSENTIALS.CO.UK

Genesis partners with ‘Carbon Footprint’ to fulfil Net Zero pledge

CARDIFF-based environmental science research company, Genesis Biosciences, has joined forces with carbon offsetting specialist Carbon Footprint in its pledge to offset 100% of its 2021 emissions.

Genesis has invested years of scientific investigation and millions of pounds into developing its innovative eco-friendly microbial and antimicrobial technology. The global company is now looking to replicate its ecobenign philosophy within its products, into its business functions as well.

As part of its ISO 14001 Certification objectives, Genesis pledged to offset 20% of the carbon emissions of 2021. However, following an analysis, the company had

already drastically reduced its emissions on previous years due to the pandemic and elected to offset 100%.

Debbie Williams, group compliance officer for Genesis Biosciences, said: “We all know the need to reduce man-made greenhouse gases

A big step towards sustainability

UNGER Germany GmbH takes seriously its responsibility for the environment and the society in which it operates. Now the manufacturer has again been recognised for its efforts: the independent rating agency EcoVadis has awarded Unger its silver sustainability certificate.

Jochen Wagener, vice president of marketing at Unger, said: “We strive continuously to contribute to sustainable business practices, social commitment and a more responsible use of natural resources. Our whole team is extremely proud of the silver certificate from EcoVadis, as it shows recognition of our efforts.”

EcoVadis is one of the world’s largest sustainability rating agencies, working with over 65,000 companies from more than 200 industries and 160 countries worldwide. The agency applies procedures which help companies to better manage and communicate their sustainability performance in very clear, trackable ways. As part of the process, it uses a rating system to illustrate the extent to which companies have succeeded in integrating their sustainability principles and goals into their business processes.

“Our improvement from bronze to silver shows that our efforts are bearing fruit,”

as both individuals and businesses. It’s about working as a collective to do what we can to try to undo the negative effect that carbon emissions have had on the environment. We partnered with Carbon Footprint which offers a simple method for companies to fund solutions for climate change. We initially calculated our carbon footprint, which we do annually anyway, and this gave us the carbon emissions we needed to offset. For our first project, we’ve chosen to fund tree planting in Wales, which feels like a natural choice as it not only gives us the offset we had targeted ourselves, but it’s also a local project, and one that supports the biodiversity.”

WWW.GENESISBIOSCIENCES.US

continued Jochen Wagener. “That said, it’s just a milestone. We are not resting on our laurels - we are going to keep challenging ourselves to keep improving and becoming more sustainable.”

WWW.UNGERGLOBAL.COM

Zero waste to landfill achievement for Christeyns

WARRINGTON -based Christeyns Food Hygiene has achieved zero waste to landfill for the last two years as it puts sustainability at the heart of company policy. By working in partnership with ACM Environmental, the firm has achieved exceptional environmental performance with zero waste to landfill in 2020, 2021 and on target for 2022.

Christeyns Food Hygiene, as part of Christeyns UK, has been working on a strategy for reducing waste and emissions and is part of a group initiative, Project Terra, which focuses on every aspect of the firm’s business in relation to sustainability and the environment. Considerable budget has been invested in equipment and training to ensure facilities are as modern and efficient as possible. This has included installing low energy LED lighting across the whole site, creating a reduction in usage of up to 75%.

Other initiatives completed over the past two years have been the installation of EV charging points, the recycling of all toner

cartridges, adding plants to the site to improve biodiversity, and the collection and monitoring of all gas, electricity and water data to establish targets for reductions.

Sarah Hobbs, health, safety and environmental supervisor at Christeyns Food Hygiene, said: “Being one of the largest food hygiene providers in the UK, it is important for the whole team to lead by example and minimise the impact of our business on the environment. More and more of our clients are focusing on green issues and it is reassuring for them to know that their supply chain is equally committed.”

WWW.CHRISTEYNS.COM

WCEC welcomes a new Clerk

THE Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners has announced that Mike Jenkins has joined the Court as its new Clerk. He succeeds Philip Morrish, a longstanding WCEC member of over 20 years, who also served as past Master. Mike is the first serving Clerk in many years who has not been an ongoing member of the WCEC. He is no stranger to the role of livery Clerk, however, as he previously held the role at the Worshipful Company of Information

Technologists for almost nine years before joining the WCEC.

Born and bred in South Wales, Mike joined the Army and served in Northern Ireland and Bosnia before retiring in 2001. He has been the CEO of two charities: St Bride Foundation, which is an arts and heritage charity in the City of London; and Cam Sight, a charity supporting low vision and blindness in Cambridgeshire.

Industry expert joins ETS board

THE European Tissue Symposium (ETS) has announced that Carlos Reinoso has been appointed as vice chairman with immediate effect.

Carlos, who holds a master’s degree in forest sciences, has more than 20 years of experience in the paper sector and has held senior positions

in trade associations at both European and national level. Currently director general of the Spanish Association of Pulp and Paper Manufacturers (ASPAPEL), he has worked for the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) in Brussels and is now a member of the CEPI steering committee. He also coordinates the Alliance for Competitiveness of Spanish Industry and is active on the Spanish Employers Federation.

ETS chairman, Fanis Papakostas, said: “I am delighted to welcome Carlos to the team. His

WCEC Master, Gary Fage, said: “Mike brings a broad range of experience and knowledge from the City and charity world. We look forward to him embracing his role, becoming a valued part of the membership and supporting the Court.”

WWW.WC-EC.COM

arrival reinforces our strategic capability and his wealth of experience and strong contacts both in the industry and in Brussels will make him an invaluable asset.”

Carlos Reinoso said: “It’s an honour to join the ETS Board. I look forward to working alongside colleagues from across Europe to defend and advance the interests of our sector and educate customers and policymakers on the benefits of paper tissue.”

WWW.EUROPEANTISSUE.COM

7,000 visitors

Contract for Europe’s largest car showroom secured

CLEANOLOGY is driving its national expansion with a new contract win covering three of Mercedes-Benz’s showrooms in the northwest, including the company’s flagship site in Stockport - the largest in Europe.

Dominic Ponniah, CEO of Cleanology, said: “This fantastic news has cemented an incredible year for our business. As well as winning awards in 2022, we have successfully expanded into an additional 12 towns and cities across the UK. Manchester is one of our fastest growth areas and we are looking forward to helping the Mercedes-Benz sites reflect the high standards associated with the brand.”

The 3-year contract with car dealership LSH Auto Ltd, worth over £1 million, will employ 23 staff on site to clean the showrooms at Stockport, Macclesfield and Whitefield, which

includes showroom and retail space, office accommodation and car servicing workshops.

Stefan Bowett of LSH Auto Ltd said: “We chose Cleanology for its proven track record with similar prestigious brands, sustainability credentials and staff welfare. The team have been great and we’re already starting to see improvements.”

Dominic Ponniah continued: “With any luxury brand, attention to detail is critical. We

Hotel group adopts natural cleaning solutions

FOLLOWING the partnership earlier this month between GreenTeck Global and Alliance Scotland, Crieff Hydro family of hotels has become Alliance’s first Scottish client to adopt GreenTeck Global’s natural cleaning solutions. The group has committed to roll out the chemical-free AquaTeck SC100 cleaning system - a 100% natural, multipurpose sanitiser and cost-effective cleaner produced on tap - across its eight-hotel Scottish portfolio.

The hotel group’s decision to replace all its general front-of house cleaning products for GreenTeck Global’s COSHH-free alternative follows a successful four-month trial at Crieff Hydro Hotel. Between February and June this year, the on-site AquaTeck SC100 production system helped the hotel save the equivalent of 2430 single-use plastic bottles, while reducing its spend on chemical cleaning products by around £450 per month.

The AquaTeck SC100 system uses ordinary tap water, fed through a standard water

softener and food-grade salt, to produce up to two litres of non-toxic solution every minute. This allows companies to refill their cleaning bottles on-site with a chemical-free all-purpose sanitising solution that can be applied directly to surfaces, mops, buckets, and even industrialfloor cleaners. Once finished, the solution can be safely tipped away - a process which has the added benefits of helping keep drains clean.

Stephen Leckie, chairman and CEO of Crieff Hydro family of hotels, said: “As consumers as well as operators, we’re all increasingly mindful of the need to adopt more energy-conscious and environmentally-friendly habits into our everyday lives. We continuously review our suppliers and processes in order to make changes where we can. We’ve been looking at lots of aspects of the business, even switching to eco-friendly bedding. The switch to the AquaTeck SC100 has been a simple yet hugely effective way for us to cut costs and improve our carbon

have switched to state-of-the-art equipment to keep the floor in top condition and, with the showrooms open seven days a week, we have changed the previous shift pattern to bring staff in after customers have left the building. At the same time, we are maintaining a daytime housekeeper for hospitality-style care.”

Any showroom floor must be spotless, but with 13,492m2 of porcelain tiles on view, the Stockport site calls for a modern, efficient solution. Cleanology has teamed up with Industrial Cleaning Equipment (ICE) to deliver specialist floor cleaning machinery that provides a better finish, improves sustainability and helps to reduce work injuries and backache for staff.

WWW.CLEANOLOGY.COM

footprint while maintaining hygiene levels.”

David Thurston, founder and CEO of GreenTeck Global, said: “We recognise that hotels have a strong duty of care to employees as well as guests, and the pandemic highlighted the vital role that a property’s health and safety measures play in delivering peace of mind for all visitors. We’re therefore delighted that Crieff Hydro family of hotels has already seen first-hand the benefits our chemical-free systems offer. And we hope these early adopters of greener cleaning solutions will inspire more hospitality organisations within Alliance’s network to embrace more sustainable working practices.”

WWW.GREENTECKGLOBAL.COM

Strategic partnership signed with David Lloyd Leisure

FOLLOWING a successful launch in 2021, Reckitt’s Dettol Pro Solutions - Dettol’s business-to-business offering - has announced the expansion of its partnership with David Lloyd Leisure. The partnership will see all UK clubs provided with sanitisers and biodegradable disinfectant wipes.

Since launching in 2021, Dettol Pro Solutions has partnered with a large number

of businesses to help keep public areas hygienically clean, through high quality products and science-backed protocols. Through its partnership with David Lloyd Leisure, it will offer its well-known products to the members and team at 100 clubs in the group’s UK portfolio.

Jonathan Weiss, commercial director at Reckitt Global Business Solutions, said: “This

year has been slated as one of growth across many industries including health and fitness. A partnership with Dettol Pro Solutions provides wide-ranging insight relevant to the industry - from hygiene to meeting customer expectations - helping businesses to plan for the future and mitigate changing circumstances.”

WWW.RECKITT.COM

Stan Atkins, Group CEO, BICSc, reports

Is anybody there?

If, like me, you have found it difficult to speak to a human being, I’m afraid the situation is only going to get worse. I have had varying experiences with customer service portals, from very good to downright awful. So, to start with, one of the best.

Approximately five years ago, I lost my Boots Advantage Card. As I had collected several points, I did not want these to go to waste so I went into my local Boots and the sales assistant printed off a receipt with just a telephone number on it and asked me to phone the number and they would be happy to replace the card and the points. I phoned the number and it was a fully automated service.

As it happened, there were two Mr. S. Atkins at my address at that time, but the fact that they asked for my date and place of birth meant that within four days, and without actually having spoken to anyone, I received a new card. If only this were true for some of the other customer services portals that I have dealt with.

I am reminded of the Mattel ‘Chatty Cathy Doll’ that had, from memory, about 11 phrases which it kept repeating. Unfortunately, dealing with a chatbot (at the most basic level, a chatbot is a

computer program that simulates and processes human conversation - either written or spokenallowing humans to interact with digital devices as if they were communicating with a real person) is rather like the ‘Chatty Cathy Doll’ as they only have a certain selection of phrases they can repeat. If you want to see how limited they are, ask them ‘What hat size are you?’ You get some extraordinary answers and none are correct.

Everybody has their own story of trying to book a doctor’s appointment. Some people who have been unfortunate enough to have to dial 999 have had to wait more than 15 minutes to get an answer and up to eight hours for an ambulance (I think both fall well outside the agreed SLAs). Some people, like myself, like to talk to another human being when making appointments, or even placing an order. Booking a doctor’s appointment is like running an obstacle course. My own particular practice tells me how important I am as a patient and advises me not to be rude or abusive to the staff as, if I was, they would terminate the call. Then they proceed to give me three choices: press 1 for receptionist, press 2 if

your condition is life threatening, (hang up and dial 999 - please see note above) and press 3 for pharmacy. Approximately nine times out of ten, the message then says: ‘All of our receptionists are busy, please dial back later’.

Last week I thought I had won the lottery when the message said: ‘You are 37th in the queue’. Over 40 minutes later I spoke to the receptionist who said they would get someone to phone me back. The doctor called me after lunch to discuss my symptoms and said he would get back to me, so no wonder the pharmacists are run off their feet and A&E departments in hospitals cannot cope.

I will not even begin the story of when I tried to top up my Oyster Card, however, often when you do get through to a person they, too, are reading from a script or a flowchart and do not fully understand their products or service.

For further information, please visit: WWW.BICS.ORG.UK and the BICSc Virtual Training Suite at WWW.BBS-VIRTUAL-TRAINING.THINKIFIC.COM

If you prefer, you can call us on 01604 678710 during office hours.

Eco friendly Recycled fibres No chemicals required

Raymond Martin

Safety and hygiene in the wee room

IN the aftermath of the pandemic, we’ve all seen a host of changes in our everyday activities. Hand-gel dispensers are still in operation in many retail outlets, hotels and civic buildings and we experience a considerable number of people still wearing masks in crowded spaces.

Hygiene has become an everyday essential for companies and service providers across the country and the public are demanding that more care and protection is provided to shoppers and visitors. This is particularly relevant in public spaces and publicly accessible toilets. Whether they are provided for by local councils or sympathetic business owners we have all become more diligent in what we touch or handle. This poses a significant problem for cleaning operatives who have to learn and understand new methods of making and keeping surfaces hygienically clean for the users.

In the last few years we have seen many toilets being upgraded to include touch-free taps and soap dispensers as well as flushing units. Infra-red door and lighting sensors have taken away the pull-cords and push plates that carry so many pathogens and dirt particles. In a few specialised cases the installation of automatic wash/dry toilet bowls have raised more than a few eyebrows.

The latest technology to be introduced is the contactless door entry system where you offer up your debit/credit card to a scanner and the door or barrier unlocks to give you access. These new systems bring with them a number of safety features in addition to the hygiene factor as they have proven to greatly reduce the amount of anti-social behaviour and vandalism that has been growing in recent times. It’s extremely difficult to keep vital toilet units in full working order, particularly when you’re faced with reduced staff/resources, so this type of technical solution is being embraced by many suppliers and providers to keep the public safer and the toilets functional for longer.

We’re already witnessing the next generation of security devices such as video, smartcard QR codes and sensory devices that could be used to enhance the user experience. Hand washing has been highlighted as an area of concern with estimated figures as low as 40% of males and 56% of females regularly washing after a visit to the toilet. Many now carry their own hand sanitising fluid but this isn’t a full substitute for proper hand washing with soap and hot water. The tremendous increase in the use of toilet tissue to pre-clean the toilet seat and surrounding sanitary ware has some stall holders reaching for seat sanitiser units to eradicate the discarded tissue being left on the floors.

The number of persons using ostomy bags and sanitary supplies has risen enormously and we are becoming more conscious of the need to provide sanitary bins in both female and male toilets. Perhaps we’ll see the reintroduction of digital vending machines to service these customers.

We all know what a good toilet looks like - we each have one in our own homes. It’s all about the management and control of these spaces and there’s absolutely no reason for any publicly accessible toilet unit to not be hygienically cleaned and serviced regularly. The abuse of the RADAR key system means that, particularly, accessible toilets are often not available to disabled users when they need them. So we welcome the new innovations that are creeping into our essential facilities. The whole industry seems to be embracing the introduction of these new wireless scanners and digital locking devices that will hopefully help us keep our public toilets open and ready for the next customer/ pandemic or safe from the daily attacks of vandals and those abusing substances. WWW.BTALOOS.CO.UK

The BTA is a member of the British Cleaning Council. The views of Council members are their own.

Access 12 months of past issues

Priority places on C&M webinars

Invitations to attend Cleaning Show London and Manchester

Access to regular premium content including podcasts, videos interviews and specialist reports

Make sure you reach your target

For further details please contact:

Michelle Andrews

Sales Manager | C&M Magazine

T +44 1737 855086

E michelleandrews@quartzltd.com

, managing director of the British Toilet Association (BTA), reports.

Can we do more to save energy?

IF one phrase has been used more than any other during the last six months, it must be ‘spiralling energy costs’. Energy costs are not just a domestic problem, they apply to businesses too. Many companies will go under this Autumn and Winter because of crippling fuels bills and yet, for once, you could say that this is a crisis not affecting contract cleaning as badly as others. Most contractors do not have huge premises to heat and we do not burn fuel to manufacture anything. You could argue that the main area we are suffering is probably in vehicle fuel costs and, even there, many of us are switching our fleets to hybrid or electric vehicles as part of our wider drive for sustainability.

Yet, there are two significant areas where our industry does intersect in a major way with the energy crisis. The first is the increasing cost of travel faced by our front-line staff in getting to their place of work. In areas that benefit from good public transport provision, that cost has not risen hugely, but in many other places

public transport is either poor or does not run frequently at the times when our staff work, meaning that they are driving to work and are therefore affected directly by rising fuel costs. The Living Wage Foundation has always factored travel costs into its annual increases for the Real Living Wage and, as I sit here writing this column in late August, I await with interest the announcement of the 2022-23 Real Living Wage, due at the end of September, to see the extent to which those staff who receive it will benefit from the new rates.

The second, closely related area is the general impact on carbon emissions resulting from our huge front-line workforce commuting to their place of work. This is a more difficult challenge to address. In one way, it is not strictly ‘our’ problem. But of course, in reality, it is everyone’s problem and, as anyone knows who is engaged on a carbon reduction strategy, the emissions from staff commuting are a major contributor to the Scope 3 Emissions footprint and actually form

Sustainable cleaning with Toucan Eco

Toucan Eco is a revolutionary way to make a disinfectant cleaner from just water, salt and electricity that kills 99.99% of germs. It replaces 80% of chemical cleaners and the single use plastic bottles they are supplied in.

the largest part, by far, of a cleaning contractor’s overall carbon footprint.

What can we do to reduce the impact of our operations in this area? Not an easy one to answer, I hear you say. We can work with clients to encourage more daytime cleaning, meaning longer shifts and a reduction in the need for staff travelling between part-time jobs. We can encourage staff to walk and cycle to work. The one thing we can’t do, of course, is encourage them to work from home!

Other changes are harder to influence. We can offer support for the swifter introduction of greener public transport such as hydrogen buses. We can lobby, as the APPG is doing, for cleaning staff to be re-classified as key workers, a shift that would give them access to subsidised housing closer to the centre of cities and towns. All in all, however, those are long term ambitions and are not going to solve the immediate crisis and its effect on our economy. We may have to leave that to the new Prime Minister.

WWW.DOCCLEANING.COM

Lee Andrews, CEO of DOC Cleaning, reports.

Welcome to eco-friendly cleaning from Robert Scott.

Sourcing sustainable uniforms from a charity shop

Simon Duke, MD of NuServe, reports.

At NuServe, we're on a mission to make our procurement practices more sustainable. We want to achieve this while working within circular economy principles that minimise waste, pollution and carbon emissions. This ethos applies to all areas of our business - from cleaning supplies to uniforms.

The environmental price of clothes

The reason? The environmental cost of clothing is huge. From production through to disposal, almost every stage of an item of clothing's life cycle can cause damage to the planet. For example, most of the cotton grown is not organic and contributes to environmental pollution through the use of pesticides and insecticides. Washing clothes releases 500,000 tonnes of microfibres into the oceans every year. That's the equivalent of 50,000 plastic bottles. These microfibres cannot be extracted from the water and so spread throughout the food chain. Then there is the waste.

Since 2000, clothing production has more than doubled to keep up with demand as people buy more clothes but wear them for less time. As a result of our disposable, throwaway society, 350,000 tonnes (around £140 million worth) of used but still wearable clothing ends up in landfill in the UK every year, according to Clothes Aid.

Therefore, we want to do our bit to reduce the clothing industry's impact on the world around us. As part of our Planet Mark and B Corp commitments, we searched long and hard to source eco-friendly uniforms but couldn't find a viable supplier.

Hospice help

So, we approached the Royal Trinity Hospice's Charity Shop to see if they had any second-hand clothing that could be used for our uniforms. Fortunately, a wellknown designer brand had donated a load of unsold white shirts to the charity. We

purchased 20 for use as part of our uniform for managers. In so doing, we made a procurement decision that had an economic, environmental and social impact: we saved money; we helped protect the environment; and we supported a charity that provides free specialist palliative and end of life care.

Purchasing office shirts from a charity shop was uncharted territory for both

NuServe and Royal Trinity Hospice as this was the first time it had received a request of this nature. The entire process was seamless. Royal Trinity Hospice staff understood exactly what we needed and went out of their way to help. We were also lucky that this was a viable solution for NuServe because, as a company, we hit the sweet spot of being dynamic, flexible and small enough to have our order accommodated without compromising on professionalism and neatness.

Businesses do not realise that vapid consumerism means many garments found in charity shops, especially in the case of Royal Trinity Hospice, are firstly quality brands and secondly unworn or near pristine, for a very rewarding price.

NuServe is always looking for new ways to collaborate with like-minded companies and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. Our collaboration with Royal Trinity Hospice continues as we divert misplaced or forgotten clothing from our clients' offices to the charity shop.

WWW.NUSERVE.CO.UK

Simon Duke

Photo shows Geovanny Isaza, service manager at NuServe, wearing one of the sustainably sourced shirts.

Why ‘conscious cleaning’ is the future of the hygiene industry post-pandemic

Over the past two years, we’ve been given the chance to analyse, assess and adopt a new collective understanding of hygiene and health, hygiene for health, as well as the impacts and benefits of ‘conscious cleaning’ and hygiene. Though the urgency of the pandemic has subsided, we appear to be looking at hygiene habits in a different way. How, then, are we applying these new hygiene habits?

Handwashing habits

The pandemic has reshaped the way we wash our hands and our consciousness about handwashing habits. According to Reckitt research from June 2021, 56% of AUS people said that they washed or sanitised their hands ‘more frequently’ compared to 2020. Yet one in three (36%) said the frequency of handwashing or sanitising remained the same with 8% declaring they were doing it less. What’s more, between October 2020 and October 2021, one in six were ‘unable to recall’ how often they washed their hands.

With the overall heightened awareness of hand hygiene among staff and customers, sustaining and actively encouraging hand hygiene at key moments, for example on arrival at a destination, at a meeting room or work area, and of course after using the toilet, should be top of the agenda for not only individuals, but also businesses. After all, hand washing can reduce the risk of gastrointestinal sickness by up to 31% and respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 16–21%.

Targeted hygiene and rigorous research

As restrictions have fallen away, hygiene has never been more crucial in instilling confidence in consumers to return to public venues. Targeted hygiene refers to the practice of timely cleaning and disinfecting high-traffic and high-touch surfaces to help prevent the spread of germs. Implementing a targeted approach to hygiene intervention can be an effective solution in helping to keep consumer-facing spaces hygienically clean. Targeted hygiene shows us that as well as identifying the high touch areas, timing and frequency play an important role. For example, this could mean focusing on increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfection of high traffic areas and in some circumstances, cleaning and disinfecting areas immediately after

use – particularly when hot-desking or before or after using a meeting room. As the term suggests, the focus of a targeted hygiene programme is to clean and disinfect when and where it will be most effective. Simply cleaning at the end or start of the day may miss the point that spaces could continue to become contaminated throughout the day.

Conscious cleaning and hygiene

As we slowly extricate ourselves from the pandemic, a return to normality will impact how people look at hygiene habits and standards. In an era where it’s necessary to keep the body fit and healthy, the concept of conscious cleaning and hygiene seems to be on the rise.

There are many ways to practise hygiene consciousness, which could look like:

• Leaving the germs at the front door - sanitise your hands before you touch anything.

• Taking action at key moments - for example after handling raw foods you need to clean and disinfect surfaces and utensils that may be contaminated, and wash your hands of course.

• Cleaning and disinfecting high touch points at key moments, rather than trying to clean everything all the time, you can save time, energy and resources.

A more thoughtful, bespoke approach to hygiene allows us to feel reassured that we’re practising the good hygiene habits instilled in us as a result of the pandemic, but with some degree of ‘normality’. Hygiene is not just for COVID - it is for life, so as we look to a postpandemic landscape, it’s this balance which will help us to get back to enjoying the things we love, one step at a time. WWW.RECKITTPRO.CO.UK

Dr. Lisa Ackerley, director of medical and scientific engagement, hygiene at Dettol Pro Solutions, reports.

Dr. Lisa Ackerley

... hand washing can reduce the risk of gastrointestinal sickness by up to 31% and respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 16–21%

How laundries have the power to protect marine wildlife from microplastics

Paul Hamilton, technical director at Regenex, reports.

All commercial laundries are under pressure to reduce their impact on the planet - and rightly so - but your company’s good intentions can feel like a drop in the ocean when trying to conserve the world’s resources. However, laundries with choices to make on matters such as water and energy efficiency as well as detergent and other chemical substances, can make a big difference in the way they bulk process linens. Moreover, careful selection and care of linen stock can also have a significant effect on a laundry’s overall environmental performanceand give your sustainability policy some added oomph.

Savvy managers and owners are - or should be - already well aware of the UK’s huge textile waste problem. We’re the fourth largest producer of unwanted fabric in Europe, discarding more than 200,000 tonnes annually. Much more of this mass is disposed of in landfill or incinerated than is recycled or reused, so it’s clear that, as a nation, we need to do better before we even think about the environmental impact of the manufacture of new linen routinely ordered as replacement stock.

New research from scientists at the University of Leeds adds another dimension to the compelling case for change. Did you know that the first few washes of linen -

whether that be towels, bedding, tableware, or garments - are the most harmful when it comes to shedding microplastics?

When we talk about plastic in the oceans, we often picture carrier bags, bottles and other items trapping and harming fish and other animals that live in our seas. However, microplastics - particles smaller than 5mm - are another significant contributor to this toxic mass, routinely ingested by marine life and causing illness and death.

According to a new report, laundries, together with households running their everyday wash cycles, are the source of 35% of the total. You might ask, where do microplastics come from? Well, they originate from many sources, but many are emitted by textiles - from polycottons to regenerated textiles, and those woven from synthetic polymer sources. This fragmented fibre generation happens at all stages of manufacture, use and service. It is part of normal wear and tear and therefore hard to avoid - though researchers are looking for solutions to curb shedding.

As things stand, the Marine Conservation Society, among other campaigners and experts, calls the situation in 2022 an ocean emergency. Almost a million tonnes

of microplastics are now washing into our seas every year. Seeking to understand what is happening and why is an important step on the road to change and improvement, and a new paper in the Textile Research Journal puts the focus on the situation. ‘Fragmented fibre pollution from common textile materials and structures during laundry’ by Alma V Palacios-Marlin, Abdul Jabbar, and Muhammed Tausif examines the relationship between fibre types and yarn structures on the fragmented fibre release during laundry processes.

If all or most fabrics shed in this way, it might seem to commercial laundries that they cannot do much to help. Yet the research shows that it is new linen undergoing its first few washes that emits the most plastic. Shedding of microplastics decreases dramatically after five cycles. The researchers washed new, dyed and woven textiles under controlled conditions to discover that samples showed a reduction in fragmented fibres shed through repeated laundry cycles. They concluded that the heaviest concentration of such pollutants were linked with the ‘mechanical and chemical stresses’ in manufacturing, including yarn texturisation.

So, contract laundry groups have considerable power to be a force for good, by developing new ways of making the most of every piece of linen - making it last for as long as possible, to minimise the amount of new stock ordered. Of course, this maybe easier said than done. In hospitality, guests running suitcase wheels across beds and being less than careful with make-up and false tan can cause marks that do not come out in an ordinary wash. In healthcare, chemicals such as iodine are often an issue.

Historically, condemning blemished lines has led laundries to typically spend 10% of their turnover on top-up stock. However, advances in technology mean much of this can be needless, now that marked or discoloured linen is able to undergo specialist processing and be returned in pristine condition.

Increasing numbers of operators are aware of the development and are putting measures in place to make sure pieces that do not pass inspection tests are given another chance to be serviceable once more. Around 20 laundries are working with

Regenex, representing a significant yearon-year increase in awareness and take-up.

In summary, becoming more careful, and thrifty, with linen - and saving money as a

Cleaner floors.

Cleaner beaches.

By using PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic containers for our Natural range of cleaning solutions we – and you – are doing our bit for the environment. PCR reuses recovered plastics such as singleuse items found discarded on our beaches and in our countryside.

Our carefully formulated range of Natural cleaning solutions gives you the best cleaning results so you won’t be sacrificing effectiveness; in fact your customers will love you for your dedication to cleaner carpets and a cleaner planet.

020 8974 1515 sales@prochem.co.uk

www.prochem.co.uk

knock-on effect of this mindset, of course - is a powerful way to help ease the ocean emergency and clean up our seas.

WWW.REGENEX.CO.UK

David Midgley (left) and Paul Hamilton from Regenex.

Our success is largely due to the support and trust of our valued customers and partners. Your continued support of the Ionic Systems brand motivates us to continue our dedicated effort to produce the highest possible quality products that match your businesses goals.

25 Years of British Manufacturing

The Ionic Systems is Celebrating 25 years since the launch of The Reach & Wash System. Launched in 1997, the same year Labour won a landslide majority, that J.K. Rowling released the first Harry Potter book and the untimely death of Diana. A significant year in the UK and a significant year for Ionic Systems.

We came away from The Cleaning Show in 1997 with many sales leads from general cleaning companies and forward-thinking window cleaners. However, there was lots of work to be done in demonstrating that a water fed pole with pure water could clean to the same standard as a seasoned professional and their trusted squeegee.

We took on the vast challenge of convincing industry professionals that leaving the windows wet was now okay. We set about educating the industry that through the use of pure water, there would be no mineral deposits left behind as the water dried; leaving the windows crystal clear, with a fraction of the effort all from the safety of the ground. After many hundreds of onsite demonstrations, Reach & Wash was welcomed with open arms from Health & Safety officers, for the safety aspect of working from the safety of the ground. Early adopters of Reach & Wash system confirmed how much more efficient they were, reporting of cleans done in a third of the time.

With a successful launch in ‘97, we were eager to expand our customer base to export to mainland Europe, and then further afield, opening up markets in the Middle East, Australia and the USA. Today we are supplying products to over 40 Countries and with distributors representing the brand in

most developed markets.

Cleaning methods of windows and facades were similar in most countries, however the environment in which our products were being used were quite different. Thus, it was vital our products perform despite fluctuations of temperature and UV. We are proud of our rigorous testing and quality control, meaning our products are adapted to withstand any environment and give operatives many years of use.

Moving to the present day, our products have evolved to cater to our customer’s needs, where the frequency of cleaning has cut and the need to able to remove more dirt from multiple surfaces per clean has arisen. We saw the change in what our customer base offer as services. Many now diversifying their cleaning window businesses into more complete building cleaning services by offering the treatment of organic growth on external surfaces - and more recently the addition of roof cleaning. Ionic Systems’ ability to quickly adapt to changing market demands is why we have been at the forefront of the commercial and domestic cleaning industry for over 2 decades now.

As we enter this new era, we feel we are best placed to provide cutting edge

technology and training (via our sister company, the BWCA) for all external cleaning. We feel it is imperative that all cleaning & maintenance professionals keep a keen eye on the future. As the cost of living increases due to global events, climate change and economic recession; the modern window cleaner needs to be more in order to stay competitive in an ever-changing industry. Ionic Systems’ believe in learning new skills and offering them as new services to be the way forward in such uncertain times.

Reach & Wash is no longer limited to window cleaning. Reach & Wash means the cleaning of any high-level surface from the safety of the ground; whether using pure water, soft washing with chemical infused foam or high pressure roof cleaning. Ionic Systems strives to create the complete solution for cleaning & maintenance professionals through the highest quality manufacturing, capable of meeting all future challenges.

Breaking down the barriers for cleaner care

Chris Wakefield, managing director UK and Ireland, GOJO Industries-Europe Ltd, reports.

Did you know that until the mid1800s doctors didn’t bother washing their hands? Since then the importance, and practice, of hand hygiene has made great strides. However, despite this, compliance can still be problematic in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

In fact, a study into infection prevention and control by The World Health Organisation (WHO), found the pandemic ‘exposed many challenges and gaps in IPC in all regions and countries, including those which had the most advanced IPC programmes’. Its first-ever Global Report on Infection Prevention and Control also found that 70% of infections could be prevented if good hand hygiene and other cost-effective practices were followed.

Healthcare workers already understand the why and the how of cleaning their hands, so education is not the solution to increasing adherence. The key is to understand the most common barriers and then introduce measures that address these. In other words, supporting healthcare staff to advance hand hygiene, rather than berating them for the lack of it.

Healthcare professionals are busy

We all know how stretched our health service is and how busy doctors and nurses are. This is one simple reason for non-compliance when it comes to hand hygiene. Last year, we undertook research with healthcare trusts and found that overburdened and stressed staff felt as if they didn’t have time to clean their hands as often as they should.

Longer-term, there needs to be a bigger conversation regarding recruitment and workloads, but in the here and now, supplying antimicrobial hand hygiene solutions in different formats can help drive positive behaviour. For example, issuing staff with small format versions, such as personal bottles of Purell Advanced Hygienic Hand Rub, enables them to sanitise whilst moving between patients and reduce this lost time.

Skin health is a big factor

For healthcare workers who must wash or sanitise hands repeatedly during a shift, skin health is a primary concern. Indeed, recent research by The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), found that 93% of clinicians

surveyed have had at least one skin issue in the last 12 months. Therefore, it is critical to select products that are not only effective against germs but have also been clinically proven to maintain skin health. Acceptability is crucial, because if staff enjoy using the products they will be more likely to use them consistently which, in turn, prevents infection from spreading. A poor experience, on the other hand, will result in the opposite being true.

Check the basics

Finally, check that dispensers are in good working order, do not run empty and ensure that they are in the correct positions. They should be located as close as possible, within arm’s reach of where patient care or treatment is taking place, without having to leave the area. There should also be opportunities for hand hygiene at other prime germ hot-spots, such as entrances/ exits, waiting areas and washrooms.

Building a culture of compliance can be achieved by listening to healthcare staff and understanding their challenges. At a time when seasonal viruses are increasing, there is no time to delay.

WWW.GOJO.COM

The great superbug surge

Hospital superbugs are on the rise again as healthcare staff struggle to cope with crowded A&E departments and over-full wards. What can be done to tackle these frightening HAIs, asks Essity’s Liam Mynes?

It seems as though it was a long time ago that the topic of MRSA dominated our healthcare news. MRSA - or methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus - became the scourge of our hospitals in the 1990s and early 2000s. But cases of this ‘superbug’ were eventually brought under control due to a combination of enhanced screening and a better understanding of how it can be prevented. And of course, the issue of superbugs was completely overshadowed by the onset of COVID-19. However, the problem has certainly not gone away.

In fact, according to the UK Health Security Agency, the number of cases of MRSA rose by 35% in the UK in 2021 - the largest annual increase ever recorded. And in June this year a new study found that a highly antibiotic-resistant strain of MRSA was emerging in livestock, probably

due to the widespread use of antibiotics in pig farming. Cases of livestockassociated MRSA currently make up only a small fraction of MRSA cases in human populations. But the numbers are increasing - and this is thought to be a worrying sign.

MRSA is not the only source of concern, however. According to a 2022 study by the University of Oxford, around 1.2 million deaths globally are caused by antibiotic resistance each year with experts predicting that this figure will only grow.

C.Difficile, like MRSA, has generally faded from public awareness over recent years. But clusters of the condition still occurfor example, an outbreak was recorded at Vancouver’s Royal Columbian Hospital in July 2020 while a second group of cases emerged at California’s Port Moody Hospital in December of the same year.

XGT 40V BACKPACK VACUUM

One of the latest so-called ‘superbugs’ to hit the news is C. auris, a drug-resistant fungus that can cause invasive and often deadly infections. First identified in 2009, C. auris has been detected in a number of countries including the UK, the US, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Sepsis is another ongoing concern in hospitals with the condition thought to be responsible for killing around 11 million people globally each year. According to the Sepsis Trust, one in five deaths is now believed to be caused by sepsis.

So it appears that superbugs are still a major issue in our hospitals. And the advice is similar in almost every case: the risk can be greatly reduced with the aid of good cleaning protocols coupled with optimum hand hygiene.

Continued on Page 24.

the front cover does not close completely), Comfortable harness design, the mesh material is used for the back surfaces that touch shoulders, back and waist. With a handle convenient for carrying.

makitauk.com/product/VC008GZ02

40V XGT BRUSHLESS BACKPACK VACUUM: VC008G

Dust Capacity: Cloth dust bag 1.5 litres, Dust Capacity: Paper dust bag 2.0 litres, Suction Power 25 / 55 / 100 / 195 W, Net weight 4.1 - 5.3 kg. Increased suction power, low noise level, 4 power modes, LED job light, Dust type - Dry, Filter type: HEPA filter, Power mode pre-selection with mode memory function, Telescopic pipe with lock - A locking mechanism has been added to the connection of the bending pipe to minimise the chance of the bending pipe from falling off, T-nozzle (Hard flooring/carpet mode switchable), Anti-close mechanism for paper dust bag installation. (when the filter bag/dust bag is not installed in the cleaner

HOSPITAL & HEALTHCARE ESTABLISHMENT HYGIENE

Continued from Page 23.

The World Health Organisation claims that up to 40% of healthcare-related superbug infections could be avoided by practising good hand hygiene. The Sepsis Allliance adds that many cases of the condition could be prevented with consistent hand hygiene and good wound care.

C. auris can survive for weeks on surfaces and can easily be spread from person to person or via contact with contaminated equipment. Advice from experts is to thoroughly clean and sanitise patients’ rooms using hospital-grade disinfectants, with particular attention being paid to shared equipment such as ventilators and glucometers along with high-touch surfaces such as bed rails and windowsills.

The Sepsis Alliance advises frequent hand washing using soap and water followed by a thorough dry using a clean towel. Meanwhile, the WHO urges all healthcare workers to adopt its ‘My Five Moments of Hand Hygiene’ which states that healthcare staff should wash their hands before touching a patient, before carrying out any aseptic procedure, after any exposure to body fluid, after touching a patient, and after touching the patient’s surroundings. However, while experts agree that strict hand hygiene helps to prevent the spread of superbugs, various studies over the years have shown a mixed level of hand hygiene compliance among healthcare staff. This is thought to be due to a number of factors including a shortage of time, the non-availability of products and a poor understanding about the importance of good hand hygiene. Some healthcare workers also complain of bad skin health due to frequent hand washing using harsh soaps and abrasive hand towels.

It is important to ensure that skinfriendly products are always made available and that healthcare workers understand the importance of using them. Mild soaps and soft hand towels will help to improve the hand washing experience. These should be provided in high-capacity dispensers that ensure a long-lasting supply while also being easy to use. For example, Tork Extra Mild Foam Soap is allergy-friendly and certified by ECARF, the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation, while Tork Xpress Extra Soft Multifold Hand Towels are soft, absorbent and gentle on the skin.

The Tork Skincare Dispenser has been designed to be particularly easy to use even for people with low hand strength, and the unit houses 2500 shots of foam soap which ensures that it will not run out when a handwash is urgently needed.

In cases where hand washing is impractical or inconvenient, staff should be encouraged to sanitise their hands using an alcohol gel or hand rub. Tork Alcohol Hand Sanitisers are available in a range of formats designed to be convenient for

the medical worker’s use. And a fragrancefree conditioning cream such as Tork Nonperfumed Hand & Body Lotion will help to prevent chapping and soreness when used after hand washing.

Staff should also be instructed on the optimum way of washing their hands. Essity’s own Tork Clean Hands Training Module invites users into a digital world where they are confronted with a series of scenarios in which hand hygiene needs to be carried out. Developed in collaboration with behavioural scientists and hand hygiene experts, the course aims to provide hand hygiene guidance in an engaging way.

Cleaning has become more important than ever in hospitals to prevent bugs from lingering on surfaces. So it is important that cleaning operatives understand the need for frequent surface cleaning and are instructed in how this should be carried out in the most logical and hygienic way. Essity offers an interactive training and support package aimed at healthcare cleaning operatives and facility managers that takes staff through various real-world cleaning scenarios in an engaging way. Tork Interactive Clean Hospital Training takes place in a virtual hospital and incorporates modules on daily cleaning in occupied patient rooms plus discharge cleaning protocols. Each module is focused on learning by doing and is available in more than 15 languages besides English.

Superbugs remain an alarming threat to our health but the global pandemic has taught us the importance of cleaning and hygiene while also making us more resilient, practical and cautious. So by remaining alert to the threat, by stepping up cleaning and by improving hand hygiene compliance, hospitals can make great strides in reducing the risks posed by superbugs.

‘Positive Impressions’ to boost patient experience

Compass Group UK and Ireland’s healthcare division is launching its colleague culture programme to focus on patient satisfaction across its 23 NHS partner healthcare trusts, the senior living care home estate and new private healthcare clients. ‘Positive Impressions’ will support 10,000 employees to deliver the very best standards in service across catering, cleaning, portering, and security.

The programme, initially developed in Compass’s US healthcare business, has been operational within several Compass UK&I private healthcare hospitals since 2019. The programme has also been trialled with two NHS hospital sites, further evolving to suit the specific needs of NHS settings. Across these hospitals, the programme has delivered enhanced patient satisfaction results due to increased engagement when planning service delivery.

‘Positive Impressions’ is designed to measure the patient experience and enhance patient-centred training, to help teams deliver care based on communication, awareness, respect, and empathy. The initiative stands out because it brings experience and optimised human connections together, empowering Compass’s people to make a real-time difference, from facts, feedback and understanding.

‘Positive Impressions’ is built around four cornerstones - defining moments, engagement, expertise, and tailored to fit. The initiative builds on a culture of empowerment and training for colleagues, looking after their wellbeing and development, as well as giving them the tools to deliver the best service possible. The training around this involves classroom sessions, refresher courses and

coaching, with a focus on being inclusive and accessible.

The implementation of ‘Positive Impressions’ is being led by Compass Healthcare’s head of patient experience, Stacey Dobson. Having worked in post for over a year, she has a clear remit to understand the patient feedback across all sites and to spearhead cultural behaviours. Stacey leads a ‘patient experience community’, made up of patient experience managers and onsite ambassadors, who will support the roll out and ongoing delivery of the programme.

Russell Blake, managing directorhealthcare at Compass Group UK and Ireland, said: “We live by our ‘Performance with Heart’ philosophy and ‘Positive Impressions’ truly delivers for patients, residents and our people - creating an approach that is Continued on Page 27.

Effective Simple Software that Gives Meaning to your Cleaning

TAL Clean is an affordable, easy to implement digitalised solution in order to meet the challenges facing contract cleaning services providers. Through the use of QR codes we are able to make cleaning visible, measurable and auditable to all stakeholders. Ensuring your clients satisfaction and confidence in using your companies services.

Keeping it clean in the hospital

Chad Grainger, key account manager - public services, at Kärcher UK focuses on how facilities managers can achieve cleaning standards in an efficient and sustainable manner.

Ensuring that healthcare facilities are kept clean and hygienic is vital not only for patient safety but also to protect workers and safeguard health and safety. With the arrival of the new National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 legislation implemented earlier this year, the national focus on healthcare cleanliness has increased. The introduction of measures including stringent audits and the display of star rating certificates in public spaces has driven the need for efficient cleaning solutions that keep on top of dirt build-up.

With the new cleaning standards placing emphasis on all staff members rather than just cleaning operatives, having machines that can be easily operated is a must to ensure that a clean environment can be universally maintained. Battery-powered machines are ideal for this, as they can be swiftly used without the need for plug points, helping to whisk away daily dirt and spillages. This can help to reduce cleaning times by up to 50% compared to traditional mop and bucket style cleaning.

Additionally, battery powered solutions do not involve wires strewn across flooring, helping to reduce the health and safety risk of using the machines in high footfall thoroughfares. Combined with low noise output, battery powered machines feature brushless motors enabling them to be used during the day and night minimising noise disruption and preventing the need to close off vast areas of space to the public.

Battery powered technology, such as the Battery Universe from Kärcher, has seen a vast number of cleaning machines be adapted so that they can be powered using swappable batteries. The interchangeable nature of the Kärcher Battery Universe Platform enables users to swiftly move the battery from one machine to another during the cleaning process, depending on what machine is required. This helps to reduce energy usage as less batteries need charging to power a wide range of equipment. Instead, the user can swiftly go from mopping up spillages using the BR

30/1 C Bp handheld scrubber dryer to vacuuming up loose dirt with the HV 1/1 Bp handheld vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum cleaners and handheld scrubber dryers are particularly suited to use in healthcare facilities as they help to remove common dirt and tidy up after ad-hoc spills. Unkept flooring is a particular health hazard in busy wards and corridors as it may lead to trips and falls. Likewise, over time, dirt buildup can lead to floor damage requiring replacement, which could put an area out of action for healthcare staff.

As the responsibility of maintaining a clean environment becomes part of the wider role for all healthcare members, ensuring that you have sustainable and easy to use cleaning equipment will speed up cleaning times and ensure consistent overall cleanliness. Making sure that the right equipment is in place will go a long way to supporting staff and helping to keep a high star rating in every healthcare facility. WWW.KARCHER.CO.UK

Continued from Page 25.

taken from feedback at each hospital or care home. This programme allows us to make reactive and tangible differences to care and therefore health outcomes. We are committed to the roll out of the programme and believe it will enhance skills and the services we deliver.”

Stacey Dobson, head of patient experience for healthcare, Compass Group UK and Ireland, said: “The pandemic shone a light on the impact our teams can have on the patient experience and the imperative services they deliver from cleanliness to nutrition and so many more. We knew there was an opportunity to go further and developing the ‘Positive Impressions’ programme for our NHS and senior living clients, will support us to create bespoke solutions based on feedback. The great thing about this programme is that it builds two-way communication from patient or resident to our teams, to allow us to react and improve.”

‘Positive Impressions’ has been shortlisted in The Patient Experience Network National

Awards (PENNA), the first and only awards programme to recognise best practice in patient experience. The concept is a finalist for the categories of Commissioning for

Patient Experience; Staff Engagement & Improving Staff Experience; and Manager of the Year.

WWW.COMPASS-GROUP.CO.UK

Giving washrooms a clean bill of health

Paul Mulready, marketing manager of Northwood Hygiene Products Ltd, discusses the importance of the washroom in healthcare settings.

Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are not just a severe risk for patients, staff and visitors - they are costly to the NHS too. A recent global report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on infection prevention and control (IPC) revealed that 70% of HAIs could be prevented by improved hygiene protocols. The report also stated that good hand and environmental hygiene in healthcare settings could more than halve the risk of dying as a result of infection and reduce long term health complications by 40%.

So how can the washroom help deliver hygiene, whilst also being sustainable?

Controlling use

With more pressure on washrooms than ever, we need to manage the consumption of disposable products. Preventing over usage is vital, so providers should look for high-capacity, controlled-use dispensers that restrict the use of consumables.

Sustainable choices

We must minimise global transportation by buying British-made products where possible and we should always ensure that paper products are made only from raw materials that have been sustainably sourced - either from recycled materials or from sustainably managed forests.

Northwood Hygiene, for instance, uses Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper within its UK manufactured Raphael range, as well as offering 100% recycled paper options. Our Raphael proprietary washroom system helps washrooms to provide superior hygiene, whilst offering strong environmental benefits. Widely used in healthcare settings, including the Galway Clinic and practices in Harley Street, Raphael delivers cost-in-use, performance and sustainability. The high-capacity Raphael collection comprises four hand towel and two toilet tissue dispensers, along with a soap dispenser.

Infection buster

Designed to optimise hygiene in the highest traffic washrooms, Raphael’s soap dispensers deliver a generous shot to encourage single, efficient use.

The Raphael hand drying dispensers provide contactless dispensing and the toilet tissue dispenser incorporates BioKleen technology to inhibit the growth or spread of bacteria. Made from a single-piece

shell, the dispensers are easy to wipe clean and all towels and rolls are fully enclosed for added hygiene.

The TwinJumbo high-capacity proprietary toilet roll dispenser holds up to 800m of roll to minimise the need for frequent replenishment, whilst an infinity paper system allows users to replenish one roll at a time to eliminate waste and deliver cost savings.

The roll towel dispensers hold up to 250 sheets each, providing around 500 dries, with some offering stub-roll transfer to ensure zero waste. The hand drying systems dispense one at a time flat sheets to avoid overuse and the folded towel dispenser has a 1000-sheet capacity. The dispensers do not free roll, helping to reduce over usage.

Washrooms are essential in the fight against infection in the hospital and healthcare sector and, with the right choice of products, they can also make a valuable contribution to sustainability too.

WWW.NORTHWOOD.CO.UK

UK based resin specialist, Resient Labs has launched an antimicrobial floor polish that is claimed to combat harmful microbes like E.coli, MRSA and Salmonella for the lifetime of the polish.

In addition to the unique antimicrobial properties, Resient has formulated the polish to be low in VOCs and completely eliminated the need for additives that lead to the release of chemicals such as formaldehyde. Resient’s product is also free of alkylphenol ethoxylates, commonly found in floor polishes, which degrade to form phenols. Alongside the antimicrobial floor polish, Resient has developed a cleaner/ maintainer which is free of phosphates and harmful actives, continuing the company’s drive to provide safer products without compromising on performance.

WWW.RESIENTLABS.COM

A management software to improve the workflow of the UK workforce has arrived in the UK. The software, called CleanManager, is developed by the same named company, and originates from Denmark, where it has been on the market for almost 12 years. CleanManager first started exporting to Germany and has now finally entered the British market.

The co-owner of CleanManager, Frantz Furrer, said:

“The UK market is very similar to the Danish cleaning industry, and has even more similarities compared to Germany, eg types of cleaning tasks. Our software is already translated to English, and both our support and sales teams are ready to help our British customers.” CleanManager was founded by Frantz Furrer and Jakob Witte Larsen. Both studied informatics and while Furrer worked a side job as a cleaning assistant, he noticed how much time was wasted planning tasks manually. The two students decided to develop a software solution and founded the company CleanManager, which today has more than 8000 active users.

WWW.CLEANMANAGER.UK

KIMBERLY-Clark Professional is introducing 100% bio-based and recyclable core plugs in its Scott and Kleenex hand towel ranges across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The plastic-free core plugs are made primarily from starch and fibre, replacing plastic core plugs currently in use. It is estimated to reduce plastic by over 30 tons every year - the equivalent weight of 1.5 million plastic bottles.

“I am proud that we are designing innovative products with circularity in mind and taking this step to eliminate unnecessary plastic in our hand towel range with this game-changing solution,” said Olena Neznal, vice president of Kimberly-Clark Professional in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “In doing so, we are reducing plastic waste, helping our customers improve their recycling rates, and saving cleaning professionals’ time.”

WWW.KCPROFESSIONAL.COM

Antimicrobial floor polish incorporates styrene-free polymer technology

100% bio-based and recyclable core for towel range

CENTREGO, the manufacturer of Toucan Eco cleaning and disinfection systems, has completed the first carbon footprint audit for its Toucan Eco Active Plus system.

The business, which manufactures Toucan Eco systems distributed in the UK by Robert Scott, commissioned international environmental consultancy Force Technology to complete an independent carbon footprint audit of its Toucan Eco Active Plus system to evidence its environmental impact throughout its expected lifespan.

Toucan Eco audit reveals low CO2 emissions

The Toucan Eco Active Plus system is designed to generate cleaning and disinfection solutions on-site using only water, salt and electrolysis. The carbon emissions footprint was calculated by analysing two areas of the system. The first was the amount of CO2 emitted from the manufacturing of the systems, and the second was the amount of CO2 emitted from the production of one litre of activated, ready-to-use, solution.

EDITOR

Neil Nixon neilnixon@quartzltd.com 07957 713316

SALES DIRECTOR

Paul Sweeney paulsweeney@quartzltd.com 01737 855041

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Michelle Andrews michelleandrews@quartzltd.com 01737 855086

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Carol Baird carolbaird@quartzltd.com 020 3602 1186

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Tony Crinion

CEO

Steve Diprose

CO-CHAIRMAN

Paul Michael

DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES

Elizabeth Barford elizabethbarford@quartzltd.com 01737 855028

The results of the independent audit indicate that the CO2 emissions to manufacture and install one Toucan Eco Active Plus system is 263 kg CO2 equivalent. The CO2 emissions to produce one litre of activated ready-to-use solution is 3.07 g CO2 equivalent. To put this into context, running a laptop for an hour would produce the same CO2 emissions as generating 8.8 litres of activated, ready-to-use, Toucan Eco solution, and boiling a kettle once would produce the same CO2 emissions as generating five litres of activated, ready-to-use, solution.

Robin Turner, founder and director of Centrego, said: “Our aim for commissioning an independent carbon footprint audit was to provide our customers with accurate analysis into the environmental impact of our products for use as part of their own environmental due diligence and as a way to effectively compare cleaning and disinfection products across the market. The audit clearly demonstrates that our systems are not carbon zero – energy is used to manufacture, transport and install the system. However, the carbon emissions and environmental impact of adopting and using the systems to generate cleaning and disinfection solutions are extremely low when compared to the production and distribution of synthetic chemicals, and the disposal of single-use plastic containers and other packaging. By quantifying our own product’s environmental impact, we aim to provide a benchmark against which other alternatives can be assessed.”

WWW.TOUCANECO.CO.UK

PUBLISHED BY Quartz Business Media

Quartz House 20 Clarendon Road

Redhill, Surrey RH1 1QX 01737 855086

www.cleaningmag.com

ISSN: 1473 723X

Online ISSN: 2755-5011

© Quartz Business Media, 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the copyright owner.

Not all eco’s are equal.

If nature had a choice, it would probably choose our products. Our high-performing biotechnology harnesses the power of microbes and enzymes to clean deeply and protect our environment:

/ Renewable, sustainable ingredients reduces carbon emissions by up to 85%

/ High-performing technology and PCR packaging reduces single-use plas c waste by up to 85%

/ Low-hazardous formulas create a healthier environment for people and our protects our aqua c eco-system

/ Responsibly sourced FSC packaging reduces environmental impact

/ Local supply chain and distribu on network reduces transport

That's the BioHygiene way.

Be cleaner, leaner and greener. Scan here to see how.

If nature had a choice...