january 2015
Late News Cintas to relocate Northeast operations to Yonkers, N.Y. YONKERS, N.Y. — Cintas Corp. has received preliminary approval for an incentive package from the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency (YIDA) to build a $25.1 million regional service facility here. The new facility will be located on the northwest side of the city, in the South Westchester Executive Park, the City of Yonkers reports. With the 60,000-squarefoot facility, the company will consolidate operations in Yonkers from several other locations in the Northeast, including Boston, Philadelphia, northern New Jersey, Port Washington and North Salem. In addition to space for sales, service and maintenance, a 13,000-squarefoot laundry is planned that will supply uniforms and related services for 30,000 people in the New York City metropolitan area and other counties in the southeastern portion of the state. “This is a strong addition to the city’s economy, and jobs that we can count on for the long term,” says Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, who chairs the YIDA. “At least half of these jobs will be new hires from Yonkers and surrounding communities, and all of the jobs will add to the city’s tax base and expand our business community.” ALN
Volume 41, Number 1
Worker safety: Diligence, training crucial for employees’ well-being By Theresa Boehl, Editor CHICAGO — As 2015 begins, many laundry/linen managers are focused on the common goals of improving operational efficiency, decreasing costs and producing quality products. Of course, ensuring that employees stay safe and healthy is also a permanent fixture on the priority list. For this story, American Laundry News sought the advice of professionals with knowledge of fire safety, chemical safety and ergonomics in laundry environments, and also spoke to some operators who serve the safety cause through their roles on the safety committee of the Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA). ERGONOMICS
A work injury is always an unpleasant occurrence, but sometimes aches and pains take a more insidious approach, sneaking up on workers after a prolonged period of time. That’s where ergonomics comes into play. W. Gary Allread, Ph.D., CPE, program director of the Institute for Ergonomics at The Ohio State University, defines it as “designing work [around] the capabilities and limitations of people.” Common tasks like sorting laundry can require repetitive use of several parts of the
(Photo: ©iStockphoto/Moncherie)
body, Allread explains, putting stress on the body’s soft tissues and causing fatigue. Awkward body positions, handling large amounts of wet or bulky laundry, and reaching or pulling are some actions that can lead to eventual injury. “From an ergonomics perspective, the focus is typically on preventing cumulative trauma from tasks performed frequently over a significant
See SAFETY on Page 8
Infection Control:
Protecting workers from threat of Ebola by Theresa Boehl, Editor PLAINFIELD, Ill. — Nobody wants to get Ebola—not healthcare workers, infection control specialists, nor the professionals who process linens for hospitals. So, how do individuals protect themselves in the event that they come into close contact with a patient who has or may have Ebola, or are charged with handling their soiled textiles? Aaron Gersh, Ph.D., CHESP, MACHE, Healthcare Division
vice president at Superior Linen Service, and Rocco Romeo, CS, CPA, CEO of HLS Linen Services, presented a webinar hosted by the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) titled Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness for Healthcare Linen Service Providers. The presentation aimed to answer some of the questions that the Ebola situation presents for those who process healthcare textiles. EBOLA BASICS
Though the presenters were
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Inside Panel of Experts
Newest members ready to comment on the industry’s hot topics.
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period of time,” Allread explains. Aches and pains that don’t go away after a few days could be symptoms of some kind of tendonitis; a “pins and needles” sensation at night is another sign that something is wrong. But in the case of lower-back damage, Allread says,
eager to share advice on precautions that healthcare linen service providers can take, they assert that they are not medical professionals, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), should be consulted with specific questions about the virus, its spread and proper protocols and precautions.
The only cure for the fear that grows through speculation and uncertainty, according to Romeo, is education. Some facts: Ebola is a contagious, potentially fatal virus “when not properly treated or diagnosed in a timely manner,” Romeo says, and is spread through contact with bodily fluids of an infected person. The virus can also spread through absorbent or porous materials, including bedding and clothing. See EBOLA on Page 6
The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management
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Report on New York’s Annual IHMRS The recent Hotel, Motel show served as a platform to highlight the latest in laundry-related products.
Atlanta Sneak Peek
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There’s plenty to see and do in Atlanta, home of Clean 2015.
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