October 2014

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

OCTOBER 2014

CASE STUDY

SPECIAL REPORT

BUSINESS

Focus on sustainable cleaning Starts page 60

Hygiene on board a yacht

Nordic standards

Moving office avoid the stress

Page 35

Page 47

Page 57

CONTENTS

October 2014 | Vol.22, No.5

COVER STORY

SPECIAL REPORTS 21 The education challenge

18 3M A range of new products

This issue’s hard floor report focuses on the training of cleaning staff.

BUSINESS 57 Managing a stress-free move Hartley Milner on making your office move as smooth as possible.

32 REACH strategies A look at best practice for REACH management in the sector.

35 On-board hygiene A case study from one of the yacht’s in this year’s Volvo Ocean Race.

39 Why battery power?

What are the advantages of battery-powered cleaning machines?

44 Good charging habits

03 News

Good charging habits can boost battery performance and prolong their life.

47 Clean with your eyes

10 European reports

‘Cleaning with your eyes’ is the concept behind a Nordic cleaning standard.

51 A load of fresh air What are the key fragrance trends in air fresheners today?

60 The ‘people’ element What are industry companies doing to keep their staff safe and healthy?

Criterion Publishing Ltd PO Box 299, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1FP UK T +44 (0)1494 791222 F +44 (0)1494 792223 info@europeancleaningjournal.com www. europeancleaningjournal.com Subscriptions UK - £60 / Continental Europe - £70 / International - £80

Editor Michelle Marshall Features Writer Ann Laffeaty Advertisement Director Chris Godman Advertisement Sales Carole Dawson Circulation Marie Payne

Italy, Spain & Switzerland Fabio Potesta Mediapoint & Communications Corte Lambruschini, Corso Buenos Aires, 8 V0 Piano, Interno 7 16129 Genova, Italy T +39 010 570 4948 F +39 010 553 0088 info@mediapointsrl.it www. mediapointsrl.it

European Cleaning Journal is published six times a year by Criterion Publishing Ltd. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in European Cleaning, Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents can accept no responsibility for the varacity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all material published in European Cleaning remains with Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents.

Germany Reinhard Knittler Knittler Medien, Mittlerer Hubweg 5, D-72227 Egenhausen, Germany T +49 7453/9385 787 F +49 7453/9385 797 info@knittler.de www.knittler.de ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2014

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NEWS & EVENTS

Latest News & Events from ECJ

‘Infections and viruses can spread through workforce in two hours’

Register now for your free monthly email newsletter from ECJ. And don’t forget to bookmark the ECJ website and don’t miss our regular blogs - including Dr Ilham Kadri from Diversey Care, Rob den Hertog of Amsterdam RAI, Mike Sullivan of GOJO, EUnited’s Markus Asch and Unger’s Torsten Deutzmann www.europeancleaningjournal.com

EVENTS Infections and viruses can be spread from a single office door handle to more than half the workforce in just two hours, new research has found.

And disinfectant wipes and regular hand washing are the best ways of preventing bugs from spreading further, say experts.

Researchers planted a harmless bug with similar properties to norovirus on a doorknob at the beginning of a working day. They then sampled various surfaces in the office such as light switches, push buttons, coffee pots, taps and computers every two hours.

Workers contaminated The study revealed that up to 60 per cent of the workers in the building had been contaminated with the bug within just two hours. The ‘virus’ spread most quickly via lift buttons and telephones.

However, good hand hygiene practices coupled with the use

of antibacterial wipes reduced the spread of the virus by between 80 and 99 per cent according to Dr Charles Gerba, who presented the research to the American Society for Microbiology.

Reduce risk “Viral contamination in facilities occurs quickly and a simple intervention can greatly help to reduce exposure to viruses,’ said Gerba.

“Disinfecting wipes containing quaternary ammonium compounds along with hand hygiene is an effective defence against viruses such as norovirus and flu.”

Previous research has revealed that touching contaminated objects is the fastest way to spread a bug.

“Most people think it’s coughing and sneezing that spreads germs, but the number of objects you touch is incredible in this push-button generation,” said Gerba. ‘The key message is to stay at home when you’re sick.”

Register now for your regular copy of ECJ - complete the reader registration form inside the back cover Les infections et les virus peuvent se répandre à partir d’une seule poignée de porte de bureau parmi la moitié du personnel en tout juste deux heures. C’est ce qui se dégage de récents travaux.

October 21-23

March 24-26 2015

Clean Middle East Pulire

Cleaning Expo 2015

Dubai, UAE www.cmepexpo.com

Birmingham, UK www.cleaningexpo.com

October 21-23

March 31-April 2 2015

CleanExpo Moscow

Europropre

Moscow, Russia www.cleanexpo.ru

Paris, France www.europropre.com

October 30-31

April 22-24 2015

EHEDG World Congress

ISSA/Interclean CEE

Parma, Italy www.ehedg-congress.org

Warsaw, Poland www.issainterclean.com

November 4-7

May 19-21 2015

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America

Pulire

Orlando, USA www.issainterclean.com

Verona, Italy www.pulire-it.com

November 27-29

July 28-30 2015

Clean India

CleantexPulire

Ahmedabad www.cleanindiashow.com

Johannesburg, South Africa www.cleantex.co.za

January 29-31 2015

September 22-25 2015

Cairo Clean Expo

CMS

Cairo, Egypt www.ctf-eg.com

Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.com

February 25-27 2015

October 20-23 2015

ISSA/Interclean Latin America

ISSA/Interclean North America

Mexico City, Mexico www.issainterclean.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

March 10-12 2015

May 10-13 2016

The Cleaning Show

ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam

London, UK www.cleaningshow.co.uk

Amsterdam, Netherlands www.issainterclean.com

To have your event included in Events, contact ECJ via email at: michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com

Laut einer neuen Untersuchung können Infektionen und Viren über einen einzigen Bürotürgriff an mehr als die Hälfte der Belegschaft in nur zwei Stunden weitergegeben werden.

Una nuova ricerca ha rivelato che le infezioni e i virus possono diffondersi da una singola maniglia della porta di un ufficio a oltre la metà del personale in solo due ore.

October 2014 | ECJ | 3

NEWS Does glove use increase risk of infection?

Japan 2016

The use of gloves in the healthcare sector can increase the risk of infection to patients if used inappropriately, according to new research.

And medical staff need to examine their motives for wearing gloves in order to protect themselves and improve patient safety.

According to an article in Nursing Times, the use of gloves was recommended following the emergence of HIV and the understanding it could be transmitted via infected blood.

However, recent surveys have found that some medical staff wear gloves in order to save time and avoid the need for hand hygiene. Gloves may also

The next congress of the World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) will take place from April 4-7 2016 in Tokyo, Japan. Hosting it is the Japan Building Maintenance Association (JBMA).

be worn to meet patients’ own hygiene expectations.

One study showed that gloves were worn on 17 per cent of occasions where the risk of contact with bodily fluids was minimal, and not worn on 21 per cent of occasions where the risk of contact was high.

And research has shown that when put on too soon or taken off too late, gloves may actually facilitate cross-contamination.

According to studies, gloves are commonly put on outside patients’ rooms or at glove dispensers in bays rather than at the bedside. As a result, curtains and other equipment may be touched with gloved hands before patient contact.

• L’emploi de gants dans le secteur de la santé peut comporter un risque d’infection accru pour les patients s’ils ne sont pas utilisés correctement, indique une nouvelle étude.

• Le prochain congrès de la World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) aura lieu à Tokyo du 4 au 7 avril 2016.

October 2014 | ECJ | 4

The gloves may also become contaminated following contact with the patient, and if they are not removed immediately can lead to cross-contamination with other surfaces.

“It is possible that strong messages in recent years about the risks of infection in healthcare may have increased health professionals’ perceived need to protect themselves,” say medical experts.

“However, the emerging evidence about glove use suggests this could be a highrisk strategy since it is likely to increase the triggers for using gloves - and decrease the focus on the critical points for glove removal and hand hygiene.”

•Bei unsachgemäßer Verwendung können Handschuhe im Gesundheitswesen zu einer Erhöhung des Infektionsrisikos für Patienten führen, so lautet das Ergebnis einer neuen Untersuchung.

• Der nächste Kongress der World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) wird vom 4.-7.

April 2016 in Tokio, Japan, stattfinden.

Creating rich life The theme will be Weaving Culture - Building Maintenance and Cleaning that Create Rich Life’. In compiling the programme JBMA says the cleaning industry should be regarded as one that provides a sense of happiness and satisfaction.

For details of the programme as they become available visit www.wfbsc.org/world-congress

• L’uso dei guanti nel settore sanitario può aumentare il rischio di infezioni per i pazienti se vengono usati in modo inappropriato, così emerge da una nuova ricerca.

• Il prossimo congresso World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) si terrà a Tokyo, in Giappone, dal 4 al 7 aprile 2016.

NEWS Facilities managers want one service provider, says survey When choosing a new provider for outsourced facilities management (FM), 65 per cent of FM managers feel it is important to have one organisation managing all the different elements of service provision. That’s according to research conducted on behalf of facilities services specialist Grosvenor Services, which highlights there is a growing trend towards the ‘total facilities management’ model rather than use of individual service providers.

Asked to rate top requirements in their choice of provider, on a scale of importance the main factors were: • 84 per cent professionalism

of on-site staff • 81 per cent responsiveness of management to issues as they arise • 71 per cent value for money and accurate reporting.

When asked which facilities services they outsource, 47 per cent said all cleaning requirements, 37 per cent said they outsourced all their facilities management requirements, and 27 per cent of facilities managers said landscaping.

When asked which areas of service could be improved, FM managers quoted easier access to management; knowledge and ability of staff; provision of electronic data and real-

Une étude entreprise par Grosvenor Services indique que 65 pour cent des responsables du facility management jugent important que tous les éléments des services d’immeuble soient gérés par une organisation unique.

time reports; and consistently maintained agreed standards.

Bernard McCauley, group managing director at Irelandbased Grosvenor Services, said: “We are seeing increasing demand for a total facilities management service, which we already deliver to many of our clients. However, this research also shows that, whether clients choose a single provider or

Laut einer Untersuchung von Grosvenor Services sind 65 Prozent der FM-Manager der Meinung, dass es wichtig ist, über eine Organisation zu verfügen, die alle Aspekte der Leistungserbringung im Bereich der Gebäudetechnik verwaltet.

multiple providers, they still need the highest levels of support and commitment.

“Providers also need to ensure that they deliver consistently excellent standards in every service area, while providing an accessible management team and transparent reporting – anything less may result in a loss of client confidence, and business.”

Una ricerca eseguita da Grosvenor Services rivela che il 65 per cento dei dirigenti dei servizi di facility management ritiene che sia importante avere una organizzazione che gestisca tutti gli elementi delle forniture di servizi alle strutture.

October 2014 | ECJ | 5

NEWS Hand hygiene rates higher when healthcare workers see auditors Hand hygiene rates were found to be three times higher when auditors were visible to healthcare workers than when there were no auditors present, according to a study in a major Canadian acute care hospital.

The study was titled ‘Quantification of the Hawthorne effect in hand hygiene compliance monitoring using an electronic monitoring system: a retrospective cohort study’, and published in the BMJ Quality & Safety Journal by Dr Jocelyn Srigley.

The study examined the Hawthorne effect, also known as observation bias - the tendency of people to change their behaviour when they are aware of an observer - using an electronic monitoring hand

hygiene system in real-time, eliminating many of the biases inherent to human observation.

Ultrasound ‘tags’ on soap dispensers transmitted a signal to a nearby receiver each time the levers were pushed, and a time-stamped hand hygiene wash was recorded in a central database.

Electronic monitoring Two inpatient units in University Health Network were electronically monitored, with 60 healthcare workers volunteering to be part of a study of the electronic monitoring system.

Staff were aware that data would be used in a variety of studies, but were ‘blind’ to the questions asked in the studies.

Auditors did not announce

Une enquête récente a montré que des travailleurs de la santé se souciaient trois fois plus des prescription d’hygiène quand des auditeurs étaient dans le parages.

October 2014 | ECJ | 6

their presence during audits but wore white lab coats. Auditors were also blinded to the questions asked in the research.

Hand hygiene dispenses were electronically measured while the auditors were visible, and were compared to the same locations prior to the arrival of the auditors at one, two and three weeks before the audit, as well as to a different area of the unit not visible to the auditor.

Auditors typically did not go into patient rooms, so separate hand washing rates were determined for dispensers inside patient rooms and those in hallways.

The study found that there was an approximately three-fold increase in the rate of hallway hand washes per hour amongst

Die Frequenz der Handhygiene bei Personen, die im Gesundheitswesen tätig sind, war dreimal höher, wenn Prüfer sichtbar anwesend waren, im Vergleich zu Zeiten, in denen sie nicht anwesend waren. Dies geht aus einer neuen Studie hervor.

healthcare staff when an auditor was visible (3.75 per hour), compared to a location where the auditor was not visible (1.48 per hour) and to the previous weeks (1.07 per hour).

Hand washing rates with the auditor present were compared to separate groups at different time periods and locations to ensure that the differences found were not due to hand hygiene patterns that could be attributable to time of day or location.

In each instance, the hand washing rates were significantly higher when the auditors were present, with the increase occurring after the auditors’ arrival, suggesting that the arrival of the auditor triggered the increase in hand hygiene.

A quanto emerge da una ricerca recente, la frequenza del lavaggio delle mani era tre volte maggiore quando c’erano dei controllori per i lavoratori del settore sanitario in confronto ad oggi dove non esiste nessun controllo.

𰀸𰁖𰁣𰁞𰁨𰁩𰁚𰁧𰀕𰁋𰁖𰁘𰁪𰁪𰁢

𰀧𰀨𰀧𰁢²𰀤𰁝𰁤𰁪𰁧

𰀷𰁖𰁘𰁠𰀕𰁅𰁖𰁘𰁠𰀕𰁋𰁖𰁘𰁪𰁪𰁢

𰀫𰀬𰀪𰁢²𰀤𰁝𰁤𰁪𰁧

𰁊𰁥𰁧𰁞𰁜𰁝𰁩𰀕𰁋𰁖𰁘𰁪𰁪𰁢

𰀧𰀥𰀭𰁢²𰀤𰁝𰁤𰁪𰁧

𰀷𰁖𰁘𰁠𰀕𰁅𰁖𰁘𰁠𰁨𰀕𰀶𰁫𰁖𰁞𰁡𰁖𰁗𰁡𰁚𰀕𰁃𰁤𰁬𰀕𰁉𰁝𰁧𰁤𰁪𰁜𰁝𰁤𰁪𰁩𰀕𰀺𰁪𰁧𰁤𰁥𰁚 𰀸𰁤𰁣𰁩𰁖𰁘𰁩𰀯𰀕𰁨𰁖𰁡𰁚𰁨𰀵𰁥𰁖𰁘𰁫𰁖𰁘𰀣𰁘𰁤𰁢

𰁥𰁖𰁘𰁫𰁖𰁘𰀣𰁘𰁤𰁢

NEWS Foodstuffs as cleaning agents

BCC November conference

Potatoes, banana skins, Brazil nuts, vinegar and mayonnaise are among the common foodstuffs that are said to work well as cleaning agents.

This is the claim of Alex Depledge, chief executive of cleaning website Hassle. com. She says Brazil nuts are effective at polishing wood surfaces while tomato ketchup is good for cleaning brass, copper and silver.

“Tarnishing mainly occurs due to sulphur compounds in the air,” she said. “When ketchup is applied to metal, the natural acid in the tomatoes reacts with the oxidisation of the tarnished silver, brass or copper.”

Even the weakest levels of

The British Cleaning Council will hold its annual conference on November 6 in London the theme this year is Changing Perceptions in the Cleaning Industry.

Speakers include Ruby McGregor-Smith, ceo of Mitie, and former sales and marketing director for Easyjet, Tony Anderson. Other sessions include tips on effective networking by business development coach Peter Spalton, and presentations on technology and using social media for business.

The event will be rounded off with a Q&A session led by a panel of industry experts.

Lead sponsor is Kimberly-

acid can dissolve and loosen the hydrated iron oxides found in rust, she claims, which means vinegar is another rust-remover.

“Potatoes and baking soda are also effective at tackling rust because the oxalic acid in the potato mixes with the baking soda to help to dissolve the rust,” said Depledge.

She also says phosphoric acid in cola drinks and citric acid in lemon juice also make good cleaning agents.

“Banana skins are often used to buff leather, too, followed by a damp cloth,” she said. “This is effective because the potassium in bananas is absorbed and slowly works to plump up the scratches.”

• Les pommes de terre, les pelures de banane, les noix du Brésil, le vinaigre et la mayonnaise font partie des denrées alimentaires qui passent pour constituer de bons agents de nettoyage.

• Le British Cleaning Council (Conseil britannique de la propreté) tiendra sa conférence annuelle le 6 novembre à Londres.

•Kartoffeln, Bananenschalen, Paranüsse, Essig und Mayonnaise zählen zu den gängigen Nahrungsmitteln, von denen es heißt, sie seien gute Reinigungsmittel.

• Das British Cleaning Council (BCC) ist mit der Organisation der Jahreskonferenz beschäftigt, die am 6.

November in London stattfinden wird.

Clark Professional.

BCC chairman Doug Cooke said: “This year’s BCC conference has been planned well in advance with the view to challenge the cleaning industry by our theme Changing Perceptions. An excellent range of thought provoking speakers are booked who will encourage audience participation. This will be our best conference by far, I and many industry leaders are really looking forward to it.”

The venue for the BCC conference is Dexter House, close to the Tower of London.

For full details and to book visit: http:// britishcleaningcouncil.org/ cleaningconference

• Le patate, le pelli delle banane, le noci brasiliane, l’aceto e la maionese sono fra i prodotti alimentari comuni che si dice funzionino bene come agenti di pulizia.

• Il British Cleaning Council (BCC) sta organizzando la sua conferenza annuale che si terrà a Londra il 6 novembre.

NEWS ISSA and BFG

Children’s car seats ‘dirtier than toilets’ - study

In the UK, professional cleaning organisations ISSA and the recently-formed Building Futures Group (BFG) have entered into a co-operative agreement to promote the importance of the industry in the UK. They signed a declaration of co-operation and intend to bring together industry leaders to discuss the increasing impact of the sustainability agenda.

They will jointly host a roundtable summit in the autumn bringing together delegates from the UK cleaning industry to explore the impact of increasing environmental and sustainability scrutiny within the sector.

Children’s car seats are contaminated with twice as many dangerous germs as the average toilet, a new study has revealed.

And cars in general contain more potentially hazardous bacterial and fungal species than any part of our homes.

Scientists at the University of Birmingham took swabs from children’s car safety seats and discovered an average of 100 potentially dangerous bacteria and fungi in each square centimetre, including E.coli and Salmonella.

In comparison a toilet was found to contain around half

• Les sièges pour enfants de voiture abritent deux fois plus de microbes dangereux qu’un sanitaire moyen, a montré une récente étude.

• Au Royaume-Uni, les organisations de nettoyage professionnel ISSA et le Building Futures Group (BFG), une entité de formation récente, ont conclu un accord de coopération.

that number.

A total of 2,000 motorists were polled by Continental Tyres regarding their car cleaning habits in the study, while 20 cars were tested for contamination.

Homes swabbed The drivers’ homes were then swabbed to compare contamination levels in each.

Cars in general were found to be much more germ-ridden than any part of the home, including the toilets.

“Cars can play host to a number of potentially harmful bacterial species,” said Dr AnneMarie Krachler from the Institute of Microbiology and Infection at

• Aus einer neuen Studie geht hervor, dass Autokindersitze zweimal so stark mit gefährlichen Krankheitserregern verunreinigt sind wie eine durchschnittliche Toilette.

• In Großbritannien haben der Verband der Reinigungsindustrie ISSA und die kürzlich gebildete Building Futures Group (BFG) eine Kooperationsvereinbarung geschlossen.

the University of Birmingham.

“These germs can easily spread in cars that are not cleaned often, especially if you eat in the vehicle or leave litter and food.”

The footwell was found to be the filthiest area in most vehicles, with several thousand bacteria typically discovered in each square centimetre.

Around one in five motorists cleans and de-clutters the inside of their car as infrequently as once a year, usually just before a visit to the garage. The research also found that 60 per cent of motorists are totally unaware of the health risks a dirty car poses to them and their passengers.

• Da un nuovo studio emerge che i seggiolini per auto dei bambini sono contaminati da germi pericolosi due volte tanto una seduta del wc mediamente pulita.

• Nel Regno Unito, le organizzazioni del cleaning professionale ISSA e quella di recente formazione Building Futures Group (BFG) hanno firmato un accordo cooperativo.

UPDATE: DENMARK Health check investment Cleaners, waste collectors and other workers who do heavy physical work should get a free health check every year. That is the aim of the Danish government. ECJ correspondent in Scandinavia Petra Sjouwerman reports.

Do you smoke? Are you overweight? Then it is probably no news that this puts you at risk of developing life-threatening diseases. But if you also have no, or little education and you have a physically demanding job, the risk is even higher.

Danish studies have shown that life expectancy of unskilled and low-skilled workers is significantly lower than that of the highly educated section of the population. The difference?

Ten years!

That is why the Danish union 3F offered its members a health check to measure blood pressure, cholesterol level, heart condition and weight. The project included 6,000 lowskilled workers in 50 different jobs over the course of three years (2011-1013). The pilot project has resulted in, amongst other things, one out of every three union members who work as cleaners being referred to their physician for treatment.

City Renovation, a company that handles waste collection in Copenhagen, was one of the participants in the pilot project.

Several of its 75 employees changed their eating and exercise habits after the health check and have successfully lowered their cholesterol levels.

“With this result, the health check is a good investment for society,” declared the union’s vice-president Jane Korczak.

The Danish government is now planning to allocate funds to offer a free health check once a year to people in the risk group.

Le gouvernement danois entend rendre obligatoire un examen médical annuel et gratuit pour tous les nettoyeurs et autres travailleurs à activité essentiellement physique. Notre correspondante en Scandinavie Petra Sjouwerman rend compte de ce projet.

October 2014 | ECJ | 10

This way the government hopes to fight inequality in health.

Danish studies have shown that especially men are at risk. In male-dominated workplaces, such as waste collection, it is not ‘cool’ to go to the doctor.

But in the past few months, a debate has arisen over the effectiveness of a yearly health check. According to several Danish experts it is not proven that people live longer by getting regular health checks.

Despite criticism, Danish minister of public pealth, Nick Hækkerup (Social Democrats), stands by his plans. Much to the satisfaction of the Danish Medical Association.

“Tobacco is the immediate cause of the inequality in health growing in Denmark. While many highly educated people have stopped smoking in recent years, this has not been the case among Danes with a short education. They are the ones that most often get lung cancer, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and heart diseases,” said chairman Mads Koch Hansen of the Danish Medical Association.

The safety representative at City Renovation – whose job it is to focus on safety and a good working environment - finds the health check a really good idea.

“But it requires a followup, like for example a help programme to stop smoking, advice on healthy eating habits or advice on training, so that our body can last until retirement,” said Stig Boye.

Die dänische Regierung beabsichtigt sicherzustellen, dass Reinigungspersonal und andere Arbeitnehmer, die körperliche Tätigkeiten ausführen, eine kostenlose jährliche Gesundheitsuntersuchung erhalten.

Die ECJ-Korrespondentin für Skandinavien Petra Sjouwerman berichtet.

Il governo danese mira ad assicurare che gli addetti alle pulizie e altri lavoratori che fanno un lavoro fisico abbiano un check-up gratis ogni anno. La corrispondente scandinava Petra Sjouwerman ci informa.

UPDATE: RUSSIA Comparing USA and Russia Oleg Popov of Cristanval Cleaning compares the cleaning sectors of the USA and Russia.

In September 2014 Ipsos Public Affairs published the results of research concerning the cleaning industry in the US. A total of 400 ceo’s and/or top managers participated in the study. They represented numerous trades: food service, hospitality, commercial, and healthcare. It is interesting to compare what factors the US executives consider crucial and how the same factors affect the Russian cleaning industry.

American cleaning industry managers consider customer satisfaction maintenance to be the number one priority, though achieving the highest quality of service is tremendously challenging while managing work staff. In evaluating the values of Russian businessmen, customer interests are the top priority.

Should the client be dissatisfied either with quality of services or the quality of communication between the account manager and the customer’s representative, the contract will be lost. It is well known that it is much harder to revive trust and reconcile with an unhappy customer, than it is to maintain a relationship.

Obviously, the pool of workers is like a frontline in the battle for customer allegiance. Their performance on that frontline measures the credibility of the entire company. This is why recruitment and training is a matter of utmost importance for any top manager.

The loss of workforce productivity is one of the most important issues to be studied among the US cleaning industry problems.

Also, quality maintenance is the leading direction in training.

In Russia we appreciate how crucial it is to maintain supervision at all levels. Companies have implemented multilevel quality control systems which include, at their core, productivity regulation.

It is rather uncommon in Russia Une étude a récemment été menée pour analyser le secteur américain de la propreté. Notre correspondant en Russie, Oleg Popov, de la société de nettoyage Cristanval, compare ici ces résultats avec les conditions qui prévalent sur le marché russe.

to separate workforce productivity management and control into separate tasks. It is also worth noting that, in Russia, proper attention is paid to the strict adherence to the technology of cleaning and correct use of different cleaning agents.

In the US the choosing of the right cleaning agents is accomplished through the following list of prioritized values: quality of chemical; versatility of the cleaning agent; price. In contrast, in Russia price takes the lead, while quality scores second.

What is of most importance to the US cleaners?

• Customer satisfaction • Efficiency and effectiveness • Business development • Economy of operations • Profit • Staff turnover The same aspects are of importance in Russia, but each is assigned a different value.

In first place you find enhancing efficiency and effectiveness, followed by profit in second place.

Next comes customer satisfaction, followed by the technological advances in fourth place. Personnel is in fifth place. These are the crucial value-points throughout the industry, but each company will score these values differently.

In 2014 in the US, the PLR (personnel loss rate) decreased to 17 per cent compared to 24 per cent in the 2013. It appears that the phrase ‘meaner and leaner’ is no longer as much in fashion. It is notable, that three out of four companies anticipate significant improvement in respective business sectors during the next year.

Regardless of the current general economic crisis, amendments in legislation and heated situation in the HR market, the Russian cleaning industry as a whole exhibits stable growth of 20-30 per cent per annum.

Im Rahmen einer Umfrage wurde vor kurzem die Reinigungsbranche in den USA analysiert, und in seinem Artikel vergleicht der russische ECJ-Reporter Oleg Popov, der bei Cristanval Cleaning tätig ist, die Umfrageergebnisse mit den Bedingungen auf dem russischen Markt.

E’ stato condotto di recente un sondaggio per analizzare il settore del cleaning degli Stati Uniti d’America e in questo articolo il corrispondente russo di ECJ Oleg Popov della Cristanval Cleaning confronta i risultati del sondaggio con le condizioni del mercato russo.

UPDATE: ITALY Sicilian cleaning sector at risk Italian correspondent Anna Garbagna reports on difficult times in the Sicilian cleaning industry.

The difficulties that many sectors - and the cleaning sector in particular are experiencing are having strong repercussions in a number of Italian regions. This is particularly evident in Sicily, where hundreds of companies and about 50,000 workers are at risk.

“The constant and continuous initiatives of insourcing of cleaning services and supporting services set up by regional government in some offices and departments of the Sicilian administration risk closure of hundreds of companies and the termination of 50,000 workers employed in their contracts.”

This complaint has been made

by ANIP, the association which represents, within Confindustria at national level, the cleaning and integrated services sector, on the eve of a hearing at the Sicily Regional Assembly.

“Insourcing operations which are already in force at a number of headquarters of regional local governments”, the association highlighted, “lead us to predict the gradual dismantlement of the whole cleaning and auxiliary services sector at regional level which is currently underway.”

Beyond the serious concerns that these initiatives raise, for example the retention of the regional productivity situation itself which is seriously threatened as previously mentioned, it appears evident that as contracts are cancelled, the termination of many workers will certainly follow. This is an important workforce which is actually employed for carrying out jobs which may be suddenly cancelled or suspended, with obvious social and economic consequences.. Furthermore, on top of all this we must add the Le secteur de la propreté en Sicile est menacé par la politique d’internalisation des services de nettoyage de l’administration régionale, écrit notre correspondante en Italie, Anna Garbagna.

October 2014 | ECJ | 12

reflection that the forced closure of many local small and medium sized companies could generate seriously detrimental consequences at a social level and for the regional economy as well.

The latter situation will be caused by the recourse to Cassa Integrazione (the national fund that pays workers when companies don’t have work and can’t pay for their salaries) which supports workers who have been terminated and also by abatement of the tax return (or internal revenue) which up to now was guaranteed by the companies in the sector.

The association has estimated that the consequences due to this situation are serious: the impact of the insourcing operations, according to ANIP’s estimate, will put around 50,000 jobs at risk. Furthermore, from what has been analysed, the insourcing operations already in force have also caused an unjustified increase in service costs, which means the operation is unjustified as far as market and employment are concerned as well as being detrimental to administrative efficiency.

ANIP, therefore, is hoping for an inversion of the trend with the objective safeguarding the cleaning and support services regional market and the companies which have been operating within the sector with competence and professionalism; the safeguarding of many jobs and their background of training; the safeguarding of the contribution that Sicilian companies offer to the regional tax system also in terms of efficiency of the service; the safeguarding of the possibility to continue to be a company in Sicily. To sum up: the safeguarding of its future.

Die Vertragsreinigungsbranche in Sizilien sieht sich aufgrund der Richtlinie der Regionalregierung zur internen Vergabe von Reinigungsdiensten mit einem großen Risiko konfrontiert, schreibt die Italien-Korrespondentin Anna Garbagna.

La corrispondente italiana Anna Garbagna ci informa che in Sicilia, il settore degli appalti di pulizia è a grande rischio a seguito della decisione delle amministrazioni locali di internalizzare i servizi di pulizia.

UPDATE: NETHERLANDS To outsource or not to outsource...

Nico Lemmens of ISS Facility Services brings news on government policy to insource cleaning services.

In the November 2013 issue of this journal we discussed the Dutch cabinet’s remarkable plan to insource cleaning services for the central government. This policy contradicts the findings of a recent White Paper on the Future of Public Sector Outsourcing by ISS and the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies (see www. issworld.com).

According to this study, outsourcing as a strategy is increasingly regarded as a solution to many of the strategic issues the public sector will be confronted with. This is especially true as the private sector experiences growth in trust, the need for developing measurement systems for added value (instead of traditional output) is growing, and the desire to do ‘more with less’ increases.

New models or approaches to outsourcing will largely be reflected in the parameters of future contracts, and mirror the present ideological inclinations of society and government.

The central challenge in public sector service provision is overcoming the assumption that outsourcing contracts should be static, one-directional, and time-limited. Effective outsourcing for public sector organisations requires the use of smart contracts.

Public sector outsourcing in the future is expected to further transcend the boundaries of the practice set forth today. The models of outsourcing used widely today will change to include innovative arrangements between new and existing actors. The public sector will take greater steps towards extra-institutional outsourcing, which includes outsourcing directly to the individual through self-service, or by way of the notfor-profit or voluntary sector.

Notre reporter aux Pays-Bas, Nico Lemmens, qui travaille pour ISS, se penche sur le projet de l’Administration néerlandaise de ne plus externaliser ses services de nettoyage.

In order to keep up with demand and capitalise on resources, the public sector will need dynamic infrastructure that can scale accordingly and accommodate the increasing flow of people and information. We need highly sophisticated Facility Management (FM) or infrastructure management – network hosting, people coordination, help-desk services, messaging, security and database administration, among other things – rooted in precision and measurement, process discipline and operational excellence.

The primary challenges faced by the public sector in the coming decades will be related to infrastructure. FM is infrastructure in the most basic understanding.

There are more things today that can be considered FM than ever before, offering unparalleled opportunities for FM providers to take control of the fourth industrial revolution. The role of FM in the future is absolutely central.

There are three key roles FM will assume towards 2020 in support of the evolving public sector: • FM providers as strategic partners: the crucial step for FM providers is to develop tools for engagement that can be used for strategic alignment, and to bridge the gap between customer and partner.

• FM providers as consultants and educators: the value of FM in the future will be on knowledge.

• FM providers as investors and co-creators: the demands of public sector organisations will further exceed their capacity to deliver in-house.

The challenge in all this, however, is in aligning the interests of multiple stakeholders. As for the Dutch cabinet’s insourcing plans: it’s always interesting to see people swim against the tide.

Der Niederlande-Korrespondent des ECJ, der bei ISS Facility Services tätige Nico Lemmens, berichtet über die Pläne der niederländischen Regierung zur internen Vergabe von Reinigungsdiensten.

Il corrispondente olandese Nico Lemmens della ISS Facility Services prende in esami i piani del governo olandese di internalizzare i servizi di pulizia.

UPDATE: FRANCE Increase in company failures French reporter Christian Bouzols explains that the number of cleaning companies failing in the country has risen by 16 per cent since 2011, but that on the whole business is improving.

The number of cleaning companies failing in France has risen by 16 per cent in three years. That figure is indeed worrying but is a good reflection of France’s current economic difficulties, as shown by the 657 cleaning companies that have failed in 2013, a figure just published by the socioeconomic observatory of the French cleaning federation. What is even more worrying is that the rate of company failures has increased by 16 per cent since 2011. In total, 1,830 cleaning companies have gone bust in France during the past three years.

That brings the rate of company failures (ie, ratio of companies that fail to companies that remain going concerns) to 2.07 per cent, which shows that companies in the cleaning sector are on average more fragile than other companies, particularly among businesses less than two years old. Indeed, the rate of company failures is 1.4 per cent for the industry as a whole. However it varies from 0.9 per cent to 3.3 per cent depending on the region.

It should be noted that the number of company failures in the cleaning sector is only eight per cent of the number of company closures (about 7,000), most of which are due to the economic crisis, to company owners going into retirement, or to takeovers and consolidation in the sector.

However, one shouldn’t be too alarmed because there are indications that give grounds for optimism. Cleaning activity in France has picked up slightly during the early part of 2014.

Company turnover in the sector Notre correspondant en France Christian Bouzols rapporte que le nombre des défaillances d’entreprises dans le secteur de la propreté a augmenté de 16 pour cent depuis 2011.

October 2014 | ECJ | 14

has improved compared to the same period of the previous year. This improvement is what transpires from the most recent economic barometer published in May on the basis of a sample of 300 companies.

This increase in activity isn’t universal and only amounts to 1.6 per cent year-on-year. The slight improvement in business for cleaning companies is more evident among small and medium firms, which constitute the bulk of the sector in any case.

The best performances are seen among medium-sized companies with turnovers between one and 20 million euros (improvement of two per cent).

The health sector is in relatively good shape (2.5 per cent year-on-year improvement) and so is the building sector (increase of two per cent). As for the industry as a whole, after being stagnant for many months, it has shown a small annual improvement of one per cent.

Regarding employment, the socioeconomic barometer indicates a 1.4 per cent annual increase in the number of hours worked. It also registers an increase of 4.5 per cent in the incidence of open-ended employment contracts, and an increase of just one per cent in the number of fixed term contracts, which remains virtually stable.

The November edition of ECJ will feature a special report on hand hygiene

Unser FrankreichKorrespondent Christian Bouzols teilt mit, dass die Zahl gescheiterter Reinigungsunternehmen seit 2011 um 16 Prozent gestiegen ist.

Il corrispondente francese Christian Bouzols spiega che la percentuale di fallimenti delle imprese di pulizia è aumentato del 16 per cento dal 2011.

UPDATE: GERMANY The future is robots?

German correspondent Thomas Schulte-Marxloh on the future of robots in the cleaning sector.

The future according to Star Trek is bright: a peaceful coexistence of races and cultures on earth, a brotherhood of man enjoying advanced technology: both, the so-called ‘transporter’ as well as the ‘replicator’ represent breathtaking and elegant solutions for present problems. Unfortunately, the creators of Star Trek did not let us know who or what keeps that perfect world tidy.

While robots and automation are present in many industries already, they do not play an important role in the contract cleaning industry today where manual work is still dominant.

However, automated or semiautomated cleaning devices have been employed for years - for instance to clean glass roofs or façades or swimming pools.

About 70 per cent customers of the contract cleaning industry want the floors of their offices to be cleaned and the waste bins emptied. In order to find an automated solution for these requests scientists of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA have developed software to operate a respective mobile robot which autonomously cleans offices or other business premises. Apart from this and other applications the modular software architecture allows an easy transfer of individual hardware and software components from one robot system to another.

The robot – a further development of the service robot Care-O-Bot 3 (www.care-o-bot. de) – autonomously inspects the customers’ offices in order to detect dirt that has to be removed; the device recognises, maps and finally removes dirt automatically. If, for instance, a coffee stain cannot be removed by the robot with its built-in broom, Notre correspondant en Allemagne Thomas Schulte-Marxlox fait rapport sur un logiciel nouveau pilotant un robot capable de nettoyer des bureaux ou d’autres types de locaux.

the robot maps the stain and informs the cleaning personnel who then can take action. Moreover, the robot recognises dust bins, inspects them visually and identifies those dust bins which have to be emptied. With its arm and ‘fingers’ the robot can grab the waste bin and empty it into a collecting box.

It is not easy to imitate human capacities and the robot is based on complex technology. This is true for both hardware and software. A number of human capacities that we take for granted require advanced technologies.

Problems like navigation, object detection, or co-ordination between the robot’s arm and its mobile platform – had to be solved to create a service robot with different functions. After all, this is already the third generation of the service robot which in the first place was designed to provide services to (mainly elderly) people in their homes.

In order to meet the professional requirements of the contract cleaning industry, the developers of the device cooperate with Dussmann Service. Presently the service robot Care-O-Bot 3, designed by Fraunhofer IPA, serves as the hardware basis.

However, according to Fraunhofer IPA the modular software structure allows a mediumterm transfer of the conceptual solution to a tailor-made and cost-efficient robot platform. Last December first functional trials with the prototype were carried out in Berlin.

Of course, technology is still in its infancy; still the robot needs service and someone to remove the dust from it. Nevertheless, automation and robotics are highly attractive and certainly on the rise, finally, in the contract cleaning industry.

Im Bericht unseres Deutschland-Korrespondenten Thomas Schulte-Marxloh geht es um eine neue Software zur Steuerung eines mobilen Roboters, der Büros und andere Räumlichkeiten reinigt.

Il corrispondente tedesco Thomas SculteMarxloh ci informa su un nuovo software che fa funzionare un robot mobile che pulisce uffici e altri ambienti.

October 2014 | ECJ | 15

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UPDATE: UK Here one of the main topics has been immigration. Some interesting views have been expressed by the movers and shakers in our industry. Let us be clear, controlled immigration is no bad thing but many of our troubles have arisen from the policy of allowing uncontrolled immigration.

It is small wonder that employers, while professing agreement with Government policies, generally seem reluctant to endorse any curb on immigrant workers.

They are cheap to employ by our standards yet are delighted by the wages available here. Two problems have added to a difficult situation. Firstly the matter cannot be taken into the public forum without the cry of “racism!” which it surely is not. Secondly the blurring of the two distinct types of immigrant. The first are refugees fleeing war and persecution, where Britain and several

other countries have an excellent reputation for their reception. The second the economic migrants who have few skills but are weary of little food and having to carry water miles to drink and no prospect of improvement. The issue is made more complex and difficult to manage by European Union citizens being able to come and go at will.

Ingrained attitudes What, you ask, has this to do with cleaning? The skilled immigrant with a job to come to and funds for housing, etc, is no problem. The cleaning contractors are happy to take on workers who will work hard and do not complain about their pay.

As an industry we are very much the first port of call. At one time it was hotel and restaurant washing-up that provided some sort of job. The illegal immigrant

Notre correspondant au Royaume-Uni examine certaines questions d’actualité entourant l’immigration et leur impact sur le secteur de la propreté.

The immigration question ECJ’s UK correspondent on the immigration debate and how the cleaning industry is involved. was unfortunately widely used by unscrupulous cleaning companies as well as some who ought to have known better.

The burning question remains.

Why don’t the British unemployed or otherwise take these jobs?

The media talks glibly of “jobs the British won’t do” as if this was an accepted fact of life. The answer is much simpler but deeply ingrained. It is class. You can call a cleaner anything you like - ‘cleaning operative’ or even ‘environment specialist’ but to the great British public he or she is a cleaner. It is going to take a revolution in all areas and at all levels to change this.

Der britische ECJ-Korrespondent untersucht aktuelle Probleme im Zusammenhang mit Immigration und wie sie sich auf die Reinigungsbranche auswirkt.

Into our hands recently fell a report The Invisible Work Force: Employment Practices in the Cleaning Sector - the work of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. In my opinion it contains few meaningful figures, no information as to who took part and many of its conclusions appeared to be based on little more than speculation. It points out the industry’s failings but has virtually no praise for the fine job being done 24 hours a day, seven days a week by cleaning companies and their employees.

Certainly it does nothing for the workers and much to strengthen the negative public image.

Il corrispondente del Regno Unito di ECJ esamina le questioni attuali che circondano l’immigrazione e gli effetti che ha sul settore del cleaning.

October 2014 | ECJ | 17

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The education challenge Cleaning a floor can be very difficult, given the huge range of floor types around these days.

But who trains the cleaners in this complex task, and how do they go about it? Ann Laffeaty finds out.

Training is essential to keep cleaners up to date with new floor types and processes. But who carries out this training and how is it achieved?

Cleaning a floor should theoretically be a simple matter of sweeping, mopping or scrubbing the surface to ensure that it is clear of dirt and debris.

But new types of flooring are being developed all the time, along with new cleaning methods, products and machinery. So training is essential to keep cleaners up to date with new floor types and processes. But who carries out this training, and how is it achieved in a multilingual industry where staff turnover is high?

Machine manufacturer Kärcher offers

regular training sessions for partners, companies and customers. “We also offer an extensive training programme for sales, application and service staff through the Kärcher Academy,” said environmental matters public relations officer Linda Schrodter. “And our instruction videos are all available online. ” Physical training sessions are normally held in English, but Kärcher Academies worldwide run training sessions in various languages. According to Schrodter, floor cleaning can be complex since operatives need to consider a number of points before tackling a floor.

“They need to assess the surface structure and the type of dirt that needs to be cleaned,” she said. “They then need to decide on the correct cleaning agent and dosage, and choose from the various types of brushes, disks and rollers on the market. And they have to consider the volume of water required along with the brush contact pressure and cleaning speed.”

Identifying floors Diversey Care global marketing director Irina Klemps agrees that identifying the type of floor in question is the first major challenge for a cleaning operative.

“Although there are various methods of doing this, few cleaners are thoroughly trained in applying these identification methods,” she said. “They may also lack the precise information they need on the specific type of flooring from the site owner or builder.

“Once they have identified the floor type, they need to choose a compatible cleaning product and method. Choosing the wrong product could ruin a floor which means the correct identification of floor type is essential.”

Diversey provides advice on the correct products and methods to use on various floor types along with a range of training options. These include classroom sessions that take place around the world and multilingual e-learning modules that can be tailored to suit individual customers.

“We also offer a ‘train-the-trainer’ programme that works very effectively,” said Klemps. “This involves intensive coaching of selected customer staff

by Diversey experts to certify them as trainers themselves.”

Diversey also offers instruction at customer sites, either in the form of proactive training or in response to specific challenges. “This can be product-based training, machine or dosing equipment instruction, safety instruction or training on the correct cleaning methods and chemical selection,” said Klemps.

“We also provide customers with printed and digital training materials including method cards, cleaning plans, training videos, product information sheets and brochures. Everything is available in all European languages and illustrated with pictograms to support multilingual staff.”

She says a continuous training programme is essential since staff turnover is so high. “Otherwise the knowledge level in customer organisations would decrease over time,” said Klemps. “A one-off initiative would therefore not be sufficient to suit the needs of the industry.

Customer support needs to be continuous and thorough.”

She says floorcare training is crucial because any damage caused by using the wrong method or product could be costly to put right - or even irreversible.

“If you deep-strip a linoleum floor using a high alkaline stripper, the floor will be ruined and can only be replaced,” said Klemps. “And if you use an acidic cleaner on a marble surface, the stone will lose its lustre and only time-consuming crystallisation might reverse the effect.”

Educate key staff Like Diversey, 3M has been developing its own ‘train-the-trainer’ model to educate key members of staff in the correct way to clean various types of floors. The 3M Cleaning Continued page 22

October 2014 | ECJ |21

CARE OF HARD FLOORS The education challenge (continued) University has been rolled out successfully in South America and will be coming to Europe in 2015.

“We will be working with machine manufacturers to provide comprehensive training in all types of floorcare and maintenance next year,” said 3M business development manager for cleaning Tim Copner. “The course will take the form of workshop-style seminars and there will be hands-on sessions on different types of flooring and various types of machinery.

The details are yet to be finalised but sessions will be held in various locations throughout Europe.”

According to Nilfisk-Advance’s global brand manager Lisette Zangger Nilsson, user-friendly machines can help to reduce the level of staff training required since cleaners can quickly come to grips with them.

“Our machines are clearly labelled with pictograms that show their vital functions,” she said. “It is one of the cornerstones of our development to supply products that can be used after minimal training and that come with a self-explanatory user interface. We even use QR-codes that allow the operator to watch an instruction video via their mobile phone.”

Complex procedure She says floor cleaning is one of the most complex cleaning procedures there is. “A range of solutions may be required depending on the type of floor and the kind of soiling,” she said. “Wear and tear of the floor might also be severe in high traffic areas, and it requires particular skills to preserve flooring under these conditions.

“Besides manufacturer training I would also recommend independent training and certification for cleaning staff. This will provide a clearer picture of basic cleaning techniques - and having this base will make it easier for operatives to attend other training sessions and understand user manuals and instructions.”

Kärcher’s Linda Schrodter agrees with Zangger Nilsson that user-friendly machines are a major training advantage.

“Staff turnover is very high in the cleaning industry which means that machines and instructions need to be self-explanatory and to the point,” she said.

Kärcher products are clearly labelled to aid multilingual staff, says Schrodter. “We use pictograms and colour-coded controls, Est-il dur de nettoyer un plancher ? À dire vrai, cela peut être très dur en raison de l’éventail immense des types de plancher en usage aujourd’hui. Cependant, qui s’occupe de former les agents de nettoyage à cette tâche complexe, et comment s’y prennent-ils ?

October 2014 | ECJ | 22

and the menu platforms on our machines are easy to use and feature around 18 different language settings,” she said.

The language barrier can often be a problem for a trainer confirms Hako’s application technology trainer and consultant Klaus Serfezi. “As machine manufacturers, this means our training needs to be as hands-on as possible so that all steps are selfexplanatory,” said Serfezi.

He agrees with other manufacturers that identifying floor types can be a problem. “Some building operators are not even aware of the types of floor covering they have in their properties,” he said. “This means the building service provider will be required to use his or her expertise to determine the kind of floor coverings there are and how to clean them.”

Regular intervals Like Klemps he feels that any training initiative should be ongoing. “Repeating the training at regular intervals is particularly important when it comes to chemicals since new products are introduced more frequently than is the case with cleaning machines,” he said.

According to Serfezi, some service providers are not prepared to invest in sufficient levels of staff training due to high staff turnover. “This makes it even more important to train supervisors and project managers on a regular basis to keep them up to date,” he said.

Bio-Productions managing director Mike James says a floor surface can be badly damaged in cases where untrained or badly trained operatives are let loose on a floor.

“All too often we are asked how to restore or repair a floor that has been tackled using the wrong process and employing an inappropriate chemical solution,” he said. “We’ve had instances of flooring being permanently damaged through the incorrect use of equipment.”

He says regular training is the only way of making staff aware of the latest types of polymers, equipment and chemicals that are available to them. “This can be achieved by developing a relationship with the suppliers and manufacturers of cleaning compounds, machinery and processes as well as occasionally visiting retailers of flooring materials,” he said.

Wie schwer kann es sein, einen Boden zu reinigen? Die Antwort: sehr schwer, angesichts der gegenwärtigen großen Vielfalt an Bodenarten.

Wer übernimmt jedoch die Schulung des Reinigungspersonal in dieser komplexen Aufgabe, und wie gehen sie dabei vor?

Experience on the job “It is also beneficial to experiment on flooring tiles, laminates and strips of wood to see how different compounds react on different surfaces. There is nothing like first-hand experience to instil knowledge.”

He agrees with other manufacturers that it can be a challenge to train operatives in an industry where the staff is constantly changing.

“Often the time spent on induction and training programmes is wasted because of staff turnover,” he said. “However, it is foolish to set an inexperienced operative to work with equipment and chemicals that he or she doesn’t understand.

Invariably an experienced staff member will be paired with an experienced hand who will train them while on the job.”

Contract cleaning company Julius Rutherfoord runs a BICSc-accredited training programme at its own head office.

“No-one steps out in a Julius Rutherfoord uniform until they’ve completed our training scheme,” said general operations manager Andres Balanta. “Some of our equipment can be quite technical but there’s always a right way, a safe way and a more productive way to do things.”

Training will always be a difficult issue in a multilingual industry where so many of the staff are simply passing through.

And for some manufacturers and cleaning companies, training can even be perceived as a waste of time and money. But the complexity of the floorcare industry and the potential cost when things go wrong means that proper instruction is a necessity.

As Diversey’s Irina Klemps puts it: “Welltrained staff are an investment – but one that will result in savings by preventing damage to the floor.”

And according to Nilfisk-Advance’s Lisette Zangger Nilsson, increasing levels of automation will eventually make the training question less relevant in any case.

“We already have automated forklifts working in large areas and we will probably see increasing numbers of larger automated cleaning machines,” she said. “I would not go so far as to call these ‘robots’ since the complexity of cleaning floors and the various floor types means there is probably still a need for craftsmanship.

But I’m sure this type of solution will be there some day in the future.”

Quanto può essere difficile la pulizia di un pavimento?

La risposta è molto difficile, data la gamma vastissima di tipi di pavimenti che ci sono al giorno d’oggi. Ma chi si occupa del training degli addetti alle pulizie per questo lavoro complesso, e come lo affrontano?

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Largest in range Despite its size, says Kärcher, the largest walk-behind scrubber dryer in its range is easy to handle.

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the suction bar swings sideways almost as far as the drive wheels.

At the front of the machine is space for two 2.5 litre containers of detergent and the fresh water tank is 120 litres. Scrubbing heads are available with roller or disk brushes, each with a working width of 750 mm or 900 mm. And with the newly available 1100 mm wide D 110 C disk brush head cleaning capacity goes up to 5,400 square metres per hour.

The Kärcher Intelligent Key system is fitted as standard to ensure correct operation and different levels of authorisation. www.karcher.com

Small ride-on The CT 80 is the smallest rideon scrubber dryer in IPC Gansow’s range, built on a robust industrial platform and intended for professional two-brush applications as well as less intensive single-brush uses.

The compact machine is 130 cm in length but carries an 80

litre solution tank. This is said to provide a better-thanaverage autonomy for its machine class.

The entry level, single-brush version of the CT 80 has a 55 cm cleaning width and is equipped with a 105 Ah battery unit claimed to provide around two hours’ use per shift.

The two-brush version has a 60 or 70 cm cleaning width along with more powerful motors plus a 180 Ah battery unit which is said to power the machine for at least three hours’ continuous use.

The CT 80 also features IPC Gansow’s EcoSelect function which uses a single programme to control delivery of water and cleaning product according to the speed of the machine.

Also included is a memory card that stores the machine’s main operating parameters. www.ipcgansow.com

• Kärcher prône la maniabilité de son autolaveuse B120 W à conducteur à pied, malgré sa taille.

• L’autolaveuse la plus petite de la gamme IPC Gansow est la CT 80, à largeur de 55 cm.

• Laut Kärcher ist die handgeführte Scheuersaugmaschine B120 W trotz ihrer Größe leicht zu handhaben.

• Die kleinste AufsitzScheuersaugmaschine im Angebot von IPC Gansow ist die CT 80 mit einer Breite von 55 cm.

• La Kärcher afferma che la sua lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore al seguito B120 W è facile da maneggiare nonostante la sua dimensione.

• La più piccola lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo della gamma IPC Gansow è il modello CT 80, con una larghezza di 55 cm.

October 2014 | ECJ | 25

PRODUCTS: HARD FLOORS

Fewer trips One of Truvox International’s most popular machines, the Multiwash, is now available in a battery version to eliminate the potential trips hazard associated with trailing leads.

This model can wash, scrub and dry hard and soft floor coverings in a single pass, leaving floors ready to walk on in minutes. A choice of brushes allows operatives to undertake maintenance cleaning or intensive scrubbing.

brush pressure and speed mean less water and solution is used. www.truvox.com

Heavy duty

The battery runs continuously for up to 50 minutes; the four-litre solution tank is removable and easy to clean; and cleaning width is 34 cm. The machine’s high

For floor cleaning Moerman has developed the Hybrid floor squeegee, which is a combination of metal and plastic - a heavy duty metal frame with a plastic threaded socket.

The squeegee itself is made from natural Dura-Flex rubber, a

closed cell rubber which Moerman says gives the best wiping results. It also does not absorb water or other liquids, which prevents bacteria from accumulating.

Moerman says the elasticity of the rubber means the floor is totally dry after use, again reducing the chance of crosscontamination. It is available in 45, 55 and 75 cm widths. www.moermangroup.com

No more mop According to Kaivac its OmniFlex system is a clean, healthy and safe alternative to the mop and bucket.

The system starts with Kaivac’s OmniFlex Trolley Bucket, which has a self-dispensing design with a variable spigot underneath so that fresh cleaning solution is always applied to the floor. The solution is then spread with a squeegee brush to agitate and loosen soil.

Soil and water are then vacuumed using the attachable Omniflex wet/dry vacuum system. www.kaivac.com • Truvox International a lancé la machine de nettoyage des sols Multiwash 340/Pump à batterie dont l’autonomie atteint 50 minutes.

• La raclette élastique Hybrid de la société Moerman combine le métal et la matière plastique.

• Kaivac présente le seau de chariot OmniFlex qu’il considère comme une alternative saine et sûre aux balaiséponges.

• Truvox International hat die Bodenreinigungsmaschine Multiwash 340/Pump Battery vorgestellt, die eine Betriebsdauer von bis zu 50 Minuten bietet.

• Der Bodenabzieher Hybrid von Moerman wird aus einer Kombination aus Metall und Plastik hergestellt.

• Kaivac teilt mit, dass der OmniFlex Trolley Bucket eine gesunde und sichere Alternative zu Mopps darstellt.

• La Truvox International ha lanciato la macchina lavapavimenti Multiwash 340/Pump Battery che offre una durata di lavoro fino a 50 minuti.

• Il tergipavimento Hybrid della Moerman è prodotto con una combinazione di metallo e plastica.

• La Kaivac afferma che il suo prodotto OmniFlex Trolley Bucket è una alternativa sicura e sana ai mop.

October 2014 | ECJ | 26

PRODUCTS: HARD FLOORS

Double motor New from Comac is the Optima ride-on scrubbing machine for use in large indoor areas. Said to be both efficient and comfortable, the machine is designed for cleaning warehouses and logistic centres and for maintenance cleaning applications in environments such as shopping malls or hypermarkets.

The instrument panel of the Optima 90S has been developed to make driving intuitive, while the driver’s position offers complete visibility of the working area according to Comac. www.comac.it

Compact seated Developed for working on small and medium-sized areas is the compact ride-on scrubber ARA 66|BM 70 from Columbus. The company says one of its special

features is the long seat, which enables any operator to find the right ergonomic position for working comfortably.

The brush system adapts to different floor surfaces, while the patented mounting system allows brushes and pad holders to spin on and off at the push of a button. And the arc-shaped squeegee tool also adapts to the machine’s

movements to collect dirty water without leaving any residue behind. www.columbus-clean.com

Parts specialist From TVH comes a complete range of parts for scrubber dryers and sweepers - squeegees, floor pads, brushes, drive and vacuum motors. Online search tools, brochures and catalogues offer 24/7 ordering. www.tvh.com

The double vacuum motor is said to leave the floor dry and safe to use after only one pass.

The non-marking, skid-resistant motor wheel ensures a good grip even on wet surfaces, claims the company, while the large tanks offer high working autonomy.

The brush can be set at pressures of up to 100 kg, and in CDS versions the water and detergent can be dosed according to cleaning needs. This is said to enable the Optima to tackle any kind of dirt. Meanwhile the sweeping version Optima 90S - has been designed to pick up particles that are then collected into a compact hopper.

• L’autolaveuse à conducteur monté Optima, de Comac, est munie d’un double moteur d’aspiration afin de sécher les planchers en une seule passe.

• L’autolaveuse compacte à conducteur monté ARA 66|BM 70 de la société Columbus est conçue pour les superficies exiguës à moyennes.

• TVH propose une gamme étendue de pièces pour autolaveuses et balayeuses.

• Die Aufsitz-Scheuersaugmaschine Optima von Comac hat einen doppelten Saugmotor, der trockene Böden in einem Durchgang sicherstellt.

• Die kompakte AufsitzScheuersaugmaschine ARA 66|BM 70 von Columbus wurde für kleine und mittelgroße Flächen konzipiert.

• TVH bietet eine große Auswahl von Ersatzteilen für Kehr- und Scheuersaugmaschinen.

• La lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo Optima della Comac ha un motore aspirante doppio per assicurare che i pavimenti siano asciutti in una sola passata.

• La lavasciuga pavimenti compatta con operatore a bordo ARA 66|BM 70 prodotta dalla Columbus è progettata per aree di piccole e medie dimensioni.

• La TVH propone una ampia gamma di parti per lavasciuga pavimenti e spazzatrici.

October 2014 | ECJ | 27

PRODUCTS: HARD FLOORS

Intensive work The new version of the Taski Swingo XP scrubber dryer from Diversey Care is available in two versions with a number of enhancements.

The XP-R features rotary disk brushes for areas where a deep scrub is needed to remove heavy deposits. The XP-M, meanwhile, has micro-rotational brushes and is suitable for extended shifts and maximum autonomy.

Each machine can cover up to 4,500 square metres per hour with a working width of 75 cm.

The compact design means each model can pass through doors of 80 cm and be transported in standard lifts. And with a solution tank volume of 113 litres with recovery tank volume of 140 litres, the new machines can do more work between refills.

The IntelliFlow water management system is designed to minimise consumption and used in conjunction with the on-board TASKI IntelliDose system it ensures the correct amount of water and cleaning product is always delivered at an accurate dilution, irrespective of

machine speed. www.diversey.com

Many models The Scrubmaster B310 R/B310 R CL ride-on scrubber dryers and combi-machines with 310litre tank capacity from Hako are for use in shopping malls, multi-storey car parks or in the industrial and logistics sector.

Various models of the Scrubmaster B310 R are available - two disk brush machines with working widths of 102 and 123 cm, plus a cylindrical brush version for rough and structured floors. The cylindrical brush version sweeps up fine and coarse dirt during the wet cleaning process, while optional side brooms are available for cleaning close to edges and walls.

The combination sweeper and scrubber dryer Scrubmaster

• La nouvelle version de l’autolaveuse Taski Swingo XP de Diversey Care est proposée en deux configurations.

• Les autolaveuses Scrubmaster B310 R/B310 R CL sont des machines à conducteur monté et à contenance de réservoir de 301 litres.

• Die neue Version der Scheuersaugmaschine Taski Swingo XP von Diversey Care ist in zwei Ausführungen erhältlich.

• Bei Scrubmaster B310 R/B310 R CL handelt es sich um AufsitzScheuersaugmaschinen mit einem Tankinhalt von 310 Litern.

• La versione più recente della lavasciuga pavimenti Taski Swingo XP prodotta dalla Diversey Care è disponibile in due configurazioni.

• Le lavasciuga pavimenti Scrubmaster B310 R/B310 R CL sono modelli con operatore a bordo e con una tanica di 310 litri di capienza.

October 2014 | ECJ | 28

B310 R CL carries out three working steps in one operation.

First the 138 cm wide frontmounted vacuum sweeper enables dust-free intake of fine and coarser dirt.

Then the patented Take-it-Easy system allows for easier and more convenient emptying of the dirt hopper by the operator.

Rotating disk brushes then remove stubborn soiling and finally the three-stage suction turbine and the parabolic squeegee dry the floor thoroughly safe for immediate use. www.hako.com

PRODUCTS - HARD FLOORS

Keep polishing 3M says its new Scotch-Brite High Shine floor pads are engineered to last three times longer than existing high performance pads.

The company says this new pad was developed in response to customer demand for a premium pad that boosts productivity and lowers costs, without compromising shine.

It cleans and polishes marble, terrazzo and concrete to a gloss finish while maintaining a consistent performance across three times more flooring, 3M claims.

The pads incorporate mineral abrasives on both surfaces of the pad, allowing for doublesided use, while also containing abrasives within the pad for greater durability. No chemical strippers, coatings or finishes are required.

High Shine pads are available in two grades - Sienna High Shine for cleaning and polishing worn and dull floors in poor initial condition; and Purple High Shine for buffing to a brilliant gloss finish. www.3M.eu/HighShine

accessories, along with a nozzles kit to enable the vacuum to reach hard-to-access places.

This model also comes with optional Hepa filters.

The model FV9, meanwhile, is a backpack vacuum with padded shoulders and a tool belt which keeps accessories within easy reach. www.fimap.com

Much faster?

Grand Finale is a rugged floor chemical application machine designed to apply floor finish, concrete densifiers, hardeners and sealers quickly and uniformly - says manufacturer Aztec.

With a working width of 92 cm the machine lays down a coating of chemicals at a rate of 3,250 square metres per hour. A battery-powered pump precisely controls the flow rate to a microfibre pad.

Aztec says the Grand Finale is 60 per cent faster than the traditional mop and bucket method, saving on labour cost while also reducing chemical use by up to 30 per cent. www.aztecproducts.com • 3M affirme que ses tampons de sol Scotch-Brite High Shine sont trois fois plus durables que les tampons existants.

• Fimap a lancé une nouvelle gamme d’aspirateurs, y compris une unité à dos, la FV9.

• L’appareil Grand Finale de la société Aztec est un applicateur robuste de produits chimiques à largeur de travail de 92 cm.

Fimap has just launched a new range of vacuum cleaners in response to the new EU regulations aiming to reduce energy consumption and improve performance - which came into force at the beginning of September.

• Laut eigenen Angaben von 3M sind die neuen Bodenpads ScotchBrite High Shine dreimal länger haltbar als bestehende Pads.

• Neu von Fimap ist eine Produktreihe mit Staubsaugern, darunter der RucksackStaubsauger FV9.

• Bei Grand Finale von Aztec handelt es sich um eine Maschine zur Ausbringen von Bodenreinigungschemikalien mit einer Arbeitsbreite von 92 cm.

The class B FA15+ for example, is designed to be easy to use and compact. There are various

• La 3M afferma che i suoi dischi Scotch-Brite High Shine Floor Pads funzionano tre volte più a lungo dei dischi esistenti.

• La novità della Fimap è una gamma di aspirapolveri e fra questi l’aspirapolvere dorsale, il modello FV9.

• Grand Finale della Aztec è una macchina per l’applicazione di prodotti chimici su pavimenti non regolari con larghezza di lavoro di 92 cm.

Less energy

October 2014 | ECJ | 29

PRODUCTS: HARD FLOORS

• La Qleeno Cordless est une nouvelle autolaveuse à batterie capable de nettoyer en dessous de la plupart des meubles.

•Wetrok souligne la non-toxicité et l’innocuité du Speedclean, son nouveau décapant de plancher.

• Bei Qleeno Cordless handelt es sich um eine neue batteriebetriebene Scheuersaugmaschine, die zur Reinigung unter den meisten Möbeln geeignet ist.

• Wetrok teilt mit, dass der neue Grundreiniger Speedclean ungiftig und ungefährlich ist.

• La Qleeno Cordless è una nuova lavasciuga pavimenti alimentata a batteria in grado di pulire sotto la maggioranza di tipi di mobili.

• La Wetrok afferma che il nuovo prodotto per decerare i pavimenti Speedclean non è tossico e non è pericoloso.

October 2014 | ECJ | 30

No cord

The Qleeno Cordless is a battery powered scrubber dryer from Qleeno, with a low height of 19 cm to allow it to clean under most types of furniture. The machine’s patented squeegee rings allows it to vacuum up dirty water in any direction, regardless of how the operator moves it.

The new lithium-ion battery weighs five kg, runs for one hour and 15 minutes and takes 2.5 hours to charge. The entire machine including battery weighs 33 kg.

Because it is such a low height, has low noise emission and easy

manoeuvrability - the manufacturer says - the Qleeno Cordless is the solution to cleaning in areas where the usual option is to clean by hand, or not at all.

Hospital wards can be cleaned without having to move patients and operatives can machineclean under kitchen counters. www.qleeno.com

sitive linoleum. And at least 20 per cent less water is required.

Protective film and old coatings are dissolved quickly and completely, with no sticky residue left behind. www.wetrok.com

Safe stripper Wetrok has launched what it claims to be the first nonhazardous floor stripper, Wetrok Speedclean. This was developed for the removal of protective films or coatings on floors using scrubber dryers instead of single disk machines.

Cleaning speed is up to 75 per cent faster than by conventional methods, claims Wetrok, and because the solution is entirely pH neutral only one final rinse is needed. Speedclean can be used on water and solvent-resistant flooring, and also on alkali-sen-

The next edition of ECJ - November - will feature a special report on hand hygiene

PRODUCTS: HARD FLOORS

Standing up Nilfisk has designed its SC1500 stand-on scrubber dryer to offer ease of use, performance and reliability. The operator simply steps up, pushes the pedal and starts cleaning.

With its large tank, double brush pressure and up to 3.5 hours of battery running time the cleaning capacity of the SC1500 is up to 2,438 square metres per hour.

Suitable for daytime cleaning, its OneTouch scrub on/off switch and intuitive dashboard mean minimal operator training is needed.

The Ecoflex Cleaning System

feature controls water flow, saving on resources and cost. www.nilfisk.com

Floor pad app

In order to help cleaning operatives to choose the correct floor pad for their task Wecoline has developed a free floor pad app which maps out the floor cleaning challenge step by step and advises which one to use.

The app also offers information on the best working method by using short videos. If the user needs more information they can contact Wecoline direct by email or telephone at the push of one of the app’s buttons. www.wecoline.com/app

• La SC1500 est une autolaveuse à conducteur debout et à autonomie de trois heures et demie proposée par Nilfisk.

• Wecovi a introduit une appli permettant aux utilisateurs de sélectionner le meilleur tampon pour la tâche de nettoyage en présence.

• TRI+ est la nouvelle gamme TTS de têtes de balayage humide à deux faces en microfibre.

Wet and dry

• Die Stand-onScheuersaugmaschine SC1500 von Nilfisk bietet eine Akkubetriebsdauer von bis zu dreieinhalb Stunden.

• Neu von Wecovi ist eine App, die Benutzern bei der Auswahl der besten Pads für die jeweilige Bodenreinigungsaufgabe helfen soll.

• TRI+ ist die neue Produktreihe mit doppelseitigen Mikrofasermopps von TTS.

TTS has introduced a new range of double-sided mops that can be mixed and matched to allow cleaners to combine two applications in one pass.

The company’s TRI+ system of mops can be configured for washing and drying or washing and dusting. They can also be used on safety floors or on regular floors depending on the operator’s needs.

A waterproof film between the two sides of the mop enables the cleaner to use one side for wet cleaning and the other side for drying. www.ttsystem.com

• La SC1500 è una lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore in piedi prodotta dalla Nilfisk con la durata di lavoro della batteria di tre ore e mezza.

• La novità della Wecovi è un’ app progettata per aiutare gli utenti a selezionare i dischi migliori per le loro esigenze di pulizia dei pavimenti.

• TRI+ è la nuova linea di mop in microfibra a doppio lato prodotti dalla TTS.

REACH MANAGEMENT

REACH strategies Dr Sandra Meijer of The REACH Centre explores the impact of REACH on industry in practice and discusses strategies and best practice for REACH management.

Most industry sectors have by now managed to get to grips with REACH registration and many companies have successfully met the first two registration deadlines of Dec 2010 and June 2013.

However, there is more to REACH than just registration of chemicals, and effective management of REACH is needed in order to ensure compliance in the supply chain.

REACH continues to evolve and develop; therefore one of the big challenges in managing REACH is keeping up with changes. A substantial challenge is now placed on industry to actively and frequently monitor changing obligations relating to substances and processes introduced as a direct result of the regulation. Each one of these changes can impact on business continuity.

For example, authorisation is the protocol within REACH for identifying and controlling the use of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs), with the longer-term aim of finding alternatives. SVHCs are identified based on meeting one or more criteria: • Class 1A or 1B CMR • Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) as defined under Annex III • Of equivalent level of concern, eg, endocrine disrupters.

Such substances are placed on the Candidate List for Authorisation and may subsequently be placed on Annex XIV, the list of substances subject to authorisation. Annex XIV substances cannot be used in the EU after a designated ‘sunset date’ unless those companies have obtained

an authorisation for their specific use(s).

With 31 substances already on the Annex XIV list and a further 33 proposed to be added, authorisation is affecting more and more industries. Furthermore, authorisation has potential impacts on all businesses along a supply chain.

They not only face the risk that their supplier may remove their chemical substances from the market, but also that their use is not covered by an authorisation.

Dozens of SVHCs are identified every year and ECHA has a target of placing all known relevant SVHCs on the Candidate List by the year 2020. All could eventually be removed from the market.

The current list of SVHCs contains 22 solvents/degreasers, and 10 surfactants potentially used in industrial cleaning (for more information, see www. chemtrac.co.uk).

The other protocol within REACH for controlling certain uses of hazardous substances is the Restriction protocol (Annex XVII). Again, proposals for new restrictions are submitted on a very regular basis. An example of a recently proposed restrictions that could potentially affect the cleaning sector concerns N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) in coatings and cleaners for professional uses.

Drivers for change The identification of SVHCs and proposals for new restrictions are to a large extent based on hazard. Whilst the registration of substances is meant to generate better data to support hazard assessment, sometimes the authorities need extra

La plupart des secteurs industriels en sont venus à maîtriser le REACH. Cependant le REACH va au-delà du simple enregistrement de produits chimiques et doit être corrrectement géré afin de garantir la conformité à ses dispositions tout au long de la chaîne d’approvisionnement. Dr Sandra Meijer, The Reach Centre, s’explique.

October 2014 | ECJ | 32

information to decide whether or not substances need additional controls. This leads us to the Evaluation protocol of REACH. Within REACH, substances are evaluated under the Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP) by the Member States (MS). The aim is to clarify whether their use poses a risk to human health or the environment and MS can request further information from the registrants of the substance to verify the suspected concern.

Unless it is concluded that the risks are sufficiently controlled with current measures, evaluation will generally lead to the MS submitting a proposal for either a restriction, listing as an SVHC, or harmonised classification. There are 120 substances included in the CoRAP list for 2014-2016 and the list is updated annually.

Immediate registration Harmonised classifications are listed on Annex VI of the Classification, Labelling & Packaging (CLP) Regulation. Although this is not part of REACH, the impact of harmonised classifications on REACH obligations is extensive.

For example, substances currently lined up for 2018 registration could suddenly become subject to immediate registration when their classification is updated to CMR Category 1A or 1B status.

In summary, evaluation can lead to substances becoming restricted, subject to authorisation, or being re-classified.

Re-classification itself can then further lead to restrictions and authorisation and also have an impact on other chemical legislation. This constant change to substance status means that if companies do not follow the regulatory process very closely, they could find themselves out of compliance, facing removal of their product from the market, or a ban on the use of their substance.

Strategies We have seen that REACH triggers the need to keep up with changes which are regularly

Die meisten Industriebranchen kommen inzwischen mit der REACH-Registrierung zurecht. Bei REACH geht es jedoch um mehr als nur die Registrierung von Chemikalien, und eine effektive Verwaltung ist erforderlich, um die Einhaltung entlang der Lieferkette sicherzustellen. Erfahren Sie Näheres dazu von Dr. Sandra Meijer vom The Reach Centre.

introduced to the regulation, such as listing as an SVHC, Restrictions, CLP re-classifications, etc. Clearly, effective tracking and management of chemicals in the supply chain is essential to comply with REACH and to minimise the risk of supply chain disruptions.

Having worked extensively with both large companies and SMEs, our experience is that successful REACH management in a business depends on three main factors: • Clear management support • Incorporating chemicals management and chemical compliance into the day-to-day activities of staff across different areas of the business, including procurement, product development, operations and regulatory affairs • Having effective and robust systems in place to monitor change and trigger related actions for compliance.

In companies where REACH is managed comprehensively, we have seen that compliance responsibilities are accepted by individual departments and incorporated into department procedures, job descriptions and training rather than being driven exclusively by EHS or a limited number of other individuals. In particular procurement has an important role to play.

As new SVHCs, restrictions and harmonised classifications are constantly identified, having as much advanced warning as possible is essential. To monitor the regulatory updates by hand takes a lot of time and resources.

Many companies therefore opt to use a chemicals management tool to support this challenging task. One of the tools used by a variety of industry sectors is chemtrac, a regulatory reference tool aimed at helping companies maintain compliance with REACH and other legislation. Users of the system are managing to save time and reduce their risk of non-compliances and supply chain disruptions (www.chemtrac.co.uk/ ourcustomers.php).

La maggior parte dei settori dell’industria sono alle prese con la registrazione REACH. C’è comunque qualcosa di più riguardo a REACH che non la semplice registrazione dei prodotti chimici, ed è necessaria una gestione efficace per assicurare la conformità nella filiera. Dr Sandra Meijer di The Reach Centre ci spiega come.

Cleano 100 Better cleaning for windows and surfaces

360° swivel system

Practical pump

Non-drip spray nozzle

Practical, safe and fast, Cleano 100 is the all-new Cleano designed to clean windows and other surfaces in offices, shops and commercial areas in general. Cleano 100 works without detergents and is ideal for removing dust and finger prints from display windows and refrigerated displays.

Cleano 100 is the lightest and most compact model in the Cleano range.

Versatile and reliable, Cleano 100 swivels to any angle to clean: 𰁳𰀀 Display windows and refrigerated displays 𰁳𰀀 Mirrors and partitions 𰁳𰀀 Washable furniture and surfaces 𰁳𰀀 Shelves, tables and desks 𰁳𰀀 Windows and glass surfaces in general

Better cleaning for a better world

Pulex

info: pulex@pulex.it tel. +39 030 2026011 www.ipcpulex.com

CASE STUDY

On-board hygiene Providing systems for compact away-from-home washrooms or catering kitchens can be a challenge. But how much harder would this be on a 65 square metre yacht?

Jenny Turner from Tork manufacturer SCA – a company fielding a team in this year’s Volvo Ocean Race – talks to Team SCA boat captain Liz Wardley about the difficulties that she and her team mates can expect when they set sail in October.

The hard work, isolation, range of temperatures likely to be encountered and the navigation difficulties make the Volvo Ocean Race the toughest open ocean sailing regatta in the world.

Equipping any public-use washroom or kitchen where space is at a premium can be a major challenge. Facilities managers in such environments have to consider issues such as cross-contamination risks plus ease of maintenance along with the possibility that the supply of consumables – already limited due to space restrictions - will run out between maintenance checks.

So imagine the cleaning and hygiene challenges that are likely to be faced on board a 65 square metre racing yacht where there is no facilities manager, no designated cleaner and where everything on board – even toilet paper – constitutes surplus weight.

And if that same yacht were to spend the best part of nine months at sea there would be other cleaning and hygiene issues to consider, not least of which would be the limited availability of fresh water.

These are among the many difficulties that are likely to be faced by crews taking part in the 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race. We at SCA are fielding a team in the race for the first time this year. Team SCA comprises 13 crew members – all women - who come from all over the world including the UK, US, Australia, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

The nine-leg race begins in Alicante on October 4 and will cover more than 38,000 miles before ending in Gothenburg on June 27 next year. The course will take in some of the world’s most taxing oceans and conditions, and the longest leg - from Auckland, New Zealand, to Itajai, Brazil – will take 31 days. During this time the crew will reach the most inaccessible spot on the planet where the closest humans will be the astronauts at the international space station.

The hard work, isolation, range of temperatures likely to be encountered and the navigation difficulties involved make the Volvo Ocean Race the toughest open ocean sailing regatta in the world.

But there are other, day-to-day concerns

that are likely to occupy the yacht’s crew as well. None of us likes to neglect our personal hygiene, but how is one expected to keep clean on a 65 square metre racing yacht where the toilet and washing facilities are rudimentary at best, and where there are limited supplies of fresh water to boot?

“We try not to make hygiene too much of a challenge on board,” says Team SCA captain Liz Wardley. “Although we won’t have the luxury of a hot soapy shower every day, there are other things we can do to make us feel good. SCA supplies us with intimate wipes, wash gloves and three-in-one wipes which we will use most days. And of course we’ll look forward to having that shower at the end of each leg.”

Personal hygiene crucial Personal hygiene will be facilitated with the aid of non-water soap and non-water shampoo hair-caps, though any rainfall during the journey will be a huge bonus.

This will allow the entire crew to head up on deck to strip off and wash away the salt water from their skins.

Weight on board is critical since it directly impacts on the performance and speed of the boat. For this reason, all products are packed in waterproof vacuum packaging to keep them dry and to help to reduce weight. And everything – including toilet tissue – is rationed.

“We have shifted from counting rolls of toilet paper to sheets of toilet paper in terms of what to bring on board,” said Wardley. “We know how much paper we have in each day bag, so if we are nearing the end of a leg and we seem to be running low we’ll know we need to ration.

“But there are plenty of other paper products on board to use if necessary, so this would hardly ever become an issue.”

These other paper products will include industrial wipes which are being taken along for maintenance purposes. The crew needs to ensure that everything on the yacht is functioning at all times, since any Continued page 36

October 2014 | ECJ |35

CASE STUDY On-board hygiene (continued) breakdown could be disastrous.

“We have all been trained in boat maintenance to some degree and each of us has an area of responsibility for maintenance on board,” said Wardley. “This means we are all trained specifically in one area whether it is winches, rigging, boatbuilding or sail-making and depending on any breakage that occurs, that person will be in charge.”

She says industrial wipes are highly useful when any maintenance issue arises – but these too must be kept to a minimum and any contamination by salt water needs to be prevented.

“We vacuum-pack our wipes in fives to make them easier to use and to keep them dry,” said Wardley. “In fact all our maintenance bags for winches etc includes its own packet of wipes.”

Surface cleaning on board - both in general areas of the yacht and in the galley – will be important in order to keep the crew in optimum health. But time, resources and facilities will again be severely limited. “Cleaning tasks will be shared between the team and everyone will make an effort to keep the boat as clean, hygienic and tidy as possible,” said Wardley.

Freeze-dried meals The crew will live on a diet of four freeze-dried meals per day plus additional snacks such as energy bars, chocolate, dried meats, protein drinks and tea and coffee. Food is taken on at every leg of the journey with two team members being responsible for ordering, packing and preparing the food for each leg.

Fresh water for cooking, cleaning and drinking will be provided with the aid of a desalinator. This can produce up to 25 litres of fresh water per hour by forcing seawater through a fine membrane that filters out the salt molecules.

“We also carry a hand desalinator on board in case the main desalinator stops working,” said Wardley.

Every crew member needs to pull her own weight which means that any illnesses on board would be a major problem. “For this reason, galley hygiene needs to be maintained at all times,“ she said.

Quand il s’agit d’accueillir et de nourrir du monde hors de chez soi, prévoir le nécessaire pour les toilettes et la cuisine peut faire problème. Le faire sur un yacht de 65 mètres carrés risque d’être plus difficile encore. Le fabricant des papiers Tork, SCA, a aligné une équipe dans la course océanique Volvo de cette année. ECJ s’entretient avec la capitaine du bateau, Liz Wardley, des difficultés auxquelles elle s’attend pour ce qui est des toilettes et de la cuisine à bord.

October 2014 | ECJ | 36

“It would be very damaging for the team if even one person came down with a food-related bug, since that would lead to fewer people on deck helping to sail the boat. Everyone else would have to compensate and work even harder.

“For this reason we have a system on board for galley hygiene. There is always hand soap and sanitiser available and we try to be very efficient about washing bowls, spoons and mugs systematically after use – particularly since there is only six of each item and we have to share utensils. We use an antibacterial spray to clean galley surfaces, and industrial paper towels to wipe down after cooking.”

However, Wardley considers the chances of a crew member contracting a food-related illness to be fairly slim. “We have no contact with any outside viruses or other bugs that could get into the food or water,” she said. “Also, all our food is vacuum packed in separate bags for each day.”

Sleeping will be another challenge for the women since the crew works in fourhour watches, 24 hours a day. They will sleep in bunks made from carbon fibre to save weight, and each will aim to average

eight hours’ sleep in the form of naps.

The prospect of the journey may seem daunting, but Wardley at least has some idea of what to expect since she has already competed in a Volvo Ocean Race – again with an all-female crew.

“Ever since crossing the finish line in the 2001-2002 race I have wanted to go back and do it all again, and to do it better than before,” she said. “So here is my chance.”

So, what will be the hardest challenges she will expect to face during the ninemonth journey?

“I think the most concerning aspects are those things over which we have no control,” said Wardley. “You can be the most prepared team in the race and have the best support - and the best boat - but in any race there are always situations that one cannot predict.”

Nevertheless, she is excited about the challenges to come. “It is all coming together and the Volvo Ocean race is becoming very real for the team,” said Wardley. “We are in race mode and are all working hard.”

For more information and regular updates about Team SCA in the Volvo Ocean Race, visit: www.teamsca.com

Die Bereitstellung von Systemen für kompakte gewerbliche Waschräume oder Catering-Küchen kann eine Herausforderung darstellen. Aber wie viel schwieriger wäre dies jedoch auf einer 65-Quadratmeter-Yacht? Tork-Hersteller SCA stellt eine Mannschaft im diesjährigen Volvo Ocean Race, und ECJ spricht mit Kapitän Liz Wardley über die Schwierigkeiten, die sie und ihre Mannschaftskameraden erwarten können.

Fornire sistemi per le sale da toilette mobili compatte o per le cucine delle imprese di ristorazione può essere una sfida. Ma quanto più difficile potrebbe essere su uno yacht di 65 metri quadrati? La SCA, produttrice dei prodotti Tork, invia un team all’edizione di quest’anno della Volvo Ocean Race e ECJ parla al capitano dello yacht Liz Wardley delle difficoltà che lei e i membri del suo team si possono aspettare.

𰀦𰁏𰁒𰀀𰁁𰀀𰀣𰁌𰁅𰁁𰁎𰁅𰁒𰀀𰀷𰁏𰁒𰁌𰁄𰀌𰀀 𰀷𰁅𰀀𰁎𰁅𰁅𰁄𰀀𰁁𰀀𰀳𰁐𰁁𰁒𰁋𰀀 𰀢𰁊𰁓𰀏𰀁𰀸𰁂𰁕𰁆𰁓𰀏𰀁𰀴𰁂𰁍𰁕𰀏𰀁𰀦𰁍𰁆𰁄𰁕𰁓𰁊𰁄𰁊𰁕𰁚𰀏𰀁 𰀥𰁆𰀁𰀯𰁐𰁓𰁂𰀁𰀯𰀦𰀹𰀵𰀍𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁𰁏𰁆𰁘𰀁𰁃𰁖𰁔𰁊𰁏𰁆𰁔𰁔𰀁𰁖𰁏𰁊𰁕𰀁 𰁐𰁇𰀁𰀪𰁏𰁅𰁖𰁔𰁕𰁓𰁊𰁆𰀁𰀥𰁆𰀁𰀯𰁐𰁓𰁂𰀍𰀁𰁄𰁓𰁆𰁂𰁕𰁆𰁔𰀁𰁊𰁏𰁏𰁐𰁗𰁂𰁕𰁊𰁗𰁆𰀁 𰁔𰁚𰁔𰁕𰁆𰁎𰁔𰀁𰁕𰁐𰀁𰁊𰁎𰁑𰁓𰁐𰁗𰁆𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁𰁘𰁆𰁍𰁍𰀎𰁃𰁆𰁊𰁏𰁈𰀁 𰁐𰁇𰀁𰁑𰁆𰁐𰁑𰁍𰁆𰀍𰀁𰁓𰁆𰁔𰁑𰁆𰁄𰁕𰁊𰁏𰁈𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁𰁆𰁏𰁗𰁊𰁓𰁐𰁏𰁎𰁆𰁏𰁕𰀏 𰀤𰁐𰁎𰁑𰁂𰁄𰁕𰀁𰁕𰁆𰁄𰁉𰁏𰁐𰁍𰁐𰁈𰁊𰁄𰁂𰁍𰀁𰁅𰁆𰁗𰁊𰁄𰁆𰁔𰀁𰁇𰁐𰁓𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁 𰁑𰁓𰁐𰁅𰁖𰁄𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰀁𰁐𰁇𰀁𰁔𰁐𰁍𰁖𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰁔𰀁𰁐𰁏𰀁𰁔𰁊𰁕𰁆𰀁𰁂𰁏𰁅𰀁 𰁐𰁏𰀎𰁅𰁆𰁎𰁂𰁏𰁅𰀁𰁕𰁐𰀁𰁄𰁍𰁆𰁂𰁏𰀍𰀁𰁔𰁂𰁏𰁊𰁕𰁊𰁛𰁆𰀁𰁂𰁏𰁅𰀁 𰁅𰁆𰁐𰁅𰁐𰁓𰁊𰁛𰁆𰀁𰁔𰁖𰁓𰁇𰁂𰁄𰁆𰁔𰀁𰁂𰁏𰁅𰀁𰁆𰁏𰁗𰁊𰁓𰁐𰁏𰁎𰁆𰁏𰁕𰁔𰀏 𰀥𰁆𰀁𰀯𰁐𰁓𰁂𰀁𰀯𰁆𰁙𰁕𰀁𰁔𰁚𰁔𰁕𰁆𰁎𰁔𰀁𰁄𰁂𰁏𰀁𰁃𰁆𰀁𰁖𰁔𰁆𰁅𰀁𰁊𰁏𰀁 𰁎𰁂𰁏𰁚𰀁𰁂𰁓𰁆𰁂𰁔𰀛𰀁𰁔𰁂𰁏𰁊𰁕𰁊𰁛𰁂𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰀁𰁐𰁇𰀁𰁊𰁏𰁅𰁖𰁔𰁕𰁓𰁊𰁂𰁍𰀁 𰁔𰁖𰁓𰁇𰁂𰁄𰁆𰁔𰀍𰀁𰁆𰁏𰁕𰁆𰁓𰁕𰁂𰁊𰁏𰁎𰁆𰁏𰁕𰀁𰁂𰁏𰁅𰀁𰁆𰁅𰁖𰁄𰁂𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰀁 𰁆𰁏𰁗𰁊𰁓𰁐𰁏𰁎𰁆𰁏𰁕𰁔𰀍𰀁𰁉𰁚𰁈𰁊𰁆𰁏𰁆𰀁𰁐𰁇𰀁𰁏𰁐𰁏𰀁𰁄𰁓𰁊𰁕𰁊𰁄𰁂𰁍𰀁 𰁄𰁂𰁓𰁆𰀁𰁆𰁒𰁖𰁊𰁑𰁎𰁆𰁏𰁕𰀁𰁊𰁏𰀁𰁎𰁆𰁅𰁊𰁄𰁂𰁍𰀁𰁔𰁆𰁄𰁕𰁐𰁓𰀍𰀁𰀁𰀁 𰁘𰁂𰁕𰁆𰁓𰀁𰁕𰁓𰁆𰁂𰁕𰁎𰁆𰁏𰁕𰀁𰁊𰁏𰀁𰁊𰁎𰁑𰁐𰁗𰁆𰁓𰁊𰁔𰁉𰁆𰁅𰀁𰁂𰁓𰁆𰁂𰁔𰀍𰀁𰀁 𰁔𰁂𰁏𰁊𰁕𰁂𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰀁𰁊𰁏𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁𰁇𰁐𰁐𰁅𰀁𰁔𰁆𰁄𰁕𰁐𰁓𰀏

𰀴𰀢𰀯𰀪𰀵𰀪𰀻𰀪𰀯𰀨𰀁𰀴𰀺𰀴𰀵𰀦𰀮𰀴𰀁𰀵𰀰𰀁𰀪𰀮𰀱𰀳𰀰𰀷𰀦𰀁𰀵𰀩𰀦𰀁𰀲𰀶𰀢𰀭𰀪𰀵𰀺𰀁𰀰𰀧𰀁𰀭𰀪𰀧𰀦𰀁𰀢𰀯𰀥𰀁𰀦𰀯𰀷𰀪𰀳𰀰𰀯𰀮𰀦𰀯𰀵 𰀥𰁆𰀁𰀯𰁐𰁓𰁂𰀁𰀯𰀦𰀹𰀵𰀁𰁊𰁔𰀁𰁑𰁓𰁆𰁔𰁆𰁏𰁕𰀁𰁊𰁏𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁𰁄𰁍𰁆𰁂𰁏𰁊𰁏𰁈𰀁 𰁔𰁆𰁄𰁕𰁐𰁓𰀁𰁘𰁊𰁕𰁉𰀁𰀨𰁊𰁔𰁆𰁍𰁍𰁆𰂥𰀍𰀁𰁂𰁏𰀁𰁆𰁍𰁆𰁄𰁕𰁓𰁐𰁄𰁉𰁆𰁎𰁊𰁄𰁂𰁍𰀁𰀁 𰁔𰁚𰁔𰁕𰁆𰁎𰀁𰁇𰁐𰁓𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁𰁑𰁓𰁐𰁅𰁖𰁄𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰀁𰁐𰁇𰀁𰀴𰁐𰁍𰁆𰁗𰁂𰂥𰀍𰀁 𰁂𰀁𰁔𰁂𰁏𰁊𰁕𰁊𰁛𰁊𰁏𰁈𰀁𰁔𰁐𰁍𰁖𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰀁𰁄𰁐𰁏𰁕𰁂𰁊𰁏𰁊𰁏𰁈𰀁𰁔𰁐𰁅𰁊𰁖𰁎𰀁 𰁉𰁚𰁑𰁐𰁄𰁉𰁍𰁐𰁓𰁊𰁕𰁆𰀁𰁂𰁕𰀁𰁅𰁊𰁇𰁇𰁆𰁓𰁆𰁏𰁕𰀁𰁄𰁐𰁏𰁄𰁆𰁏𰁕𰁓𰁂𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰁔𰀏 𰀥𰁆𰀁𰀯𰁐𰁓𰁂𰀁𰀯𰀦𰀹𰀵𰀍𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁂𰁏𰁌𰁔𰀁𰁕𰁐𰀁𰁊𰁕𰁔𰀁𰁄𰁐𰁐𰁑𰁆𰁓𰁂𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰀁 𰁘𰁊𰁕𰁉𰀁𰁊𰁏𰁕𰁆𰁓𰁏𰁂𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰁂𰁍𰀁𰁑𰁂𰁓𰁕𰁏𰁆𰁓𰁔𰀍𰀁𰁊𰁔𰀁𰁆𰁙𰁑𰁂𰁏𰁅𰁊𰁏𰁈𰀁𰁊𰁕𰁔𰀁 𰁓𰁂𰁏𰁈𰁆𰀁𰁐𰁇𰀁𰁑𰁓𰁐𰁅𰁖𰁄𰁕𰁔𰀁𰁘𰁊𰁕𰁉𰀁𰁐𰁛𰁐𰁏𰁆𰀁𰁕𰁆𰁄𰁉𰁏𰁐𰁍𰁐𰁈𰁊𰁆𰁔𰀁 𰁇𰁐𰁓𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁𰁔𰁂𰁏𰁊𰁕𰁊𰁛𰁊𰁏𰁈𰀁𰁂𰁏𰁅𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁𰁅𰁆𰁐𰁅𰁐𰁓𰁊𰁛𰁂𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰀁𰁐𰁇𰀁 𰁆𰁏𰁗𰁊𰁓𰁐𰁏𰁎𰁆𰁏𰁕𰁔𰀏𰀁 𰀵𰁉𰁆𰁔𰁆𰀁𰁏𰁆𰁘𰀁𰁑𰁓𰁐𰁅𰁖𰁄𰁕𰁔𰀍𰀁𰁕𰁐𰁈𰁆𰁕𰁉𰁆𰁓𰀁𰁘𰁊𰁕𰁉𰀁 𰀨𰁊𰁔𰁆𰁍𰁍𰁆𰂥𰀍𰀁𰁂𰁓𰁆𰀁𰁈𰁐𰁊𰁏𰁈𰀁𰁕𰁐𰀁𰁄𰁓𰁆𰁂𰁕𰁆𰀁𰁂𰀁𰁏𰁆𰁘𰀁 𰁔𰁆𰁍𰁆𰁄𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰀁𰁐𰁇𰀁𰁊𰁏𰁏𰁐𰁗𰁂𰁕𰁊𰁗𰁆𰀁𰁔𰁐𰁍𰁖𰁕𰁊𰁐𰁏𰁔𰀁𰁇𰁐𰁓𰀁𰁕𰁉𰁆𰀁 𰁉𰁚𰁈𰁊𰁆𰁏𰁆𰀛𰀁𰁆𰁇𰁇𰁆𰁄𰁕𰁊𰁗𰁆𰀍𰀁𰁇𰁓𰁆𰁆𰀁𰁇𰁓𰁐𰁎𰀁𰁓𰁆𰁔𰁊𰁅𰁖𰁂𰁍𰁔𰀍𰀁 𰁆𰁏𰁗𰁊𰁓𰁐𰁏𰁎𰁆𰁏𰁕𰁂𰁍𰁍𰁚𰀁𰁇𰁓𰁊𰁆𰁏𰁅𰁍𰁚𰀏

𰀥𰁆𰀁𰀯𰁐𰁓𰁂𰀁𰀯𰀦𰀹𰀵𰀁

𰁍𰁐𰁐𰁌𰁊𰁏𰁈𰀁𰁇𰁐𰁓𰀁𰁅𰁊𰁔𰁕𰁓𰁊𰁃𰁖𰁕𰁐𰁓𰁔𰀏𰀁 𰀤𰁐𰁏𰁕𰁂𰁄𰁕𰀛𰀁𰁊𰁏𰁇𰁐𰀡𰁅𰁆𰁏𰁐𰁓𰁂𰁏𰁆𰁙𰁕𰀏𰁄𰁐𰁎𰀁𰀎𰀁𰁕𰁆𰁍𰀁𰀌𰀔𰀚𰀁𰀑𰀓𰀁𰀓𰀒𰀓𰀚𰀓𰀙𰀔𰀑

𰀷𰁊𰁔𰁊𰁕𰀁𰁖𰁔𰀁𰁂𰁕 𰀪𰀴𰀴𰀢𰀁𰀪𰀯𰀵𰀦𰀳𰀤𰀭𰀦𰀢𰀯 𰀰𰁓𰁍𰁂𰁏𰁅𰁐𰀁𰀓𰀑𰀒𰀕𰀁𰀎𰀁𰀕𰀎𰀘𰀁𰀯𰁐𰁗𰁆𰁎𰁃𰁆𰁓 𰀩𰁂𰁍𰁍𰀁𰀣𰀔𰀁𰀎𰀁𰀣𰁐𰁐𰁕𰁉𰀁𰀓𰀚𰀚𰀖

𰁘𰁘𰁘𰀏𰁅𰁆𰁏𰁐𰁓𰁂𰁏𰁆𰁙𰁕𰀏𰁄𰁐𰁎

BATTERIES

Why battery power?

What are the main advantages of a battery-powered cleaning machine over a diesel or mainspowered one? And in the future is battery power more likely to gain ground – or die out?

Ann Laffeaty asks battery companies, cleaning contractors and machine manufacturers their views.

No cords versus unlimited cleaning time?

That is the essence of the argument on whether or not battery-powered cleaning machines can supersede traditional plugin versions. Some argue that power leads place restrictions on the size of the area to be cleaned while also presenting a tripping hazard. Conversely, others claim that time spent recharging batteries can have an adverse effect on productivity.

But battery power is evolving rapidly and the limitations it used to pose such as shorter working times, frequent recharging and environmental concerns have become less of an issue than in the past.

Meanwhile, plug-in machines are also evolving to become quieter, safer and more powerful. And sometimes it is the size, type and accessibility of the area to be cleaned that determines the type of machine that should be used.

But which type of cleaning machine will triumph: battery or plug-in? Or will each of them continue to have a place? Battery manufacturers, machine manufacturers and cleaning companies all agree the flexibility of cordless cleaning is among the chief advantages of battery power.

General manager of Battery Supplies Alexander De Soete adds battery-powered machines offer environmental and safety advantages over mains power as well.

“They are quieter in operation and there are no hazardous diesel fumes to worry

about,” he said. “In sectors such as the food industry there is often a requirement to use battery-operated machines for hygiene reasons. Battery power also offers more flexibility since there are no cables and there’s no need to look for a grid connection. What’s more they are easier to manoeuvre and you can start cleaning whenever you want.”

He says the advent of lithium-ion batteries has helped to reduce the weight of battery-powered machines. “This is a real advantage and the lifetime of these batteries is far longer than that of lead-acid batteries,” he said. “Lithium-ion batteries are also smaller than traditional ones and are completely maintenance-free.”

Vice-president of marketing at Trojan Battery Elke Hirschman says batterypowered machines are the best choice in public facilities such as hospitals, schools and airports. “Unlike diesel-powered equipment they do not emit noxious fumes which makes them particularly suitable for environments impacted by health, safety and environmental regulations,” she explained.

According to Hirschman there are also cost benefits to using battery power. “The fact that battery-powered machines give operators more mobility to complete their cleaning tasks results in tremendous time and cost savings,” she said.

Anytime cleaning “Battery-operated equipment also gives workers the flexibility to clean any area at any time of the day or night, bringing higher productivity and increased profitability.”

Besides their flexibility and health and safety advantages, she says battery-powered machines are also more convenient and efficient. “There is no need to budget for fuel or waste time looking for power outlets. Just turn it on and go. “ Monobloc sales manager EMEA Chris Walsh says battery-powered machines are usually the best option in larger indoor environments. “These include hospitals, shops, offices, factories and public buildings since IC/LPG powered machines are

often forbidden in such environments.”

“Mains-powered machines also have serious health and safety limitations in areas where people may be present due to the risks associated with trailing mains leads, as well as the limitations of power cable length and available mains sockets.

“Very often battery power is not only the most practical and safest option, it is also the most cost-effective option – particularly for mid-sized machines with medium to large areas of coverage.”

Companies that make both mainsoperated and battery-operated machines also have high praise for the benefits of battery power. Truvox marketing and product manager Natalie Dowse says the chief advantages include versatility, safety and ease of operation.

“With no trailing cables to cause hazards in the workplace, battery-powered floor cleaning machines can greatly improve health and safety,” she said.

Dowse agrees with battery manufacturers that they are the best choice for hospitals, retail outlets, hotels and transport hubs. “These sites need continual cleaning throughout the day and contact with the public and employees is guaranteed,” she said. “Cordless machines lend themselves perfectly to such situations since operatives can manoeuvre the machines around more easily with no need to unplug, coil the cord and re-plug elsewhere.”

She adds that continuing developments in battery technology have led to cost and sustainability benefits. “The need to recharge more often can adversely affect productivity and the environment, so many manufacturers are investing heavily in developing rechargeable batteries that last even longer,” she said. “Energy use is also being improved, increasing the ‘charge efficiency’ of batteries – in other words, how much electrical energy has to be put into the battery when charging compared with how much energy is lost when the battery is used.”

Hako application technology trainer Continued page 41

October 2014 | ECJ | 40

BATTERIES Why battery power? (continued) and consultant Klaus Serfezi says it is often the size of the machine required and the country where it is being used that dictates whether or not a company will choose a battery-powered machine or a mains-powered one.

“Diesel, petrol or LPG-powered machines are usually larger ride-ons and in certain countries users prefer mains-powered machines,” he said. “Sometimes the job site may be too small for a batterypowered machine to pay off, or the wage structure of the cleaning staff is so low that it simply does not matter if it takes the user a long time to clean an area with a small machine. “ He adds that battery-powered models are the better option in environments where noise could be an issue since combustion engines are noisier than batterypowered machines.

“However, a mains-powered machine is always less expensive if only because there is no need to buy an extra battery,” he added. “And depending on how frequently the machine is used it might become necessary to purchase another – or even several - batteries during the course of the machine’s life cycle if the battery is

October 2014 | ECJ | 40

not charged correctly.

“From this perspective purchasing a mains-powered machine might be the better choice. However, profitability calculations will show which machine will be best for the job at hand. It is therefore important to take into consideration not only the initial acquisition costs but also the costs to be incurred over the entire life cycle of the machine.”

Obstacles to cleaning According to Kärcher’s environmental matters public relations officer Linda Schrödter, physical obstacles can be a major problem when cleaning. “The more angles and corners there are, the less efficient a plug-in machine becomes,” she said. “The length of the cable also limits cleaning to a specific range and this costs time, since cleaning must be interrupted to change power sockets.

“And in some premises, power sockets are so scarce that a long extension cable would be required and this could prove a hindrance to the user.”

She agrees with Serfezi that the relative quietness of battery-powered machines is an advantage. “Unlike diesel-powered

machines they can be used indoors since they don’t emit exhaust fumes,” she said.

“Another benefit is the fact that batterypowered machines can incorporate technical enhancements such as traction, brush after-run times, electric water volume setting, dosing systems and displays. Such refinements could only be implemented at great expense with plug-in machines.”

She says battery-powered models are the best choice for closed rooms where exhaust fumes could be a problem, as well as narrow, cluttered spaces where cables would be a hazard. They also work well in environments where there is constant public access, says Schrödter.

“In principle, battery-powered machines cost more to buy and the maintenance costs need to include battery wear and tear - especially with conventional lead batteries,” she adds. “But the more often cleaning is undertaken, the more economical a battery-powered machine becomes.

“The trend is towards longer life and high-energy batteries that are lighter in weight and more compact in size,” believes Schrödter. “Where machine cleaning is infrequent a plug-in machine can be used, but if daily cleaning is required then a

BATTERIES battery-powered machine will usually be the more efficient alternative.”

The sustainability of battery power is a key advantage in the contract cleaning sector according to Carl Robinson, marketing manager of contract cleaning specialist Nviro. “Batteries are charged from a cleaner energy source resulting in fewer carbon emissions,” he said. “Electricity from the mains supply is useful for powering larger pieces of equipment such as wide-track vacuums, carpet cleaners and buffers. However in remote locations a mains supply is not always available.”

He adds that battery-operated machines tend to be smaller in size which makes them easier to manoeuvre in hardto-reach areas such as stairwells. “Also if a machine has trailing wires, there is a very real risk of trips and falls no matter how careful the operative,” he said.

According to Robinson there is a comQuels sont les arguments en faveur de l’emploi d’un aspirateur à batterie plutôt que d’un aspirateur à moteur diesel ou alimenté par le réseau électrique ? Quels sont les environnements dans lesquels un modèle à batterie offre la meilleure option et comment se compare-t-il à un aspirateur branché au réseau ? ECJ fait le point sur la question.

mon argument that battery-operated machines are more prone to mechanical faults and need replacement parts more frequently than plug-in models. “However as technology in battery power storage develops – perhaps driven by successes in the mobile phone market – battery life continues to increase along with the reliability of battery-reliant equipment.”

So with the increasing efficiency and productivity of battery-powered machines, could they gain the upper hand? “There will always be a place for mains-powered machines and the power they deliver,” said Nviro’s Carl Robinson. “But as the convenience and sustainability of battery-powered devices increases, so will their use.”

Trojan Battery’s Elke Hirschman agrees with this verdict. “The number of indoor environmental regulations is increasing all the time and as electrical grids worldwide strain to keep up with consumer use, plugWie lauten die Hauptargumente, um statt einer dieseloder netzbetriebenen Maschine eine batteriebetriebene Reinigungsmaschine einzusetzen? In welchen Umgebungsarten ist ein batteriebetriebenes Modell die bessere Option, und wie schneiden sie in einem Kostenvergleich mit netzbetriebenen Maschinen ab? Das ECJ erfährt Näheres.

in machines may decrease in popularity due to ever-increasing electricity costs.”

Battery Supplies’ Alexander De Soete believes battery-power is already triumphing over plug-in. “We see more and more machines becoming battery-powered,” he said. “This is an evolution not only in the cleaning industry, but in most electricallyoperated machines and equipment.”

Monobloc’s Chris Walsh shares this optimism, but is more cautious about the future of the industry. “The likelihood is that battery power will continue to grow as battery technology evolves and flexibility becomes ever more important,” he said. “However, mains power remains the cheapest and simplest solution and thus remains attractive in many applications.”

But the viewpoint of Hako’s Klaus Serfezi is unequivocal. “Battery-powered machines have already pushed mainspowered models out of the market.”

Quali sono le principali discussioni sull’uso di una macchina per le pulizie alimentata a batteria piuttosto che una macchina a motore diesel o elettrica? In quali tipologie di ambiente i modelli a batteria sono l’opzione migliore, e quali sono le differenze con le macchine alimentate a corrente in relazione ai costi? ECJ indaga.

October 2014 | ECJ | 41

PRODUCTS: BATTERIES

New lithium The latest development from Battery Supplies is a lithium battery developed specifically for cleaning machines - the company says it is suitable for many models.

The battery is 100 per cent maintenance free and is claimed to consume 30 per cent less energy than traditional batteries.

It allows fast and intermediate charging and is half the weight of a traditional lead-acid battery including the container.

With a capacity of more than 2,000 cycles Battery Supplies says the new lithium model is more secure than traditional options because there is no acid or toxic gases. Other dimensions, voltages and capacities can be built if required. www.batterysupplies.be • Battery Supplies a développé une batterie au lithium à 100 pour cent sans entretien.

• Chaque chargeur IC650 Delta-Q Technologies est livré avec un profil de charge incorporé pour tout type de batterie acide-plomb.

• Enersys a récemment ajouté à sa gamme Hawker XFC deux batteries capables d’être chargées rapidement pour de courtes périodes.

• Battery Supplies hat eine Lithiumbatterie entwickelt, die vollständig wartungsfrei ist.

• Jedes Akkuladegerät IC650 von Delta-Q Technologies verfügt über vorgeladene Ladeprofile für alle Arten von Bleisäureakkus.

• Enersys hat kürzlich zwei neue Akkus zur Produktreihe Hawker XFC hinzugefügt, die kurze Ladezeiten bieten und Zwischenladungen ermöglichen.

• La Battery Supplies ha sviluppato una batteria al litio al 100 per cento senza bisogno di manutenzione.

• Ogni Delta-Q Technologies IC650 Charger è disponibile con i profili di ricarica pre-inseriti per tutte le tipologie di batterie piombo-acido.

• La Enersys ha recentemente aggiunto alla sua gamma Hawker XFC due nuove batterie che possono essere ricaricate velocemente e per brevi periodi.

October 2014 | ECJ | 42

Easy charging

Reliability and ease of use were priorities in the design of its IC650 industrial battery charger, says Delta-Q Technologies.

The charger is built using a sealed, die cast enclosure to protect against water, dust, chemicals, vibration, and shock.

Each comes equipped with preloaded battery charge profiles for all types of lead acid batteries including flooded, and sealed AGM or gel packs.

And thanks to a USB host port, users can update the charger’s software and battery charge profiles, or download charge cycle data for troubleshooting purposes. www.delta-q.com

New additions EnerSys has added two new batteries to its Hawker XFC range for floorcare equipment.

These models can be recharged quickly and for short periods without affecting lifetime performance, the company says. The batteries are virtually maintenance free and no water topping-up is needed.

There are now 10 models in the Hawker XFC range with different capacities and sizes - all designed for use with a Hawker high frequency charger which is said to ensure correct charging whatever the battery’s state of discharge. www.enersys.com

BATTERIES

Good charging habits As part of our special report on batteries, a look at how good charging habits can boost performance and prolong battery life – from Roger Stockton, technical specialist at Delta-Q Technologies.

Customer satisfaction and productivity when using batterypowered floor machines is based on the machine being available and able to run for the needed amount of time. With good charging habits, machines will meet your performance expectations, and prolong the life of your batteries.

Here are some helpful tips to use in your facility.

• Charge when the opportunity

presents itself.

If a machine will be used for most of the day and is used regularly in this manner, operators should recharge the batteries during break periods. Severely discharging the batteries poses a risk to their health and will cause the loss of energy capacity.

If machines are only used for a short period of time each day, make sure to plug in the machine every few days and complete the

Dans le cadre de notre rapport spécial sur les batteries, nous examinons comment un bon régime de recharge peut améliorer la performance et la longévité, comme l’explique Delta-Q Technologies.

October 2014 | ECJ | 44

charging cycle.

• Complete the charge cycle Completing a charge cycle means having the machine plugged in until the charger indicates the cycle is finished. As a rule, make sure to complete a charge cycle at least once a week. The finishing stages of the charging process, including a set amount of overcharge, are important for battery life. If charge cycles are not completed, the battery pack remains undercharged and you will notice less running time from the machine.

• Select the correct battery charge profile for your batteries.

Modern chargers can be programmed to deliver a charge profile (also called an algorithm) that charges the batteries according to their needs. Different battery chemistries require

Diese Ausgabe enthält einen Sonderbericht zu Akkus, in dem Delta-Q Technologies vermittelt, wie gute Ladegewohnheiten die Leistung verbessern und die Lebensdauer von Akkus verlängern können.

different charge profiles (eg, flooded versus sealed AGM or GEL batteries). When new batteries are put into the machine, it’s important to check that the charger is programmed with the correct charge profile. The profile can be specific to the manufacturer and model of your batteries, and should at least match their type.

An incorrect algorithm could lead to regular over- or undercharging of the batteries, which affects their performance and life.

Keep up-to-date with latest industry news on the ECJ website visit www.european cleaningjournal.com

Nell’ambito della sezione speciale di questo numero dedicata alle batterie, una panoramica su come delle buone pratiche e abitudini di ricarica possano migliorare il rendimento e prolungare la vita delle batterie, come afferma la Delta-Q Technologies.

QUALITY STANDARDS

Clean with your eyes ‘Cleaning with your eyes’, that is the basic idea behind the Nordic cleaning standard INSTA 800.

The standard was introduced in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland 14 years ago.

The new way of working has resulted in improved cleaning quality and higher employee motivation. Petra Sjouwerman reports for ECJ.

“Nowadays, our employees systematically assess each room before they start to clean and then focus on the agreed quality level for that room or space.”

“For many years we used to clean according to a fixed programme. On Monday we mopped the floors, on Tuesday we cleaned the walls, and so on. That meant that a coffee stain on the wall caused on Wednesday, stayed there until the next Tuesday,” chuckles Alice Bugge, general director of Rentek, based in Farum, a Copenhagen suburb. Three years ago Rentek was the first company in Denmark to achieve the INSTA 800 certification.

Rentek has long done away with fixed cleaning programmes. “Nowadays, our employees systematically assess each room before they start to clean and then focus on the agreed quality level for that room or space,” explains Alice Bugge.

Instead of focusing on cleaning frequency and fixed programme, the Nordic cleaning standard focuses on the results, by describing clear and objective expectations.

The INSTA 800 standard describes in detail how to measure the cleaning quality and how many ‘impurities’ are allowed in each room after the cleaning. This way cleaning companies can prove their ability to deliver quality.

Alice Bugge explains: “There are five quality levels. Level five is the highest: for a hospital operating room. That makes it easy to understand for the owner of an office building that level five is unrealistic.

And that a toilet should have a higher level then a corridor,” explains Alice Bugge, who has been working in the cleaning sector for over 30 years. She was one of the members of the working group that has developed the INSTA 800, a standard that was an initiative of the Nordic cleaning industry itself.

“We experienced that customers who were interested in buying our services wanted cleaning, but in fact didn’t know how clean they wanted it. Cleaning standards are very subjective. Many clients had difficulties in explaining what exactly they were looking for. We simply lacked common definitions. With the standard we speak the same language,” says Bugge.

Measurements are taken on four categories: furniture, floors, walls and ceilings. The standard defines four types of ‘impurity’: waste and loose dirt, dust, stains and what we call surface dirt.

“Surface dirt’ covers in fact ‘method flaws’, like stripes of soap on the floor or lime scale in the sink,” elaborates Mette Olesen, service manager at GKR, the municipal public cleaning service in the Danish town of Gladsaxe. This company is the second in Denmark to have achieved the INSTA 800, earlier this year.

Measure results The cleaning quality can then be measured by counting all impurities that are left in one room and by simply ticking them of on a sheet of paper, in a tablet or even with the help of an app. By counting these impurities a room will be approved or rejected. Within the standard a specific number of rejected rooms are allowed.

The customer sets standards for how clean each separate room should be. “Together with the client we choose the right levels. This is important as most customers have a tendency to choose a level that is too high,” Bugge says.

This means that the 100 employees of Rentek, a company with a broad range of clients - from private hospitals and schools to offices – have had to learn to ‘clean with their eyes’ first when entering a room or space. They have to decide what to clean in order to obtain the agreed quality level. “In stead of following fixed routines, our employees make their own decisions about what, within the time limits, is necessary in each room or space.

This makes their jobs more satisfying,” says Alice Bugge.

“We all have opinions about cleaning and we can often see it immediately when an area is not clean. But it takes a trained eye to see what is necessary to clean that area,” says Mette Olesen.

“During evaluation sessions with her staff, one of my employees remarked: now we have to bring our heads along when we go Continued page 48

October 2014 | ECJ |47

QUALITY STANDARDS Clean with your eyes (continued) to work.”

“The staff has to understand the system before they start to clean,” agrees Dennis Andersen, ceo of Andersen Control. According to him education is an important cornerstone of INSTA 800. Andersen was of the members of the second Nordic working group, which optimised the standard for daily use. This resulted in 2011 in the introduction of the INSTA 800 certification for companies and also for individual employees. Up to now, 400 employees in Denmark and Sweden have been certified.

In cooperation with Dansk Standard, the Danish national standardisation organisation (DS), Andersen teaches INSTA 800 courses on two levels, either three-day or five-days courses. In the meantime, he has also launched an e-learning programme.

While teaching, he has experienced that the standard provides employees with a greater motivation. Job satisfaction has increased. “Their work is judged from a professional point of view and is not a subjective assessment,” he says. “The other day I visited the town of Gladsaxe the cleaners told me that they now love their work,” he says.

Proud employees Mette Olesen experiences that the employees in her teams are more proud of their jobs. “Only a few years ago we would regularly have endless discussions about a room. Was it clean or was it not clean?

Now we have a professional language. We are talking about numbers of stains and percentages of floor surfaces with stripes,” she says.

That is the greatest benefit of INSTA 800, according to Dennis Andersen. “We focus on the cleaning results, because the result is something you can control, improve and change,” says Dennis Andersen.

Mette Olesen gives an example: “For the first time, we now have a control tool and we can analyse our mistakes. We can analyse the results of the 2,000 spaces we control four times a year, and see if there are certain mistakes or omissions that are more frequent than others. If so, we can take a closer look at our cleaning methods and cleaning equipment,” says Mette Olesen, who calls the standard “fantastic”.

Danish labour unions use the standards as a training tool for their members.

Dennis Andersen mentions neverthe“Nettoyer avec les yeux” est l’idée qui sous-tend la norme de propreté Nordique INSTA 800 utilisée au Danemark, en Suède, en Norvège et en Finlande.

Petra Sjouwerman examine son fonctionnement de plus près.

October 2014 | ECJ | 48

less an important challenge. “Our clients understand what we are doing, but the clients’ clients, like patients in a hospital or residents in an elderly home, sometimes have difficulties in understanding the cleaning system. They don’t understand that it is okay to leave some dust or a spot in a room,” Andersen says.

“For too long the cleaning sector has been lacking training and education,” says Alice Bugge. “The standard requires knowledge and skills, that is a very important aspect of the INSTA 800 standard and the certification system.”

“Often you hear people say that anybody can clean. Not true. Not just anybody can clean! If you want to clean within the framework of INSTA 800 you need education,” concludes Mette Olesen.

She has no doubt that the standard will become more widespread in the future.

“This standard is very important for our sector, which has been plagued by a lot of problems like social dumping, tax evasion and bad cleaning quality. This is not only a Danish or a Nordic problem, so I expect that in the future the INSTA 800 certification will become a market requirement.”

Dennis Andersen has already received inquiries from cleaning companies in the UK and Belgium. www.ds.dk

This standard describes a system for establishing and assessing cleaning quality. The standard describes two main principles: visual inspection and inspection using measuring instruments. For a certain cleaning task, it may be preferable to use either the former or the latter principle or a combination of both.

This standard describes exclusively the application of the measuring system for specifying a required quality and for inspecting the cleaning quality achieved. The standard can be used in all types of buildings and localities, eg, all types of premises in office buildings, hospitals, schools, nursery schools, shopping centres, shops, production halls, ships, buses, trains, aircraft, hotels and restaurants, irrespective of the cleaning methods, frequency or system used.

The standard describes the result achieved immediately after cleaning has been completed. Note - the standard does not comprise the measurement and control of cleaning-related services, such as replenishing of washroom articles, emptying waste paper bins, dealing with recyclable items, etc, unless stated in the cleaning contract.

„Reinigen mit den Augen“ lautet der Grundgedanke hinter dem skandinavischen Reinigungsstandard INSTA 800, der in Dänemark, Schweden, Norwegen und Finnland angewendet wird. Petra Sjouwerman untersucht genauer, wie der Standard funktioniert.

‘Pulire con gli occhi’ è l’idea di base dietro lo standard di pulizia nordico INSTA 800, che viene utilizzato in Danimarca, Svezia, Norvegia e Finlanda. Petra Sjouwerman osserva da vicino come funziona questo standard.

INSTA 800 Cleaning quality – system for the establishment and assessment of cleaning quality.

AIR FRESHENERS

A load of fresh air What are the key fragrance trends today? Do we still require sweet, heavy air fresheners or are we beginning to prefer more subtle, fresher aromas?

And if customers’ tastes are changing, how are air freshener companies adapting to their demands? Ann Laffeaty finds out.

“From one’s initial encounter with a fragrance one will begin forming nerve connections that will link that smell with certain emotions. “

They say that: “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and it is indeed universally accepted that we all have different ideas on what we find attractive to look at. In the same way we all have different tastes in music, food and clothing materials. So it should come as no surprise that we are just as diverse when it comes to our fifth sense – namely, smell.

This means that air freshener companies have a difficult task: they need to come up with commercial products that they can produce in bulk, while also catering to vastly different opinions on what smells good and what does not.

And this task is made doubly difficult by the fact that people tend to like or dislike fragrances according to the associations they have for them, rather than focusing on the smell itself.

“An odour has no personal significance until it becomes connected to something that has a meaning for us,” confirms managing director and president of Vectair Systems Paul Wonnacott.

“From one’s initial encounter with a fragrance one will begin forming nerve connections that will link that smell with certain emotions. This may be why some fragrances are popular in individual cultures, perhaps because the smells are associated with people’s childhoods.

For example, we have noticed particular fragrance trends with our Middle Eastern customers where strong, musky perfumes such as oudh are popular.”

However, Wonnacott adds fragrance trends tend to change over the years.

“We have remarked a decrease in demand for floral fragrances and an increased preference for more tropical aromas, perhaps because these evoke memories of summer holidays by the sea.

“There has also been an increase in the luxury home market and fragrance choices seem to have followed this trend.

As people lead busier lives, many have started seeking luxurious scents that tend to be associated with spas. Lavender is associated with relaxation, for example,

and jasmine with sleep. The emphasis is on high quality, luxury scents that have a major impact rather than fragrances that simply blend into the surroundings.”

He says an increasing number of customers are concerned with the prospect of ‘fragrance fatigue’ - the temporary inability to distinguish a particular smell after prolonged exposure to it. To combat fragrance fatigue Vectair has developed a multi-phasing system called V-Air Solid.

“This combines and diffuses key fragrance notes that are subtly different while also having differing diffusion rates,” said Wonnacott. “This essentially means that the start fragrance turns into a different fragrance over time.”

Different preferences According to brand manager for P+L Systems Lara Tarsuslugil, every customer has a different need in terms of preferences. “Our Classic fragrances have always been popular with washroom service companies which tend to prefer clean, sharp scents such as Lemon Fresh or Green Apple that create a fresh, hygienic environment,” she said.

“However our recently-launched Limited Edition Tropical Fusion fragrances and our Precious and Concept ranges are a hit with customers who prefer complex fragrances offering a luxurious atmosphere.

“Over recent years we have seen a move towards customers recognising the importance of using a fragrance that is suitable for the area it is intended for.

As a result they are now more likely to buy fragrances that meet their individual customers’ needs, rather than simply opting for a set selection they then provide as standard each month.”

She says P+L is constantly developing its fragrance offering. “We work closely with our customers to ensure we are always answering their requirements,” she said. “Our range includes various seasonal and limited edition fragrances. This allows customers the chance to offer something Continued page 52

October 2014 | ECJ |51

AIR FRESHENERS A load of fresh air (continued) new and different all year round.”

She says fragrance preferences will always be subjective. “However the understanding of fragrance is something that has evolved over the years,” she adds. “Classic fragrances will always have their place in the market. But complex scents reminiscent of perfumes that offer a longer lasting fragrance have become increasingly popular.

“Customers are now associating scents with different environments and are picking their fragrance offerings accordingly. They have become a lot more selective and knowledgeable about fragrances, and they recognise the importance of creating the right atmosphere for their customers.”

She adds that every publicly-used environment needs to have a pleasant aroma. “A washroom fragrance is as important to our customers as a fragrance that goes into a front-of-house area. As

“All of us are surrounded every day by creative fragrances – not only in terms of air fresheners but also in detergents, shower gels, shampoos.” our customer base grows and fragrance preferences change, it is important we keep up to date with these changes and that we evolve according to market trends and the needs of our customers.”

According to Tarsuslugil, an increasing number of P+L customers are attempting to distinguish themselves from their rivals by using complex, luxury fragrances that create a positive first impression.

“Whereas once customers would prefer a single note fragrance such as those from our Fruits and Flavours range, we have seen a shift in customers preferring to buy more layered, luxurious fragrances that develop throughout the day.”

Floral scents reminiscent of springtime remain the most popular fragrances in the Hagleitner range according to product manager Dr Georg Steiner. “This fragrance Quelles sont tendances actuelles de la diffusion de parfums d’ambiance ? Sommes-nous toujours attachés à la désodorisation douce et pondéreuse, ou préférons-nous désormais des parfums plus subtils et rafraîchissants ? Que font les producteurs pour s’adapter à l’évolution de la demande ?

October 2014 | ECJ | 52

preference has remained constant for around five years,” he said. “We have a choice of eight different scents and our customers are very satisfied with them.

“They offer something for everyone and there is no requirement for us to constantly come up with new fragrances.

Though we do think the industry will require an increasing number of light, pleasant fragrances in the future.”

Hyprom marketing and communications director Dorothée Cognault says her customers’ fragrance preferences depend entirely on the environments for which they are intended. Like P+L brand manager Lara Tarsuslugil she has remarked a clear division between washroom preferences and those in other areas.

“Simple, fruity or fresh fragrances have been the most popular choices in the washroom for some years, whereas designer fragrances are our best sellers for environments such as stores, conference centres and reception areas,” she said.

“In fact the growing demand for air control systems in places other than the washroom is a fairly new phenomenon.

Newer markets include small businesses selling clothes, furniture or designer goods as well as larger companies seeing aromas for their meeting rooms, welcome desks and foyers.”

According to Cognault, tastes in all areas of the fragrance market have evolved over the years. “The classical, old-fashioned bouquet aroma that was mainly composed of rose and violet has been replaced with the more subtle ‘white flower bouquet’ scent,” she said.

“Meanwhile, customers are switching from traditional lemon and orange scents to the exotic Yuzu and elegant Neroli respectively, and aromas such as cotton flower and lemon grass are replacing lavender and mint. There are also more designer fragrances on the market made up with new notes such as leather and oudh. The market is generally becoming more creative.”

So how do manufacturers see the air care market evolving? Will the current demand for fresher, more sophisticated fragrances continue or will customers have other requirements of the industry?

Paul Wonnacott believes it will remain important to continually develop new fragrances and systems. “People change

According to Wonnacott, business is growing in the air care market with an increase of nearly three per cent in liquid sales and four per cent in gel sales for the company over the past four years.

And while fragrance trends are changing, today’s customers have other demands as well, he says.

“It seems that now more than ever, consumers and distributors are looking for products that push the boundaries of fragrance while also being extremely environmentally aware,” he said. “They want products that are truly green, but that also exceed safety requirements.”

Hyprom’s Dorothée Cognault feels the same way. “People are becoming increasingly concerned about the composition of fragrances and are looking for greener, more efficient solutions,” she said. “They are seeking to replace the traditional aerosol delivery with more efficient technologies that are harmless for the planet and for mankind.”

She says Hyprom anticipated this trend when coming up with its recentlylaunched air care product, BLO2. This concept uses nanotechnology to ‘blow’ fragrances into the atmosphere using no propellant gas. According to Cognault it is important to keep coming up with new products to engage today’s most discerning customers.

“All of us are surrounded every day by creative fragrances – not only in air fresheners but also in detergents, shower gels, shampoos and deodorants,” she said.

“The consumers who use these are also the professionals who buy our air control systems, and naturally they expect the same variety and choice. And in a more general sense, consumers have become used to an amazing choice and constant innovation in every aspect of their lives – particularly in terms of new technology, new smartphone upgrades etc. When it comes to fragrances, their expectations are the same.”

Welche wichtigen Trends zeichnen sich gegenwärtig bei Düften ab – möchten wir noch immer süße, schwere Lufterfrischer, oder ziehen wir doch allmählich zartere, frischere Aromen vor? Und wie reagieren die Hersteller von Lufterfrischern auf die geänderte Marktnachfrage?

Quali sono le tendenze attuali per le fragranze, si vogliono ancora delle profumazioni per l’aria dolci e pesanti o si cominciano a preferire degli aromi più delicati e più freschi? E come si stanno adattando le imprese produttrici di profumatori per ambienti ai cambiamenti della domanda del mercato?

over time and consumables such as clothing and homeware go in and out of fashion,” he said. “Meanwhile, celebrities are continually re-inventing themselves to ensure their fans don’t become bored with them. The same applies to fragrances: what is important to consumers now may not be so in the future.”

Air care market growing

PRODUCTS: AIR FRESHENERS

• Les diffuseurs de parfums LED et LCD et P+L Systems Washroom sont proposés en fini chrome ou blanc.

• Vectair System a lancé un produit nouveau, le désodorisant V-Air Solid composé d’une capsule en céramique et d’un noyau de parfum.

• La technologie BLO2 de diffusion de parfums d’ambiance Hyprom est de caractère “nano” et fait appel à l’effet piézoélectrique.

• Le système de désodorisation d’air Viva!E de la société FDT est homologué pour son empreinte carbone minime.

• SCA propose trois recharges différentes pour son diffuseur de parfum Tork Air. • Kimberly-Clark Professional a lancé le distributeur à fragrances Aquarius Aircare.

• Unicorn Hygienics a mis au point de nouveaux aérosols de parfum pour son diffuseur Microair.

• Die Duftspender LED und LCD von P+L Systems Washroom sind in Chrom und Weiß erhältlich.

• Neu von Vectair Systems ist der Lufterfrischer V-Air Solid, der aus einer Keramikhülse und einem Duftkern besteht.

• Die Beduftungstechnologie BLO2 von Hyprom verwendet Nanotechnologie, die mit Piezoelektrizität arbeitet.

• Das Lufterfrischersystem Viva!E von FDT wurde als ein „Carbon Footprint Approved“-Produkt bestätigt.

• SCA bietet drei verschiedene Nachfüllpackungen für den Tork Sprühspender für Lufterfrischer • Neu von KimberlyClark Professional ist das Duftspendesystem Aquarius Aircare.

• Unicorn Hygienics hat neue Spraydüfte für die MicroairSpender entwickelt.

• I dispenser di profumazioni LED e LCD della P+L Systems Washroom sono disponibili in finiture cromata o bianca.

• La novità della Vectair Systems è il profumatore per ambienti V-Air Solid che consiste in una capsula di ceramica e un nucleo centrale di fragranza.

• La tecnologia di profumazione dell’aria BLO2 della Hyprom usa nanotecnologia che funziona con piezoelettricità.

• Il sistema di profumazione dell’aria Viva!E della FDT ha ricevuto l’approvazione per l’impronta carbonica Carbon Footprint Approved Product.

• La SCA propone tre nuove e diverse ricariche per il suo dispenser Tork Air Freshener Spray Dispenser.

• Il nuovo prodotto della KimberlyClark Professional è il sistema di profumazioni per ambienti Aquarius Aircare.

• La Unicorn Hygienics ha sviluppato nuove fragranze aerosol per i suoi dispenser Microair.

October 2014 | ECJ | 54

LCD or LED

Fragrance blow

From P+L Systems Washroom come LED and LCD fragrance dispensers available in chrome or white finish, with a choice of aerosol delivery features.

According to Hyprom its new BLO2 fragrancing system uses BLOwing nanotechnology that works with piezoelectricity and fragrance formulation refills.

Fragrance is literally blown through a mist of micro particles, which makes it stay airborne for longer. This solution, says Hyprom, is also highly eco-conscious.

The advanced technology also means better fragrance diffusion the company claims, along with lower operating costs and low VOCs. There is no propellant gas, and a choice of nine fragrances. www.hyprom.com

The LED dispenser can be programmed to spray every 7.5, 15 or 30 minutes to maximise the life of fragrances and ensure locations such as hotels or service stations that require continuous fragrancing always smell fresh.

The LCD option is suitable in areas such as offices that need only required fragrancing during limited time frames. It can be programmed to dispense fragrance on specific days and times, and is also available in 100 ml capacity, designed for discreet applications or areas where space is an issue. www.pandl.co.uk

Simple science

Vectair Systems has introduced V-Air Solid – a multi-phasing and passive air freshener with sub-micron fragrance technology which the company says eliminates the common problem with air freshening systems of fragrance fatigue.

The cartridge is made up of a ceramic capsule and a fragrance core. These combine and diffuse powerful key fragrance notes that are subtly different, resulting in a multi-phasing fragrance effect over a period of time.

V-Air Solid is VOC exempt and 100 per cent organic and biodegradable. The system contains no batteries which means the dispenser is fully recyclable. All it needs to work is natural airflow.

The system is made up of three parts: the cartridge, a dispenser and a recyclable retaining clip. www.vectair.co.uk

Endorsement

The Viva!E continuous air freshening and odour control system from FDT has been endorsed as a Carbon Footprint Approved Product. This means it has been independently assessed and verified for emissions and energy consumption, and was found to have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to aerosol products.

Viva!E uses patented Oxy-Gen Powered technology which is emission-free and can reduce the amount of VOCs emitted by aerosol cans by up to 90 per cent, says FDT. The fully recyclable refill contains only pure, concentrated fragrance oil – around six times more than most aerosol refills, with no solvents or propellants. www.oxygenpowered.com

No fatigue Tork manufacturer SCA says air freshening fragrances needs to be changed regularly in order to avoid the issue of fragrance fatigue. This occurs when regular users of washrooms become so accustomed to a particular aroma that they gradually fail to notice it.

To combat this the company offers a mixed pack of three different refills - Citrus, Tropical and Floral – designed for use in the company’s Tork Air Freshener Spray Dispenser.

The dispenser sprays out odour-neutralising agents at metered intervals and covers an area of up to 170 cubic metres.

There are 3,000 bursts per refill and the unit can be programmed to last for 30, 60 or 90 days.

The system can operate on either a 24 hour or 12 hour cycle and can be programmed for a five or seven-day week. Batteries last for up to 36 months. www.tork.co.uk

Combats smells Kimberly-Clark Professional has developed the new Aquarius Aircare fragrance dispensing system for use in washrooms.

Unpleasant odours top the list of complaints people make about washroom facilities, with 82 per cent citing a “really bad smell” as the most off-putting thing when they visit, according to a recent survey. The Aquarius Aircare system is said to combat those odours with a choice of five multi-layered fragrances.

The dispenser is equipped with valve technology for fine spray dispersal, offering a refill cycle of 60 days or 6,000 shots and a battery life of 18 months. KCP says the unit is easy to clean with one wipe and offers userfriendly programming. www.kcprofessional.co.uk

Long-lasting

The Microair aerosol dispenser from Unicorn Hygienics is an automatic odour control system that is fully programmable.

Suitable for use in smaller spaces, the unit is compact and tamper resistant.

Unicorn says it has also added a new technology into its fragrance base that actively seeks and counteracts malodours rather than masking smells. www.unicorn-hygienics.com

AERO 26 Best Industrial Vacuum Cleaner of the Year

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AERO 26 has also been rewarded the famous German PLUS X Award 2014.

Beside receiving the PLUS X Award for high quality and functionality AERO 26 also received the signet for Product of the Year 2014 as best industrial vacuum cleaner.

Nilfisk-Advance A/S · Sognevej 25 · DK-2605 Brøndby · www.nilfisk-alto.com

BUSINESS: OFFICE MOVES

Managing a stress-free move

Just the thought of it is enough to send your stress levels through the roof. Yet managing an office move with all the hassle, upheaval and expense that comes with it is a nettle most business owners will need to grasp sooner or later. Hartley Milner reports on how one company on a tight budget sought to smooth the move.

Publisher Lyall Kinley surveyed 20 years of clutter at his rented premises in north London and a deep panic set in as the reality of what he was about to take on hit home. “Every shelf, cupboard, filing cabinet, in fact every available nook and cranny, was piled high with stuff we really should have thrown out years ago,” said Kinley. “And it was not only paper clutter but also bulky stuff such as obsolete computers, printers and a photocopier.

“Why we let the place get in such a state, I really cannot say, but we had to shift the lot, along with moving the office furnishings and IT equipment we use every day – and all in the space of three weeks!”

Kinley was having to downsize his retail catalogue publishing business following a steady fall in orders due to the recession and the rise of online shopping. He had left three vacancies unfilled and made two employees redundant, leaving a staff of eight full-time copywriters and designers.

“Drastic measures were needed in the short term and a move to more affordable premises would be key to returning the business to profitability and to ensuring it remained competitive,” said Kinley.

“We had been through lean times in the past, but a relocation had never been on the cards before, so all I had to guide me were horror stories about what can happen if it all goes wrong, which everyone seemed most eager to impart.

“From what people were saying, the one thing you should resist at all costs is

going down the DIY route, which we had considered at one point to save money.

I heard tales of employees injuring their backs while lugging around heavy boxes and falling down steps while helping carry a desk to a waiting van, then going on to claim hefty compensation from the business owner in the courts.

“In the end, we heeded all the warnings and obtained a short-term 12,700 euros bank loan to cover bringing in expert help, including a professional office relocation adviser. After all, while the move was under way we still had to continue servicing our clients, so we wanted to ensure it all went seamlessly to avoid causing disruption to them.

“We anticipated repaying the loan early from the 21,600 euros we estimated we could save on our rental, heating and phone costs and business rates in just the first year of relocating.”

Clearly, the first step for Kinley was to find premises that would provide the savings he was seeking, somewhere nearby but with around half the 1,600 square feet of floor space he was currently occupying (100 square feet per employee is generally recommended).

“This is where the local office relocation adviser started earning her money,” said Kinley. “Knowing we were on a tight budget, she put us in touch with commercial property agents offering the most competitive commission rates and advised us that because our business was IT-based we did not require ‘shop window’ premises in a prime location. The key thing was getting a lease that suited us.”

Kinley was advised to opt for a flexible lease, which meant he could leave the premises at short notice if he suddenly needed to slash costs further. A nonflexible lease can mean up to three

months’ negotiation before the contract is signed and can often tie you to a property for five years or more. Whichever option, always check the lease offer is competitive against similar office space in the area. Never accept the rental quoted – always haggle for a better deal and show the terms of the lease to your solicitor.

The adviser also drew up the following property seeker’s checklist: • Crucially, are the offices big enough and affordable?

• Is there room to expand?

• Is the office serviced or unserviced? If unserviced, what would be the costs of putting in all the fittings you need?

• Is the building in a secure, low crime area? How will its security status affect your insurance? The more doors and locks to the office, and further up from ground level it is, the better the insurance deal.

Will you have to pay for your own locks?

• How hands-on are the management?

Do they provide their own plumber/ electrician/etc.

Points to check • Who will be responsible for maintenance – management or you?

• Will you be forbidden from doing anything, such as redecorating?

• Will you have access 24/7, or do you have to be out by a certain time?

• Check service charges and business rates.

• Are there good transport links and free parking attached or nearby?

• What shops and amenities are nearby?

• Is a shower available?

• Is there secure parking for cycles?

• If an office block, is there a lift?

• Are there enough power sockets?

• Will you have access to a kitchen?

• Will you have access to drinking water?

• Is there air-con/central heating? How costly are the offices to heat?

• Check all windows open and close.

Kinley’s adviser, Jenna Smith, said planning should start at least three months ahead of the move date with finding a reliable removal company an early priority. “You should get at least three removals quotes and not simply from a man with a van who does a bit of removal work on the side,” she said. “They should be experienced in office removals, and therefore used to handling office equipment, furniture, and they should also be mindful of the importance of getting Continued page 58

October 2014 | ECJ | 57

BUSINESS: OFFICE MOVES Managing a stress-free move (continued) everything re-assembled in the right place, tested and working as it should quickly and efficiently. You will also need to check that they are adequately insured.

“Once you have chosen a removals company, try to plan your office move so it doesn’t eat into valuable business time.

Many office removers will be available at weekends to accommodate your business needs. It also means your staff can leave the office on a Friday already prepared for the move and return to a work-ready office on the Monday morning.

“There is so much to think about and organise, so drawing up a well thoughtout relocation strategy is key to ensuring everything goes smoothly. Checklists are central to the success of any move and you will find they never seem to get shorter, because you are always adding to them. Something that tends to get left until late is contacting your existing service providers. Yet by letting them know about the move early you are in a strong position

to negotiate a good deal for carrying them over to your new premises. It is also a good opportunity to get alternative quotes from other providers.

“Your responsibilities for your old premises may not end simply because you have vacated them. You may well be liable for dilapidation costs, which can be huge. Office moves can entail a range of different costs, including IT cabling and infrastructure, insurance and new equipment and furnishings. These are just some of the costs involved. Make sure you do detailed costings and add on around 20 per cent as unexpected problems are likely to push you over budget.

“If you are using an office fit-out company, ask them for a detailed layout of your new office to enable the removals firm to set up everything in its right place in your new office. Ask your staff to pack their own desk items and make sure everything is correctly labelled so it ends up at the right desk in the new office.”

La perspective d’un déménagement de bureau suffit pour stresser quiconque, mais la plupart des entreprises auront tôt ou tard à l’affronter. Hartley Milner explique comment une entreprise au budget serré a cherché à amortir le choc.

Der bloße Gedanke an einen Büroumzug reicht, um das Stressniveau in die Höhe zu treiben, doch die meisten Unternehmen müssen sich dem früher oder später stellen.

Hartley Milner berichtet, wie eine Firma mit knappem Budget versuchte, den Umzug glatter zu gestalten.

You need to get your IT company to pack all your computers and servers on your leave date (or before if you can work off laptops) and set them up again in the new office on the same day and as soon as possible, said Smith, as it is almost certain that you will not get everything up and running satisfactorily first time.

“We followed all the advice, including using professionals, and we were settled in our bright new offices well within three weeks,” said Kinley. “We over-spent our budget by 2,500 euros, but this was more than offset by the savings we made. Our biggest cost by far was the 44,500 euros for putting right dilapidations in the offices we vacated, but we had this covered because we had regularly put money aside each year for this purpose.

“Best of all, we have been able to diversify into a more lucrative area of publishing and significantly increase our turnover. We are even considering taking on additional staff.”

Basta il pensiero di traslocare un ufficio per far salire lo stress a livelli altissimi, ma numerose imprese prima o poi devono affrontare questa evenutalità. Hartley Milner ci informa su come un’impresa con un bugdet limitato ha cercato di affrontare il trasloco senza intoppi.

SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

The ‘people’ element Providing an attractive work environment is a key part of any sustainability policy since it supports the ‘people’ part of the ‘People, Planet, Profit’ equation.

Ann Laffeaty asks companies in the cleaning sector what they are doing to keep their staff safe, healthy and happy – and how they are helping people in the wider community.

The term ‘sustainability’ used to be more or less a synonym for ‘environmentallyfriendly’ which basically meant looking after the planet. But nowadays, the three planks of sustainability are considered to be ‘People, Planet, Profit’ which means it is equally important to take into account the needs of staff and the wider community while also ensuring that the company can sustain itself financially.

Manufacturers of cleaning machines and equipment need to minimise the number of accidents in the workplace, for example, to keep their employees safe. If they offer enhancements such as flexible working terms and employee incentives, this will also help to improve staff morale and wellbeing. And a growing number of companies today are becoming involved in local or global charitable schemes in order to give something back to the community.

Sealed Air is committed to providing a good place to work according to Diversey Care global marketing director Irina Klemps. “Our commitment takes many forms,” she said. “This ranges from our emphasis on employee safety and the sustainability of our offices, to the recognition we bestow on our people and the opportunities we provide for individual

October 2014 | ECJ | 60

growth and career development.”

According to Klemps, every employee plays a part in contributing to the company’s success. “This is why the health and safety of all of our colleagues around the world is so important,” she said. ”Safety is not just a metric at Sealed Air, it is a mind-set.”

She says Diversey Care prevents workplace accidents by recognising unsafe behaviour and identifying risks before injuries can occur. “In all areas of our business, collaboration and communication are vital since we share ideas and learn from each other to prevent future accidents,” she said.

“For example, our health and safety team recognised that 25 per cent of total injuries at our work sites involve hands and fingers. We now require all employees performing cutting tasks to wear glove protection and to use blunt-tip scissors or safety knives. Our goal is simple: every employee goes home in the same condition in which they arrived at work.”

Healthy and safe She says the company also works hard to ensure that cleaners and other people using the company’s machines and systems stay healthy and safe. “We train our users constantly to prevent misuse or potential dangers, and our tools and machines are innovated in a way to be ergonomic and easy to use, preventing fatigue or injuries,” she said. “Moreover our chemical platforms are designed to eliminate any contact between cleaners and highly concentrated products.”

According to Klemps, Diversey Care regards its people as the company’s most important asset. “They provide the competitive edge we need to meet the challenges of today’s fast-paced, global economy,” she said. “For that reason we are determined to attract and retain the best people and our values are part of that equation. So, too, is our focus on assuring that every employee with the willingness to make the effort has the opportunities and receives the training they need to

take on additional responsibilities and to advance their career.

“We also understand work accounts for only one part of a person’s life, and are mindful of the obligation we have to create the right balance between personal and professional lives.”

Diversey Care also supports communities globally in various ways.

“This ranges from providing disaster relief and organising food drives to enhancing the educational opportunities of children in some of the most distressed places on earth,” she said. “Importantly, our employees are empowered to take the initiative in determining how best to support their local communities.

“For example through an employeesponsored programme in Vietnam called Helmets for Kids, we provide motorcycle helmets to children at a school that lacks resources. The programme, now in its sixth year, has already saved 25 children from serious head injuries.”

According to Bio-Productions managing director Mike James, the safety of staff and end-users is the company’s overriding concern when producing and supplying cleaning products. “To this end we have created alternative formulations to some of the more ‘conventional’ cleaning products which offer efficacy with less risk,” he said.

“We have spent a lot of effort looking for other ways of resolving cleaning problems and over the years we have developed a number of ‘firsts’ – some of which have been adopted by our competitors. Our non-pDCB urinal blocks are a good example. We spent four years developing an alternative to the traditional carcinogenic ‘pineapple chunks’ and came up with a biological and chemical replacement which is not only considerably safer to use, but that also removes the cause of the odour problems that pDCB was only masking.”

According to James the company supports the wider community by funding Continued page 62

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SUSTAINABLE CLEANING The ‘people’ element (continued) a different charity each year, and also looks after its employees in other ways.

“We are compassionate and flexible about our working hours, and we operate a profit share so that everyone benefits when we make a profit,” he said.

“We look at our employees as helpers.

They ‘sell’ us their time and efforts and we try to make their working life as enjoyable and stress-free as possible.

Obviously we also take their welfare seriously and ensure that the facility is a safe and pleasant place in which to work.”

He says such an attitude has benefits for employees and for the company itself.

“If the workforce is content with their employment, their conditions and their colleagues, this manifests itself in their productivity and their willingness to step in where they can help out.”

Hako’s head of human resources Gabriele Bach agrees with this ethos. “It is part of our company philosophy to ensure and promote the safety and health of our employees,” she said. “Providing good leadership and creating a good working atmosphere is an important element in motivating employees, and this ultimately contributes to the company’s success.”

Hako offers various support options for staff such as apprenticeship training and further educational opportunities.

“We also have our own training academy and offer flexible working hours and a comprehensive range of health-promoting and team-building company sports activities,” she said.

Minimal environmental effect Safety is an important part of Hako’s ethos. “We design our processes to ensure people’s health and safety are a priority wherever economically feasible, and that environmental effects are kept to a minimum,” said Bach. “But safety can only be ensured if operators follow instructions.

Not using gloves when working with chemicals can result in damaging the skin, for example. Most accidents can be attributed to human error.”

Around 50 per cent of Hako’s total workforce is made up of employees with disabilities. “People with clinical conditions and disabilities work together with their healthy colleagues in metal processing, industrial assembly and logistics in a very On dit que les trois supports de la durabilité sont les “gens, la planète et le profit”, ce qui signifie que toute politique de durabilité nécessite un environnement de travail sûr et sain. Cependant le nettoyage constitue une activité entièrement physique pouvant entraîner des douleurs au dos, des problèmes d’articulation et le risque de chutes. Quelles mesures prend-on actuellement pour garantir la sécurité et la santé des nettoyeurs ?

October 2014 | ECJ | 62

successful manner,” she said.

Kärcher’s environmental matters public relations officer Linda Schrödter also claims happy and healthy staff to be the key to a company’s success.

“Sustainability is not an end in itself, but has tangible economic advantages,” she says. “The logic is simple: when a company provides good working conditions, this reduces the sickness absence rate and when a machine is made to work more efficiently, it saves energy and money.”

Motivation and efficiency She says Kärcher offers an extensive health programme with company sports activities, campaign days and training seminars for employees. “This does not only benefit employees in terms of health, motivation and efficiency, it also enhances the attractiveness of a cleaning machine manufacturer as an employer.”

She says Kärcher offers various parttime opportunities including flexible working hours and holiday programmes for the children of employees. “The company also pays a subsidy for childcare, and we plan to provide working parents with even more support in future,” she said. “For example there will be more options to work from home and part-time careers will be introduced.”

She adds that safety plays an important role in the development and use of the company’s products. “Injuries to cleaning staff always result in downtime for the cleaning company and this costs money.

We have high quality, certified suppliers and internal Kärcher standards for using safe materials. We also carry out regular material audits.” She says product features such as detergent dosing and adjustable brush speed and contact pressure help to ensure the safety of the user.

Kärcher supports a number of projects worldwide and received 1,600 requests for help in 2013 alone. “All were individually answered and we sponsored around half,” she said. “In Brazil, for example, Kärcher donates electrical equipment to communities. Meanwhile our employees there are offered sports programme and vaccinations in the workplace.”

Nilfisk-Advance business development manager Emmet Sharghbin says staff health and safety is an important part of Als die drei Säulen der Nachhaltigkeit gelten Ökologie, Ökonomie und Soziales, d. h. die Bereitstellung einer sicheren und gesunden Arbeitsumgebung ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil jeder Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie. Reinigen ist jedoch eine sehr körperliche Aktivität, und sie geht einher mit Rückenschmerzen, Gelenkbeschwerden und der Möglichkeit von Ausrutschen und Stürzen. Welche Maßnahmen werden ergriffen, um Gesundheit und Sicherheit des Reinigungspersonals sicherzustellen?

his company’s sustainability strategy. “All our managers and employees are aware of the importance of prioritising health and safety issues, both in our plants and in our sales teams,” he said. “Globally, all accidents and resulting absence days are reported so that we can track and learn from every accident. This information is also published quarterly on our intranet so that everyone is aware of it.

“In this way we have driven down the number of accidents and will continue to do so. We are not at zero yet, but will strive to get there by continually focusing on this important area.”

He says Nilfisk also works hard to boost employee satisfaction. “This we achieve by offering flexible hours and the opportunity to take leaves of absence along with other incentives,” said Sharghbin.

He says one of the key responsibilities of each site manager is to ensure all machinery is always safe to use. “This is monitored globally via our accident reporting system,” he said. “If there were any discrepancies there would be swift follow-ups. Numbers of these have been declining so we see a positive trend.”

Sharghbin adds the company has instigated a number of schemes to aid local communities. “These include agreements with universities to host trainee students; donations of machines to schools and hospitals to ensure cleaner environments, and volunteering at charitable organisations,” he said. “Our employees are very creative in finding good causes to support and we are happy to see them giving something back to our communities.”

He believes that any company’s sustainability policy is founded in its employees. “If they do not consider their own jobs to be sustainable and are not happy or healthy, it is impossible to achieve any sustainability results.

Therefore it is extremely important for us to keep our staff happy, safe, and healthy.”

However, he admits that such a measure can be costly in the short-term.

“But we know our investment in the health and safety of our staff will pay off in the long-term,” he said. “And even if this were not the case we would still do it since our values and code of ethics still tell us this is the right thing to do.”

I tre punti della sostenibilità vengono descritti come “Persone, Pianeta, Profitto” che significa che fornire un ambiente di lavoro sicuro e sano è un punto chiave di ogni politica di sostenibilità. Ma pulire è una attività altamente fisica e una attività che porta con sè mal di schiena, problemi alle articolazioni e il rischio di cadere e di inciampare. Che misure vengono prese per la sicurezza e la salute del personale addetto alle pulizie?

PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

Multi-enzymes Enzymes have been proved to enhance detergent performance and simplify the production process. Specialist in this area Novozymes has recently developed a new multi-enzyme solution called Medley.

Composed of carefully selected, effective enzymes, these solutions are said to create a sustainable and highly effective detergent that works at low temperatures and are suitable for compaction.

The solutions simplify a number of aspects within detergent manufacturing, including the raw material procurement process. Ordering is also easier, with one value package filled with enzymes replacing numerous single-package orders.

With the right enzyme combination in one package, Novozymes says, manufacturers will be able to gain higher processing control and easier handling with no need for more equipment. www.novozymes.com

Saving resources

Leading commercial vacuum manufacturer Numatic International has invested heavily in research and development of motor performance, floor tool design, filtration and airflow as new EU eco design regulations concerning energy consumption have now come into force.

The company says it made many energy saving innovations to its models in 2010 and points out that use of less energy cannot compromise performance which would be a backward step for products and for cleaning standards.

The iconic Henry leads the range of lower energy vacuums with improved pick-up on carpets and hard floors - using half the power. To achieve this result Numatic says it has made 14 key developments. www.ecovacuums.co.uk

Backpack option

According to Pacvac, using its backpack vacuum technology reduces cleaning times and machine running time, meaning lower energy consumption.

There are six models in the Superpro 700 backpack vacuum range, each of them fitted with the company’s patented HEPA rated filtration system which ensures maximum dust capture.

One of the units, the Wispa 700, also has an energy and volume control switch - this enables lower noise levels and a reduction of up to 25 per cent in energy consumption. www.pacvac.com

Certified fibre Microfibre cloths and mops from Greenspeed have been certified with the Nordic Swan ecolabel - a voluntary scheme that evaluates a product’s impact on the environment throughout its life cycle. Greenspeed says it guarantees that climate requirements are taken into account and that CO2 emissions are limited where it is most relevant. www.greenspeed.eu

New category?

mechanical pump for vacuuming waste water which allows it to operate independently from mains electricity and battery running times.

The operator only needs to push the machine forward in order for solution from the fresh water tank to be applied to the mop with cleaning pad. And there is no need for manual wiping or wringing.

And because it has a sound level of 52 db(A) the Mopvac can be used in public areas. www.karcher.com

Fight bacteria

Leafield Environmental has developed a SteriBin with notouch lid pedal operation and an optional anti-microbial additive which acts as a barrier against germs and bacteria.

It was originally designed to meet the cleanliness and infection control regulations of the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. The anti-microbial additive has been proven to reduce harmful species of bacteria such as MRSA, E.Coli and Listeria.

SteriBin is suitable for general recycling and the safe disposal of food waste as the foot pedal operation means users never need to touch the lid with their hands. The smooth design allows integral labelling with no hidden holes or crevices where dirt and germs can collect. www.leafieldrecycle.com

Mop dosing The MopVac B 60/10 C is a new product category which combines the best features of a mop and bucket system with the best features of a scrubber dryer, says manufacturer Kärcher.

With its working width of 60 cm the B 60/10 C can clean five times faster in open areas compared to a regular mop says Kärcher - and it leaves the floor dry. The mop features a

Equodose is the mechanical dosing device from Filmop, designed to moisten only mops that are required on site using the correct dose for each task.

Said to reduce environmental impact, Equodose saves water and energy while also reducing the amount of detergent required. All plastic components are 100 per cent recyclable. www.filmop.com

• Novozymes est un spécialiste de la production d’enzymes intervenant dans les détergents. Ses innovations les plus récentes sont les solutions pluri-enzymatiques Medley.

• Numatic se propose de développer des aspirateurs consommant moins d’énergie mais sans compromettre la performance.

• Pacvac considère que ses aspirateurs à dos font tomber les temps de nettoyage et la consommation d’énergie globale.

• Plusieurs des produits de nettoyage en mirofibre de la société Greenspeed ont reçu l’écoleballisation Nordic Swan.

• La nouvelle B 60/10 C Mopvac de Kärcher comble le vide entre un balaiéponge, un seau et une autolaveuse, et se dispense de source d’énergie.

• Leafield Environmental a introduit la poubelle SteriBin à commande de couvercle sans contact et additif antimicrobien.

• Filmop souligne que son service d’études ne vise qu’à trouver des solutions de nettoyage écologiques.

• Novozymes ist auf die Produktion von Enzymen spezialisiert, die in Waschmitteln verwendet werden.

Die neueste Innovation sind die Multienzymlösungen Medley.

• Numatic hat sich laut eigenen Angaben zur Entwicklung von Staubsaugern verpflichtet, die weniger Energie verbrauchen, ohne Abstriche bei der Leistung machen zu müssen.

• Laut Pacvac bieten die Rucksack-Staubsauger verkürzte Reinigungszeiten und insgesamt geringeren Energieverbrauch.

• Einige MikrofaserReinigungsprodukte von Greenspeed wurden mit dem Nordischen Umweltzeichen „Schwan“ ausgezeichnet.

• Die neue B 60/10 C Mopvac von Kärcher füllt die Lücke zwischen einen Mopp und Eimer und einer Scheuersaugmaschine – und benötigt keine Stromquelle.

• Leafield Environmental hat den Abfalleimer SteriBin mit berührungslosem Deckel und antimikrobiellem Zusatzstoff vorgestellt.

• Laut Filmop konzentriert sich die Entwicklungs- und Forschungsabteilung ausschließlich auf die Entwicklung von umweltfreundlichen Reinigungslösungen.

• La Novozymes è specializzata nella produzione di enzimi per i detergenti.

Le sue innovazioni più recenti sono le soluzioni multi-enzimi Medley.

• La Numatic afferma che si è impegnata a sviluppare aspirapolveri che usano meno energia ma senza compromettere il rendimento.

• La Pacvac afferma che i suoi aspirapolveri dorsali riducono i tempi di pulizia e abbassano il consumo di energia in generale.

• Un numero di prodotti di pulizia in microfibra della Greenspeed sono stati certificati con il Nordic Swan Ecolabel.

• Il nuovo B 60/10 C Mopvac della Kärcher è la soluzione di mezzo fra usare il mop con il secchio e la lavasciuga pavimenti e non necessita di fonti di energia.

• La Leafield Environmental ha lanciato il prodotto SterBin con attivazione senza impulsi manuali del coperchio e additivo antimicrobico.

• La Filmop afferma che il suo dipartimento Ricerca e Sviluppo si focalizza solo sul design di soluzioni di pulizia ecologiche.

October 2014 | ECJ | 63

PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

• Pacvac considère que ses aspirateurs à dos font tomber les temps de nettoyage et la consommation d’énergie globale.

• L’European Tissue Symposium (ETS) déclare que les fabricants de papiers à usage multiple qui adhèrent à cette organisation ont pris l’engagement volontaire d’atteindre un taux de recyclage de 70 pour cent.

• La nouvelle gamme Greenline de distributeurs pour toilettes de Sapor est fabriquée en matières bioplastiques produites à partir de ressources recyclables.

• La gamme Ecological des distributeurs pour toilettes Steiner est fabriquée à 99 pour cent en matériaux recyclés et entièrement recyclables.

• Le système IHS de Hagleitner réunit un distributeur de produit chimique, un dispositif de dosage et des têtes de nettoyage humide préparées.

• Hako déclare prioriser les exigences de l’environnement à toutes les étapes de son développement de produits.

• Laut Pacvac bieten die Rucksack-Staubsauger verkürzte Reinigungszeiten und insgesamt geringeren Energieverbrauch.

• Das European Tissue Symposium (ETS) sagt, dass seine Mitglieder, d. h. Papierhandtuchhersteller, sich zum Erreichen eines freiwilligen Recyclingziels von 70 Prozent verpflichtet haben.

• Die neuen Waschraumspender Greenline von Sapor werden aus Biokunststoff hergestellt, d. h. es handelt sich um wiederverwertbare nachwachsende Rohstoffe.

• Die Produktreihe Ecological mit Waschraumspendern von Steiner werden zu 99 Prozent aus Recyclingmaterialien hergestellt und sind vollständig recyclingfähig.

• Das Bodenreinigungssystem IHS von Hagleitner besteht aus einem Chemikalienspender, einem Dosiersystem und vorbereiteten Mopps.

• Hako teilt mit, dass die Umweltverträglichkeit seiner Produkte bei allen Stufen des Entwicklungsprozesses eine vorrangige Rolle spielt.

• La Pacvac afferma che i suoi aspirapolveri dorsali riducono i tempi di pulizia e abbassano il consumo di energia in generale.

• L’ European Tissue Symposium (ETS) afferma che i suoi membri produttori di prodotti in carta si impegnano a raggiungere un livello volontario di riciclo del 70 per cento.

• I nuovi dispenser per sale da toilette Greenline della Sapor sono creati in bio plastica prodotta con risorse rinnovabili e riciclabili.

• I dispenser per sale da toilette della gamma Ecological fabbricati dalla Steiner sono prodotti per il 99 per cento in materiali riciclati e sono completamente riciclabili.

• IHS della Hagleitner è un sistema di lavaggio dei pavimenti che comprende dispenser di prodotti chimici, dosaggio dei detergenti per lavanderia e mop preparati.

• La Hako afferma che dà la priorità all’impatto ambientale di tutti i suoi prodotti in tutte le fasi del procedimento di sviluppo.

October 2014 | ECJ | 64

Protection Building cleaning and restoration specialist Thomann-Hanry has followed up on the success of its Aqua Fend formulation for façades with the launch of

ways to ensure that suppliers meet these requirements.

And new technologies increasingly allow the tissue industry to use recycled fibres in products without compromising on softness, strength and absorbency. www.europeantissue.com

Green washroom Aqua Fend G. This is an invisible surface protection for ground surfaces which is said to offer long-term cost savings.

With a 15 year life expectancy, Aqua Fend is a surface protection that provides an impenetrable but breathable barrier against surface pollutants including graffiti, and protects against all types of natural stone without affecting the surface colour. Aqua Fend G is claimed to make the ongoing cleaning and maintenance of common ground stains such as coffee, chewing gum, grease and bird fouling significantly easier - reducing ongoing cleaning costs.

The solution is easy to apply and suitable for interior and exterior use. It is solvent and silicone free, and contains no VOCs. Retreatment is only required when the surface is worn, up to every eight years depending on footfall. www.aquafend.co.uk

Paper leaders According to the European Tissue Symposium (ETS) - which represents Europe’s leading tissue producers - Europe leads the world in paper recycling with a paper fibre being collected and recycled on average 3.5 times, compared with 2.4 times worldwide. ETS is a member of the European Recovered Paper Council, committed to meet a voluntary recycling target of 70 per cent in the EU plus Switzerland and Norway by 2015 – a level already achieved today and higher than any other region in the world.

ETS also supports the use of fibres from sustainably and legally managed forests and encourages the use of third party certification as one of the best

Sustainability is the cornerstone of Sapor’s new Greenline washroom concept, which applies to soap, paper and toilet tissue dispensers. Greenline dispensing products are free of mineral oil and consist of a bio composite made of bio plastics with renewable resources, which are fully biodegradable.

Beyond the dispenser’s operating life it can be multiply recycled and finally be composted or used at incineration plants for energy generation.

The corresponding line of biological dry soap is free of scents, dyes, surfactants, GM technology, preservatives and also fully biodegradable. Made of raw material from sustainable cultivation only, the efficiency of one bar of soap equals one litre of liquid soap and reaches up to 400 doses says Sapor. www.sapor.de

for which Steiner offers ecolabel soap cartridges. www.steinersystem.com

Clean cycle For cleaning and disinfecting of floors Hagleitner has developed the ihs system. The integral MIX cleaning dispenser doses a ready-to-use solution from concentrate - from a 2.5 litre container it mixes up to 500 litres.

Safety mops and cloths are positioned on the cradle machine, damp and ready to use. Prepared damp mops and cloths are colour coded, and an area of 500 square metres can be cleaned with 20 prepared mops - a cost of one euro Hagleitner claims.

After cleaning mops and cloths are disinfected thanks to the Havon laundry dosing system. www.hagleitner.com

Start to finish

Recyclable Steiner’s Ecological washroom dispensers are made from 99 per cent recycled materials and are fully recyclable. All components can be recycled or reused which means that in order to dispose of the dispensers they do not need to be dismantled.

The packaging is eco-friendly, with recycled cartons, instruction sheets and paper plus protective bags made of recycled and recyclable material.

The Ecological range comprises a C-fold paper towel dispenser, a mini- and maxi-jumbo for toilet paper rolls and a bulk pack toilet tissue dispenser. Completing the line is a 750 ml soap dispenser

According to Hako it takes the full product life cycle of all its machines into consideration.

The company has developed a number of environmentally friendly features for its machines. Hako-AquaControl, for example, saves up to 50 per cent of water and cleaning solution, while Hako-Chemical on Demand ensures chemicals are only used when necessary.

The Hako-AquaForce system uses demineralised water to make use of chemicals almost unnecessary, says the company, and Hako-PowerFilter has been designed to guarantee almost dust-free sweeping. www.hako.com

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