African Cleaning Review MayJune '20 issue

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Coronavirus cleaning technology?

Practicing thorough hand hygiene Fogging as a sanitisation technique

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African Cleaning Review May/June 2020

contents MAY/JUNE 2020 VOL 21 NO. 3 Cover story Hand hygiene offers crucial protection against the spread of viruses. Proper hand-hygiene technique can remove viruses from your hands and is therefore considered one of the most important methods of preventing people from falling ill. Tork provides essential hygiene solutions that reduce the risk of spreading disease, protecting public health. The Safe at Work: COVID-19 Healthcare Toolkit from Tork aims to support workers on the frontline fighting against COVID-19, such as healthcare professionals, cleaners and environmental services (EVS) staff by providing resources that contribute to boosting overall hygiene.

For more information and to download the Tork Safe at Work toolkit, turn to page 14.

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Opinion

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Key workplace safety considerations Making sense of coronavirus cleaning terminology

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Industry News

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Kimberly-Clark partners with ISSA in cleaning scholarship programme R400 million fund launched by Bidvest to support laid-off workers Partnership set to leverage skills to fight pandemic Sappi donates essential products for COVID-19 relief Colgate-Palmolive donates soap to WHO Handwashing Campaign

Editorial Utilise technology for thorough cleaning – GCE The science behind surface wiping – KCP ‘Safe at Work’ toolkit launched to help front-line workers – Tork Hako Scrubmaster B/E8

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Features

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African Cleaning Review is aimed at end users, contractors and suppliers of products and services to Africa’s Cleaning, Hygiene, Maintenance, Laundry, Pest Control and Facility Management Services industries. It is published every other month by: e-squared publications.

Tel: +27 (0) 11 238 7848 or +27 (0) 72 611 1959 PO Box 1976, Halfway House, 1685, South Africa Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Website: www.africancleaningreview.co.za @AfricanCleanMag

AfricanCleaningReview

african-cleaning-review Publishing Editor: Johann van Vuuren +27 (0) 11 238 7848 or +27 (0) 72 611 1959 Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Advertising: +27 (0) 11 238 7848 or +27 (0) 72 611 1959 Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Operations and Accounts: Nandé Jacobs Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za All editorial contributions can be sent to the editor who reserves the right to publish editorial based on the strength of its content. No articles or photographs may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publishers.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in African Cleaning Review, e-squared publications and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of the claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright of all material published in African Cleaning Review remains with e-squared publications and its agents.

Planned features for 2020 Jul/Aug issue: Editorial deadline 19 June • Digital and smart cleaning solutions • Healthcare cleaning and hygiene Sept/Oct issue: Editorial deadline 21 August • Sustainable cleaning • Carpet care

Hand hygiene • Practicing thorough hand hygiene is key to avoiding the virus Floorcare • The link between floors and superbugs • Stepping up healthcare hygiene from the floor up

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Nov/Dec issue: Editorial deadline 16 October • Hospitality cleaning solutions • Washroom products and cleaning

FM Review

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Feature sections in every issue: • Laundry and Dry Cleaning Review • Facilities Management Review

Office cleaning to protect returning staff

Educational Hotel industry adapting to meet new health and safety concerns Fogging as a sanitisation technique Questioning the viability and efficacy of disinfectant tunnels

Laundry Review

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Smart dispensers are transforming the wash process Positive lessons from the coronavirus crisis

People and Events

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COVID-19

Be safe. Wash your hands.

Practice social distancing.

Wear a mask.

Published by:

Numatic International’s response to COVID-19 Prime leads with feeding scheme donation initiative

New Products

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Official publication and media partner of:

Versatile, light wiping solution for all cleaning tasks Trailer-mounted, high-pressure jetting Infection control and spray system Robust, foot-operated hand sanitiser Professional and fast floor sanitising Reduce cross-contamination with antibacterial, sensor hand-spray

African Cleaning Review May/June 2020

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from the editor

opinion

Back at work?

Key workplace safety considerations in a post-pandemic era

The significance of cleaning for health My, how the world has changed since the last edition of African Cleaning Review was published, with something like half of humanity in coronavirus lockdown. Well worth noting, with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic, cleaning, sanitisation and hygiene turned into the highest priority for people around the world. Government departments moved into top gear to implement the necessary preventative measures in order to impede and slow down the spread of the COVID-19 virus. A newfound focus on hand hygiene prevails and many in the cleaning sector articulate views that the industry has changed, whereby cleaning professionals are now expected to provide infection prevention solutions and as a matter of priority.

With this in mind, articles, opinion pieces and highlighted products in this issue follow a thought-provoking theme throughout, highlighting the significance of cleaning and hygiene in the context of combatting viruses that, as we all have experienced, have a profound impact on society.

As many countries and, in particular, South Africa continue to loosen the restraints of the coronavirus restrictions, this is the professional cleaning and hygiene industry’s unique opportunity to effect a true difference by providing a safe working environment for citizens to return to and, in doing so, kick-start economies.

It is therefore imperative that the professional cleaning industry build on the newfound awareness surrounding hand hygiene, cleanliness and the need for disinfection. By implementing innovative workplace hygiene solutions, tangible procedures and associated equipment, this will effectively safeguard people against harmful germs and viruses that have a detrimental effect on humanity.

Stay safe,

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African Cleaning Review May/June 2020

The sudden disruption that COVID-19 has inflicted on the working world has challenged businesses to shift and innovate at an unprecedented speed and scale. Those of us equipped to be working from home find ourselves in the middle of a worldwide experiment in WFH (Work From Home) culture, but when it comes to the question of returning to the workplace, expert opinions on the matter seem to agree on one thing: there is no ‘back to normal’ – only the ‘new normal’ in a post-pandemic world.

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ery few businesses can operate remotely on a permanent basis, and so a return to the workplace for millions of employees is inevitable in the coming weeks and months.

Heightened awareness and caution around the spread of COVID-19 will also likely engender unfamiliar new practices.

The lockdown has offered us a glimpse into how businesses will have to reprioritise. And while we don’t know how the government’s phased plan to fully reopen the economy will play out, it is certain that businesses will be called on to play a part in containing the virus through a fundamental alteration of the way we approach the workplace.

enhanced security, particularly when premises are left vacant or nearly vacant for long stretches of time.

Management and security of vacant properties

The pandemic has shown time and time again that good hygiene is the most effective weapon against COVID-19.

Handshakes and closely placed desks at work may become a thing of the past, while wearing protective masks and washing our hands obsessively become standard procedure. But what about our door handles? Our fingerprint scanners? Our boardroom tables? Our telephones? Our hot desks? Our new obsession with the microscopic world means that public areas and amenities become high-risk elements.

The link between poverty and crime is well known in South Africa, and even disregarding the current crisis, burglaries and robberies at business premises have long been a very real threat. Sadly, the economic toll that the pandemic will have on our business landscape is likely to only increase unemployment and exacerbate the problem. Even under lockdown, a spate of business robberies and opportunistic break-ins has highlighted the need for

Staggered shifts and remote working policies Maintaining social distancing among colleagues, particularly those in highdensity workplaces, will naturally fuel the continued rise of WFH technologies and flexible business policies.

However, many workers simply cannot function at home in the long term, so the compromises of staggered shifts and partial flexibility on a rotating schedule seem likely to become popular.

Enhanced hygiene and cleaning protocols

opinion When it comes to access-control in particular, fears over the spread of the virus can quickly turn into risky business practices, loosening standards in the name of hygiene.

“We know that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can live on surfaces for hours or even days, and unfortunately our workplaces have been designed over centuries to be accessed through communally touched items and surfaces. This will have to change fast in the post-pandemic world.”

Hands-free access control that doesn’t compromise on security (for example, through facial recognition or remote verification systems) are set to become an accessible norm for businesses of all sizes. Aided by innovations in the Internet of Things, connected devices from all over a business’s premises and beyond will communicate seamlessly, forming innovative new ecosystems that are as secure as they are hygienic.

the virus is spread improves, it is clear that testing and screening will become a top priority in order to isolate those who may be carrying the virus without realising they are ill.

Access control will need to combine with daily temperature screening, whether by handheld no-contact thermometer or, less invasively, with automated thermal screening technologies.

As we strive to balance employee safety with business efficiency, the need for new approaches to hygiene and security has never been higher.

With South Africa’s already welldocumented security risks only being exacerbated by the public healthcare requirements of the ‘new normal’, there has never been a better time to review a business’ systems and procedures, and to make the changes necessary to prosper.

Stephan Botha, CEO, Tsebo Protection Solutions

countries across 7 500 customer sites. With nearly 50 years of experience, Tsebo offers its clients improved workplace productivity that supports their success. For more information on Tsebo’s response to the COVID-19 virus, business contingency plans, preventative

The need for widespread testing and screening at work

Tsebo Solutions Group is a leading workplace

educational campaigns and more, please visit:

management solutions provider across

www.tsebo.com

As knowledge of the ways in which

Africa and the Middle East, operating in 27

African Cleaning Review May/June 2020

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industry news Kimberly-Clark partners with ISSA in cleaning scholarship programme

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n order to address the needs of cleaning professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, KimberlyClark Professional announced a new scholarship programme to assist smaller cleaning organisations to provide critical training on infectious disease prevention and control measures for their employees. The programme is in collaboration with ISSA, the worldwide cleaning association, and the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ISSA. “Cleaning professionals are working tirelessly behind the scenes to help other essential businesses run safely,” said Susan Gambardella, President, Kimberly-Clark Professional North America. “They are heroes on the

front lines, putting their own health and safety at risk. So, while they’re looking out for others, we want to ensure that someone is looking out for them. This scholarship programme is about providing access for these essential heroes, especially those who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to get this training, to gain the knowledge they need to work safely and confidently.”

The GBAC Fundamentals Online Course is focused on prevention, response, and control measures for biohazards in the workplace with a special emphasis on infection and contamination control measures for infectious disease outbreak situations such as COVID-19.

Through Kimberly-Clark Professional’s US$500 000 donation, more than 10 000 cleaning professionals across the globe will be able to complete the GBAC Fundamentals Online Course at no cost. Smaller businesses, who may not have otherwise been able to fund this training for their employees, are being given priority placement in the programme.

In addition, the programme has the goal of 50 percent of scholarships going to females and will support a mentorship programme in partnership with the ISSA Hygieia Network, the first women’s network for the global cleaning community dedicated to the advancement of women in the cleaning industry. As part of the scholarship programme, recipients can sign up to be mentored by volunteers from Kimberly-Clark Professional.

For more information visit: www.issa.com/kcp-scholarships

R400 million fund launched by Bidvest to support laid-off workers

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SE-listed services, trading and distribution group Bidvest announced during April that it had allocated R400 million towards employee relief initiatives through a newly formed Bidvest Group COVID-19 Employee Fund.

Bidvest Group, which employs 100 000 people in South Africa, said in a statement that it had put in place a raft of measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on its staff. Bidvest Group Chief Executive Lindsay Ralphs said the funds would be used to support the income needs of staff who had been unable to work during the level 5 and level 4 lockdowns. Executives will

also be taking a 40 percent pay cut and board members will be taking a 30 percent pay cut.

“Like the rest of the world, South Africa is going through an unprecedented crisis,” said Ralphs, “and even diversified groups like ours are not immune to the economic fallout. As one of the largest employers on the JSE Top 40 Index, we nevertheless recognise that our people are our most valuable asset and we are making financial arrangements that will help us shield them against the impact of the crisis.”

Employees who have been able to work during the lockdown period will receive their salaries in

accordance with standard business practices.

The company said the categories of staff who have been unable to work during the lockdown, and who might still not be able to work after regulations eased on 1 May, would be supported through the fund. These included job grades from general workers through to supervisors and managers. These employees will each receive an ex gratia payment of R2 000 from the Group COVID-19 Employee Fund to assist them with immediate needs and to supplement any UIF TERS allowances being offered by the government.

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industry news Partnership set to leverage skills to fight pandemic

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he COVID-19 pandemic has set in motion a partnership between two organisations to leverage their skills and resources to help stem the tide of one of the largest pandemics in recent history.

Leading international waste management company, Averda, has announced a strategic partnership with Africa’s largest disaster response NGO, Gift of the Givers, to provide much needed medical waste management services to its mobile testing stations across the country free of charge for the duration of the current lockdown period.

The efforts of both Averda and Gift of the Givers are providing crucial support to healthcare facilities that are already stretched to capacity. The willingness of these organisations to come to the aid of the country demonstrates the leadership that is required to protect vulnerable communities from the virus.

Gift of the Givers founder, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, believes that providing assistance to the government and to society’s most vulnerable, sets an example to the country’s NGOs to actively participate in the fight against this pandemic. “Our mobiletesting-station initiative will assist government in meeting the diagnostic demands of COVID-19 by providing NICD-approved lab testing at discounted rates,” he said.

The large quantity of infected medical waste generated by testing for this highly contagious virus means that efficient waste management of high-risk healthcare isolation waste and disposal is critical. On a pro bono basis, Averda will manage the disposal of contaminated waste from these mobile COVID-19 testing stations, which have been established by the Gift of the Givers in key locations across the country.

“Averda will supply waste containers to all testing stations and provide training and skills development on waste storage and disposal to staff at these testing stations – enabling the safety and protection of healthcare workers,” commented Averda CEO Malek Sukkar.

Sukkar believes that the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes an unprecedented challenge for all of humanity and that meeting and overcoming this challenge involves breaking down invisible barriers between public and private, commercial and NGO, businesses and people.

“This virus threatens all of us, and so we must all act as one. Averda has the resources and the skill set to remove and manage waste safely, protecting hygiene standards, which is key to fighting the virus.”

African Cleaning Review May/June 2020

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industry news Sappi donates essential products for COVID-19 relief

Sanitiser was decanted into containers, which were distributed to local clinics.

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n an effort to provide some relief during the novel coronavirus global pandemic, Sappi Southern Africa has made available several donations of scarce items such as hand sanitiser, face masks, nutritional porridge and paper products, to reduce pressure on the national government’s resources as well as to support the most vulnerable during these extraordinary times.

Following countrywide shortages in the supply of hand sanitiser, Sappi’s science and research centre based in Pretoria was able to refocus its efforts to produce the company’s first prototype hand sanitiser. This led to a partnership with a Johannesburg-based company to produce 16 000 litres of Sappi hand sanitiser worth about R1 million. Having been successful in these efforts, Sappi is now able to distribute the sanitiser to more than 80 community clinics and healthcare centres in the rural and peri-urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

Sappi is also distributing sanitiser to its own employees and their families.

While there remains a shortage of required personal protective equipment

(PPE) for health practitioners in the country, Sappi was able to procure 15 000 surgical masks for community clinics and healthcare centres in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga – enabling community health practitioners to perform their duties safely. In addition, Sappi has procured 19 000 cloth masks, which were needed for their own employees, as well as for their contractors who continue to deliver essential services during this time of national lockdown and who require essential PPE. Again, seeing the need to respond rapidly to a situation, Sappi‘s Saiccor Mill in Umkomaas was able to rent spare sewing machines from a local business, installed them at its Skills Centre and deployed six apprentices to make cloth masks. Following instructions from the internet, they are now producing 28 masks per hour and are working towards the target of making a further 3 000. Post-lockdown, Sappi will be looking into providing training opportunities to local SMMEs in the area for the continued production of cloth masks.

“Sappi has also realised that this situation could, in the long run, have lingering effects on the resources of many institutions and organisations, and as a result we have pledged a donation of Sappi-manufactured toilet paper and Typek office paper to the value of R2 million to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for their future distribution to deserving recipients,” commented Alex Thiel, CEO of Sappi Southern Africa.

“Sappi will be able to supplement the funding for some of these initiatives, thanks to the fact that its board of directors and regional leadership teams have volunteered a 10 percent reduction in salaries or fees for the three months ending June 2020, as well as forfeiting short-term incentive bonuses for 2020.

We believe that the kind of guidance that we are experiencing from our country’s leader, President Ramaphosa, at this time, exemplifies the visible leadership that will help companies pull through this crisis together. And as an essential services provider, we will continue to do all we can to keep our country healthy and safe,” said Alex Thiel.

Sappi is a leading business in the forestry, pulp and paper industry, which supplies paper, pulp and tissue products used in the manufacture of toilet paper, tissue products, packaging material for food products, cleaning and hygiene products, pharmaceuticals (tablets), nonwovens (wipes, feminine hygiene products), nappies for babies, pallets and crates used in the agricultural sector and for medical and hospital supplies, to name but a few.

Colgate-Palmolive donates soap to WHO Handwashing Campaign

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olgate is supporting the World Health Organization’s (WHO) #SafeHands effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 by producing a new soap bar that will include instructions on proper handwashing.

According to the WHO, which is offering updated COVID-19 advice to the public, proper handwashing is critical to slowing the spread of the disease, but a combination of lack of

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African Cleaning Review May/June 2020

access to quality soap and a lack of knowledge of how to properly wash hands to kill the virus is a challenge, especially in many vulnerable communities around the world.

To help overcome these challenges, Colgate is designating five of its manufacturing plants on three continents to produce the new soap. It will be specially packaged with instructions on proper

handwashing to amplify the WHO #SafeHands message.

The #SafeHands campaign is a WHO initiative to educate the public on proper handwashing techniques and provide underserved communities with access to soap to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

editorial GCE

Utilise technology for thorough cleaning Following the easing of restrictions under level 4 of the lockdown in South Africa, more businesses have returned to work – albeit under a significantly reduced capacity – presenting a renewed risk of the spread of the COVID-19 virus. During his address on 23 April, President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated that companies that reopen will have to “first prepare” their workplaces, then bring in employees in batches of one-third at a time. Ensuring employee safety is, therefore, a top priority for all employers during this period.

Peter Esterhuizen, Sales Director at Goscor Cleaning Equipment (GCE), says stringent and continuous holistic cleaning regimes need to be put in place, along with the stringent COVID-19 protocols including regular cleaning of frequented touchpoints, provision of hand sanitisers, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and following social distancing practices.

As a leading provider of cleaning equipment solutions, GCE believes that it is vital for companies to deploy state-of-the-art cleaning equipment and detergents/disinfectants that achieve desired results.

“Traditional mops and cleaning towels are notorious for accumulating and spreading soils and contaminants, instead of removing them. In fact, a growing number of environmental scientists maintain that it’s actually better to not clean than to clean using ineffective methods,” says Esterhuizen.

‘No-touch’ cleaning

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, cleaning and disinfecting buildings, especially surfaces that are touched frequently, must yield maximum results and create hygienic and healthy spaces. With Kaivac’s No-Touch Cleaning® system, supplied by GCE, companies are assured of the best outcome they can trust.

In fact, scientific research has shown that cleaning and/or disinfecting surfaces is not effective without the removal of dirt/contaminants. Thus, disinfection starts with a clean surface. With that in mind, in 1997 Kaivac developed its high-flow fluid extraction (HFFE) method, known as No-Touch Cleaning®.

Designed for the worker, Kaivac’s No-Touch Cleaning® renders surfaces extremely clean, reduces cleaning times by as much as two-thirds, and is 30–60 times better than conventional cleaning methods.

“Modern instrumentation allows cleaning to be probed to a greater degree than ever before, but the removal technology is only part of the cleaning process. Built for extreme soil removal, empowering workers to clean ergonomically without touching contaminated surfaces, Kaivac No-Touch Cleaning® tech allows companies to reduce cleaning times to onethird and chemical consumption by up to 30 percent, while eliminating costs for unnecessary equipment and consumables,” says Esterhuizen.

“Ultimately the goal of cleaning is to produce an environment free of disease-causing bacteria and viruses, to avoid the spread of infectious diseases. This idea of cleaning goes beyond cleaning for appearance only and focuses on properly killing and removing bacteria, mould, parasites, allergens and viruses,” he adds.

Getting businesses ready

During level 5 lockdown, GCE remained open to support essential service companies, and with the lifting of restrictions under level 4 of the lockdown, the company is open for business to support and advise customers on a holistic cleaning approach to keep their facilities clean and healthy.

For more information call: 086 123CLEAN or email: cleaning@goscor.co.za

African Cleaning Review May/June 2020

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opinion

Making sense of coronavirus cleaning terminology

By Stefan Wagener

As the novel coronavirus – COVID-19 – has been identified as an enveloped virus, similar to influenza, we have proven cleaning methodologies and protocols that we can bring to bear as we try to combat its spread.

However, the amount of misinformation or misuse of industry terminology by official bodies and by many cleaning customers is leading to greater confusion, higher risk of spread, and a higher potential for customer dissatisfaction. Here’s what you need to explain to end-customers to ensure less risk and happier clients.

Start by defining cleaning, sanitising, and disinfecting, and explaining which is most appropriate • Cleaning is the removal of visible and invisible soiling. Cleaning prepares a surface or item for disinfection.

• Disinfection is a process that eliminates many or all pathogenic microorganisms, except bacterial spores, on inanimate objects.

• In contrast to disinfection, which is done to kill and destroy bacteria and viruses, sanitising is gentler; it just lowers the level of biological agents on an object to a safe level.

At this time, we do not know what a safe level of sanitising for COVID-19 is.

Therefore, disinfection will inactivate/ destroy the virus if the appropriate procedures and chemical applications are used.

When a customer thinks they need a ‘deep clean’ Deep cleaning means different things to different people.

The dental industry uses it for your teeth, household cleaning businesses use it for getting in all the nooks and crevices of your house, and others are now using it for COVID-19 cleaning.

This is confusing, and since there is no common definition, we need to create clarity by focusing on the ultimate outcome of each process.

For COVID-19, we need to disinfect surfaces and objects that are potentially contaminated with the virus AND are frequently touched and/or used.

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African Cleaning Review May/June 2020

Customers need to understand and be able to articulate what they want to see at the end of any process For surfaces that are soiled, we need a two-stage process: • First, surfaces are cleaned to remove soil.

• Secondly, they are disinfected with appropriate chemicals and processes. Some chemicals allow for the combination of these two processes, since they clean AND disinfect at the same time.

Select what is most suitable and approved. Very carefully read the chemical product label and follow the application protocol. Most chemicals for disinfection require the surface to stay wet for a certain dwell time to be able to destroy the virus. Also, any chemical you use might require specific personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect the user. This information is available on the safety data sheet (SDS) available for all approved disinfectants. Review this information carefully!

Professional cleaning enquiries are followed with a host of different phrases that customers likely don’t fully understand – terms like deep clean, hazard clean, emergency clean, sanitisation clean and pandemic clean.

Most locations, especially those that are not healthcare-related or occupied by high-risk citizens, are really looking for an increased frequency of cleaning and possible addition of disinfecting.

It is best to ascertain what the need is first: reduced risk of crosscontamination of high-touch surfaces,

increased peace of mind for occupants, or concern that someone in the building has tested positive and one or more areas need to be addressed.

Once you know what customers are trying to achieve, you can then turn to evaluating the current scope of work, traffic patterns (are more people working from home, is there a lot of visitor traffic, routine occupancy, etc.), to determine the best workloading of services to meet their needs.

Next, you want to explain the why as well as the what, when and how often. This ensures that the customer understands what they are getting and how it achieves their goals, even if it isn’t what they initially asked for.

Cleaning and disinfecting for COVID-19 These steps and recommendations are for community, non-healthcare facilities (e.g., schools, institutions of higher education, offices, day-care centres, businesses, community centres) that might have encountered a person with COVID-19.

• Before engaging in the process of cleaning and disinfecting an area for COVID-19, it is important to get information on the location and work requested.

• Do a site assessment (in person if possible) that allows you to determine the most appropriate process, steps, PPE, and tools.

Identify any additional hazards, such as, electrical equipment,

opinion sharp corners/objects, and your approach to mitigate these hazards.

• If cleaning and disinfecting is not required immediately, delay the process for 72 hours, with the area cordoned off to avoid entry.

After that, the number of viruses still active will have been reduced significantly.

Prepare an action plan that includes: • The entry and exit location where you stage the donning and doffing of your PPE (putting it on and taking it off), the equipment, and chemicals you’re using. It is important that you prepare your entry and exit location with, for example, bags for disposable PPE, disposable towels, cleaning and disinfecting tools, and anything else you need to safely finish off the work. Secure the ability to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after removing your PPE. If a basin is not available, have appropriate hand sanitisers available.

• Your cleaning and disinfection process, chemicals, application methods and tools, PPE and any other requirements. The minimum PPE to be worn for cleaning surfaces with potential COVID-19 contamination is disposable gloves, face masks, and an apron.

Any additional PPE like a respirator, eye and/or face protection needs to be based on the chemicals and disinfection processes being applied (for example, spraying).

Follow the abovementioned cleaning and disinfecting procedures for the area Use a two-stage process of cleaning first before disinfecting or a combined process with the appropriate chemical and dispose of all waste according to your local regulations.

Finalise your work with the appropriate checks for successful completion of the work, documentation and customer engagement.

Stefan Wagener is a member of the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC), a division of ISSA. For more free tip sheets and in-depth, ondemand training for coronavirus-specific cleaning and disinfecting, visit: www.issa.com/coronavirus

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feature hand hygiene

Practicing thorough hand hygiene is key to avoiding the virus Frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and water is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Like a cold, coronaviruses are spread through droplets from a person coughing or sneezing and potentially via contaminated surfaces. Good hygiene is key to avoiding spreading it – or catching it.

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owever, whereas hand washing has been part of the medical belief system for decades and promoted extensively by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is surprising how many people have not made it a regular habit. During 2020 with the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus around the globe, hand washing enjoys a newfound awareness. Now politicians are stressing the importance of hand washing as a key to preventing coronavirus infection and celebrities are talking about it. New memes show up on social media platforms and television programmes that are dedicated to what was once regarded as a menial task rather than what it should be – a habit.

While awareness of the importance of thorough hand hygiene has grown with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare facilities and communities are struggling to offer adequate access to hand-hygiene facilities. For public and private healthcare facilities, the WHO recommends strengthening multimodal hand-hygiene improvement programmes by providing refresher hand-hygiene training, and giving reminders and communications on the importance of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Functional hand-hygiene stations should be available to all healthcare workers at all points of care, in areas where personal protective equipment is put on or taken off, and where healthcare waste is handled. In addition, functional hand-hygiene stations should be available for all patients, family members, and visitors, and within 5 m of toilets, as well as at entrances and exits, in waiting and dining rooms, and other public places.

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According to the WHO, all public buildings, including schools, healthcare facilities, and offices, should have handhygiene stations placed at their entrances.

The WHO argues that practising thorough hand hygiene – using either soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs – can interrupt the transmission of COVID-19 and other viruses and bacteria to keep people safe from infection.

(ABHR) is only appropriate on visibly clean hands: any sign of soiling (respiratory secretions, environmental ‘dirt’, black of newsprint, soil) requires hand washing.

ABHR only kills microorganisms on our hands (if we get an exposure to the product of at least 20 seconds), it does not ‘remove’ anything and requires friction to all surfaces of the hands and nails to increase the effect of the alcohol.

Soap and water versus alcohol-based hand rub

Which to use?

Hand washing’s effectiveness to wash away viruses and other microorganisms emanates from a complete process: this is the use of soap, water, and friction. The soap is present to break down the oils on our skin, and to lift and remove ‘soil’ (dirt, dead skin debris, bacteria, viruses and oils). Water allows for the action of the soap, wetting the product and then washing the product (and soil) from our hands to a drain. Friction is a required component of hand washing, and refers to the whole rubbing and thorough rinsing process that has to be performed for at least 20 seconds. All surfaces of the skin on the hands, nails, wrists and cuticles must receive friction to remove the soil load. Drying with a paper towel also helps the effectiveness of the process. It must be noted that the removal of the skin’s natural oils can lead to skin dryness, and if frequent hand washing is expected, then a moisturising or reconditioning cream or lotion should be applied after each wash episode to help protect the skin. Damaged skin from frequent hand washing can lead to poor hand washing.

The lotion helps keep skin healthy and allows for hand washing to be effective.

The use of alcohol-based hand rub

Hand washing with soap and water remains the most effective prevention measure, together with other precautions or good hygiene practices that reduce the infection risk. If we cough or sneeze, even using a tissue, our hands can be exposed to respiratory secretions – soil – and we need to wash our hands. If we wear gloves to protect our hands (work gloves, medical grade gloves) and our hands show evidence of the gloves when they are removed (lint, debris, powder) we need to wash our hands. Many people are self-quarantining, staying or working from home, and have readily available handwashing facilities. Washing our hands in these circumstances is effective, and in this period of higher than usual demand, it leaves ABHR available for distribution among healthcare facilities. There are certain occasions where professionals or the general public will require ABHR. For instance, if we have to travel on public transport systems where there is no hand washing available, these members of the public will want to have ABHR available while in transit; once at their destination there should be readily available sinks for hand washing.

Front-line healthcare workers have contact with many surfaces (and patients)

feature hand hygiene Best practice hand-hygiene tips

that may harbour microorganisms in smaller numbers. Their hands will appear visually clean and they will use ABHR frequently to kill microorganisms on their hands. For this specific group, who is focused on saving lives, among others, time is of the essence. Also, since the use of ABHR doesn’t require water and can be performed on the go, it’s proven to be more effective, accessible and quicker-to-perform than hand washing

(when hands are visibly clean). Because of all those reasons, ABHR needs to be available in healthcare settings including hospitals, assessment clinics and medical clinics.

Prioritising for the distribution of ABHR should focus on these settings. Personal use of ABHR during a pandemic, when sinks and soap are readily available, should be limited so that ABHR stocks can be directed to healthcare settings.

• Wash hands regularly using soap and water for at least 20 seconds • Increase hand hygiene by using alcohol-based hand rubs or alternatively high-efficacy hand sanitisers • Check the label on alcohol-based rubs to ensure that you are using the appropriate amount • Place tissues in the waste bin immediately after use • Increase the frequency of cleaning high-touchpoint surfaces including door handles and workstations and in washrooms and kitchen areas • Cleaners should use gloves to protect themselves from the repeated use of harsh chemicals. Dispose of gloves regularly to avoid any contamination • Keep front-line cleaners safe with face masks and thorough, ongoing hand-hygiene education

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feature hand hygiene Germs are no match for good, old-fashioned soap, and here’s the science behind it “Soap works better than alcohol, sanitisers or disinfectants to destroy viruses because soap contains fat-like molecules known as amphiphiles.

Some amphiphile molecules are structurally similar to the fatty membrane that holds a virus together.

These similarities make the soap amphiphiles compete with the fat molecules in the virus membrane. This dissolves the membrane holding the virus together, causing the virus to fall apart and become inactive,” says Initial South Africa’s Nathalie Leblond.

Alcohol-based products also dissolve the virus’ fatty membrane, but not as effectively as soap. A fairly high concentration (60% plus) of alcohol is needed to get a rapid dissolution of the virus. Alcohol-based products are an excellent alternative when soap is not available, but should

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never replace effective handwashing and drying practices.

Initial is a specialist provider of the correct soap for specific requirements (food safe, antibacterial or regular) for use in their award-winning Signature range of dispensers that feature silverion antibacterial technology to further enhance good hand hygiene.

Initial also stresses that while you can’t beat the science of soap, you need to take adequate precautions to ensure that hands are dried properly after washing, as research has shown that damp hands spread 1 000 times more germs than dry hands*.

The options available to dry hands in a workplace washroom are usually limited to paper towels or hand dryers and have changed very little in the past 100 years. Paper towels date back to 1907, and the first electric hand dryer was patented in 1922. Science has tried – and failed – to come to a consensus about the hygienic

superiority of paper vs dryers. Several studies (nearly all funded by paper companies) claim that warm air dryers turn bathrooms into a breeding ground for bacteria, but the WHO seemingly doesn’t agree, stating that “once your hands are cleaned, you should dry them thoroughly by using paper towels or a warm air dryer.”

With specific treatments or a vaccine not yet available, preventing the spread of COVID-19 from person to person is vital to reduce the outbreak’s impact on people’s lives, health, livelihoods and the healthcare systems we all rely on. Therefore, hand hygiene has never been more important than now as a primary factor in the war to combat the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

Sources: Who.int, Diversey.com, Initial South Africa, *Patrick, D.R., Findon, G., Miller, T.E., Epidemiology and Infection

editorial creating exceptional workplaces

Keeping ourselves and others safe and well – the science behind surface wiping The current COVID-19 pandemic conditions have changed our daily lives in a short period of time. Now more than ever we all want to know that we are doing everything we can to keep ourselves and our colleagues and visitors safe and well. To ensure we can do this requires understanding the science behind surface wiping and cleaning, says Kimberly-Clark Professional™.

We want to know that the people we are in contact with have washed their hands properly and that the places we visit are as clean and as hygienic as possible. For example: Are our schools and universities clean? Will office workers clean their work surfaces properly to avoid spreading germs?

How hygienic are the surfaces in our hospitals? How many germs are found on shopping trolley handles?

Creating a more hygienic workplace, healthcare facility and place to shop and eat does not stop at the washroom.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends prioritising the daily cleaning and disinfecting of hot spots in facilities from offices, to schools, hospitals, shops and places to eat.

“Objects that are touched by many people throughout the day such as door handles, elevator buttons and shopping trolleys should be cleaned and disinfected frequently in order to break the chain of germ transmission.

But many of our customers need to think in a different way about what, how and how often they clean, to keep people safe,” says Steve Jones, General Manager (UK and Ireland), KimberlySources: *For food contact surfaces, use a food-surface safe EN registered chemical 1 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ community/guidance-business-response.html 2 U. of Arizona study by Gerba, C. 2002. First InOffice Study Dishes The Dirt on Desks.

3 Pyrek, K.M., 2014. Cross-Contamination Prevention: Addressing Keyboards as Fomites.

4 Martínez-Gonzáles, N.E., Solorzano-Ibarra, F., Cabrera-Díaz, E., Gutiérrez-González, P., MartínezChávez, L., Pérez-Montaño, J.A. and MartínezCárdenas, C., 2017. Microbial contamination on cell

Clark Professional™. “Understanding the difference between cleaning and disinfecting enables facilities to manage hygiene more effectively and prioritise frequently touched surfaces.”

Cleaning vs disinfecting Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and other impurities from surfaces or objects by using detergent (or soap and water) to physically remove them. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers germ numbers and the risk of spreading infection.

Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects by using chemicals*. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but kills germs on a surface after cleaning, thereby further reducing the risk of spreading infection.

The CDC recommends a two-step daily routine to clean frequently touched surfaces: • Step 1: clean surface with a detergent or soap and water • Step 2: disinfect the surface using an EN-registered disinfectant The CDC guidelines also recommend providing disposable wipes so that commonly used surfaces can be wiped down before each use.1 Surfaces considered to be hot spots for germs also include computer keyboards, phones and light switches. Science indicates why these surfaces need daily hygiene protocols in addition to handhygiene standards in facilities.

The average desk has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat2, a keyboard harbours 8 900 bacteria3 and a mobile phones used by undergraduate students. Canadian Journal of Infection Control, 32(4).

5,6 “Microbial contamination of hospital reusable cleaning towels,” Charles Gerba, Ph.D, etal, American Journal of Infection Control, March, 2013, WITH Engelbrecht K, D Ambrose, L Sifuentes, C Gerba, I Weart, DW Koenig. 2013.

Decreased Germicidal Activity of Commercially Available Disinfectants Containing Quaternary Ammonium Compounds when Exposed to Cotton Towels. American Journal of Infection Control.

41 (10), 908-911. Sifuentes LY, CP Gerba, I Weart, K Engelbrecht, and DW Koenig. 2013. Microbial

phone harbours 6 300 bacteria4. In healthcare facilities, 67 percent of soap buckets tested harboured bacteria5, and 93 percent of cleaning towels sampled contained live bacteria6.

A study by Dr Charles Gerba on shopping trollies found E.coli on almost half of those tested. These germs may be transferred from the trolley to hands, to food and the face.7 With adults touching 7 200 surfaces8 and touching their face 552 times in the span of 24 hours,9 it is obvious why – and considering the current pandemic – tougher hygiene protocols are required. While placing hand sanitiser and signage in offices and common areas is a step in the right direction, studies show it simply is not enough to make a real impact.

No matter which surface areas people come into contact with throughout the day, give your employees, visitors, patients and customers greater peace of mind by providing proven cleaning and disinfecting solutions to help break the chain of germ transmission. In the midst of change, creating exceptional workplaces includes doing everything you can to ensure that we all use proper hand-hygiene protocols and that shared surfaces are clean and hygienic.

For more information about how to make your facility truly exceptional – a place where everyone feels equipped and empowered to contribute to a more hygienic environment – visit our hand and surface cleaning page. https://home.kcprofessional.com/ZA_Healthy_ Workplace_Cleaning_LP_0420 Contamination of Hospital Reusable Cleaning Towels.American Journal of Infection Control.

41 (10), 912-915.

7 Bacterial contamination of shopping carts and approaches to control Gerba C.P., Maxwell S. (2012) Food Protection Trends, 32 (12) , pp. 747-749.

8 Zhang, N., Li, Y. and Huang, H., 2018. Surface touch and its network growth in a graduate student office. Indoor air, 28(6), pp.963-972.

9 A frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene Kwok, Yen Lee Angela et al. 2015.

American Journal of Infection Control, Volume 43, Issue 2, 112 – 114.

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editorial Tork

Tork launches ‘Safe at Work’ toolkit to help front-line workers

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as the ‘Year of the Nurse and Midwife’. This year also marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of the founding figures for modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, who implemented handwashing practices in the war hospital in which she worked, reducing infections.

In the years that have passed, hand hygiene has remained a crucial protection against the spread of viruses. Proper hand-hygiene techniques can remove viruses on your hands and are therefore considered one of the most important methods of preventing more people from falling ill.

The Safe at Work: COVID-19 Healthcare Toolkit from Tork aims to support workers on the front line fighting against COVID-19, such as healthcare professionals, cleaners and environmental services (EVS) staff by providing resources that contribute to boosting overall hygiene.

Essity Marketing Director Tom Bergin said: “According to the WHO, clean hands are key for healthcare professionals to stop the spread of diseases and infections, meaning clean hands really make all the difference. As an act of appreciation, we have launched the Safe at Work: COVID-19 Healthcare Toolkit. We want to support healthcare professionals in these extremely challenging times”.

In the toolkit, healthcare professionals, cleaners and EVS staff can find training in proper handwashing and hand-sanitising procedure as well as downloadable instruction posters. According to a global study among healthcare professionals, one of the most common complaints

from healthcare professionals regarding their hand-hygiene training is that it is too theoretical (21%). For a more hands-on approach, the Tork VR Clean Hands training app can help refresh hand-hygiene training for all. Information on how to use this free app can be found in the toolkit.

“The people at the front line, be it nurses, doctors, cleaners or environmental service staff, are all doing incredible work. As a provider of professional hygiene products and services, we are happy to provide the Safe at Work: COVID-19 Healthcare Toolkit.

This is one way, among many others, for us to support healthcare professionals so they can protect themselves and their patients in these critical times”, concludes Bergin.

The new Safe at Work toolkit is available for free and can be accessed by everyone at: https:// www.tork.co.za/torkcampaigns/corona-virus For additional information contact Kirsty Collard: kirsty.collard@essity.com

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facilities management review

Do’s and don’ts of office cleaning to protect returning staff Business owners need to ensure that their workspaces are properly cleaned and thoroughly cleansed before employees report for duty following the lifting of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. This is according to professional cleaning service provider Fidelity Cleaning Services, reacting to the government’s announcement to move lockdown from level 5 to level 4.

“I

t is expected that large numbers of workers will be able to return to work, but it is critical to ensure that their workspaces are properly cleansed and that hygiene measures are kept at the highest possible level to prevent the possible transmission of the coronavirus,” says Fidelity Services Group CEO, Wahl Bartmann.

Efforts are continuing around the world to find a cure for the coronavirus.

While these efforts continue, Bartmann encourages business owners and employees to make good personal hygiene habits part of their daily lives especially when they are back at work.

“The COVID-19 virus is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes or exhales. These droplets are too heavy to hang in the air, and quickly fall to the floor or other surfaces, which makes regular and thorough cleaning and disinfecting more important than ever before,” says Bartmann.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have both released valuable advice on how employers and employees can take steps to control and prevent the spread of the coronavirus at the workplace.

“Our efforts to assist our customers across the country are based on these guidelines and on the advice provided by local health authorities in South Africa. Social distancing measures should also be part of this for the foreseeable future,” says Bartmann.

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Workplace hygiene guidance for employers • Make sure your workplaces are clean and hygienic – surfaces that are touched regularly (such as door handles, desks, tables, phones and keyboards) need to be wiped down and disinfected regularly.

• Promote regular and thorough hand washing by employees, contractors, and customers – position sanitising hand-rub dispensers in prominent places around the workplace. Dispensers to be refilled at regular intervals.

• Display posters promoting hand washing – informational and educational posters can be downloaded from a number of websites, such as the South African government and the CDC. Combine this with other communication measures such as offering guidance from occupational health and safety officers, briefings at internal meetings, and information on intranet sites to promote hand washing.

• Ensure that face masks and paper tissues are available at your workplaces for those who develop a runny nose or cough at work, along with closed bins for hygienically disposing of them.

• Encourage video conferencing or conference calls – while the country works to curb the spread of the coronavirus, it is better to avoid contact meetings.

• Hope for the best, but plan for the worst – ensure that you have accurate contact details for any employee or visitor on hand, so that everyone can be traced and contacted in case of an infection that occurs to anyone that visits your workplace. Allocate a room or a space where anyone that possibly thinks they have fallen ill can be kept isolated until they can be transported safely for medical treatment if this become necessary.

“Our cleaning crews have received special training to ensure that they know exactly how to behave when visiting customers’ places of work. We are following guidance measures set down by the British Institute of Cleaning Services, and all staff are provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) before they go to work or clean infected areas,” says Bartmann.

Basic cleaning and disinfecting tips that companies and business owners should follow: • Clean surfaces using soap and water. Practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.

High-touch surfaces include tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, etc. Once the area has been cleaned, use a disinfectant.

• Carefully follow the instructions of the cleaning and disinfecting products used, as some products encourage that surfaces remain wet for a period of time before it is dried.

facilities management review • Disinfectant products with an alcohol content of a minimum of 70 percent is recommended.

• For soft surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes, clean the surface using soap and water or with cleaners appropriate for use on these surfaces.

• For electronics, such as tablets, touch screens, keyboards, and remote controls, consider fitting a wipeable cover on electronics.

• For clothing, towels, linens and other items – launder items according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely. Wear

disposable gloves when handling dirty laundry from a person who is unwell.

“My advice to any business owner is to make sure they have put the best possible measures in place to protect employees and customers. If you have any doubt about the measures you have taken, get in contact with your local health authority.

“It is also important to stay appraised of the government’s latest announcements and regulations issued in the fight against the coronavirus,” concludes Bartmann.

Wahl Bartmann

Fidelity Cleaning Services is a member of the Fidelity Services Group.

educational

Hotel industry adapting to meet new health and safety concerns during COVID-19 In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the hospitality industry is adapting to meet new health and safety concerns. Airbnb has introduced mandatory vacancy periods between guest stays. Cruising is on hold, thanks to a no-sail order from the CDC. Hotels, too, have begun dealing with COVID-19 on many fronts. Changes are being made to housekeeping procedures, food safety, and guest check-in and check-out, according to The Washington Post.

I

ndustry giants Hilton and Marriott both announced new efforts at their combined 48 brands, spanning more than 100 countries, to consult with experts and implement new ways to enhance guest safety. Hyatt, for its part, had already set up “cross-functional, global response teams” to supply guidance on cleanliness and health issues, according to its website.

As with most global restrictions right now, we don’t yet know whether these changes will be temporary or stay in effect long term. But here’s a look at what hotel brands are doing to take extra precautions for now:

Enhanced disinfecting protocols The most basic (and expected) changes that hotels are implementing?

More cleaning. Marriott’s new Global Cleanliness Council, for instance, is requiring the use of ‘hospital-grade’ disinfectants in public spaces and guest rooms. Among the proposals for Hilton’s programme, a partnership with the Mayo Clinic and Lysol-maker Reckitt Benckiser that’s launching in June, are requirements that public spaces and 10 specific ‘high-touch’ areas be cleaned even more frequently. Beyond that, hotels are experimenting with new sanitation technology, too.

Both Hilton and Marriott are in the process of introducing equipment like electrostatic sprayers and testing ultraviolet-light technology on hotel items.

In Texas, the New York Times reported, the Westin Houston Medical Center is using “LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots”.

Making cleaning clearer Some hotels now may be more visible in their cleaning procedures as well.

“We’ve heard this idea of ‘housekeeping theatre,’” said Phil Cordell, Hilton’s global head of new brand development. “You go to a Benihana and they’re cooking the meal right in front

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educational of you. So maybe it’s not that dramatic, but customers want to feel like they can sense what’s up. They walk through the commercial area of a hotel and they see the frequent cleaning with a well-known product of high-touch areas in the lobby.”

As part of that push for more transparency, the Hilton housekeeping procedures will include the placement of a room seal on the door to indicate that a room has been cleaned and left vacant since.

More sanitising tools for guests Marriott is stocking guest rooms with disinfecting wipes and installing more hand-sanitiser stations in communal areas of its hotels.

“Marriott is also evaluating adding partitions at front desks to provide an extra level of precaution for our guests and associates and is working with

supply chain partners to make masks and gloves available to associates,” a company statement said. Hilton is adding stations of disinfecting wipes in “key high-traffic areas,” including at elevators.

But it’s also strategically subtracting: Hotels will remove pens, paper and the guest directory from rooms, with digital alternatives “available upon request.”

Contact-free check-in and room access With social distancing so pivotal in preventing COVID-19’s spread, reducing contact with others is a priority. For hotels, that means tweaks to the check-in process are, too. More than 3 200 Marriott hotels are offering guest check-in and room access through their smartphones. Those guests can also use their phones to order room service or make other hotel requests.

Hilton, meanwhile, is expanding its Digital Key service, allowing guests to check-in and enter their rooms using their smartphones.

Employee health precautions Under its new initiative, Hilton workers will “be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) and enhanced training,” the chain said. Marriott says it is “working” to provide masks and gloves to its employees; as an extra barrier for staff and guests alike, it is also looking into adding partitions atop its front desks.

As for other countries? Hotels in Singapore, for one, are abiding by the government’s ‘SG Clean’ certification programme, which mandates temperature and health screenings for employees.

Fogging as a sanitisation technique In recent times, clients, the public and service providers have been made more aware of the risks of germs and are, therefore, exploring better weapons in the war against infection. This article by Ashley White, Commercial and Safety Manager at cleaning and FM services specialist Nviro, demystifies fogging as a sanitisation technique.

C

hemical or bio-fogging has been around a long time as a way of sanitising interior spaces in buildings. But what once was a highly specialised (and costly) cleaning technique for clean rooms, hospitals and the food-processing sector is now seeping into the mainstream.

There are various factors spreading its appeal. As in other areas of cleaning, the progress made in developing new chemical treatments has been remarkable. Historically, various chemicals including formaldehyde, phenol-based agents and compounds of ammonium have been used in fogging.

Many had not been properly tested for

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potential effects on human health, some were toxic and others even damaged materials they came into contact with.

Advances in biocidal technology have bypassed these problems so that biofogging is now known to be both safe and effective. In practical terms, not only is it now far more straightforward to carry out fogging, we can demonstrate how effective it is through simple before and after tests, using ATP (adenosine triphosphate) monitors. The other big factor is the growing demand for infection control and enhanced cleaning services. As a society we are now all too aware of the risks posed by the winter Norovirus vomiting bug, MRSA infections

in hospitals, and the less regular but potentially lethal swine and bird flu pandemics. At times of heightened risk, hand sanitisers moved from hospital entrances into corporate offices, and are now increasingly commonplace.

Managing these risks falls increasingly on the facilities manager, in particular where they serve large employers. They understand the impact on their business of high levels of sickness, which runs to hundreds of millions of pounds each year in the UK. The employee well-being agenda has focused further attention on how the workplace is serviced, and on the importance of cleaning, indoor air quality and hygiene.

educational From schools and universities to ferry terminals, premises managers are responding to these higher expectations and their organisation’s duty of care to staff, students, passengers and everyone using their facilities.

As well as the threat of disruption to any organisation and financial loss to business, there is the risk of reputational damage too, especially if the response to an outbreak is slow or ineffectual.

Parallel to these developments, the more enlightened FM and cleaning service providers are expanding and enhancing their capabilities to support FMs and their goals, including more healthy workplaces.

What is fogging and how does it work?

Fogging is somewhat misleading as a term as the most common form does not create a fog as such. Chemical or wet fogging produces a fine mist, whereas dry fogging – more often used where there’s a lot of electrical equipment – does fill the room being treated with smoke.

Both methods operate on the same principles The biocide particles in the mist or fog are so small that they remain suspended in the air long enough to kill airborne viruses and bacteria. The biocide also eliminates pathogens on surfaces, including ceilings and walls as well as furniture and floors.

An advantage with fogging is that the sanitising agent reaches areas that may be difficult to clean with other techniques. Penetration into some nooks and crannies may be limited by obstacles, but in most cases it’s not necessary to move furniture or equipment around before or during the cleaning process.

Previously, the chemicals used in fogging could adversely affect materials such as plastic, fabrics and metal – causing corrosion over time – this is no longer a concern.

Is fogging practical and safe?

The fogging process is rapid and efficient.

FMs will probably be aware that formerly, an area might be sealed off for days at a time for fogging. Now sanitisation takes a matter of minutes. To avoid disruption and

risk of allergic reactions, areas do need to be clear of people. So it should be done outside of working or opening hours – overnight, for example.

While the biocide is not toxic, there is always a risk of allergic or other reactions for those present during the fogging operation. A responsible contractor will ensure that staff wear the recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) for the agent used.

We favour a water-based anti-microbial that is non-hazardous, clear and odourless, non-corrosive, harmless to the environment and requires no rinsing.

No special requirements apply either for protection against spillages or during handling or storage.

Testing is as easy as ATP Can it be effective?

An effective biocide will target a wide spectrum of microbes and the results of testing bear out the claims that chemical fogging is capable of eliminating all pathogens.

For example, we recommend a solution using four different biocides so that a bacterium with resistance to one agent will be eliminated by the others.

This biocide is effective against a wide range of microbes, including E. coli, MRSA, C. difficile, listeria, salmonella and Legionella pneumophilia.

Of course, the mist must reach the target areas and in sufficient quantities to sterilise surfaces. Evidence strips are used for this purpose.

And the evidence from our monitoring is that fogging gets to work immediately and the benefits are surprisingly enduring.

How do you test?

Cleaning standards should always be monitored. When it comes to sanitisation, performance needs to be measured scientifically. It’s now relatively simple to do this by testing for microbes using a hand-held monitor that measures ATP. Moreover, FMs can share this information with senior managers, including those responsible for HR and occupational health, to justify cleaning spend.

The ATP molecule is found in and around living cells. It’s used as a direct measure of biological concentrations and health. A luminometer gives us a reliable indication of ATP levels (see image).

A luminometer uses a naturally occurring firefly enzyme called luciferase that reacts with ATP. The light produced by this reaction is directly proportional to the amount of ATP present in the sample.

In layman’s terms, this means we can accurately gauge the concentration of living cells on a surface. Without sending off a swab to a microbiologist for analysis, you can’t tell what these cells are, and most will be harmless.

For example, it is not unusual for a human hand to produce a count of between 500 and 800.

But this form of monitoring is a far more reliable indicator of cleanliness than relying on visual inspections, smell or cleaning task checklists.

The steps involved in an effective ATP testing regime are to: • Identify control points: a range of direct and indirect contact points, including areas that are easier and harder to clean.

• Clean surfaces to the specified standard of the daily sanitation programme – and perform a deep clean in advance of fogging.

• Conduct an ATP test at each location. If possible, take 5–10 repeat tests over several days.

• Determine the pass limit by calculating the average reading for each point.

• Determine the fail limit: multiply the pass limit by three.

• Determine the caution zone: this is the range between the pass and fail thresholds.

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educational Repeat the ATP tests after fogging and again over several weeks, or months, as appropriate.

Normal practice is to test for ATP before and after fogging. We have carried out multiple trials at our own offices and at client sites. These have shown a very dramatic decline in ATP counts.

It’s also significant that repeat tests several weeks after fogging indicate that the biocide prevents much of the usual contamination or at least limits the rate at which cultures redevelop.

Our tests have shown that the chemical continues to act as an effective bactericide and virucide after application to prevent future outbreaks. Chemical suppliers claim the residual efficacy of a fogging agent can extend into months and longer. But this will depend on exposure to re-contamination and other factors.

To give an example, after half the pupils in a community school were struck down with what proved to be the Norovirus, we carried out an extensive fogging programme. ATP testing showed that the treatment had been effective. Subsequent random tests afterwards indicated that counts were still very low – with one exception, a cuddly toy in the infants’ play area.

While there was no reason to assume

that harmful bacteria were responsible, steam cleaning of the toy was recommended.

Not only is it relatively quick, causing minimal disruption, the results are immediate and the benefits are potentially significant and long-lasting.

The drawbacks of fogging We see bio-fogging as a highly effective weapon in our armoury of cleaning techniques, but it’s not a silver bullet.

In the first instance, a thorough cleaning is required in advance of fogging or its impact could be curbed.

The biocide vapour needs to make contact with the microorganisms on a surface to kill them. If dirt, debris, wet patches or some other material are covering parts of a surface, then these areas may not be sanitised. So we recommend that fogging is carried out in conjunction with a deep clean.

FMs also need to consider measures such as air sanitisers that use UV light and other techniques to decontaminate and deodorise air in washrooms and elsewhere.

Another issue is cost. Fogging is not a cheap option. The chemicals are more expensive than common cleaning solutions. It also requires an investment by the cleansing services provider in fogger machines, ATP meters and in monitoring and training.

But we believe that fogging is costeffective as a sanitisation technique.

When and where is fogging justified?

The most obvious scenario is the response to an infectious outbreak. But given the benefits of sanitisation, and the heavy cost to organisations and people in lost output, disruption and welfare when infection spreads, we recommend having areas fogged twice a year to achieve a good level of protection.

That advice is especially useful where people may be more vulnerable to bacterial or viral infection. This would include the infirm in care homes or children in nurseries, but also other groups, such as university students in halls of residence.

Fogging and other sanitisation measures should also feature in contingency planning for the winter season and other times of heightened risk.

All of us responsible for managing or cleaning the buildings where people work, study, visit or live need to be prepared to combat a germ attack, preferably by repelling it.

For more information visit: www.nviro.co.uk

Questioning the viability and efficacy of disinfectant tunnels and spraying outdoor areas

The increasing trend of erecting sanitising booths/disinfectant tunnels at the entrances of transport hubs, shops, malls and workplaces to combat COVID-19 infections begs more questions than answers.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the spraying of individuals with disinfectants (such as

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in a tunnel, cabinet, or chamber) is not recommended under any circumstances.

This practice could be physically and psychologically harmful and would not reduce an infected person’s ability to spread the virus through droplets or contact. Even if someone who is infected with COVID-19 passes through a disinfection tunnel or chamber, as soon as they start speaking, coughing or sneezing they can still spread the virus.

The toxic effect of spraying with chemicals such as chlorine on individuals can lead to eye and skin irritation, bronchospasm due to inhalation, and potentially gastrointestinal effects such as nausea and vomiting.

In outdoor spaces, WHO does not recommend large-scale spraying or fumigation in areas such as streets,

transport hubs or open market places for the COVID-19 virus or other pathogens. Streets and sidewalks are not considered as routes of infection for COVID-19. Spraying disinfectants, even outdoors, can be noxious for people’s health and cause eye, respiratory or skin irritation or damage.

This practice will be ineffective since the presence of dirt or rubbish for example, inactivates the disinfectant, and manual cleaning to physically remove all matter is not feasible.

This is even less effective on porous surfaces such as sidewalks and unpaved walkways. Even in the absence of dirt or rubbish, it is unlikely that chemical spraying would adequately cover surfaces allowing the required contact time to inactivate pathogens.

editorial Hako Hako Scrubmaster B/E8 The new ultra-compact class for cleaning confined areas Working in areas such as restaurants, canteens, sanitary facilities or small retail shops with confined floor spaces or furnished with tables and chairs is a real challenge for cleaning equipment. With its compact dimensions, 33 cm working width, 8-litre capacity (each) solution and recovery tanks and a flexible operating handle, the new Scrubmaster B/E8 provides superior results in exactly those areas that can’t be accessed by conventional scrubberdryers.

Superior performance in small areas Thanks to its compact and highly manoeuvrable design, the new walk-behind Scrubmaster B/E8 scrubber-dryer cleans both forwards and backwards with optimum efficiency, as well as close to walls and edges. Different cylindrical brushes and pads are available to meet individual cleaning requirements, and the brush pressure can be adjusted as well. It is equipped with a lithium-ion battery providing between 60- and 120-minutes’ running time, depending on the variant. Alternatively, the mains-powered version (E8) is equipped with a 15 m cable.

When working in Silent Mode this cleaning machine features a noise level of only 54 db.

Ingenious ideas for increased comfort In addition to the machine‘s excellent cleaning performance, the Scrubmaster B/E8 scores with high levels of operating comfort. The cleaning process starts at the push of a button and maintaining the machine is just as easy. Thanks to the brush wear indicator, the cylindrical brush can be checked quickly and easily. Changing the brush requires just as little effort and no tools at all. Changing the lithium-ion battery (Scrubmaster B8) is particularly easy as well. A dosing aid integrated into the tank cover helps the operator to always use just the right amount of cleaning chemicals, which reduces both the consumption of chemicals and the costs for cleaning detergents. The removable recovery tank allows for easy cleaning of the machine when the job is done. The foldable operating handle allows for the new Scrubmaster B/E8 to be quickly transported to the next site in the boot of a car.

For pre-orders and further information on the new Scrubmaster B/E8 contact Antony Saincic, Hako Operations Manager: antonys@eiegroup.co.za, Tel: 011 922 0000, Cell: 079 418 1318, www.eiegroup.co.za

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feature floorcare

The link between floors and superbugs The problem with floors is gravity. You walk on floors and everything that falls to the earth also lands on the floor and is walked upon. Then the dirt and soils are stuck to the bottom of your shoes, and as you walk, you are tracking that dirt everywhere. When looking at cleaning in most buildings, removing dirt from the floor is just a part of the challenges of a cleaner’s life. However, in hospitals, the problems can become much more complex and dangerous, according to Dr Greg S. Whiteley, chairman of Whiteley Corporation.

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efore we open that little can of worms, let’s review some of the latest news on the so-called ‘superbugs’. And by ‘superbug’ we mean the multi-drug-resistant microbes that don’t respond to antibiotics.

These superbugs are also referred to as antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) superbugs, and they are deadly.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, has released an updated report (2019) on AMR/superbugs. The CDC advised that the number of superbugs has increased from 18 (in 2013) to 21 (in 2019). The highest level of concern at the top section of the list has expanded from three to five superbugs. People with infections from these bad bugs often end up in a hospital and many of those people die.

Healthcare settings In hospital or healthcare facility cleaning settings, we must clean in such a way to combat the normal soiling that drops from everyone, every day. For example, each and every day, everybody sheds around 50 million skin cells. That soil load is in addition to the normal dirt that gets tracked into a hospital. Cleaning away all of this human debris is a constant challenge for any cleaning process.

However, when a patient has contracted a superbug it will be present on the person’s skin cells, which is very concerning. This is because the skin cells fall off and the superbugs with them, where they can circulate throughout the hospital. Bugs from a sick person resting in a hospital bed may be spread – ending up to 11

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metres from the bed in just one day!

Now for many years it was thought that if the bad bugs (superbugs) are on the floor – with all of the other many, many bugs and dirt – then what’s the big worry? It’s not as if the patient gets lifted out of the bed and rolled around on the floor.

Colonisation issues The concern is that the superbugs on the floor can end up in a bed with another patient, where they can transfer onto that patient’s skin and spread. This is commonly referred to as patient ‘colonisation’. Terrifyingly, when a patient is colonised with a superbug, it is a silent and ominous event, and nobody rings a warning bell. It just happens silently, and many people who get colonised are completely unaware of the problem.

Being colonised with a superbug poses an elevated risk of infection, but infection doesn’t always happen, and there is a very low risk of death from skin colonisation in and of itself. But colonised patients shed the superbugs just as much as an infected patient with the same superbug. And because the colonisation is silent, the shedding of skin cells with superbugs included is a silent risk inside the hospital.

However, it gets truly horrific for any patient, if the superbug moves from the patient’s skin into a wound, a catheter, a cannula, or a respiratory device.

That is when the bug has moved from colonisation into an infection state.

With many of the superbugs, the risk of death arising from a superbug infection can often be as high as 50 percent

(from within 90 days of the onset of infection).

How do the bugs jump from the floor and onto the patient? A recent study from the team led by Dr Curtis J Donskey (Case Western Reserve University) observed two critical issues. The first is that 41 percent of occupied hospital rooms had an item that touched the floor at some point.

These items were then returned to the patient level without any cleaning or disinfecting action. These included articles of clothing, the TV remote, the call buzzer, and other commonly used items. The second significant finding from the study was the frequency of C. diff spores, MRSA, and VRE contaminating the hospital floors.

Dr Donskey was able to show that superbugs on the floor could grab onto the dropped items and then be lifted up to the bed level to make contact with the patient. The bad bugs get a free ride from the floor up to the patient level, where a new victim awaits.

But wait, there’s more… two other studies have shown the danger of non-slip bed socks which are handed out to patients within hospitals. A study in England showed that from 54 pairs of non-slip bed socks collected from patients in a hospital, there were 46 pairs (85%) that had gathered up at least one superbug.

A separate study from Australia demonstrated that in just five minutes of walking around on a hospital floor, non-slip socks were very efficient at picking up the superbugs from the floor and then transferring these onto hospital sheets.

feature floorcare In hospital or healthcare facility cleaning settings, we must clean in such a way to combat the normal soiling that drops from everyone, every day. For example, each and every day, everybody sheds around 50 million skin cells. That soil load is in addition to the normal dirt that gets tracked into a hospital. Cleaning away all of this human debris is a constant challenge for any cleaning process.

Please note that the socks collected the superbugs from the floor, and then they were transferred via the socks into the bed with the patient.

Could it be that they all lived happily ever after? Unfortunately, no, because those bad bugs, the superbugs, simply found someone else on which they could live. And once they are on the skin, these same superbugs have an extraordinary capacity to move around, and into places that are normally moist and covered such as the underarms, genitals, and groin.

A recent medical commentary has noted: “Rectal colonisation with ESBL

producing Enterobacteriaceae (these bad bugs are in the top five of the CDC superbugs lists) is associated with increased risk of hospital-acquired pneumonia, bacteraemia, and urinary tract infection with the same organism.”

(Stewart et al, Microbiol Aust 2019.) So the superbugs can move to the bottom, to the top, and back again.

Therefore, it’s extremely important to keep the superbugs far away from the patients. And it turns out that the floor is a critical concern and must be maintained, clean and free from superbugs. If the superbugs are allowed to get onto the patient at bed level, and then onto the patient’s skin, there is a heightened risk of infection which can put the patient’s life in jeopardy.

Importance of cleaning Cleaning suddenly comes into focus as a critical, lifesaving intervention.

But there is one proviso, which is that the cleaning process (materials and method together) must be proven to be effective. This is a difficult challenge in hospital cleaning.

Another study by Dr Donskey’s group, published in 2013, demonstrated that improperly used wipes could easily spread C. diff spores from place to place via the wipe itself. The misused

wipe becomes the mechanism of transfer for a life-threatening superbug.

We could go into another bunch of published studies of events where the cleaning process simply moved the bugs from one place to another and never removed or killed the superbugs, but we have run out of space for this first article.

The only logical conclusion is that we need better quality control of cleaning.

This quality-control challenge affects both the materials used (equipment and chemicals) and the methods used to achieve the cleaning process. This is a quality challenge, and while productionrates-based methods will assist with cost control, they are useless when it comes to quality control.

Cleaning in healthcare is, without a doubt, the most important cleaning challenge facing our sector. So, make sure those floors get properly cleaned because patients’ lives depend on it!

Whiteley Corporation is committed to worldleading research and innovative product development in the field of hygiene, cleaning and infection control products. Dr Whiteley is the chairman of Australian-based Whiteley Corporation. For more information visit: www.whiteley.com.au

Promote your company in The Source of Workplace Hygiene Solutions!

Reach your target market cost effectively by advertising in African Cleaning Review. The direct link to end users, building service contractors, FM service providers and key institutional sectors.

Contact us for more information regarding cost-effective advertising options: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za | www.africancleaningreview.co.za

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feature floorcare

Stepping up healthcare hygiene from the floor up

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he challenges in delivering consistently hygienic cleaning in the healthcare sector are considerable. Budgets are tight, while there is a growing demand for services.

Gordon McVean, International Sales and Marketing Director of Truvox International, offers advice on how to achieve both hygiene and high efficiency in healthcare floor cleaning.

Hygiene-control procedures often focus on hand washing and common touchpoints. But floors accumulate and spread toxins too. Routine cleaning must deliver consistently reliable standards of cleanliness day in, day out, to prevent soils underfoot being tracked through the building with the risk of eventual cross-contamination of hands, equipment and other surfaces.

In our experience, that usually involves a mix of scrubber-dryers and rotary machines. Yet it’s still surprisingly common to see hand mops in use, not just in toilets and wet rooms, but other areas as well.

Even with microfibre mop heads, standards of cleanliness are compromised as soiled solutions in buckets are recirculated and inadequate pressure fails to dislodge embedded dirt – in the grout lines of tiled floors, for example. This labour-intensive method compounds the false economy of using cheap tools. Even cramped spaces and cubicles are no justification for a mop when compact scrubber-dryers offer a more efficient and effective alternative.

Versatile machines It is the scrubber-dryer’s versatility that is so often crucial to cost-effective hygienic cleaning in a busy environment where there is a constant battle against infections.

A powerful, cordless, batterypowered scrubber-dryer that cleans nearly every type of floor, creates a practical floor-care solution. A good option is a model that can wash, mop, scrub and dry hard and soft

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floor coverings in a single pass, like the multi-purpose scrubber-dryers in our Multiwash range. Machines that enable you to easily change and colour code the brushes for different areas will prevent cross-contamination while providing outstanding cleaning results.

Machines should apply clean solution to the floor, and remove soils and used solution, leaving a surface that’s dry and safe to walk on in minutes. The rotating cylindrical brushes of a scrubber-dryer are particularly effective when it comes to cleaning deep into grout lines where bacteria can easily multiply. An optional side brush enables cleaning to skirting-board level, which is especially important with safety flooring, which tends to curve up the wall before it finishes, and in places like wet rooms.

Ergonomically designed, the machine should be easy and comfortable to operate, even on long shifts. The smallest model in our range, the Multiwash II 240 is ideal for confined spaces, while the cordless, batterypowered Multiwash II 340 Pump/ Battery works even more quietly and adaptably.

A bonus is that the modern scrubberdryer can economise on the use of water and solutions, aiding efficiency further.

Polishers and burnishers Faced with large areas of hard flooring, another option that healthcare teams often rely on are rotary machines.

Operating at speeds of around 1500 rpm, high-speed rotaries will burnish large areas rapidly to a high sheen.

But when traffic can lead to heavy soiling and impacted dirt, low-speed rotary machines come into their own.

They offer a more versatile and effective choice when it comes to taking on a range of tasks, from scrubbing to stripping floors, for spray cleaning or even sanding wooden surfaces. They can also serve to buff floors to remove scuff marks and dirt, or for producing a quick shine with some polish.

Gordon McVean

Hourly outputs up to 475 m2 can be achieved at speeds of 200–400 rpm, with single-disc machines that combine exceptional handling with low vibration levels, so operators maintain high productivity even on long shifts. A high pad/brush pressure and optional solution tank for wet scrubbing ensures effective cleaning in all situations – as well as intensive maintenance duties.

Putting health and safety first Health and safety practices are key both for cleaning operatives and the people in the premises while they are being cleaned. Whichever machines you use, quietness is an issue that must be addressed. This is an important issue in hospitals or care homes where noise can be an unwelcome and distracting intrusion, as well as a health hazard.

Cordless battery-powered machines with no trailing leads will be less likely to cause trips or falls, and they must also leave floors clean, dry and ready to walk on in a matter of minutes.

Cleaning operatives also appreciate the freedom of working without the stop-start of plugging and unplugging machines and finding the nearest electrical wall socket.

Lighter machines are also vital to occupational health, especially where they have to be transported in lifts to other floors. Machines must be well balanced and easy to handle, combined with simple and easy to use controls, making them comfortable to operate and manoeuvre. This means that more equipment can be carried in smaller vans at a lower cost.

Ergonomic design and adjustable handles, combined with built-in safety features, make machines versatile and easy to use with powerful low-level motors that allow ease of access in busy areas and under furniture.

For more information on Truvox’s comprehensive range of floor-cleaning machines visit: www.truvox.com

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laundry review

Smart dispensers are transforming the wash process Future proof

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or a facility manager faced with increasing volumes of laundry, innovative technology and equipment – like dispensing systems – offer the best solution to keep up with demand. Advances in sensors, computing power and connectivity are making dispensers smarter, delivering additional benefits to laundry facilities.

Notwithstanding the size of a laundry, tools are now available to improve textile care, enhance safety and reduce the environmental impact.

A key requirement of successful laundry management is to understand what advanced equipment is already available and to stay informed on any developing capabilities. There is a diverse range of compact and cost-effective systems to investigate. The best laundry dispensing systems feature technology to simplify the installation process, reduce maintenance and enhance cleaning results, according to Hydro Systems.

These include low voltage machine interfaces, pre-wired systems and Auto Formula Select. Recent developments also allow certain systems to provide accurate chemical and water measurements to optimise cleaning results, reduce rewash rates and improve productivity.

Getting connected The Internet of Things (IoT) – a network of connected devices delivering data in real time – is forging new paths for many industries, and chemical dispensing systems in laundry facilities are no exception. The IoT provides remote monitoring and control capabilities,

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making it possible to keep tabs on chemical dispensing, even when you are not on site.

Smart dispensers ensure there is always adequate water supply and that chemical doses are delivered precisely, 100 percent of the time. Safety checks can be employed to protect equipment, employees and an entire plant. For example, if a leak arises, you will receive an alert from the dispenser and can take immediate action. Promptly stopping the leak reduces the risks of damage or needless downtime. Such dispensers also increasingly use sensors to check and monitor information such as the temperature of a load or the flow of chemistry, further consolidating integration with the washer.

Performance enhancing Laundries typically rely on employees or their chemical provider to make chemical, water or machine adjustments, but this time-consuming responsibility can now be controlled by dispensers.

The IoT tracks production processes and handles automated adjustments to dispense chemicals based on feedback from an accurate flow meter. This improves cleaning while reducing costs and waste caused by rewashing.

Data from sensors provides unique insight into the laundry process. The opportunities to take a closer look at key performance indicators like chemical usage by formula, volume of washes and average projection rate are better than ever before. This valuable information allows facilities to identify errors, reduce their recurrence and improve productivity.

Connected dispensers already focus on remote monitoring, reducing downtime and delivering important data on chemical consumption, but this is only the start. There is a competitive advantage to be gained from knowing what to expect and what to look for in new dispensing equipment. Chemical dispensing manufacturers are bringing the future closer through, for example: • Automated inventory management. Taking inventory is a task with few volunteers.

Consequently, this often results in ordering too much or too little product. With dispensers taking on this job, laundries could improve the accuracy of their inventory management. By integrating chemical usage data into enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, laundry management systems or customer relationship management (CRM) software packages, dispensers could detect when a certain amount of chemical usage is below a designated threshold and automatically trigger an order for more.

• Predictive maintenance. When a dispenser or washer requires maintenance, it’s not always obvious.

Unplanned maintenance can result in downtime and costly replacements.

However, dispensers may one day be able to provide predictive maintenance on downstream equipment by analysing data and recommending repairs and upkeep before problems arise.

• Load-by-load data. Advanced dispensers may be able to log data for every wash for compliance purposes and to provide proof of sanitation. Having access to this data, from the weight to the temperature or pH of each load, will help laundries better manage operations and stay organised.

• Data analysis. With more data comes more responsibility and quantities of information, which many laundry managers may find intimidating. The likelihood is that chemical dispensing manufacturers will expand their services to

laundry review include assistance in analysing and interpreting this raw data. They might also provide consulting and educational programmes to help managers and employees react appropriately when an alarm goes off and to instruct them how to

analyse and organise data on their own. Smart dispensers are currently transforming the wash process.

Technological advances ensure there is much more to look forward to. The future promises a laundry process that is even simpler, safer and more

sustainable. However, in an industry characterised by tight margins, those facilities that are slow to adapt and adopt are unlikely to see it.

For more information visit: www.hydrosystemseurope.com

editorial SoCom

Positive lessons from the coronavirus crisis

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ociety is currently in a state of emergency, restricted to their houses, and economic challenges are abundant. The novel coronavirus or COVID-19 crisis has caused numerous challenges, questions and uncertainties in recent months, which has also impacted severely on the textile care sector. As a software service supplier, SoCom noticed this development clearly. Our customers who wash laundry for healthcare facilities are absolutely essential to society in such a health crisis and need all the support to guarantee smooth operations.

With this in mind, and with the aim to protect the health of our employees, the SoCom team started working remotely within a very short period of time. This was the first positive realisation from the coronavirus challenge: modern

technology and flexible staff contribute to processes running as normal as possible without any gaps in accessibility for our customers. It is a team’s performance from a distance that highlights the strong solidarity within the team.

In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, special cohesion and commitment to others is clearly evident elsewhere. The German textile care association (DTV) and the British Textile Services Association (TSA) have shown in recent weeks how important it is to unite people with the same interests and how necessary it is to stand together, especially in extraordinary times. As many laundries fight to be recognised as ‘systemically relevant’, one attempt/strategy in aid of this has been to provide emergency care for children of employees to allow

the parents to continue their work. It is also the supply chain that provide laundries with disinfectants and personal protective equipment, which plays a role here. Both DTV and TSA are committing to the laundries and are trying everything to draw attention to the problem – a great sign that textile care businesses are not isolated during this pandemic.

We are all hard hit by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the additional uncertainty, how and when a state of normal will return, that causes us all to suffer. However, at SoCom our goal is certain: we are fully committed to our customers, now and in the future, because only if we look positively towards the future, can we successfully contain this global pandemic together.

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Be part of the official African delegation to visit the bustling city of Amsterdam and the world’s largest professional cleaning exhibition Holland’s capital city is a hub for happy cyclists, beer-drinkers, tourists and art-lovers. Amsterdam’s go-to bohemian vicinity brims with coffee shops, bars and restaurants, and the renowned Albert Cuyp market is well worth a visit.

During the fall of 2020 the world of professional cleaning will gather in Amsterdam at what is regarded as the world’s largest exhibition of its kind. This is your opportunity to view the latest cleaning technology and updates on global trends and developments while connecting with cleaning professionals from over 143 different countries. The exhibition floor stretches over several halls and is divided into eight specific segments, namely: high pressure; laundry; management; mobility; steam cleaning; washroom; waste solutions; window cleaning; and healthcare. The other three segments – machines, equipment and detergents – are fragmented and can be found in every hall. The first Interclean exhibition took place in 1967 and it has since developed into the world’s leading trade fair for the professional cleaning industry.

“ I have really enjoyed the trip, learned a lot about new technology and will surely implement some systems. The trip was very well organised.” Awie Human, Branson Chemicals “ Thank you for an amazing trip. It was well planned and executed. It was fun and also very beneficial.” Simon Barrett, SB Marketing

Tour departs Saturday 31 October 2020 Interclean 2020 tour package:

• • • • • • • •

Five-night 4-star accommodation in Amsterdam, including breakfast Direct flights to and from Amsterdam Hotel/airport transfers, welcome drinks on arrival including activity Day-trip sightseeing tour to Rotterdam in luxury coach including tour guide and lunch Transfer – hotel to RAI exhibition centre on opening day Three-day city tram pass Two-hour evening canal cruise through Amsterdam city canals including drinks and snacks Farewell three-course dinner including all drinks at a traditional Dutch restaurant

Tour package rates subject to exchange rate fluctuations

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To book your travel package or for more information, contact: Steve Braham Tel: +27 11 646 9322 | Mobile: +27 83 265 1268 African Cleaning Reviewsteve@swbagencies.co.za May/June 2020 Email:

New Interclean 2020 show dates

3 - 6 November

Amsterdam, The Netherlands “With the new dates we have ensured you will still be able to see all of the original major exhibitors.”

Rob den Hertog, director Interclean.

people and events Numatic International’s response to COVID-19 Businesses operating within the cleaning and hygiene sector constitute a critical business continuity and/or enabling service which facilitates the health and safety of South Africans during the national lockdown period, as part of the government’s COVID-19 pandemic combat strategy. To this end, Numatic International South Africa has announced that the company obtained ‘Essential Services Certification’ to provide continued support services during the lockdown period.

These support services include the sustained manufacture of professional, innovative, reliable, quality cleaning/ hygiene products and equipment; contingency plans to deliver short-,

medium- and long-term continuity in the supply of goods to the market; ongoing training and skills development; and the implementation of a service and maintenance programme.

In order to assist in the containment of the spread of COVID-19 and for distribution where it is most needed, Numatic International SA secured and donated 50 000 face masks, manufactured from ReFlo material to N95 Standards by the company’s UK Head Office. The face masks are distributed to front-line workers, healthcare personnel, food distribution facilities and individuals with limited resources.

“We find ourselves confronted by significant daily challenges. We will continue to monitor the situation and work tirelessly with all stakeholders to find solutions to the many challenges we will no doubt face in the coming weeks and months,” says Numatic International SA GM Janine Botha.

Prime Cleaning Suppliers leads by raising over R110 000 for feeding scheme initiative As an essential services company, supplier Prime Cleaning Suppliers (PCS) embarked upon assisting various destitute people and feeding schemes, by providing daily meals, feeding 100s of children and adults.

As many people and companies are unable to assist and with limited movement regulations in place, PCS took the initiative by setting up a donation account that is utilised to fund the purchases of food to cook, make sandwiches and supply goods in order to assist the already strained volunteers.

Needless to say, cleaning, hygiene and packaging of the highest standards are adhered to.

To date PCS have fed and supplied sanitary supplies to areas in the Western

Cape including Dunoon, Wolwerivier, Table View, Mitchells Plein, Brooklyn and a few other small communities while daily requests for assistance keep rolling in. In addition, PCS have been supplying communities with animal food, packed into smaller quantities from bulk packaging, as a hungry person cannot feed a hungry animal.

Prime Cleaning Suppliers therefore wishes to extend an invitation to other companies and individuals to become part of this initiative by donating funds to the bank account mentioned at the end of this article, or to assist by donating items such as dry goods or tinned foods in bulk, keeping in mind that no amount is too small or too big, as this will go a long way to help feed a family or a child

Prime Cleaning Suppliers team members packing the food parcels.

Distributing food parcels.

in need during this very trying financial time for everyone. As a value indicator – R100 buys 10 kg of rice.

When making donations kindly enter the individual/company/CV19 details as reference on the bank deposit in order for PCS to issue a note of thanks but also to be entered into a mystery lucky draw.

Prime Cleaning Suppliers has commenced the process with a contribution of R20 000 and also undertook to add value in terms of 10 percent contributions to all donations made.

CV19 bank account details: ABSA Bank, Acc no 40-9831-8693, Reference name or company/CV19

Between 100 to 200 food parcels a week at 4 to 6 meals per parcel, ready for distribution.

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new products Versatile, light wiping solution for all cleaning tasks

Following positive feedback from two of its biggest UK food-service customers, Kimberly-Clark Professional™ South Africa has launched the WypAll® Reach™ Centrefeed System.

Maintaining food hygiene and food safety standards is crucial for every food-service business and the WypAll® Reach™ Centrefeed System has been designed to improve hygiene and reduce contamination. It’s a fully enclosed, one-wipe clean, hygienic

wiping system that helps prevent transmission of food-borne bacteria caused by handling of exposed blue rolls.

The WypAll® Reach™ Centrefeed System provides a safer alternative to traditional loose centrefeed blue rolls, where multiple users can handle a roll up to 70 times before it is finished. This creates major concerns in the catering industry where some 80 percent of illnesses are transmitted via our hands.

Beyond its hygiene and food-safety advantages, the WypAll® Reach™ Centrefeed System dispenser has been designed to look professional in all front-of-house areas. The sleek smoked-grey dispenser is small and discrete, looking attractive in any restaurant environment. The dispenser is supplied with a wall bracket to both house the dispenser or transform it into a wall-mounted system – allowing for the most convenient and flexible usage.

Wastage is also a big issue when using undispensed centrefeed blue rolls, as individual users can unwind up to 2.5 metres each time – creating a lot of waste. By using a controlled, single-sheet dispensing system, less paper is used and the WypAll® Reach™ Centrefeed System reduces paper consumption and cuts paper waste by over 20 percent.

For food safety and hygiene solutions contact: Kimberly-Clark Professional™ at kcp.quotations@kcc.com

Trailer-mounted, high-pressure jetting Renowned for providing 100 percent locally manufactured jetting and vacuum trucks to South African municipalities and contractors, Werner Pumps also caters for smaller businesses, with its Werner trailermounted drain blasters and ultrahigh-pressure cleaners. These units offer an ideal solution for cleaning domestic sewer lines, as well as water sandblasting and pressure cleaning.

“We have been manufacturing these trailers for decades, and like all our other equipment we produce, we can tailor them to meet customer needs,” says Sebastian Werner, MD at Werner Pumps. “They have historically been one of our most popular products because they are more affordable than a truck, easy to transport and able to get into smaller spaces, making it perfect for servicing residential sewers, small municipal operations, or for other domestic jetting applications.”

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The drain-blaster trailer units are equipped with diesel-driven, 600-litre breaker tanks and hydraulic hose reels with 120 m hoses, all fitted on highspeed road ordinance trailers. Models available for every need, ranging from 70 litres per minute to 350 litres per minute, with pressure from 130 bar to 205 bar and power from 35 kW to 135 kW. The high-pressure jetting pumps are available in diesel or electric models and can be skid- or trolley-mounted, depending on customer preference.

The diesel trailer-mounted unit features a 153 kW, engine that operates at 1 000 to 2 200 rpm and a 500 l water tank. The electric trolley-mounted model has a 110 kW engine that runs on 380 V OR 525 V, and no tank.

Both units have a maximum working pressure of 980 bar and flow rate of 54 litres per minute. It also features pneumatic pressure regulation via remote control, and is perfect for

rubber removal, pipeline cleaning, water sandblasting and pressure washing.

For more information visit: www.wernerpumps.com

new products Infection control and spray system

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, large-scale surface cleaning and disinfection of hospitals, supermarkets and food-processing facilities is a vital tool in controlling the spread of COVID-19. SEKO offers powerful and effective solutions for easy cleaning and disinfection of extensive areas within a short period of time.

SEKO’s professional spray and foaming system, ProTwin, is a cleaning and sanitising station that automatically mixes and dispenses concentrated chemicals. With a clean and professional appearance, it features built-in hose storage.

A detachable foam wand extends usage options.

The ProTwin system is ideal for large food preparation areas and is suitable for the retail, institutional and healthcare markets. Featuring an ergonomic design that is HACCP compliant, ProTwin automatically mixes and dispenses concentrated chemicals through its spray gun, which features an adjustable spray pattern delivering high levels of wet foam.

The central dial selector makes switching between rinse and sanitise functions easy – even with wet gloves. The ProTwin optional foam kit provides unsurpassed dry-foam

performance, making the cleaning of high level vertical or difficult surfaces easy.

Features: • Adjustable spray pattern • Separate, selectable chemical position eliminates risk of chemical crossover • Unsurpassed foam quality when equipped with foam wand • Engineered educators ensure accurate, proportionate dosing, easy to clean and replace • Intuitive ergonomic design for user-friendly operation • 3 functions – spray, foam and rinse up to 50 °C tolerance • Multi-layer hose improves flexibility and is chemical resistant For more information visit: www.seko.com

Robust, foot-operated hand sanitiser As businesses start returning to limited operation, the challenge of ensuring that employees adhere to the stringent health and safety regulations as per government and WHO (World Health Organisation) recommendations may take its toll on management. With this in mind, RGM Cranes engineered and developed a hand-sanitiser dispenser that takes the fuss out of uncompromising hand cleanliness.

“During the initial lockdown period, we set our team of engineers and various other contributors the task of developing a hand-sanitising solution that would be cost effective, simple to use and which would ensure that the user would not need to touch the pump lever with their hands,” says Alex Dowling, CEO of RGM Cranes.

The resultant free-standing sanitising station is operated using a durable foot pump that accurately dispenses 4 ml sanitiser, which is above the WHO recommended dose of 3 millilitres. The unit is designed to provide accurately dispensed doses and can be floor

mounted, using rawl bolts, to ensure that it remains static during operation.

The dispenser is ideal for use in hightraffic areas. The sanitiser dispenser has a number of beneficial features: • Stored inside the unit is a 20-litre sanitiser bottle that requires a lock and key for replacement. This eliminates theft of the sanitiser solution.

• Sanitiser-level indicator ensures that the bottle is not allowed to run dry.

• Easy to clean.

• Dispenser is not limited to hand sanitiser only – may also be utilised for hand-wash stations.

• Discounted rates on quantities purchased.

“We are happy to discuss customisation of the dispensing units in terms of client branding. We encourage businesses to take proactive action and order their sanitising units in order to ensure the health and safety of their employees,” says Dowling.

For more information contact: emel@rgm.co.za

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new products Professional and fast floor sanitising In the fight against Covid-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus, the sanitisation of various environments developed into a strategic activity.

Accurate disinfection can eliminate the possible presence of the virus on surfaces.

Visible dirt is removed during the process of cleaning of floor surfaces with a scrubber-dryer, it is then crucial to follow the cleaning exercise with a sanitising process that eliminate the presence of pathogens through the accurate release of specific chemicals.

Sanitisation can be regarded as the final step in the process of preparing a safe environment for humans.

It is therefore imperative that sanitisation not be considered as an extraordinary activity but part of a

regular cleaning regime, especially in sensitive environments such as food processing, healthcare and educational facilities.

With this in mind, Italian cleaning equipment manufacturer Fimap developed a line of machines for the sanitisation of large areas in order to assist cleaning professionals in the fight against the coronavirus. With a group of nozzles installed at the rear of the BMg Sanitizer, it allows for the even distribution of the disinfectant across the floor surface, leaving the surface sanitised and dry in no time compared to manual applications.

The sanitising width or path ranges from 1 to 1,3 metres and with just one tank (50 litres) of disinfectant the machine can cover an area of up to 106 000 square meters. In

addition the BMg’s activity can be checked via Fimap’s My.Machine app.

For more information contact the local Fimap distributor at: david@cleanwise.co.za or visit: www.cleanwise.co.za

Reduce cross-contamination with antibacterial, sensor hand-spray According to the World Health Organization (WHO) all public buildings, including schools, healthcare facilities, and offices should have hand-hygiene stations placed at their entrances. The WHO argues that practising thorough hand hygiene by using either soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs, can interrupt the transmission of COVID-19 and other viruses and bacteria to keep people safe from infection.

Betasan Autospray assists facilities to strengthen the barrier against crosscontamination required for effective infection control. The unit dispenses alcohol-based sanitising spray and is easily positioned in critical hygiene areas as well as high traffic areas. It will help drive the hand-hygiene culture. Betasan Antibacterial Sensor Spray is specially formulated with emollients to protect and moisturise hands, removing harmful bacteria and maintaining the skin’s natural pH balance. This formula is pleasantly fragranced and gentle for use on both hands and surfaces.

The Betasan Spray Station is ideal for entry and exit points in medical centres,

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food-production sites, food-service areas, schools, aged-care facilities, childcare centres, offices, sport and recreation facilities, clinics, reception areas and other high traffic locations where there is a high risk of cross-contamination.

Product information: • Kills 99.9 percent of common germs • Each refill dispenses 3600 sprays • Small and portable stand-alone dispenser • Perfect for desks and reception counter tops • Floor stand option is sturdy and easy to assemble • Available with 3 x placement options to suit any environment • Unit window indicates consumable level • Touch-free sensor provides users with either 1, 2, or 3 doses of antibacterial spray The Betasan range of hand cleaning and sanitising products are available from the Hyvest group of companies. For more information visit: www.hygienesystems.com

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