November 2016

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

NOVEMBER 2016

SMART WORKING

SPECIAL REPORT

BUSINESS

Hand hygiene, this edition’s special focus Starts page 39

Optimise your customer’s data

The right trolley

The dangers of working too hard

Page 35

Page 29

Page 49

CONTENTS

November 2016 | Vol.24, No.6

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORTS

49 Work - don’t let it kill you

23 Those must-have accessories

Hartley Milner explores the consequences of working too hard.

The importance of accessories on high pressure cleaning.

29 A trolley good fit Different environments have varying trolley requirements.

36 Your data holds the key Best use of data could make for more successful sales campaigns.

39 Protecting cleaners How good skin care can protect cleaners from occupational dermatitis.

46 Implement best practice

03 News

Nowhere is hand hygiene more crucial than the food industry.

13 European reports

51 A clean sweep How does the type of debris to be picked up affect the choice of sweeper?

56 Breathing freely Breathing techniques can help cleaners who suffer from asthma.

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 veracity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all material published in European Cleaning remains with Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents.

ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2016

NEWS & EVENTS

Latest News & Events from ECJ

US research reports antimicrobial copper touch surfaces effects

New research published in the American Journal of Infection Control reports antimicrobial copper touch surfaces installed in hospital patient rooms significantly reduced concentrations of bacteria, sustaining levels prescribed on completion of terminal cleaning.

Grinnell College’s associate professor of biology Shannon Hinsa-Leasure PhD, and her team conducted research over 18 months at Grinnell College and Grinnell Regional Medical Center (GRMC) in Iowa, with more than 1,500 samples. The study found significantly fewer bacteria on copper alloy products—such as grab bars, toilet flushes, IV poles, switches, keyboards, sinks and dispensers—than on traditional, non-copper hospital room surfaces.

The study was designed to build on existing research demonstrating the efficacy of antimicrobial copper touch surfaces in boosting infection control in intensive care units, where infections were reduced by 58 per cent.

The new study notes more than half of all healthcareassociated infections in the US are acquired outside ICUs. Here, 20 frequently-touched surfaces — in medical and surgical suite patient rooms, en-suite bathrooms and areas external to patient rooms —

were replaced with antimicrobial copper equivalents. Both occupied and unoccupied rooms were studied to determine background bacterial concentrations.

Weekly sampling With weekly sampling over the course of 12 months, 88 per cent of the samples collected from copper components in occupied areas were below the recommended terminal clean level. During the same period 55 per cent of control surfaces had burdens above this threshold.

More surprisingly, in unoccupied rooms (given a terminal clean after the patient vacated), 51 per cent of control samples were above the threshold. The observation that microbial populations are re-established on hospital surfaces subsequent to cleaning supported observations made in previous research. Ninety-three per cent of the copper samples from unoccupied rooms were below the threshold.

Following these findings, GRMC president and ceo Todd Linden said the medical centre is now installing bacteriakilling surfaces throughout the facility. Currently only half of the patient rooms are fitted with copper hardware and components. www.antimicrobialcopper.org

Il ressort de travaux publiés récemment par l’American Journal of Infection Control que l’usage de surfaces de contact antimicrobiennes dans les salles d’hôpital peut réduire la concentration de bactéries.

ECJ has launched the first broadcast programme for the professional cleaning industry - European Cleaning Television, ECTV. Watch the pilot episode at www.ectelevision.com

EVENTS January 18-20 2017

May 15-18 2018

Clean India Technology Week

ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam

Hyderabad, India www.ctwindia.com

Amsterdam, Netherlands www.issainterclean.com

March 14-16 2017

October 29-November 1 2018

The Cleaning Show

ISSA/Interclean North America

London, UK www.cleaningshow.co.uk

Dallas, USA www.issainterclean.com

March 28-30 2017

November 18-21 2019

Europropre

ISSA/Interclean North America

Paris, France www.europropre.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

April 10-12 2017

October 26-29 2020

Tissue World Milan

ISSA/Interclean North America

Milan, Italy www.tissueworld.com/twmilan

Chicago, USA www.issainterclean.com

May 23-25 2017

November 15-18 2021

Pulire

ISSA/Interclean North America

Verona, Italy www.pulire-it.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

September 11-14 2017

ISSA/Interclean North America Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com September 18-20 2017

WFBSC Congress Berlin, Germany www.wfbsc2017.berlin September 19-22 2017

CMS Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.com October 18-20 2017

ISSA/INTERCLEAN Istanbul Istanbul, Turkey www.issainterclean.com To have your event included in Events, contact ECJ via email at: michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com

Aus einem im American Journal of Infection Control veröffentlichten Forschungsbericht geht hervor, dass antimikrobielle Kupferoberflächen in den Zimmern von Krankenhauspatienten zu einer Verringerung von Bakterienkonzentrationen beitrugen.

Una nuova ricerca pubblicata sull’ American Journal of Infection control rivela che le superfici di contatto antibatteriche in lega di rame nelle camere dei pazienti negli ospedali hanno ridotto la concentrazione di batteri.

November 2016 | ECJ | 3

NEWS Diversey-Care spin-off

P&G online university improved

Sealed Air Corporation has said it plans to pursue the spin-off of its Diversey Care division and the food hygiene and cleaning business within its Food Care division (together “New Diversey”), while the remaining Sealed Air business (“New Sealed Air”) will continue as an independent public company.

Under the plan, if it goes ahead, Sealed Air’s shareholders would own 100 per cent of the common stock of New Diversey following completion of the spin-off. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2017.

New Diversey will be led by Dr

P&G Professional has announced a relaunch of its free online industry training platform, P&G Professional University.

It features a new user-friendly interface, new training modules, product training and other opportunities for cleaning professionals to earn continuing ‘education units’.

New training content has also been added, says P&G Professional, and the site has been reorganised by industry interest, making it easier to navigate and allowing for searches of how-to cleaning videos and tips, or extended learning. Almost 100 online

Ilham Kadri, currently president of Diversey Care. On a pro forma basis for the 12 months ended June 30 2016, New Diversey generated $2.6 billion in sales.

“Sealed Air has created significant shareholder value by delivering leading innovations to our global customers, improving our quality of earnings and executing a disciplined capital allocation strategy,” said Jerome Peribere, Sealed Air’s president and chief executive officer.

“Our board and management team believe this spin-off will allow both New Sealed Air and New Diversey to realise their full potential.”

• Sealed Air Corporation a annoncé un plan de scission de la division Diversey Care et de ses activités d’hygiène alimentaire et depropreté, qui font partie de sa division Food Care.

• P&G Professional a relancé sa plateforme de formation industrielle gratuite, P&G University.

November 2016 | ECJ | 4

• Sealed Air Corporation hat einen Plan angekündigt, um die Diversey Care-Abteilung sowie das Lebensmittelhygiene- und Reinigungsgeschäft innerhalb der Food Care-Abteilung auszugliedern.

• P&G Professional hat seine kostenlose OnlineBranchen-Schulungsplattform, P&G University, wieder gestartet.

cleaning courses and webinars are on offer.

“Training is not only important, but critical to the cleaning industry, and the enhancements we’ve made to P&G Professional University help us better serve our customers while meeting a key industry need,” said Matt Koloseike, associate director, market strategy & planning, P&G Professional. pgpro.com/university

Keep up to date with industry news at www.european cleaningjournal.com

• La Sealed Air Corporation ha annunciato un piano per perseguire lo spin-off della sua divisione Diversey Care e l’attività di igiene alimentare e di pulizia all’interno della divisione Food Care.

• La P&G Professional ha rilanciato la sua piattaforma gratuita di training training per l’industria, la P&G University.

NEWS KC Professional relaunches GSA Kimberly-Clark Professional will relaunch its UK Golden Service Awards (GSA) programme in June 2017 - with the awards ceremony to take place on March 8 2018.

Under the previous schedule the next ceremony would have been due to take place in the autumn of 2017.

Peter Oliver, general manager for UK, Ireland and France at Kimberly-Clark Professional explained: “We have decided to delay the launch slightly to give us time to review and refine the

awards with a view to launching a new and exciting programme in 2017.

“While we remain as committed as ever to the awards, we also believe change is necessary to ensure they stay aligned with the needs of the fast moving cleaning and FM industry as well as with our own business strategy.”

The Golden Service Awards were first held in 1991 and since then they have celebrated success in the UK cleaning and FM sectors.

Register for your ECJ email newsletter at the website - europeancleaningjournal.com • ECJ diffuse désormais le premier progamme à l’intention du secteur professionnel de la propreté European Cleaning Television, ECTV. • Kimberly-Clark Professional relancera les Golden Service Awards au Royaume-Uni en juin 2017, la cérémonie de remise des prix étant prévue pour mars 2018.

ECJ makes new TV programme ECJ has launched the first broadcast programme for the professional cleaning industry - European Cleaning Television, ECTV. The pilot episode is now available to watch online.

ECTV represents a breakthrough in how the industry receives information and offers a mix of news and features. Our aim is to become essential viewing for all parts of the sector, with the TV programme complementing the content of the ECJ magazine and website.

The pilot episode features latest news along with comment and predictions from industry

• Das ECJ hat die erste Fernsehsendung für die professionelle Reinigungsbranche vorgestellt: European Cleaning Television, ECTV. • Kimberly-Clark Professional wird die Golden Service Awards in Großbritannien im Juni 2017 wieder starten; die Preisverleihung wird im März 2018 stattfinden.

leaders for 2017.

ECTV is a partnership between ECJ and Mulberry Marketing Communications - a leading communications agency within the cleaning industry.

The first season launches on January 27 2017.

For more details visit: www. ectelevision.com Email: hello@ectelevision.com

• ECJ ha lanciato il primo programma televisivo per il settore del cleaning professionale, European Cleaning Television, ECTV. • La Kimberly-Clark Professional rilancerà il Golden Service Awards nel Regno Unito a giugno del 2017, con la cerimonia delle premiazioni che si terrà a marzo del 2018.

November 2016 | ECJ | 5

NEWS WFBSC 2017 Berlin congress - early-bird registration open Registration for the next World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) congress - which will take place in Berlin, Germany from September 18-20 2017 - is now open.

The event is being organised by the German Federal Guild Association of the Cleaning Trade (BIV) and will be held alongside the CMS professional cleaning exhibition which happens from September 19-22.

Themes include: • Digital strategies for building service contractors • Relationship management with customers, staff and stakeholders • Effects of disruptive technologies • Working environment

and labour law in the age of digitalisation • Data handling by market partners • New forms of recruiting/ knowledge and education through digitalisation • Digital procurement processes • Consequences of digitalisation on service processes and performance • Smart buildings and their impact on the sector.

Online registration is now available in German and English languages at www.wfbsc2017. berlin/registration. Delegates booking before July 27 2017 will benefit from an early-bird discount of €300.00 For more information: www. wfbsc2017.berlin

• Les inscriptions sont maintenant ouvertes pour le 22ème Congrès de la World Federation of Building Services Contractors (WFBSC), qui aura lieu du 18 au 20 septembre 2017 à Berlin.

•Die Registrierung zum 22. Internationalen Kongress der World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC), der vom 18. bis 20. September 2017 in Berlin stattfinden wird, ist jetzt offen.

• Sono aperte le iscrizioni per il congresso 22nd World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) che si terrà a Berlino dal 18 al 20 settembre 2017.

November 2016 | ECJ | 7

NEWS One in three workers use their phone on the toilet - survey says ‘disgusted’, and a quarter would be ‘concerned’, if they knew a colleague didn’t wash their hands after visiting the washroom. Almost four in 10 (38 per cent) will avoid shaking hands with people they know have just left the washroom, while a quarter would be uncomfortable with a client or important business stakeholder using the same office toilets as the general workforce.

Other countries The survey also questioned office workers in Australia, France, Germany and Malaysia (1,000 in each country). The Germans lead the way in hand hygiene, with 87 per cent of workers reporting they always wash their hands after using the washroom, compared with 83 per cent in the UK, France, Australia and Malaysia.

Brits are less likely to use their phone in the washroom than

Australians and Malaysians (40 per cent), but did not perform as well as the Germans (21 per cent) and French (31 per cent).

Australians are the most likely to consume food and drinks in the washroom, with 11 per cent of respondents admitting to that practice.

The research across the five nations also found 45 per cent of workers who did not always wash their hands blamed external factors such as being in a hurry. The washroom environment was cited as the biggest contributory factor, with 50 per cent of respondents blaming an aspect of the bathroom for driving them away.

In fact 16 per cent said they avoid washing their hands when the smell is bad, 20 per cent when there is no soap or towels, and 15 per cent when the hand washing facility is not clean. www.initial.co.uk

Next edition of ECJ - February/March. In the meantime, keep up to date with news online.

SC Johnson returns to I&I According to new research from Initial Washroom Hygiene, a third of UK workers admit to being on their smartphone while using the toilet, and almost one in 12 even consume food and drink there.

The study questioned 1,000 office workers in the UK to mark Global Handwashing Day recently, and to understand the state of hand washing habits in office environments.

A third (32 per cent) of UK workers questioned said that they use their smartphones while in the office washroom,

with Facebook (60 per cent), WhatsApp (36 per cent), playing games and emailing (both 18 per cent) the most popular activities.

And 13 per cent even admitted to making phone calls from the cubicle. Most worryingly of all, around one in 12 (eight per cent) said they had eaten food in the office washroom.

Washroom habits Perhaps understandably, British workers are concerned about their colleagues’ washroom habits. Almost half (49 per cent) would be

• Une étude menée par Initial Washroom Hygiene a constaté que le tiers des travailleurs britanniques reconnaissent utiliser leurs smartphones quand ils sont aux toilettes.

• La société américaine SC Johnson a annoncé qu’elle retournait sur le marché du nettoyage des établissements industriels et collectifs.

November 2016 | ECJ | 8

SC Johnson in the US has announced it is returning to the industrial and institutional (I&I) cleaning business. It made the announcement during the recent ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America exhibition in Chicago.

“This is the right time to reenter the I&I business,” said Fisk Johnson, chairman and ceo of SC Johnson. “Our purchase of the Deb Group and STERIS Applied Infection Control, and the recent move to bring back our SC Johnson-branded products from Sealed Air/Diversey Care to the new SC Johnson Professional business gives us a lot of momentum to re-enter this

• Aus einer Studie, die von Initial Washroom Hygiene durchgeführt wurde, geht hervor, dass ein Drittel der britischen Arbeitnehmer zugeben, ihr Smartphone zu benutzen, während sie auf der Toilette sind.

• SC Johnson in den USA hat die Rückkehr in das industrielle und institutionelle Reinigungsgeschäft angekündigt.

space in a big way.”

SC Johnson acquired the Deb Group in 2015 and STERIS Applied Infection Control in 2016. The company will be ending its existing brand license agreement with Sealed Air Corporation. Sealed Air will no longer be responsible for distributing SC Johnson branded products to the professional market. This agreement will expire in most countries on May 2 2017.

In Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Czech Republic and Poland, the agreement expires on January 1 2017. www.scjohnson.com

• Un sondaggio della Initial Washroom Hygiene ha rivelato che un terzo dei lavoratori del Regno Unito ammette di usare il telefono smart mentre utilizza la toilette.

• Negli Stati Uniti d’America, la SC Johnson ha annunciato il suo ritorno all’attività di cleaning industriale e istituzionale.

NEWS ISSA Hygieia Network 2016 award winners announced

The ISSA Hygieia Network (IHN) - which works to eliminate gender discrimination and encourage diversity in the cleaning sector - announced the winners of its 2016 ISSA Hygieia Network Awards at a ceremony during the ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America exhibition in Chicago recently.

Recognising the outstanding contribution she has made to the advancement and retention of women within the cleaning industry, Janelle Bruland was named Member of the Year.

Bruland is president and ceo of US-based Management Services Northwest, a regional

facility management company in Bellingham, WA, offering services from cleaning through to complete facility management.

The Eidyia Award, which recognises companies or individuals leading efforts to reduce illiteracy rates within the workforce, was presented to the Asian-American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA). Founded in 1989, AAHOA is dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of its members through programmes and initiatives in advocacy, industry leadership, professional development and

community involvement.

The Rising Star of the Year Award, which is open to women aged under 35 who have demonstrated their commitment to further the ideals and objectives of the ISSA Hygieia Network, was awarded to Paige Horn, chief operating officer from Dixie Paper Co and Dixie Packaging.

Man of the Year was Michel Landel, group ceo of Sodexo. And Sodexo was also a winner in the Employer of the Year category, where it was judged to be the company that best promotes women’s interests and gender equality in the professional cleaning sector.

The judging panel included Dan Weltin, editor-in-chief, Trade Press Media Group; Jeff Tafel, executive director, IFMA

AISE organises CLP workshop The International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (AISE) recently organised a workshop on classification and labelling (CLP) with stakeholders including representatives from the EU institutions, member states’ competent authorities and national help desks, representatives from poison control centres, animal welfare NGOs, academia and industry partners.

The purpose was to inform participants about two voluntary initiatives. The DetNet network (the Detergent Industry Network for CLP Classification) has been set up to share data and expertise in order to facilitate appropriate classification, while the AISE In Vitro programme aims to secure alternative test methods for detergents and cleaning products.

• Le réseau ISSA Hygieia, qui cherche à éliminer la discrimination par le genre et à encourager la diversité dans le secteur de la propreté, a récemment tenu sa cérémonie de remise des prix 2016.

• L’Association des savons, détergents et produits d’entretien (AISE) a tenu un atelier sur la classification et la labellisation (CLP).

November 2016 | ECJ | 10

Foundation; and Michelle Marshall, editor, European Cleaning Journal (ECJ) and executive producer of EC Television.

“The ISSA Hygieia Network Awards truly represent the very best work being undertaken currently in eliminating gender discrimination and encouraging diversity,” Ilham Kadri, chair of the ISSA Hygieia Network and president of Sealed Air’s Diversey Care division commented.

“Over the next year, we will build further on the excellent work that the network is already doing with exciting additions to the programme, such as mentorship, regular webinars, and other education opportunities.” www.hygieianetwork.org

• Das ISSA Hygieia Network (IHN), das sich zum Ziel gesetzt hat, branchenweit Geschlechterdiskriminierung zu eliminieren und Vielfalt zu unterstützen, hat vor kurzem seine Preisverleihung für 2016 veranstaltet.

• Die International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (AISE) hat einen Workshop zu Klassifizierung und Kennzeichnung (CLP) veranstaltet.

These initiatives, says AISE, are part of the industry’s proactive agenda for driving positive change ensuring the appropriate hazardous classification and labelling, while avoiding unnecessary animal testing. The workshop also represented the opportunity to further exchange ideas with participants in order to facilitate the harmonised application of CLP principles for the detergent and cleaning product industry across the EU. AISE president Arndt Scheidgen said: “Our companies currently face diverging interpretations across Europe regarding the application of CLP ‘bridging principles’, and/or ‘weight of evidence’ assessments using available test data on similar mixtures. This leads to business uncertainty and a clear lack of predictability for the sector.” www.aise.eu

• La ISSA Hygieia Network (IHN), che opera per eliminare la discriminazione di genere e incoraggia la diversità nell’industria, ha recentemente tenuto la sua cerimonia dei premi per il 2016.

• L’associazione Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (AISE) ha tenuto un laboratorio sulla classificazione ed etichettatura.

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UPDATE: FRANCE Specialist cleaners turn green French correspondent Christian Bouzols takes a look at specialist areas of cleaning using ‘green’ methods.

Whether it involves the maintenance of solar panels, cleaning of large expanses of glass on buildings, industrial cleaning of sanitised or high risk areas such as clean rooms, research laboratories or operating theatres, specialist cleaning is a distinct discipline. It requires highly technical interventions, carried out by specific service providers, who are increasingly making use of ‘green’ techniques.

Thus the cleaning of very large glass surfaces, which is usually carried out with a squeegee and a wetting device, can also be performed with filtered water and a telescopic wand several metres in length.

There is also bio-cleaning, whose purpose is to decontaminate high risk areas in hospitals and other health institutions. The technique consists of breaking the bio-film formed by surface bacteria by killing the micro-organisms that spread across surfaces. It is used in premises where people are exposed to bacteria and viruses, such as operating theatres and high intensity care wards.

Other examples are sports halls whose maintenance depends not only on the floor covering, but also on the type of sporting activity.

According to the French cleaning federation FEP, “specialist cleaning has since 2012 become a growth activity for cleaning contractors at a time when they’ve been hit by the crisis”.

Specialist cleaners in a position to take on bio-cleaning contracts or to respond to the increased hygiene requirements of some sectors are those that have benefitted the most.

In order to respond to the quality, credibility and skill requirements of clients, the Notre correspondant en France Christian Bouzols se penche sur le nettoyage spécialisé, couvrant par exemple les salles blanches et les blocs opératoires, qui est devenu un domaine de croissance pour les entreprises de propreté.

cleaning sector has put in place qualification procedures based on the implementation of specific referential rules. Various labelling systems have therefore been implemented. The main ones are Qualipropre, ecolabels and NF Environnement. Qualipropre is a label awarded to companies that respect given specifications of a qualitative nature. The areas where their performance is assessed are, among others, process quality, staff training and operator experience.

Ecolabels are issued by the French standards institution to cleaning companies that abide by an environmentally sound approach in respect of work processes and products used.

NF Environnement is the French equivalent of the European Ecolabel. This standard covers the use of cleaning products whose environmental impacts are minimal, or much reduced compared to those of traditional products. In many cases, the products are formulated by the cleaning company itself. The company is therefore in a position to give clients details on the products to be used on their premises should these client have set environmental requirements.

A cleaning company that obtains a certification of this kind obviously has a comparative advantage but the certification doesn’t guarantee the quality of its services. It means the company is compliant with internally accepted standards relating to procedures.

Some cleaning companies also make use of Haute Qualité Environnementale (HQE) sites, HQE being a French label for green buildings, in order to attract the owners of these buildings that wish to have them maintained according to set procedures.

Unser FrankreichKorrespondent Christian Bouzols wirft einen Blick auf die Spezialreinigung, wie etwa von Reinräumen und Operationssälen, die sich zu einem Wachstumsbereich für Reinigungsunternehmen entwickelt hat.

Il corrispondente francese Christian Bouzols prende is esame le pulizie specializzate, per esempio le camere bianche e le sale operatorie che sono diventate un settore in crescita per gli appaltatori di servizi di pulizia.

UPDATE: DENMARK Click for cleaning tips It seems quite simple, but exploiting the power of social media takes some elbow grease. ECJ correspondent Lotte Printz reports from Denmark.

Back in the 1950s – when television was not yet a household item and being a housewife was the most common occupation for women in Denmark – the Danish radio broadcaster offered housewives the advice needed to keep a sparkling home. From brass cleaning solutions to how to ace a spring cleaning.

In this day and age how-to advice lingers on. However, instead of being passed on like pearls of wisdom by mothers or grandmothers or even national broadcasters, we now seek cleaning advice online – where cleaning sector professionals can exploit the opportunities of social and other easily accessible media.

One cleaning professional in Denmark enjoying great success from offering this modern day version of pro tips is 36-yearold Louise Grønhøj who owns Basic Clean. She is too young to know how it was done in the old days, but her just over 44,000 Facebook likes and the two million views that her oneminute how-to videos have on YouTube tell her that she may be filling a gap.

“Especially young people who have just moved from their parents’ home do not know much about cleaning and ask fairly trite questions in my ‘Agony column’ on Facebook about, say, how to dissolve hard water spots which is common knowledge for my mother-inlaw’s generation,” Grønhøj says.

Her videos that are posted through various media show anything from how to remove candle wax stains to mopping floors effectively are “a quick fix” for the users as she puts it.

“And for me it’s a hundred times more rewarding to post a Cela peut paraître simple, mais tirer pari des médias sociaux ne se fait pas sans effort, rapporte Lotte Printz du Danemark.

November 2016 | ECJ | 14

video on a Thursday afternoon and see how many views it’s got in the evening than to sit in your car all day. I love helping people and think it’s better to fix or clean properly than buying new stuff all the time,” Louise Grønhøj continues.

When she quit her job as a salesperson selling cleaning agents to start her own business eight years ago, making videos for domestic cleaning was not part of the plan. She wanted to develop her own product line of cleaning agents and sell them business to business the “oldfashioned” way.

“But one day when on the road as usual I thought to myself that little seemed to come of it.

Could I do something else? Spice up the business? It seemed so much easier sitting at home with a cup of tea making videos than cruising the roads day in and day out”, Grønhøj explains.

Making videos and selling her products in a web shop were her way of ‘escaping’ the roads. After eight years she still keeps her videos pretty simple, because she believes they are more authentic if they don’t look like something you’ll see on TV. But at the end of the day there is no easy way out, she points out.

“I now have eight employees, but the first four years were really tough and I could hardly make a living for myself at the beginning,” Grønhøj continues.

“The difficult part is to get all the likes and make various platforms intertwine.”

“Maybe that’s why the cleaning sector sees so many small companies that don’t last in the long run. They don’t really give it a shot. Even with the opportunities we have today, there’s no such thing as a passive income.”

Es mag einfach aussehen, aber die Stärke der sozialen Medien auszunutzen, erfordert einige Mühe, berichtet Lotte Printz aus Dänemark.

Può sembrare semplice, ma sfruttare il potere dei social media richiede degli sforzi, come ci riferisce la corrispondente Lotte Printz dalla Danimarca.

UPDATE: UK The future is with us UK correspondent Lynn Webster examines the issues around ‘connected cleaning’, and emphasises how the cleaning sector must act now.

Hardly a day goes by without a new piece of technology being launched or old favourites updated. Each promises the user an enhanced experience, in relation to dealings with a service or product provider, or an aspect of individual lifestyle. The early adopter is now the person who has been involved in testing the latest innovation, rather than the first person in the queue outside the glossy retail palace.

The first flurry of excitement dies down and the innovative technology quickly becomes redundant to a proportion of its users. Those used-twice, if at all, apps are uninstalled during train journeys. The icons on the tabs and command bar that suddenly appeared when a software package was inconveniently updated remain untouched, gateways to additional features we didn’t know we needed – because we didn’t.

Everyone needs time to come to grips with the new features, the new technology, and time is always at a premium. We can often feel that while these innovations might seem interesting there is something that doesn’t quite ring true. The crucial questions that we need to ask of every innovation: Which problem(s) does this solve? Which question(s) does this answer? If one of my problems is lack of time, does this technology release time, or is any potential benefit lost in the setting up phase or the cost?

Those of us in the industry face a raft of problems on an all too regular basis. We are repeatedly asked a host of questions by suppliers, customers, stakeholders, questions to which we need to find answers or to include ‘innovation’ in bids. Technology Rapportant du Royaume-Uni, notre correspondant Lynn Webster examine les conséquences étendues, pour le secteur de la propreté, du «nettoyage connecté».

in all its forms is increasingly presented to us offering the ideal solution and the perfect answer, but do we always confirm if this is the case?

An ‘internet of clean’ is evolving that has far-reaching implications for our industry. An example is the introduction of remote management systems which apply the principles of telemetry, utilising the technology of the everyday.

Telemetry allows us to: drive and improve quality through the provision of rich data; use the geographical location facility to identify under-utilised resources; respond to the unexpected promptly and efficiently.

Asset management Claims as to the efficacy of telemetry include its significant contribution to asset management and resource planning processes. Applying the which problem/which question model to current and potential technologies for the industry is therefore a valuable exercise, and even more valuable when carried out jointly by client and supplier.

In our daily lives we no longer think twice about organising a taxi to collect us from a corner five metres from where we’re standing, checking football scores in a queue, sending flowers to a loved one from the late-running train. The points that technology intersect with our daily lives are innumerable and multiplying all the time.

It is essential therefore that we are equipped to determine which technologies are right for the industry, our clients and our business. We don’t have the luxury of the time, and the associated costs of this time, to do otherwise. The technology of today may potentially be the dinosaur of tomorrow.

Die britische ECJKorrespondentin Lynn Webster untersucht die weitreichenden Konsequenzen der „vernetzten Reinigung“ für die Branche.

Dal Regno Unito, la corrispondente Lynn Webster esamina le gravi conseguenze del ‘connected cleaning’ per il settore.

November 2016 | ECJ | 15

UPDATE: RUSSIA Phasing out of imports Oleg Popov, Russian correspondent for ECJ, explains how the economic situation is affecting the sector.

What’s going on in the market right now? Federal cleaning companies are cutting back on their expenses, since cleaning budgets have not increased, meanwhile prices are rising and government institutions are making choices in favour of domestic cleaning services.

As for floor cleaning technology, we see a replacement of demand towards cheaper, previously used machines.

Distributors are experiencing significant growth in the sales of replacement parts. A paradoxical situation has arisen on the market when it has become more beneficial to take apart a new floor cleaning machine and sell it for its parts. Ever more often cleaning companies have been repairing machines. But expenses for the repairs may exceed the cost of a new model.

In the professional cleaning services segment, a replacement is also occurring for cheaper positions. An array of foreign producers have become scared of the unstable economic situation and have practically wrapped up their presence on the Russian market. However some companies have taken advantage of their competitors’ departure and are offering special prices, while significantly increasing their share. Right now is the best time for capturing market share of course, if you have funds available and are willing to reduce your premium.

The number of cleaning companies on the market is the same - the number of metres cleaned only continues to grow.

Due to optimisation of expenses, many have refused longterm relationships with several selected brands and have begun conducting regular tenders and monitoring the suppliers market in search of a better price. The Devant la dégradation de la conjoncture économique en Russie, le secteur de la propreté de ce pays se heure à des difficultés diverses, écrit Oleg Popov.

November 2016 | ECJ | 16

‘fertile’ years are over: now it’s the time just to try to get by.

However Russian producers, who aren’t willing to invest right now in new production, fear instability as well. A domestic brand or technology has not appeared in two years. The list of suppliers has not changed.

As a result, instead of high quality replacement of foreign products by Russian ones, we are seeing a ‘layering’ into very cheap replacements and a striving for expensive innovations.

Serious Russian production has not appeared in any one of the sectors but due to the need to cut costs, companies have begun to repair and restore parts of machines and search for cheaper alternatives.

Clients are sensing a drop in the quality of services and are ever more often discussing advanced technologies and continuous personnel training. Packaged solutions are in demand as before, for instance as with the company Vileda Professional in addition to an array of facilities opening up and this is the kind of thing the customer wants to see.

And despite that at the Russian exhibition Clean Expo in 2015 hardly any new technologies were presented. This year there are some innovations, since Diversey Care is going to display a floor cleaning robot, which will offer autonomous cleaning. This inspires optimism, since everyone’s already tired of an “instant economy” and they’d like to work with longterm cleaning technology, and use efficient and safe cleaning equipment. It’s very difficult to display professionalism under conditions when costs are cut back - investment that is needed to train personnel as well as for products and inventory.

Mit der zunehmend schwieriger werdenden wirtschaftlichen Situation in Russland machen sich verschiedene Konsequenzen für die Reinigungsbranche bemerkbar, meldet Oleg Popov.

Mentre la situazione economica in Russia diventa più difficile, il settore del cleaning subisce numerose consequenze, come ci informa Oleg Popov.

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UPDATE: NETHERLANDS

UPDATE: ITALY

When things go wrong...

Encouraging signs from survey

Nico Lemmens in the Netherlands writes about a service-oriented approach to handling complaints.

Anna Garbagna reports from Italy on the latest survey by the AfidampCOM association, covering the cleaning products distribution market.

We continue our exploration of Grönroos’s theories on service management and marketing. In the June issue of ECJ we argued that quick and excellent recovery performance in case of problems is in many cases the most important driver for generating positive service quality perception. Grönroos distinguishes service recovery from complaint handling. Frequently it seems as if the objective of complaint handling is to make sure that the firm does not have to compensate the customer unless absolutely necessary. This kind of complaint handling is inherently non-service-oriented. Service recovery is a service-oriented approach to managing the same situations that, in an administrative way, are managed by complaint handling routines.

Traditional complaint handling aims at internal efficiency, keeping costs as low as possible, whereas for service recovery external efficiency (good customer-perceived quality) is the guideline. The objective of service recovery is to satisfy customers in spite of a service failure as well as to maintain and possibly improve the longterm relationship quality, to retain customers and long-term profitable business rather than shortterm cost savings.

Here are some of Grönroos’s guidelines for service recovery.

It is the organisation’s responsibility to spot service failures and other types of mistakes or quality problems. Customers should only have to notify the firm about the situation or make a complaint if the firm has been unable to do so. If formal complaints are required, it should be made as easy as possible for the customer to complain. The complaints procedure should be made as unproblematic and free from Dans son rapport des Pays-Bas, Nico Lemmens évoque une approche axée sur le service face aux réclamations : la récupération de services.

bureaucracy as possible. Most customers who are unsatisfied do not bother to complain; they just take away their business.

The organisation should take the initiative to inform the customer about the failure or mistake and, in cases where immediate corrections cannot be made, keep the customer up-to-date about the progress of rectifying the mistake. The organisation should actively take measures to correct failures and mistakes, and not wait until the customer demands action. The customer should be compensated immediately and, in cases where immediate compensation cannot be given, no unnecessary delays should be allowed.

A lost customer, if profitable, has a greater negative effect than an overcompensated, satisfied customer who continues his relationship with the firm and probably also contributes to favourable word-ofmouth communication.

If for some reason a customer cannot be compensated, a swift and service-oriented recovery process may still make the customer feel satisfied. However, this requires that customers perceive the procedures and interactions as having been fair. Emotional reactions such as anxiety and frustration, which customers often feel because of a service failure, must also be managed.

Emotions should probably be attended first. Apologising is important, but it is not enough.

Customers should also be compensated for losses they feel to have suffered. The development of a systematic service recovery system should be a crucial part of any service quality management system. Right the first time is OK. Right the second time is often better. At least in service industries.

Nico Lemmens in den Niederlanden schreibt über einen serviceorientierten Ansatz im Umgang mit Beschwerden – Service Recovery.

November 2016 | ECJ | 18

Dall’Olanda, il corrispondente Nico Lemmens ci informa sull’approccio orientato al servizio per gestire le lamentele e recuperare il servizio.

AfidampCOM’s survey on the distribution market for the professional cleaning in Italy in 2015 was conducted from March until June this year.

The survey shows a reasonably positive picture with growing total sales for almost 63 per cent of companies. Generally it is the small companies which have grown and in fact, two trends are apparent: increased growth for companies with total sales below €1.5 million from 48 per cent to 57 per cent) and a decrease for companies with more than 20 employees.

Some key figures are the same for previous years such as the management of companies (57 per cent remain family run) and the concentration of operators in the regions of Northern Italy (mainly Lombardy, Veneto and Piedmont). In addition, there is the strong trend where companies, regardless of their current generational level they are in, believe that the business will be passed on to their children.

In line with previous years, there is no noticeable concentration of sales on a specific type of products or services (identifiable in machines, chemical products and consumables, tools, offer of other services and rental); the same is true for direct contact (thanks to which a long lasting relationship and personal loyalty is created) which remains the main sales channel in spite a strong increase in Internet sales.

There is only mild growth of sales via e-commerce for companies with total sales higher than €0.5 million: in fact, in 2014, the average growth of these companies, which used e-commerce as a sales channel, was 8.75 per cent, while in Dernières nouvelles du secteur italien du nettoyage d’Anna Garbagna.

2015 was 11 per cent. Internet however, is very often used as a channel for promoting the business.

The positive sales growth between 2014 and 2015 has improved further: in fact 62.7 per cent of operators recorded a positive variation in total sales for 2015. The growth is significant for every type of company, but particularly for companies with total sales between €0.5 and €1 million, of whom 68 per cent recorded a positive increase, and 71 per cent of companies with total sales higher than 2.5 million showed an encouraging trend.

Those which recorded a less significant growth are middle sized companies with total sales oscillating between €1 and €2.5 million.

The operators that were interviewed also highlighted some key functions for the sector’s growth such as marketing, sales and after-sales care. Among the strong points, the relationship with customers and specialisation are still the most relevant, while the weak points are the handling of payments and the reduction in margins.

Training still has a relevant role: in line with the previous year, the results show special attention to technical and business training especially in relation to the smaller companies.

In fact, 54 per cent of courses being offered to companies with fewer than five employees are of a technical nature.

The future remains full of expectations: it is no coincidence that operators continue to be optimistic and are assuming a positive change for total sales in 2015/2016.

Anna Garbagna berichtet aus Italien über die neueste Studie des Industrieverbands AfidampCOM, in der der Vertriebsmarkt für Reinigungsprodukte behandelt wird.

Anna Garbagna dall’Italia ci informa sui risultati di un recente sondaggio condotto dall’associazione AfidampCOM che riguarda il settore della distribuzione dei prodotti di pulizia.

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HIGH PRESSURE CLEANING

Those must-have accessories How far do accessories affect the end result of a high pressure cleaning system? And what other factors could help to improve performance? Ann Laffeaty finds out.

There are any number of variables in a high pressure system that can make it more effective for the task in hand. The obvious one is the actual pressure. Turning up the force a notch or two in the right circumstances will lead to quicker, cleaner results. Then there is water temperature, since hotter water will sometimes be required to tackle particularly difficult cleaning tasks.

But one variable that is often overlooked when purchasing a high pressure cleaner is the range of available accessories. These can include specialist lances, hoses, nozzles and swivels and the choice of accessory can have a significant impact on the end result according to Kärcher’s high pressure cleaner product manager Benjamin Weiss.

“Accessories can improve the performance of a high pressure washer and eliminate the need to purchase multiple machines,” he explains.

Kärcher offers a range of hose reels, trigger guns, steam jet nozzles and spray lances. “We also offer power nozzles that increase the impact force by up to 40 per

cent, plus vario nozzles that allow the spray angle to be set between 0 and 90 degrees,” said Weiss. “This enables the machine to remove both heavy and light dirt.” Other accessories include food-grade hoses that are resistant to animal fats, and a gutter-cleaning spray lance for cleaning gutters through gratings.

Also available from Kärcher is a pipecleaning accessory. “This has backwardfacing nozzle openings that automatically pull the nozzle and hose into the pipe,” he said. “This enables deposits inside the pipes to be dislodged and washed out backwards. While you could clean the pipe with a conventional high pressure cleaner, the result would not be as good and it would take longer to achieve. So in this case the use of accessories saves time, energy and costs.”

New to the company’s range is the EasyForce trigger gun for use with cold and hot water high pressure cleaners. This is said to reduce the operational effort required on the part of the user.

“The fact that reduced force is required helps to prevent operator muscle cramps and hand and finger strains,” said Weiss.

“Meanwhile, accidental operation is prevented by means of a yellow safety lever which can be released again after briefly operating the trigger.”

Other factors According to Weiss, other factors that can impact on performance besides accessory choice include temperature, spray angle, spray distance, nozzle pressure, water volume, contact time and cleaning agent.

“Using warm water can reduce cleaning time by between 40 and 60 per cent,” he said. “As for the spray angle, the impact force will be at its maximum at 0 degrees but the working area will be small.

However, at 90 degrees the power will be at its minimum but the working area will be large.”

Impact pressure is dependent on spray angle, spray distance, nozzle type, nozzle pressure and water flow rate, he adds.

“The greater the impact pressure, the more efficiently the dirt is removed.”

The overall objective of an accessory is to reduce the cost of cleaning according to product management director for high pressure washers at Nilfisk Andrew Caddick. This can be achieved by adding a mechanical action for example, or enabling the machine to be used in hardto-access areas.

Reduce service costs “A good accessory may also reduce service costs by protecting equipment such as hose reels from damage,” he said.

Nilfisk’s range of accessories can be divided into three categories: lances; accessories that protect the machine, and accessories for special applications.

“Lances of various lengths and curvature can be used to facilitate access to the area to be cleaned,” said Caddick. “And lances with different nozzle types - such as rotary nozzles - can add to the cleaning effect or change the cleaning path.”

Accessories designed to protect the machine include Inlet water filters that prevent dirt and sand from entering the pump and damaging the seals and valves.

“This category may also include hose reels to facilitate the storage of the hose and protect it from damage,” he says.

Accessories for special applications include pipe and drain-cleaning equipment; wet sandblasting kits; soft-blasting equipment for graffiti removal and brushes for cleaning vehicles and glasswork.

“At Nilfisk we also offer remote controls; water-suction kits for emptying pools and flooded cellars, and surface cleaners for use on any large horizontal surface,” Caddick said. Also from the company are detergent injection kits for spraying substances such as disinfectants, acids and foaming chemicals.

The use of an accessory will typically increase cleaning efficiency and reduce the time it takes to clean, says Caddick.

“It will add power to the cleaning effect or increase the cleaning path and range,” he Continued page 24

November 2016 | ECJ | 23

HIGH PRESSURE CLEANING Those must-have accessories (continued) said. “Or it might simply be that without the use of an accessory it would not be possible to carry out a particular cleaning task. This would typically be the case when attempting to remove rust using sandblasting kits, for example.”

Accessories can also allow the machine to extend its range of uses, he says. “For example a water suction kit will convert a high pressure cleaner into a machine that can suck water from flooded areas or empty pools in an action similar to that of a vacuum cleaner.”

He says reducing working time and cleaning costs are a key focus for Nilfisk.

“We have carried out various tests on the effect of accessories,” he said. “We found that for an application such as cleaning the concrete floor of a cow farm for example, the use of a rotary lance reduces cleaning time by 30 per cent compared with a normal spray nozzle. But when using a 500 mm floor cleaner you can reduce cleaning time by around 70 per cent.”

Higher temperatures Among Nilfisk’s latest accessories is a four-in-one lance. “This can be used for normal high pressure cleaning with a 25 degree jet; low pressure cleaning for flushing or applying detergent; high pressure cleaning with a 60 degree jet for cleaning softer surfaces such as vehicle bodywork, and as a rotary jet for cleaning terraces, forecourts, patios and car parks,” says Caddick.

Besides accessory choice, factors such as water volume, water pressure, temperature and the addition of a detergent can have an impact on performance, according to Caddick. “A detergent may speed up the cleaning process and produce better results, or perhaps provide a disinfectant function,” he said. “Higher temperatures will melt substances such as fat, grease and oil while particularly high pressures are required when the dirt is strongly attached to a surface.”

R+M/Suttner’s high pressure cleaning accessories include sand-blasting kits, telescopic lances, nozzles and hoses for sewer cleaning along with wash brushes and foam devices says head of sales Dirk Niesen.

“We also offer a broad range of rotating nozzles to provide an even clean on large surfaces,” he said. “Whether the Les accessoires tels que buses à jet pla, appareils de grenaillage humide et lances de pulvérisation flexibles peuvent nettement ajouter au pouvoir de nettoyage et au rendement d’un système haute pression. Nous jetons un coup d’œil sur les accessoires les plus récents du nettoyage haute pression et sur leurs effets pour les rendements.

November 2016 | ECJ | 24

cleaning application is in the industrial, municipal technology, weed control, food, sewer cleaning, car wash or tank cleaning sector, the focus is not only on the cleaning task but also on user-handling. For example, spray guns that rotate under pressure and accessories with an easy screw-in coupling will immensely facilitate the daily work routine.”

R+M/Suttner considers itself to be an accessories expert, says Niesen. “We take the view that it is only possible to achieve maximum performance by using the most suitable accessory parts,” he said. “A lot of homework needs to be done to ensure that the most effective performance using the minimum amount of resources is achieved.” For example, he says it is possible to make energy savings of up to eight per cent by using a suitable accessory with a standard 7.5 kW device.

New from R+M/Suttner is the Weeddevil for sustainable weed control. “This combines a pressureless application with almost boiling water to control weeds without using chemicals,” he said. The Weeddevil can be used for low and high pressure applications from 0 to 350 bar.

Also new is a series of pipe-cleaning nozzles and hoses. “With the growing shortage of available drinking water there will be an increasing demand for such solutions,” said Niesen. “Our pipecleaning nozzles and hoses make it possible to clean pipes of up to 300 mm in diameter using comparatively small quantities of water.”

He says the use of foam, chemicals and mechanical and thermal energy are other ways in which high pressure cleaning can be enhanced without the use of accessories. “Extending the exposure time of the detergent before cleaning a surface also makes it possible to significantly reduce the quantity of cleaning detergent while also boosting efficacy,” he said.

Idrobase offers more than 10,000 high pressure cleaning accessories through its Club dei Riparatori brand according to group co-owner Bruno Gazzignato. These include fan spray, sand-blasting and rotating nozzles plus foam lances.

“Accessories can have a significant impact - not only on cleaning performance but also on the health and wellbeing of those who use them,” said Gazzignato.

“One of the chief challenges today is to carry out cleaning in a way that is compatible with sustainability and health and safety constraints. For this reason all our cleaning systems are designed to be ergonomic and to preserve the health of the end user.”

Zubehör, wie Fächerstrahldüsen, Nassstrahlsets und flexible Sprühlanzen, kann sich erheblich auf die Reinigungskraft und Effizienz eines Hochdrucksystems auswirken. Wir werfen einen Blick auf das neueste Hochdruckzubehör und wie Sie damit unter Druck die Reinigungskraft verbessern können.

Accessori tipo ugelli a ventaglio-spruzzo, ugelli spruzzatori e lance spray flessibili possono fare molta differenza sulla forza della pulizia e sull’efficacia di un sistema ad alta pressione. Prendiamo in esame gli accessori più nuovi per le idropulitrici e vediamo come possono potenziare la forza pulitrice sotto pressione.

Adjust foam density New from Idrobase is the Piuma foam lance for car wash applications. This enables the density of the foam to be adjusted to three levels and is said to weigh less than 66 per cent of other foam lances on the market.

According to Gazzignato, there is nothing new to be invented in the high pressure washer industry. “This means that market innovation in the future will come from accessories,” he said. “For example, we might see the development of new accessories for cleaning monuments using micronised water under pressure so as not to damage delicate surfaces.”

Nilfisk’s Andrew Caddick feels that accessory development has actually slowed over recent years. “Many new accessories are simply improvements on old ones and are solving the same tasks as previous generations of accessories,” he said.

“However, development may be stimulated by the emergence of new trends such as the growing use of solar panels and windmills. But even here the solutions will be based on bundling together previously-available accessories such as brushes, longer lances or tubes and watersoftening kits.”

On the other hand, Kärcher’s Benjamin Weiss believes the choice of available accessories will widen further in future. “Accessories are the most important part of a high pressure cleaning system and new applications are always arising,” he said. “Rather than having a machine for every application there will increasingly be an accessory for every application.”

And R+M/Suttner is continually working on new accessories to make customers’ high pressure cleaning machines more effective and versatile, says Dirk Niesen.

“We believe the ability to provide the right accessory for the right cleaning task will increasingly form the basis of the purchasing decision on the part of the end-user or service provider,” he said.

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• Pour les applications à service sévère, IPC a crée le nettoyeur haute pression à l’eau chaude PW H100.

• Le nettoyeur de surface Universal 410mm est le dernier né de la gamme Mosmatic.

• Pour le lavage de véhicules, Idrobase propose l’Idro, un appareil à eau froide haute pression.

• La nouvelle gamme de nettoyeurs haute pression à moteur à essence Annovi Reverberi comporte dix modèles.

• Le Tucson, qui est proposé en deux versions, est le dernier né de la gamme de nettoyeurs haute pression Lavor Pro. • Weeddevil est un appareil de contrôle des mauvaises herbes proposé par R+M Suttner et relié à un pistolet pulvérisateur haute pression.

• Für Anwendungen mit hoher Beanspruchung hat IPC den Heißwasser-Hochdruckreiniger PW H100 entwickelt.

• Der Oberflächenreiniger Universal 410mm ist das neueste Modell von Mosmatic.

• Idro ist ein KaltwasserHochdruckreiniger von Idrobase, der zur Fahrzeugwäsche entwickelt wurde.

• Die neue Produktreihe von Hochdruckreinigern mit Benzinmotoren von Annovi Reverberi umfasst 10 Modelle.

• Tucson, der neueste Hochdruckreiniger von Lavor Pro, ist in zwei Ausführungen erhältlich.

• Bei Weeddevil handelt es sich um ein Gerät zur Unkrautbekämpfung von R+M Suttner, das an eine HochdruckSpritzpistole angeschlossen wird.

• Per le applicazioni industriali, la IPC ha sviluppato la idropulitrice ad alta pressione e acqua calda PW H100.

• Il detergente per le superfici Universal 410mm è il nuovo prodotto della Mosmatic.

• Idro è una idropulitrice ad acqua fredda prodotta dalla Idrobase e progettata per il lavaggio dei veicoli.

• La nuova gamma di idropulitrici ad alta pressione con motore a benzina della Annovi Reverberi comprende 10 modelli.

• Tucson è l’ultimo modello di idropulitrice ad alta pressione della Lavor Pro disponibile in due versioni.

• Weeddevil è un dispositivo prodotto dalla R+M Suttner per l’eliminazione delle erbacce collegato a una pistola a spruzzo ad alta pressione.

November 2016 | ECJ | 26

Top of the range PW H100 is at the top of the range in IPC’s hot water high pressure cleaner line - specifically designed for applications in industry, agriculture and transport where heavy duty performance is required. The company says the 40-metre boiler coil and new 100 KW engine guarantee best cleaning results.

The Delayed Total Stop system (DTS) protects the motor and pump at the heart of the machine, while Micro Leakage Control (MLC) prevents deterioration of the hydraulic system.

If water is not being supplied to the machine the Dry Running Protection system (DRC) turns off the engine.

These advanced electronics systems, says IPC, ensure machine reliability by reducing maintenance stops and costs and offer operators maximum safety. www.ipcworldwide.com

Flat surfaces

work at pressure up to 275 bar, temperatures up to 120°C and chemicals from pH3 to 12.

Thanks to the toggle swivel it is easy to clean walls or angled surfaces from a comfortable position, says the company.

And the movement of the joint is adjustable for low-fatigue cleaning. The machine can be supplied with stainless steel castors or without, while the quick connection in the middle of the lance enables the operator to shorten the lance and store it more easily. www.mosmatic.com

Functional

The Idro cold water high pressure cleaner from Idrobase is designed particularly for car washes and washing of vehicles.

Features include an external pump and simplified electrical system with just one switch.

The frame is made of steel with thick chrome plating for maximum durability and there is the option to select Idro By-Pass and Total Stop.

Depending on the model, pressure ranges from 150 to 250 bar, flow rate from 15 to 21 litres per minute and power from 7.5 hp to 10 hp. www.idrobasegroup.com

Petrol range

The new Universal 410 mm from Mosmatic is a lightweight, multifunctional surface cleaner suitable for use on any flat surface - including walls, stairs, pavements and decks. It can

Annovi Reverberi has launched a range of petrol engine high pressure cleaners - there are 10 models starting from a compact and mobile unit up to the largest 13 hp unit featuring triplex pump with ceramic pistons.

With its sturdy metal frame and large flexible wheels these

machines are suitable for heavy duty applications. Self-priming and suction function also enables water to be drawn from a tank, river or pond.

Honda, Rato and Loncin engines ensure long working life and high reliability says Annovi Reverberi, while high pressure levels cut cleaning time to a minimum. www.annovireverberi.it

Two versions Lavor Pro’s new high pressure cleaner Tucson is available in two versions - Tucson and Tucson XL. They are designed for use in various sectors, from agriculture and industry to petrol stations and contract cleaning.

Different versions are available, featuring Lavor linear pump, motors with water-cooling (on three phase models), Automatic Stop system, pressure regulator, glycerine pressure gauge and hose-reel as optional equipment. www.lavorpro.com

Control weeds Weeddevil is a new device for weed control developed by R+M Suttner. Made from stainless steel it is connected to a high pressure spray gun and equipped with two industrial castors for easy movement.

For application a hot water device that works with water temperatures of at least 90°C is needed and no chemical is used. The Weeddevil is suitable for low and high pressure applications from 0 to 350 bar at a maximum temperature of 120°C. www.rm-suttner.com

PRODUCTS: HIGH PRESSURE CLEANING Hot water trailer Kärcher has a range of four hot water high pressure trailers for use in construction, industry and municipalities. These units offer pressures of 50 to 500 bar and water flow rates of up to 1,700 litres per hour.

The large water (500 litres) and diesel (100 litres) tanks enable mains-free cleaning periods of up to 30 minutes says Kärcher,

increasing its life cycle.

The anti-freeze mixture is automatically channelled back into a tank after each use, enabling it to be reused.

A heat exchanger uses the temperature of the pump motor to pre-heat the water, reducing fuel consumption by up to 14 per cent. And the eco!efficiency mode - which keeps water temperature at a constant 60°C and is suitable for most tasks - helps to save energy. www.karcher.com

Dual power DiBO claims to have introduced a new green technology with the Dual Power Heating System on its IBH-S hot water high pressure cleaner. Thanks to the combination of an isolated preheating system and the GreenBoiler, there’s always a buffer of hot water immediately available and the machine consumes less fuel.

There is also an automatic start-stop system that puts the machine in standby mode when

idle for 30 seconds. If inactivity is longer the electric motor is automatically switched off. www.dibo.com

while a built-in frost protection device means they can also be used in winter.

Machines can even be used in sub-zero temperatures: in just a few simple steps, the lines and pipes can be filled with an anti-freeze mixture within two to three minutes after use.

This mixture is rinsed out again before the next use, with the system protecting the machine against cold damage and • Kärcher a récemment lancé une gamme de quatre remorques de nettoyage haute pression à l’eau chaude travaillant hors réseau.

•DiBO a introduit une nouvelle technologie verte en proposant son nettoyeur haute pression à eau chaude IBH-S à système de chauffage à double pouvoir.

• Kärcher hat vor kurzem eine Produktreihe mit vier trailerbasierten HeißwasserHochdruckreinigern, die unabhängig vom Stromnetz arbeiten, vorgestellt.

• DiBO stellt eine neue umweltbewusste Technologie mit dem HeißwasserHochdruckreiniger IBH-S vor – das Dual-Power-Heizsystem.

• La Kärcher ha lanciato di recente una gamma di quattro idropulitrici ad acqua calda carrellate e non collegate alla rete elettrica.

•La DiBO sta per introdurre una nuova tecnologia verde con la sua idropulitrice ad alta pressione e acqua calda IBH-S, il sistema Dual Power Heating System.

November 2016 | ECJ | 27

THE PAN-EUROPEAN MAGAZINE FOR THE CLEANING SECTOR

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TROLLEY SYSTEMS

A trolley good fit What type of cleaning trolley would you use in a hospital?

An office? Or a hotel? Ann Laffeaty looks at the different trolley requirements for various environments and find out which works best where – and why.

All cleaning trolleys have a number of features in common. They have wheels, they have a handle, they have storage space…. and well, that’s about it. A trolley is basically a mobile cleaning cupboard, and we all know how much the contents of those can differ. So trolleys tend to be configured and equipped to suit the sector in question.

But what elements are required on a typical hospital trolley? And how would these differ from the requirements of an office or hotel, for example? Manufacturers all agree that hospital trolleys need to prioritise hygiene and safety; office trolleys should be compact with wheels that glide effortlessly across carpets, and hotel trolleys need plenty of room for linen and towels while being sufficiently narrow for use in corridors.

Office trolleys should also ideally have rubber-braked wheels for safety plus buckets and a wringer for floor cleaning according to IPC sales and business development manager Adriano Mariano.

“Hotel trolley requirements are similar but here there is an increasing emphasis on aesthetics,” he said. “Trolleys are becoming promotional tools that can enhance a company’s image and we are increasingly seeing website addresses, contact details, logos, slogans and images printed on to trolleys using modern digital printing techniques.”

IPC’s Hotel Maxi and Mini Brix models are particularly suitable for linen collection in hotels, he claims. “These have practical compartments and trays for amenity

items and can be equipped with shelves and drawers,” he said. “The Mini model is compact and easy to move and has been specifically designed for working in corridors and restricted spaces.

“And all Brix trolleys are equipped with noise-free rubber wheels to allow them to be used in noise-sensitive environments such as hotels, hospitals and nursing homes.” For the healthcare sector, IPC offers a Healthcare Disinfection System version of its Brix line made from antibacterial plastic to minimise the risk of spreading microorganisms.

He believes trolleys will continue to evolve to become more convenient, compact and efficient. “Tomorrow’s trolleys will also be designed with the operator’s posture in mind so that they can be used in total safety,” said Mariano,. “And the ‘green’ concept will become a must-have, with trolleys increasingly incorporating recycled materials and being developed for enhanced durability.”

A good hotel trolley needs to incorporate facilities for segregating dirty laundry says Kärcher’s detergents and consumables product manager Saskia Schneider.

“Besides good storage capabilities you also need a compact construction to enable the trolley to be used in tight corridors,” she said. “And good wheels are important to allow it to carry heavy weights and run on carpets.”

A hospital trolley should have good waste segregation facilities plus the ability to store clean and dirty mops separately, she said. “Ergonomics and colour-coded cleaning materials are also key, along with closable drawers where detergents can be stored.”

Office trolleys on the other hand are mainly designed for waste collecting and surface cleaning, she says. “Here you would need a console for fresh waste bags, cloths and detergents as well as good wheels for enhanced manoeuvrability and lower noise.”

According to Schneider there will be a growing need for more compact trolleys

in future. “We will also see an increasing trend towards customised trolleys plus a higher demand for sustainable solutions.”

Cleaning trolley product manager for Hygienteknik Johann Storbjörk says customers should consider the size of the area to be cleaned and the amount of equipment required plus the amount of storage space available when choosing a trolley. “The size and quality of the wheels will also depend on the floor surface and whether the trolley needs to be used outdoors,” he said. “And the way in which mops and cloths are prepared will determine how the trolley is equipped.”

Rolling storage He describes a classic hotel trolley as a rolling storage facility while the ideal office trolley is more of a central work station.

He believes it is particularly important to adapt a healthcare trolley to its environment, however.

“In a hospital there will be large surfaces and long corridors to clean and it will be crucial to maximise hygiene and minimise the risk of cross-contamination,” said Storbjörk. Hygienteknik trolleys can be equipped with a lockable material box and come with a wheel feature designed to maintain direction and help the user keep control. “We also have a series of lightweight aluminium trolleys that can be disinfected at 90 degrees on a daily basis.”

A hospital trolley also needs to accommodate sufficient flat mops, cloths and gloves to allow new ones to be used in each room according to Filmop export area manager Paolo Scapinello. “The storage and waste collection sections must be closed off for safety reasons, while a silent trolley is a must,” he said. “Sick people need to be able to rest undisturbed so lids and doors must close silently and the trolley must move along the floor making as little noise as possible.” He claims the Filmop Alpha line matches these criteria.

Office trolleys need to be easy to manoeuvre in congested environments, he says. “However they also need to have Continued page 30

November 2016 | ECJ | 29

TROLLEY SYSTEMS A trolley good fit (continued) sufficient space for cleaning tools plus a large storage section for waste paper, with perhaps a divided bag-holder for segregated waste collection,” he said.

Hotels needs may differ depending on whether the trolley is to be used in the guest rooms, lobby, restaurant or conference rooms, says Scapinello. “In all cases the trolley needs to be discreet so that cleaning can be carried out without any visual disturbance for hotel guests,” he said. “And room service trolleys should be slim enough for use in corridors, but large enough to carry large volumes of clean linen and towels.”

He says hotel trolley should ideally be fully enclosed. “Having a messy open trolley in sight of the guest rooms could damage the hotel’s image,” he said. “Many hotels also require customised trolleys where the brand is featured on the panels.”

Filmop’s Emotion trolleys offer sufficient storage for use in hotels and can be customised, he says. “Our Alpha and Emotion lines can incorporate various kinds of waste collection facilities as well as mopping systems and storage capacities.”

According to Scapinello the next challenge for the trolley industry will be to transform today’s units into eco-friendly and ergonomic work stations. “There will also be an increasing use of technology to help end users perform their daily activities in an even more professional way while reducing their labour costs,” he said.

Export sales manager at TTS Alessandro Costantini says segregation between compartments for disinfection, storage and waste management units is among the chief requirements of a healthcare trolley. “It is also crucial to have closable trolleys for safety and hygiene reasons, while high quality plastic should be used in the construction to facilitate deep disinfection,” he said.

Office trolleys need to offer space for cleaning materials as well as carpet cleaning machines and small vacuum cleaners, he adds. A compact version of TTS’s Magic trolley is said to offer good storage and waste segregation within a small footprint.

A particular issue for hotel trolleys is one of storage space, says Costantini. “While hotels usually need large trolleys to carry Pour les besoins d’un hôpital, un chariot de nettoyage doit être de conception hygiénique et comporter des réceptable fermés pour les déchets. Pour les besoins d’un bureau, il nécessitera probablement un volume de rangement supplémentaire et des roulettes solides. Pour un hôtel, le chariot devra être suffisamment compact pour circuler le long des couloirs tout en présentant l’aspect brillant qu’exige l’image de marque de l’établissement.

ECJ examine les différents impératifs des chariots de nettoyage, en fonction de leurs environnements de travail.

November 2016 | ECJ | 30

linen and amenities for room service, housekeepers experience space problems in lifts and store cupboards,” he said. TTS’s Magic Hotel range incorporates hooks to allow different trolley units to be attached and then disassembled to combine flexibility with the ability to be easily stored.

Costantini believes that tomorrow’s trolleys will be increasingly customised to suit individual needs. “They will become an integral part of the environment and be not only functional, but also attractive to look at,” he said.

What flooring?

The type of flooring along with hygiene requirements both play a role in determining what type of trolley system is required, according to international sales manager at Crisp Clean Judy Toes.

“Hospitals need either a flat mopping system using a double bucket wringer, or a dosing system that enables the operator to use a clean mop for every 10 to 20 square metres,” she said. “A segregated waste collection system is also required.

“On the other hand, carpeted office areas do not require mopping systems but need more waste collection facilities along with storage plus the ability to securely carry a vacuum cleaner.

“And in public areas – such as in hotels – there is often a demand for systems that are aesthetically pleasing and where chemicals are kept out of view and secured. As a result we have found trolleys that are either party or fully enclosed are becoming increasingly popular, while demand for trolleys that are small, lightweight and manoeuvrable is growing in areas where there is restricted access.”

Crisp Clean offers a range of part and fully-enclosed trolleys featuring a range of waste segregation options. These are designed to be functional, ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing, according to Toes.

While the environment in which a trolley is to be used is important, there are several other factors that may influence a customer’s choice of trolley according to Vileda floor care business development director Steve Barber.

“Sometimes a customer’s trolley choice will depend on the type of mopping system required,” he said. “For example, the Ein Reinigungswagen für den Einsatz im Krankenhaus erfordert ein hygienisches Design und geschlossene Abfallbehälter, ein Wagen für den Einsatz im Büro erfordert möglicherweise zusätzlichen Stauraum und kräftige Räder. Und ein Wagen für Hotels muss einerseits kompakt genug sein, um in Korridore zu passen, und anderseits elegant genug, um die Hotelmarke zu repräsentieren. Das ECJ betrachtet die verschiedenen Anforderungen die unterschiedliche Umgebungen an Reinigungswagen stellen.

design of the trolley would differ if you were using pre-prepared mops rather than a bucket and press system. With preprepared mops you need storage space for used and unused mops whereas with a bucket and press system you would often use the same mops during your shift.

“The amount of available storage space may also influence your choice of trolley, though the size of cleaning and storage cupboards is often overlooked in the design process.” Vileda’s VoleoPro trolley is said to have a particularly compact footprint. “There are also folding waste compartments on our Origo range that are designed to make it easier to store the trolleys after use,” said Barber.

Geographical location may be another influencing factor when choosing a trolley, he says. “The Nordic and Scandinavian countries tend to prefer an open, metalbased trolley with adjustable push bars whereas plastic-based trolleys are preferred in southern Europe,” he explained.

“And the trend in mid-Europe is for trolleys made from a combination of metal and plastic that can be completely enclosed using door panels.”

Design influence He says building design and architecture are having a major influence on the market. “There are huge investments being made into the appearance of buildings which means that any visible cleaning products need to match this investment,” he said. Vileda’s VoleoPro range has been designed to complement modern decors, according to Barber.

He believes that trolley design will continue to evolve. “For example, just 10 years ago there were only a few clients asking for doors on their trolleys whereas this is now a basic requirement in many environments,” he said. “And trolley doors can also be used for advertising or promoting the cleaning company’s brand.”

And he feels technology will become a key driver in future. “As companies continue to digitialise and integrate apps into the cleaning process, trolleys will move on from simply being a central storage point for cleaning tools to becoming the focal point of the whole process and a vital tool for tracking performance,” says Barber.

Un carrello di pulizia per gli ospedali necessita di un design igienico e dei contenitori per rifiuto richiudibili mentre un carrello per gli uffici può necessitare di spazio di stoccaggio maggiore e ruote più robuste. Un carrello per gli hotel deve essere sufficientemente compatto per essere usato nei corridoi ma allo stesso tempo deve essere elegante per rappresentare il marchio dell’hotel.

ECJ prende in esame i vari requisiti dei carrelli per diversi ambienti.

PRODUCTS: TROLLEY SYSTEMS

• Le plus récent chariot de nettoyage Hygienteknik est conçu pour satisfaire les fortes exigences du secteur de la santé.

• Pour servir en espace restreint, TTS a ajouté les chariots de nettoyage Mini Magic à sa gamme.

• Der neueste Reinigungswagen von Hygienteknik wurde konzipiert, um den anspruchsvollen Anforderungen des Gesundheitswesens gerecht zu werden.

• TTS hat sein Sortiment um die Reinigungswägen Mini Magic zur Reinigung in kleinen Bereichen erweitert.

• Il nuovo carrello della Hygienteknik è progettato per soddisfare i requisiti esigenti del settore sanitario.

• La TTS ha aggiunto alla sua gamma di prodotti i carrelli di pulizia Mini Magic, adatti per le aree di piccole dimensioni.

November 2016 | ECJ | 32

Healthcare Hygienteknik says demands for specially-made cleaning trolleys have increased in hospital environments due to crosscontamination and ergonomic challenges. So the company has developed a model to meet those specific requirements Activa Air. Trolleys used in hospitals must be able to withstand daily disinfection with a 90°C shower so the new model uses materials and surface treatments that have been endurance tested.

Material surfaces have also been minimised to avoid dirt traps.

Activa Air’s frame is made of lightweight aluminium rails, which allow the user to adjust the working height and handle the trolley easily. To facilitate driving in long corridors with a heavy load there is also a steering wheel. www.hygienteknik.se

Hook up

TTS has developed a new way to attach/detach Magic trolleys. Using new plastic hooks users can create Magic+, a fully accessorised trolley connected to a smaller mobile workstation.

With a simple click, part of the workstation can be disconnected from the main trolley and

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the operative can take only the part they need.

For example waste collection can be managed separately by detaching the collection module, or you can have access to small areas using just the module you need. New hooks are solid and easy to use, and their shape allows free wheel movement.

This attachment/detachment system can be applied to the whole Magic Line and it can be wheeled smoothly over uneven floors. www.ttsystem.com

PRODUCTS: TROLLEY SYSTEMS

So flexible

trolleys in the range - this makes it suitable for small or confined area cleaning, as well as being easy to store. www.sealedair.com

Light and handy

With over 100 accessories and more than 1.3 million possible configurations, Diversey Care says its TASKI trolley system offers ultimate flexibility - changes are made simply by adding or removing various modular components.

The trolley is also ergonomically designed with the ability to adjust the height and position of the accessories in order to minimise bending and unnecessary strain.

The Nano trolley system, meanwhile, is 30 per cent lighter and 20 per cent narrower than other

Brix Compact is a ‘one solution for all needs’ modular trolley concept from IPC suitable for cleaning in small spaces.

Starting from the basic model, users can then build three different trolleys using a kit equipped with all the components needed

for specific applications. So Brix Compact Basic turns into the Office version, the PT (pre-treatment system) version for hospitals and nurseries etc, or the Collection version for shopping centres and waste collection.

Black is Green models use recycled plastic to reduce bulk and improve efficiency. They are light and handy cleaning workstations, offering compact solutions for tools storage with doors, drawers, shelves, buckets and wringers. www.ipcworldwide.com

Manual tools Kärcher has a comprehensive line of manual cleaning tools, including trolley systems. Colour coding is incorporated as standard and the company has placed great emphasis on ergonomics and user-friendly operation.

The system solution offers numerous possible combinations. www.karcher.com

• Recevant plus de 100 accessoires et réalisable en 1,3 million de configurations, le système à chariot de nettoyage TASKI de Diversey Care se présente comme l’un des plus flexibles du marché.

• La gamme Brix Compact des chariots de nettoyage IPC comprend la série Black is Green, conçue pour améliorer l’efficience et la durabilité.

• Kärcher produit différent systèmes de chariot de nettoyage à codage et dessin ergonomique distincts.

• Mit mehr als 100 Zubehörteilen und 1,3 Millionen Konfigurationen ist das TASKI Reinigungswagensystem laut Diversey Care eines der flexibelsten am Markt.

• Die Produktreihe Brix Compact mit Reinigungswagen von IPC umfasst die Reihe Black is Green, die entwickelt wurden, um Effizienz und Nachhaltigkeit zu verbessern.

• Kärcher produziert eine Reihe von Reinigungswagensystemen, die Farbkodierung und ergonomisches Design bieten.

• Con oltre 100 accessori e 1,3 milioni di configurazioni, la Diversey Care afferma che il suo sistema TASKI Trolley System è uno dei più flessibili.

• La gamma di carrelli Brix Compact della IPC include la linea Black is Green, progettata per migliorare efficienza e sostenibilità.

• La Kärcher produce numerosi sistemi di carrelli con codice colore e design ergonomico.

November 2016 | ECJ | 33

PRODUCTS: TROLLEY SYSTEMS

• Réunissant trois chariots de nettoyage, la gamme C-Shuttle de Greenspeed est réalisée à 75 pour cent en matière plastique recyclée.

• Les nouveaux modèles Alpha Split de chariots de nettoyage Filmop à encombrement réduit visent à une meilleure organisation.

• Le chariot de nettoyage VoleoPro de Vileda est construit à 95 % à partir de polypropylène recyclé.

• Die Reinigungswagen der Produktreihe C Shuttle von Greenspeed werden zu 75 % aus recyceltem Plastik hergestellt.

• Alpha Split, die neuesten Reinigungswagenmodelle von Filmop, wurden konzipiert um bessere Organisation bei geringerer Größe zu bieten.

• Der Reinigungswagen VoleoPro von Vileda wird zu 95 Prozent aus recyceltem Polypropylen hergestellt.

• La gamma di tre carrelli C-Shuttle della Greenspeed è prodotta per il 75% in plastica riciclata.

• I più nuovi modelli di carrello Alpha Split della Filmop sono progettati per una migliore organizzazione in uno spazio di piccole dimensioni.

• Il carrrello per le pulizie VoleoPro della Vileda è prodotto per il 95 per cento con polipropilene riutilizzato.

November 2016 | ECJ | 34

Convenient With the introduction of its C-Shuttle line of trolleys Greenspeed says it is delivering convenience, compactness and creativity. There are three models, all of them made from 75 per cent recycled plastic and said to be compact and easy to manoeuvre.

The C-Shuttle 150 consists of one compartment and is designed for small spaces, while the C-Shuttle 250 is a standard variant with two compartments.

Featuring three compartments is the higher end version C-Shuttle 350. www.greenspeed.eu

Organise spaces

available, featuring two button joints that make it possible to move it through 180° so the user can choose the ideal working height. www.filmop.com

Small footprint

The most recent AlphaSplit trolley models have been designed to better organise spaces and concentrate the key cleaning activities in a reduced volume.

Thanks to a new 90-litre bag holder with lower sliding drawer, waste collection, mopping and storage can be accommodated in 86 x 58 cm. This makes them suitable for working in small and narrow spaces.

To improve on working posture a ergonomic push-bar is now

VoleoPro is the newest trolley from Vileda Professional, developed for areas where space is limited and a full-size trolley is too large - its footprint is half a square metre.

Two versions are available, basic and standard, and Vileda says this model offers a high degree of flexibility and customisation. It can carry all the company’s floor cleaning systems, boxes and buckets plus other tools needed for daily cleaning.

The constructional parts of the trolley are made of polypropylene (PP) and those parts are made of 95 per cent post consumed PP and five per cent virgin material. www.vileda-professional.com

SMART SOLUTIONS

Your data holds the key In order to compete for larger contracts, smaller suppliers need to drive targeted sales campaigns that reach the right people with the right product, at the right price, at the right time. And all this on a lower budget than their bigger counterparts. But correct use of data and technology could be the answer, writes Paul Black, ceo of sales-i for ECJ.

The cleaning industry is worth more than €20 billion (£17.5 billion) worldwide, with contract cleaning services alone generating a profit of €116 million. There’s little doubt it’s a lucrative sector, yet many smaller suppliers are battling to get their share. Larger, better known cleaning product suppliers as good as own the big business contracts. In order to compete, the smaller suppliers need to drive targeted sales campaigns that reach the right people, with the right product, at the right price, at the right time. And all this on a lower budget than their bigger counterparts. Easier said than done.

Aim high

Using the right tools will put you a step ahead of the competition, enabling you to demonstrate a real understanding of your customers’ needs and preferences.

Only the most technologicallysavvy businesses will achieve notable success.

New business acquisition is always a priority that has to be carefully balanced with customer retention, but ultimately both need to generate profit. A massive database of customers and prospects may look impressive, but how much value is it actually delivering?

It’s a classic case of quantity versus quality. To generate quality, high potential leads, all your sales and marketing efforts need to focus on the key decision makers at the companies you’re targeting. This doesn’t mean just the C-suite or board level executives (although they are, of course, very important) – think laterally and consider the employees who act as advisors or gate-keepers to the higher echelons. Essentially, you need to get your business proposal in front of the people who have the real buying power and influence.

Get personal A lot of work goes into creating, producing and implementing a good sales strategy. All of which can fall flat in a second if your target prospects have not been researched thoroughly or communicated with properly. No matter how competitive your product or how compelling your message, if your sales and marketing campaigns are distributed at random you will have wasted your time and money.

The ‘spray and pray’ approach does not

make good business sense and cannot be relied upon to increase company profits.

To see real return on investment, you need to personalise your communications with data-driven insights. The right technology can help you get to know your customers and prospects better, ensuring that you understand their pain points and only offer them relevant solutions.

Even the smallest of companies gather huge volumes of information every single day. A busy sales team can’t be expected to sift through it all and filter out the relevant information for each and every customer across a range of product lines. The mere quantity of data you own in no way indicates quality information that can be translated into revenue-generating action.

Technology, when used correctly, can take the raw data and separate the relevant from the irrelevant, giving it structure and purpose. With greater insight into present and even future customer behaviour, your salespeople will be able to direct more engaging conversations and strengthen existing client relationships.

Use the right tools There have been many recent advances in big data technology that can help you identify and respond to important customer actions. The right software can help you track customer buying behaviour, monitor how and when they engage with your company, determine their preferred touchpoints (email, mobile, social), and regularly assess loyalty levels.

Your customer data holds the key to huge upselling and cross-selling opportunities – but they can only be unlocked with the right technology. Suppose a certain customer buys your carpet cleaning products twice a year on a recurring basis. When the next date approaches the system will alert you and recommend that you proactively contact the account.

This enables you to offer your customer additional cleaning products, perhaps for their office curtains or blinds, at a subContinued page 36

November 2016 | ECJ |35

SMART SOLUTIONS Your data holds the key (continued) – especially when your target prefers to communicate over the phone.

Customers expect to be remembered, and so they should, yet for salespeople who aren’t blessed with perfect recall, this presents a challenge which can lead to some embarrassing encounters. Fortunately, when your all-important customer data is stored and secured in the cloud, it’s accessible anywhere at any time. Sales intelligence software allows you to review historical information from meetings and correspondence at a moment’s notice – when an important detail slips your mind at the next customer event you won’t be caught on the back foot.

Stay relevant

stantial discount. This simple action alone will give you an edge over any competitors muscling in and ensure that your company retains important market share.

Alternatively, if you’re trying to win Afin d’entrer en lice pour décrocher de gros contrats, les fournisseurs de petite taille doivent lancer des campagnes de vente ciblées devant atteindre les gens qui conviennent en leur proposant le produit juste, au prix juste et au moment opportun. Et tout cela sur un moindre budget que celui de leurs concurrents de plus grande taille. 908

November 2016 | ECJ | 36

new business, your data can help you plot bespoke solutions that reach the right person. If the business in question has tiled floors, it’s no good sending them a special offer for carpet cleaning via email Wenn kleinere Anbieter um größere Verträge konkurrieren möchten, müssen Sie gezielte Werbeaktionen durchführen, die die richtigen Personen mit den richtigen Produkten zum richtigen Preis und zur richtigen Zeit erreichen. Und all das mit einem kleineren Budget als ihre größeren Mitbewerber.

The cleaning industry is a rapidly growing market with substantial profit-making opportunities for companies of all sizes.

However regardless of actual size, only the most technologically-savvy businesses will achieve notable success. Using the right tools will put you a step ahead of the competition, enabling you to demonstrate a real understanding of your customers’ needs and preferences. With superior intelligence at hand, your sales team will be able to offer personalised, timely deals that are more likely to convert and lead to repeat business.

Per competere per una gara d’appalto di importo elevato, i fornitori di piccole dimensioni devono condurre delle campagne di vendita mirate che raggiungano le persone giuste con il prodotto giusto, al prezzo giusto e al momento giusto. E tutto questo con un budget inferiore alle loro controparti di più grandi dimensioni.

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It’s quite simple, our customers want clean and dry floors day in, day out with no fuss.

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Numatic International Limited, Chard, Somerset. TA20 2GB Tel: 01460 68600 © Numatic International Limited 2016. Specification subject to change without prior notice.

Irish Company Partners with two Dublin Hospitals to help Protect Against Hospital Superbugs November 2016 Clever Hygiene Solutions has installed its innovative automatic door handle sanitizing system throughout both Hospitals.

The product, which keeps the door handle safe to touch, is expected to be eventually used not only in hospitals but in health centres, and public venues in the future.

Commenting on the partnership with the hospitals, Director, Maurice McDonagh said: “Research has proven that over 80% of germs are transferred on commonly touched surfaces such as washroom door handles and this puts people everywhere at risk. After washing your hands in the washroom, you then must touch the door handle to exit the facility. Our tests have shown that these door handles harbour and transfer a wide verity of dangerous germs.

By installing the system on the exit door of any washroom, the chances for the transmission of infections caused by pathogens such as e-coli, mrsa, flu/common cold virus and the winter vomiting bug will decrease considerably.Ă“ For more information contact:

Maurice McDonagh maurice@hygienesolutions.com www.hygienesolutions.com 00353 1491 0402

HAND HYGIENE

Protecting cleaners Paul Jakeway, marketing director at skin care and hand hygiene expert Deb explains how a fully integrated skin care programme can protect cleaning professionals from occupational skin disorders, such as dermatitis, and keep their skin healthy.

Cleaning professionals are unsung heroes in every company. Without them floors would be sticky, carpets dusty, windows streaky. The dishes would pile in the kitchen sink, rubbish bins overflow. Far from the clean and tidy environments most people are used to, workplaces would be dirty or messy, perhaps even filthy.

Most of the work that assures our workplaces are clean is unseen: cleaners begin their work when most others have finished theirs. That’s one reason, perhaps, why it’s easy not to think about the risks they are faced with on a daily basis.

Exposure to dirt and filth is inevitable.

Germs and bacteria are an issue. And there’s frequent contact with both water and chemicals. All these can be a threat to the skin - with serious consequences for health and wellbeing.

Skin problems in the workplace are collectively known as occupational skin disorders. They can range from mild, short-term skin irritations to serious conditions such as occupational dermatitis, friction callosity (the skin’s reaction to friction and pressure), or infectious skin diseases (compromised skin is much more likely to absorb the pathogens that cause bacterial, viral or fungal infections).

Research leaves no doubt about the seriousness of the problem. Occupational skin disease is the second most common work-related health problem in Europe.

Every year, around three million working days are lost because of it – costing the EU an estimated €600 million.

The most prevalent type of skin disorder reported in the workplace is occupational dermatitis. The symptoms

and the seriousness of the condition vary widely, depending on the type and length of exposure to an irritant, as well as the susceptibility of the person concerned.

If untreated the condition can spread to other parts of the body, and correct early treatment is essential.

Cleaning operatives run a high risk of contracting skin conditions such as occupational dermatitis for two reasons: cleaning involves a lot of ‘wet work’ – activities that require repeated exposure to or immersion in water. And it exposes the skin to a wide variety of chemicals: floor and window cleaners, preservatives, ammonia, solvents, degreasers, and bleach can all act as irritants.

Preventing dermatitis Effective prevention of occupational dermatitis requires full cooperation between everyone involved but the prime responsibility lies with the employer.

Employers have a Duty of Care to assess the risks that could cause occupational dermatitis – and take the necessary preventative actions. One of the most effective contributions to the successful prevention of occupational dermatitis in the workplace is the implementation of a structured skin care programme. Where it is not possible to protect the skin against workplace contaminants, cleaning and care of the hands is an important part of the developing a proactive, holistic stance.

Four-step skin care system A proven four-step approach to skin care identifies four crucial moments for treatment of the skin: applying protective cream before work; using appropriate hand cleansers regularly after contamination; hand sanitising where running water is not immediately accessible; and applying restorative cream.

Protective creams are specially formulated to leave a protective layer on the surface of the skin. They can reduce direct contact with specific types of physical contaminants, help retain natural lipids and moisture in the skin, improve comfort

and skin strength when wearing gloves, and make skin quicker and easier to clean.

Cleaning operatives need to frequently clean their own hands during their working day. It’s important to make sure the products available are effective, and supported with test data where appropriate. It’s also important they are gentle on the skin and pleasant to use. If soaps and sanitisers contain conditioners, they can help improve skin hydration and prevent drying of the skin.

Restorative products are a crucial element of any skin care programme. Applied at the end of the day, they moisturise, nourish and condition the skin, improving its strength and preventing it from becoming dry or damaged.

Different working environments have their own specific requirements, and any products should be sourced from a reputable company that offers advice and guidance on their use. The installation of specifically designed, sealed cartridge dispensers for use with soaps, skin cleaners and creams is strongly recommended.

Such dispensers provide the most hygienic skin care, by reducing to a minimum the risk of cross-infection that can occur if a number of people extract the product from an open or communal container.

Dispensers also assure that the correct amount of product is used.

Companies should also look for BioCote marked dispensers; a market leading antimicrobial technology supplier proven to achieve up to a 99.99 per cent reduction in bacteria, mould and fungi over a 24-hour period. The presence of BioCote’s logo on dispensers reassures employees and customers that excellence in hand hygiene procedures is of paramount importance.

Education crucial But it’s not enough to put the right products in the right places. The accessibility of soaps and creams can only go so far – if a skin care programme doesn’t include a dedicated programme of education and training. Employers need to make Continued page 40

November 2016 | ECJ |39

HAND HYGIENE Protecting cleaners (continued) a real effort to inform their staff about the seriousness of occupational skin disorders, and about the steps they can take to avoid being affected.

Compliance is crucial to the success of any skin care programme. To achieve this staff need to be aware of much more than the fact that skin care products are available. When should soap and water be used, when is a sanitiser more appropriate? What is the correct technique for either? What are the key moments during the day to re-apply a pre-work cream?

What is the right amount of after-work cream to use?

Hands-on training sessions, instructional multimedia programmes and regular staff meetings can help to make sure that the effort to combat the threat of occupational skin disease is not just a one-off event that is quickly forgotten about.

If leaflets and brochures are made available, employees can read up on the issue whenever they have questions or concerns, while safety signs and posters are a good way to keep up awareness on a day-to-day level. Informed by expert advice, a dedicated education and training programme is the best way to achieve ‘buy-in’ from the workforce – something that is absolutely crucial for any skin care system to work properly.

Les maladies cutanées du travail représentent l’un des premiers problèmes liés au travail en Europe, et exposent les agents de propreté à des risques élevés. Cependant il est possible de les prévenir pour autant que les employeurs prennent leurs responsabilités au sérieux et mettent en place certaines mesures de protection. Parmi elles figure un programme efficace de prévention des affections de la peau.

Berufsbedingte Hauterkrankungen gehören zu den häufigsten beruflich verursachten Problemen in Europa, und das Reinigungspersonal ist eine Risikogruppe.

Doch Vorsorge ist möglich, wenn Arbeitgeber ihre Verpflichtungen ernst nehmen und verschiedene Maßnahmen einführen. Das beinhaltet ein wirkungsvolles Hautpflegeprogramm.

November 2016 | ECJ | 40

Serious consequences Neglecting the skin care of cleaning operatives can have serious consequences for an employer. If staff are effected by occupational dermatitis or other skin issues, morale might suffer considerably, while staff absences might result in lost productivity. If news of staff being affected by occupational skin disorders spread,

bad publicity is almost inevitable. In worst cases there could be compensation claims.

The costs can be significant: employers might not only have to pay the salary of the absent employee; they might also need to cover overtime incurred by those covering for the absent employee, as well as the loss of output incurred. If employees leave a company as the result of occupational skin disease, businesses are potentially faced with a host of other recruitment and employment costs.

If employers do take the issue seriously and implement a structured skin care programme that includes the right products and a dedicated programme of education and training, they are putting themselves in the best possible position to keep their employees safe and healthy – protecting those who do so much to make sure the rest of us work in clean environments.

Le malattie dermatologiche professionali sono uno dei problemi legati al lavoro più comuni in Europa e gli addetti alle pulizie sono esposti a grandi rischi. Ma la prevenzione è possibile, se i datori di lavoro si assumono le proprie responsabilità seriamente e implementano delle misure di sicurezza e fra queste un programma efficace di cura della pelle.

PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE

• Diversey Care a introduit la gamme Lapē de produits de lavage et lotions de luxe pour les mains.

• Le gant de protection Semperguard sapphire blue est léger et super confortable.

• Excel Dryer a étendu sa gamme de sèche-mains pour y inclure le modèle Thin Air.

• Neu von Diversey Care ist die Produktreihe Lapē mit LuxusHandreinigern und Lotionen.

• Der saphirblaue Schutzhandschuh Semperguard ist leicht und extraweich für Komfort.

• Excel Dryer hat seine Produktreihe mit Handtrocknern mit dem Modell Thin Air erweitert.

• La novità della Diversey Care è la linea di detergenti per mani e lozioni di gamma superiore Lapē.

• Il guanto di protezione blu zaffiro Semperguard è leggero e ultrasoffice per il massimo comfort.

• La Excel Dryer ha ampliato la sua gamma di asciugamani includendo il modello Thin Air.

November 2016 | ECJ | 42

Luxury for hands The Lapé Collection is a new line of luxurious hand washes and lotions developed by Diversey Care. It says the elegant presentation and delicate scent of the products make them suitable for hospitality areas such as restaurants, hotels, offices and airport lounges.

Designed for any skin type, the products contain mild formulations to reduce the risk of allergic reactions, and all products are phthalate, paraben and triclosan free. The bottles and outer packaging are entirely recyclable.

The 300 ml bottles of hand wash and hand lotion are available in two scents - Oriental Lemon Tea and Honey Vanilla. www.sealedair.com

category III. www.sempermed.com

More dryers

New blue glove

Sempermed recommends its new protective glove Semperguard sapphire blue to cleaners, claiming it is featherlight and extra soft for superior wearing comfort and sense of touch.

This glove is also said to offer high elasticity and has dual labelling marking as medical device as per MD Directive 93/42/EEC (class I) and as single-use protective glove as per PPE Directive 89/686/EEC

Excel Dryer’s warm air hand dryer line has been expanded and now features Xlerator, XleratorEco and ThinAir. Xlerator and XleratorEco offer options including a HEPA filtration system and noise reduction nozzle.

The ThinAir dryer is surface mounted and offers a slim profile. Covers are available in different colours and finishes, including textured graphite and brushed stainless steel. Or they can be personalised with digital images. www.exceldryer.com

PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE Full hygiene

contamination, as the chemical is never in contact with air or germs, while the touch-free soap dispensing mechanism creates a sterile environment for users.

And all MultiFlex pumps are interchangeable in the dispenser housing, making it versatile and adaptable to requirements. www.brightwell.co.uk

Never run out

Brightwell Dispensers says its automatic touch-free MultiFlex soap dispenser comes with a disposable inner mechanism which ensures full hygiene integrity.

Instead of the traditional disposable ‘pouch-with-fixedpump-method’, the pumps and bottles for the MultiFlex are only used once, and when empty, are disposed of and replaced as one complete system. This, Brightwell says, eliminates the risk of cross-

Tork EasyCube has been introduced by SCA to ensure that soaps and hand towels need never run out again. The system comprises a range of washroom dispensers that contain sensors

Don’t miss ECJ’s new TV programme - ECTV - launching Jan 17.

Visit ectelevision.com to see the pilot to allow them to be connected to the internet.

This means cleaners and facilities staff can now check the status of each dispenser via their smartphone or tablet to see whether the units are full, empty or nearly empty. This improves refilling efficiency and reduces the risk of dispensers running out - which will in turn improve hand hygiene says SCA. Tork EasyCube also collects and analyses refill data in order to facilitate better planning. It is available in a wide range of Tork Elevation units as well as the upmarket Tork Image Design line of dispensers. It is also available in Tork toilet tissue dispensers. www.sca.com

• Brightwell précise que le MultiFlex, son distributeur sans contact de savon, comporte un mécanisme assurant une intégrité hygiénique totale.

• Les distributeurs de savon et de serviettes pour les mains n’auront plus jamais à se vider, affirme SCA, car le problème est résolu par son système distributeur à capteurs Tork EasyCube.

• Brightwell teilt mit, dass der berührungslose Seifenspender MultiFlex einen Mechanismus bietet, der vollständige Hygieneintegrität sicherstellt.

• Seifen und Handtücher müssen nie mehr ausgehen, sagt SCA, Entwickler des Tork EasyCube Spendersystems mit Sensoren.

• La Brightwell afferma che il suo dispenser di sapone senza impulsi manuali MultiFlex è dotato di un meccanismo che assicura la completa integrità dell’igiene.

• Il sapone e gli asciugamani non verranno mai a mancare, afferma la SCA che ha sviluppato il sistema di dispenser Tork EasyCube dotato di sensori.

November 2016 | ECJ |43

PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE

Team award A team of students from the University of Rotterdam have won the Hogeschool Rotterdam Bachelor Award for their project ‘Couveuse Stoplicht’, a hand hygiene feedback system for use in neonatal units. A traffic light system gives the user visual feedback as to whether they correctly cleaned and disinfected their hands or not.

• Une équipe d’étudiants de l’université de Rotterdam a remporté un prix pour son système de retour d’information sur le lavage de mains, à utiliser par les services de médecine néonatale.

• Les distributeurs pour toilettes Bay West sont proposés en cinq coloris et s’utilisent avec des serviettes Impressions.

• La technologie de reconnaissance des gestes SureWash forme, au moyen d’un écran, des individus à la technique d’hygiène des mains de l’OMS. • Pour appliquer ses lotions Hand Protect et Hand Care, Americol a lancé le système distributeur robuste PRO-1000.

• Ein Team von Studenten der Universität Rotterdam wurde für ein Feedback-System für Handhygiene zum Einsatz in Neugeborenenabteilungen mit einem Preis ausgezeichnet.

• Die Waschraumspender von Bay West, die in fünf Farben erhältlich sind, dienen zur Ausgabe von Impressions Handtüchern.

• SureWash Gestenerkennungstechnologie führt Personen auf dem Bildschirm durch das WHOHandhygieneverfahren.

• Americol hat das robuste Spendersystem PRO-1000 für seine Hand Protect Lotion und Hand Care Lotion vorgestellt.

• Un team di studenti dell’Università di Rotterdam hanno vinto un premio per un sistema di feedback sull’igiene delle mani adatto per i dipartimenti neonatali.

• I dispenser per sale da toilette della Bay West sono disponibili in cinque colori e sono adatti per erogare gli asciugamani Impressions.

• La tecnologia del riconoscimento dei gesti SureWash assiste gli operatori durante la tecnica di igiene delle mani WHO (World Health Organisation) per mezzo di uno schermo.

• La Americol ha lanciato il robusto sistema dispenser PRO-1000 per i suoi prodotti Hand Protect Lotion e Hand Care Lotion.

November 2016 | ECJ | 44

The system comprises a sensor controlled Ingo-Man Plus Touchless disinfection dispenser from Ophardt, which is attached to each incubator and which provides ‘intelligent’ feedback when used correctly.

Each dispenser is equipped with a screen that shows each step involved when disinfecting hands properly. A green light indicates when hands have been disinfected correctly for 30 seconds and when the incubator can be opened.

The data concerning compliance is automatically sent via a wireless solution for evaluation, and a report analysing hand hygiene can be produced. www.ophardt.com

validated via reporting data on the system.

The system follows a plan called SureWash PIE - Prevention, Intervention and Education.

In prevention mode a list of priority areas is drawn up based on current information and a list of locations drawn up where the system will be placed and how long it will stay in each location.

While the system is in prevention mode a particular need may arise, for example an outbreak - then the system is moved directly to the area as part of the outbreak management. A questionnaire is devised encompassing the reason for the intervention mode and all staff are required to pass a hand hygiene assessment.

Touch of luxury Bay West’s towel dispensers come in five colours and are teamed with the Impressions range of hand towels to cater for the premium sectors that require a little more luxury. The two-ply towels are laminated and micro-embossed to give a softer, more absorbent feel.

Education can take place whenever there is a study day or particular focus on infection prevention - the system can join the indicative and customisation of the questionnaire feature and produce detailed reports to help evaluate results. www.surewash.com

Protect hands Single sheet presentation of the hand towels discourages unnecessary overuse, says Bay West, and results in tidier washrooms requiring less servicing. www.northwood.co.uk

Video coach SureWash says its gesture recognition technology coaches the individual through the World Health Organisation (WHO) hand hygiene technique step by step in real time. The user’s own hands are visible on the monitor and their performance is then

Americol has expanded its hand care range with the launch of the robust dispensing system PRO-1000 for its Hand Protect Lotion and Hand Care Lotion.

This one-litre unit is suitable for use with all the company’s products and boasts a compact and user-friendly design. When emptied, the cartridges are completely collapsible, minimising waste. Each cartridge comes with a pre-mounted ready-touse pump for optimal hygiene and offers 1,250 doses.

The amount of product in the cartridge is directly visible through the dispenser’s clear window. www.americol.nl

PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE

Low power use Quantum is the new jet dryer developed by Airdri to offer fast hand drying with low power consumption, low noise output and reliability in operation. The manufacturer claims it can dry hands in 13 seconds.

Airdri says Quantum has a lifespan at least five times longer than other jet dryer models, and it comes with a threeyear warranty. www.airdri.com

Next ECJ - February/ March 2017

Most hygienic?

This new model runs on 200 watts and features a universal voltage of 100v-240v, making it immediately suitable for installation in any location. And it also complies with ADA disability requirements which means it can be used in disabled facilities and washrooms limited in space.

According to research commissioned by the European Tissue Symposium (ETS), single-use paper towels are the most effective way to dry one’s hands in the washroom. A study carried out by the University of Westminster indicates they help to minimise the spread of viruses including ones associated with various diseases, including those causing gastrointestinal infections such as Norovirus and Rotavirus.

This research was first presented in October 2015 and

says single-use towels disperse fewer microorganisms into the environment than jet air dryers and warm air dryers and also help reduce the risk that viruses are blown into the faces of small children accompanying adults in the washroom. www.europeantissue.com

Plant-based Using its patented technology, Salveco has developed a range of plant-based professional surface and hand disinfectants. These disinfectants are the first in the world to benefit from the simplified authorisation procedure, the company says, which aims to encourage the use of biocidal products that have a more favourable environmental or human and animal health profile.

The solution is made exclusively from renewable and safe resources. www.salveco.com

• Airdri a enrichi sa gamme de sèche-mains par le Quantum Jet Dryer, appareil aux frais de marche minimes.

• Selon ETS, l’European Tissue Symposium, les serviettes à usage unique constituent le moyen le plus hygiénique de se sécher les mains.

• Salveco a introduit une gamme de désinfectants des mains et de surfaces à base de végétaux.

• Beim Quantum Jet Dryer, der niedrige Betriebskosten bietet, handelt es sich um die neueste Ergänzung im Handtrocknerangebot von Airdri.

• Laut ETS (European Tissue Symposium) sind Einweghandtücher die hygienischste Art des Händetrocknens.

• Neu von Salveco ist eine Produktfamilie mit Hände- und Oberflächendesinfektionsmitteln auf pflanzlicher Basis.

• Il più nuovo asciugamani della gamma Airdri, il modello Quantum Jet Dryer, vanta bassi costi di gestione.

• Secondo l’ ETS, il simposio European Tissue Symposium, gli asciugamani monouso sono il modo più igienico per asciugare le mani.

• La novità della Salveco è una linea di sanitizzanti per le mani a base di piante e dei disinfettanti per superfici.

November 2016 | ECJ |45

HAND HYGIENE

Implement best practice Nowhere is hand hygiene more important than in the food industry. But most food poisoning outbreaks are caused by negligence or ignorance and a failure to implement good practice. Holchem’s Darren Saunders writes for ECJ. A knowledgeable and motivated workforce that understands its responsibilities is the key to safe food production. The first step in the process is to determine the standards of hand washing required via a risk assessment. This should take into account where hand washing facilities are required, when hands need to be washed, what cross contamination routes there may be, training and monitoring. When an assessment has been completed, swabbing of hands should take place to validate that the hand wash procedure has been effective. If the microbiological count on the hands after the first validated hand wash procedure is still too high for the type of manufacturing process, then one of the following should be implemented: • Facilities need to be improved • The hand washing method requires modification • A second wash procedure needs to be introduced • Or all three options need to be adopted.

A thorough double wash procedure followed by the use of an alcohol sanitiser should nearly always be sufficient in most food manufacturing environments.

It should be remembered that the point at which a swab is taken only reflects that point in time. It is important that operatives are aware of the importance of effective and regular hand washing throughout the working shift.

Each food processor should have a hygiene policy in place covering all aspects of their provisions for hygiene management.

This should include a section on personal hygiene and hand care. The policy should also make provisions for contractors, visitors and customers.

La plupart des cas d’empoisonnement alimentaire sont dus à la négligence ou à l’ignorance, ainsi qu’à la non-application de bonnes pratiques d’hygiène. Cette question revêt une importance toute particulière dans les établissements qui manipulent ou fabriquent des aliments, lesquels ont à veiller à la mise en place de systèmes de gestion pour garantir le respect des normes.

November 2016 | ECJ | 46

The quality of the hand care facilities provided by a food processor will determine the effectiveness of a site’s hand care policy. The locations of the hand care facilities must be given careful consideration so not to impede existing operations.

Hand care facilities should be provided at entrances and exits to production areas, toilets and any other locations established from the planning phase. The following should then be provided: • Sufficient hand wash sinks • The hand wash sinks should be fed with a good volume of warm water (approximately 34-38°C) • Operation of the water should be a knee operated valve or automatic sensor • Hand wash sinks should be equipped with hand soap dispensers and a suitable drying method • Waste bins for used paper towels, preferably foot operated • Hand sanitiser dispensers particularly in high care environments • Time allowed for all operatives to follow the correct procedure • Posters displayed to show correct hand wash procedures • Regular refilling of hand soap, disinfectant and towel dispensers.

Training and education If a hand sanitiser is needed then consideration should be given to where the dispensers are located. To avoid confusion best practice would typically locate the hand sanitiser dispenser after the hand soap dispensers. Hand washing facilities should be included within the premises cleaning schedule system and cleaned on at least a shift basis.

The following procedure is typically employed by the food processing industry, although there will inevitably be variation between sites to accommodate their specific requirements: • Remove outer clothing and place in a locker • Remove shoes and place in a locker • Put on a clean, disposable hair covering and additional headgear • Cross the barrier segregating changing Die meisten Fälle von Lebensmittelvergiftung werden durch Fahrlässigkeit oder Unwissenheit und die Nichtumsetzung guter Handhygieneverfahren verursacht.

Dies ist in Unternehmen, die Lebensmittel zubereiten und transportieren, noch wichtiger. In solchen Unternehmen sollte es verschiedene Verwaltungssysteme geben, um die Einhaltung von Vorschriften sicherzustellen.

facilities from the production area • Put on factory footwear • Wash and dry hands • Put on a coat • Wash and dry hands • Apply post-wash sanitiser • Enter production area.

The training and education of food handlers is one of the most important factors affecting the success of achieving the standards required. Effective training on hand washing is fundamental to ensure the safe, hygienic and consistent production of food. Operatives should be able to demonstrate knowledge of why, where and when hands should be washed and show correct hand washing procedures.

Assessment of hand care training should demonstrate: 1. The need for hand washing.

2. When to wash hands.

3. How to wash and dry hands.

Management key Management plays a crucial role in implementing any system and it is key that it sets and communicates clearly the policy and sets an example as managers follow correct hand wash procedures at all times.

A good food business will have a disciplinary procedure in place for consistent non-compliance by food handlers on all matters relating to hygiene. This deterrent will contribute to the successful implementation of the hand hygiene policy.

The constant monitoring of hand care should be carried out through: • Observation of washing procedures • Closed circuit television.

Hand swabbing of production operatives is a form of verification alongside CCTV and visual checks will identify personnel skipping or incorrectly washing their hands. Monitoring should also include the quality of hand soap, hand disinfectant, paper towels, cleaning and disinfection of facilities and the quality and temperature of water. Recording the usage of hand soaps, hand sanitisers and paper towels will also indicate if hand washing is taking place as routinely as it should be.

The system should be reviewed on an ongoing basis at least once a year.

Hand washing is such an important part of any food processing plant. For any policy to succeed it needs to be enforced, observed, monitored and reviewed.

La maggioranza di epidemie di intossicazioni alimentari è causata da negligenza o ignoranza e la mancata attuazione di una buona pratica di igiene. Questo è ancora più cruciale nelle attività di manipolazione e produzione del cibo, dove le imprese dovrebbero assicurarsi di mettere in atto una serie di sistemi di gestione per assicurare che vengano raggiunti gli standard richiesti.

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The SW5500 offers a highly productive, comfortable and cost-effective way to sweep large floors and outdoor areas of dust and debris. A ride-on sweeper with the size and capacity to speed up your cleaning. www.nilfisk.com

9th November 2017 | Rome

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BUSINESS: HEALTH

Work - don’t let it kill you

“Hard work won’t kill you,” the saying goes. Well, it might actually. Working long hours can be very bad for your health and trigger a stroke or bring on a heart attack.

So why do we do it, asks Hartley Milner.

In Japan, they have a word for it – karoshi, which translates as ‘death by overwork’.

And every year, thousands, of Japanese people do indeed literally work themselves to death.

Once a death is classified as karoshi, a victim’s family is automatically entitled to compensation through a type of workers’ benefits system. The number of claims for karoshi-related cases rose to a record high of 2,310 in the year to March, government figures show.

Hard graft and insanely long hours have become ingrained into Japanese culture – and much the same is happening

in the West, with 60-70 hour weeks not uncommon. The following is a cautionary tale of the health risks from burning the candle at both ends.

Jill Harrington was marketing director for one of the UK’s biggest bus operators.

Directing a staff of 30 on a myriad of major projects while ensuring her two young daughters were not left wanting for a mother’s love and attention, she was the Jessica Ennis-Hill of multiskilling in the daily grind, and everyone close to her said she deserved a medal.

The ultimate price But there are no podium places for outstanding performance coping with everyday life and the stresses of working longer hours to keep on top of an everexpanding workload brought her perilously close to paying the ultimate price.

“It was all so easy and such fun when I first started out 13 years ago,” Jill said.

“I had just left university with a master’s degree in strategic marketing and almost immediately landed an internship at the bus company. Then after six months I was taken on full-time and put on their graduate management training programme.

“I couldn’t believe my luck – here I was, working for a forward-looking public service provider in an exciting and challenging role I just knew I was right for and drawing a good starting salary while being groomed for a senior leadership role. Also, I had just accepted a proposal or marriage, so life couldn’t have been sweeter.”

Ambitious and eager to impress, Jill threw herself into her management Continued page 50

November 2016 | ECJ | 49

BUSINESS: HEALTH Work - don’t let it kill you (continued) studies while fully supporting the marketing team in the promotion of the company’s services, and it was not long before her natural organising skills, original thinking and creativity were recognised.

Within a year, she was promoted to project leader and 18 months later, still only 25, she was made marketing manager at one of the group’s regional operating companies.

“It was at this stage in my career that my workload got heavier and the hours I was working increased exponentially, but I was not fazed,” Jill said. “I was relishing the opportunity to come up with creative solutions to new challenges and getting huge satisfaction from seeing how the results of my endeavours were benefiting the company and the travelling public. I simply loved my job.

Missed the job “By that time, though, I was married and thinking about starting a family. I was confident I could find the right balance between managing a busy career and family life. After having my first child, I took maternity leave and really enjoyed motherhood, but I desperately missed my job and within a few months I was back at my desk. All was going well. I felt I had the best of both worlds.

“And when in my early 30s I was promoted to group marketing director, I was so thrilled – I told myself ‘you’ve where you belong, you’ve arrived’.

Here was my chance to use my skills, creativity and insight to the full in a more strategic role, to devise and implement new marketing campaigns to further my employer’s brand, image and standing in the marketplace.

“The next few years were a crazy round of internal strategy meetings, briefings with creative agencies, engaging with stakeholders in the communities we serve and reviewing the effectiveness of print and digital communications, while all the time travelling round the regions ensuring my 30-strong marketing team remained on-message. There were just not enough hours in the working day, so I found myself needing to take stuff home with me to work on in the evenings and at weekends.

But I was in my element and just saw the long hours as part of the job.”

Jill’s second child arrived following a « Le dur travail ne tue pas », affirme un dicton. En fait, cela n’est pas entièrement vrai car de longues heures de travail peuvent sérieusement affecter la santé et déclencher une crise cardiaque ou attaque cérébrale. Donc, pourquoi travaille-t-on si durement ? se demande Hartley Milner.

November 2016 | ECJ | 50

difficult pregnancy. As she spent time at home caring for her newborn and spending more time with her first child, she was conscious of not feeling quite the same yearning to return to work this time round.

More and more work She said: “I did eventually go back, partly because my husband’s business was in trouble and we needed my salary. All seemed to go well for the next year or so. I seemed to have re-found my enthusiasm, but then the recession began to bite and the new group ceo brought the knives out and began slashing everything back, including my department.

“I suddenly found myself loaded with more work and taking on extra responsibilities that were only loosely attached to marketing, if at all. I was working considerably longer hours than before – 14-hour days had almost become the norm. I was snacking on unhealthy foods, grabbing just a few hours of disturbed sleep and neglecting my family and myself. I felt trapped.”

As well as sleep-deprivation, Jill started to show many of the other signs of physical and emotional exhaustion – chronic fatigue, forgetfulness/impaired concentration, weakened resistance to colds and flu, loss of appetite, thumping headaches and increased anxiety.

She continued: “By nature, I’m an extremely hopeful, positive person, not generally given to stress. I now felt myself sinking into depression and my temper was on a very short fuse. I was sniping at everyone around me over the slightest thing, including my husband Tony and the children, and then feeling so guilty about it.

At times, I even felt like physically lashing out. My family was extremely concerned.”

Rushed to hospital Things came to a head one Sunday when Jill complained of chronic indigestion, heart palpitations and stabbing chest pains. “Tony took control and whisked me off to hospital where the medics said I may have had a minor heart attack or my body was warning me it was in severe distress,” Jill said. “They gave me medication for the heart palpitations and to calm me down and told me to consult my GP, which I did the next day. She confirmed the hospital diagnosis and prescribed more calming „Harte Arbeit bringt dich nicht um“, lautet eine Redensart. Nun, das könnte sie vielleicht doch. Lange Arbeitszeiten können sehr schlecht sein für die Gesundheit und einen Schlaganfall auslösen oder einen Herzinfarkt verursachen. Warum also tun wir es, fragt Hartley Milner.

medication and lots and lots of rest.

“But how could I rest? I had a dozen or so major projects on the go at work.

One, the replacement of diesel buses with a fleet of green hybrid vehicles, was well advanced. I had to see it through to completion. I couldn’t let my company or my colleagues down. At the same time, I felt, well, I was good for nothing. My thoughts were racing in all directions. My head was a complete mess.

“Again, Tony took a grip on things and called my company to explain the situation. But he went a step further without my knowledge, not only telling them that I wouldn’t be back at work anytime soon but that I would not be returning at all. When he told me this, I flew into a rage. How dare he sabotage my career? And how are we going to get by without my salary?

“Tony took my hand and said calmly ‘We would rather have you here with us alive than bring flowers to your grave every Sunday’. I just broke down and wept and wept. But looking back, this spontaneous release of emotions was the first step in coming to terms with my situation.”

A few days later, Jill received a call from a fellow director at her company expressing the board’s sadness at her departure – but also surprise as they detected no change in her demeanour. Her sympathetic team members thought she simply needed to take a short break.

Seek help “At first, I was amazed no one had picked up on what was happening to me,” Jill said. “Then I realised that for most of the time I had put on a mask to hide all the emotions that were bubbling up inside me. I felt I had brought much of this on myself by not seeking help when I needed it, regarding such a step as an admission of failure. Stress support was available, if only I had sought it.

“I am now back at work, still employed in marketing but for a national children‘s charity. The job is challenging but satisfying and, best of all, I have lots of time to spend with my family. Money is a bit tight, but we’re getting by.

“I suppose the lesson here is if you feel chained to the treadmill, cry for help before you drop. Life is too precious to throw away.”

“Il lavoro duro non uccide,” dice il detto. Bene, a quanto pare però, questo può succedere. Lavorare per troppe ore può essere molto nocivo per la salute e causare ictus o scatenare un attacco di cuore. Quindi, perchè si usa questo detto, si domanda Hartley Milner?

SWEEPERS

A clean sweep Most customers consider factors such as price, size, ergonomics and ease of use when choosing a sweeper. But how far should the type of debris that needs to be swept away influence their purchasing decision?

almost a 100 per cent capacity.” He says this method is particularly suitable for picking up large volumes of items such as leaves.

“There is also the direct sweeping method where the waste is transported into the upstream waste hopper in the same way as when working with a dustpan,” he added. “The filling level with this method is around 50-60 per cent and the speed of the roller brush is significantly lower which leads to less dust dispersion.

This is why large industrial sweepers in particularly dusty areas usually work using the direct sweeping principle.”

Types of dirt

Sweepers are basically an industrialsized version of a broom, which means their job is to sweep away loose dust and coarse dirt from larger surfaces. But dirt comes in many different forms. It may consist of leaves, glass fragments, grass, metal shavings, stones, rubble or dust, for example. The ‘dirt’ particles can be either wet or dry and their size will vary enormously.

So, how far does the kind of dirt to be removed affect the customer’s choice of sweeper?

There are two main types of sweeper systems according to Kärcher’s sweeper product manager Marian Anton. “The ‘throw-over sweeping principle’ involves the dirt being transported once completely around the roller brush,” he said. “The waste hopper behind the roller brush is then filled from above and can be used to

Also on the market are vacuum sweepers and municipal machines, says Anton. “These work with two side brushes that feed the dirt into a powerful suction fan which then vacuums up the waste,” he says.

Dirt may be generated by various means such as erosion, natural debris, discarded rubbish or production waste, he goes on.

“It can be divided into three types: coarse dirt such as cigarettes, leaves, grass, paper, metal shavings and glass fragments; dry surface dirt such as sand, small stones, mud and car tyre rubber; and wet surface dirt which basically means liquids.”

He explains the mass and size of the dirt plays a role when choosing a machine.

“It is therefore advisable to choose a sweeper based on the type and volume of dirt involved,” he said.

Walk-behind sweepers have no suction system and therefore have a lower capacity, explains Anton. “For sweeping up large objects such as cans, coffee cups and leaves you would opt for a sweeper with a coarse dirt flap that uses the throw-over principle,” he said.

Performance differences exist between vacuum sweepers for use in industry; sweepers that use suction and walkbehind sweepers, adds Anton. “Where coarse dirt needs to be removed, a manual sweeper is unlikely to be selected since the waste container will be too small,” he

explained. “Higher container emptying - as is possible with ride-on sweepers is generally better suited to coarse or heavy dirt.”

However, he says sweepers can be adapted to suit different tasks. “For example, a machine that uses the throw-over principle may be used for both fine dust and heavy dirt,” she said. “The dirt is swept up against the direction of travel and then thrown behind into the container using the main sweeper roller. In this way the waste container can be filled almost completely and will need to be emptied less frequently which makes for a time-saving and economical operation.”

She says a fixed roller brush is particularly suitable for use on smooth floors since the contact pressure of the roller to the floor is fixed and wear and tear of the brush will be low. “The floating roller brush on the other hand automatically follows the contours of the floor and is therefore also suitable for uneven floors,” he said.

He adds that different brush materials for the main sweeper roller and side brushes can adapt the machine for different uses. “Each material has its own application and is suitable for either wet or dry use, or for both applications,” he said.

“Steel brushes are very aggressive and as a side brush can be used to remove weeds or dried-on dirt. A brush made from natural fibres, by contrast, will have fine, dense bristles and will be ideal for removing dry, fine dust from smooth surfaces. But unlike polypropylene or polyamide brushes these are not water-resistant, not as universally applicable and suffer higher wear and tear on rough surfaces.”

Powerful filter He says industrial sweepers are often used in dusty environments such as foundries and cement factories.

“In these types of locations an efficient and powerful filter system also plays an important role.”

According to Anton there are suitable machines for almost every challenge Continued page 52

November 2016 | ECJ | 51

SWEEPERS A clean sweep (continued) provided the correct sweeping and filter systems are chosen. “However, sweeping always involves mechanical friction which means sweepers cannot be used for explosive dusts since these pose a high risk,” he said.

Large quantities of leaves present a particular challenge since the waste hopper will quickly become full, he adds. “In this instance, a mid-range machine will be suitable since it has a high filling level.”

Range of factors Customers consider a range of criteria when choosing a sweeper, says Anton.

“They look at factors such as cleaning results, dust-free work, ergonomics, robust design and the efficiency of set-up requirements,” he explains. “They also consider the size of the area that needs to be swept as well as the type of debris.”

However, not every customer knows in advance what type of debris they are likely to want to remove according to group product manager of Nilfisk-Advance Thomas Tykskov.

“Although many customers will know what they want swept away, others who have problems with dust for example may not realise the problems that can be avoided by choosing a sweeper with good dust control,” he said.

“Considering the type of rubbish to be swept away should be one of the first requirements when choosing a sweeper since different machines are designed to sweep up different types and amounts of debris.”

He says a sweeper with good dust control is vital for removing fine dust, especially if the machine is to be used indoors. “For removing items such as rubble, leaves and twigs you would find an outdoor road sweeper to be the best option since it will have a greater hopper capacity and the ability to collect larger debris,” said Tykskov.

A sweeper can be used to clean away almost anything, he says. “Items such as nails, small wooden pieces, gravel, cigarette butts, paper, small metal waste and animal food are just some of the examples,” he said.

The removal of light debris from a smooth-surfaced floor can be among the Dans le choix d’une balayeuse, le client se penchera sur une gamme de facteurs, notamment le prix, l’encombrement, l’ergonomie et l’aisance d’utilisation.

Cependant, considère-t-il également le type de débris à balayer ? L’éventail des tâches de nettoyage à prévoir - décombres, détritus, feuilles, poussières dangereuses, etc. - ne devrait-il pas constituer le premier facteur à considérer ?

November 2016 | ECJ | 52

most difficult challenges for a sweeper, according to Tykskov. “This type of soiling can easily can be pushed away from the broom chamber by the front flap,” he said.

“However, a sweeper with dust control will have rubber skirts around the main broom chamber to provide a vacuum and this will ensure that no dust is allowed to escape the broom chamber.”

Besides debris type, other considerations for a customer when choosing a sweeper should include productivity level, performance, total cost of ownership, safety, ease of maintenance and dust control, he said.

“The choice of power source is also important since this will have an impact on running time and noise levels which should be a particular consideration in indoor, noise-sensitive areas,” he said.

Hako’s municipal technology product manager Dr Olaf Heinemann believes the

such as general dirt and dry sand will need to be swept away while leaves will be the major challenge in the autumn.”

There are major differences between the sweeping challenges in rural and urban areas too, according to Heinemann.

“Nature causes most of the debris in rural areas whereas the rubbish in cities is mainly caused by pedestrians dropping litter,” he said.

According to Heinemann a sweeper needs to have a large roller-guided suction nozzle plus a highly efficient, low-noise blower for removing outdoor rubble, dust, leaves and twigs. “Moreover, the sweeper should be PM 10 certified,” he said. “And for applications involving a great deal of dust, the machines should be equipped with efficient and sustainable dust control systems that reduce the emissions of particulate matter in accordance with the EUnited PM 10 standard.”

Particular challenges for sweepers include the removal of industrial waste, wood chips, compost and the clean-up of recycling areas, he said.

“Another major challenge for outdoor sweepers is collecting wet dirt in puddles and dry leaves,” he said. “The volume and stickiness of the collected material can be a problem here since the sweeper’s collection system may become blocked with clumps of debris.”

Highest efficiency

type of debris that needs to be swept away should be the chief consideration when choosing a sweeper.

Choice of power source “The type of dirt will vary depending on the season and geographical location,” he points out. “In northern countries for example, a typical spring clean-up will involve the heavy-duty sweeping of sand and grit from winter maintenance along with the removal of partially-composted leaves from the previous autumn. During the summer months, light-duty debris Bei der Auswahl einer Kehrmaschine berücksichtigen Kunden eine Reihe von Faktoren, wie etwa Preis, Größe, Ergonomie und Benutzerfreundlichkeit. Aber in wie weit berücksichtigen sie die Art der Fremdkörper, die entfernt werden müssen? Sollte der geplante Anwendungsbereich der Kehrmaschine, d. h. ob sie zum Kehren von Schutt, Fremdkörpern, Zweigen oder gefährlichem Staub benötigt wird, eine der obersten Prioritäten einnehmen?

According to Heinemann, many customers mainly consider the purchase price when choosing a sweeper. “However, they should choose the machine that best meets their requirements while providing the highest possible operational effectiveness and ease of use,” he said.

And he adds that productivity and technology will both become more important when the next generation of sweepers is developed. “We see a clear trend for multifunctional sweepers that use Innovative quick-change systems,” he said. “We will therefore continue to refine and optimise this concept, offering systems that allow the operator to quickly change from one attachment to another. In years to come we will also refine our intelligent interfaces that provide communication between the attachment device and the carrier vehicle.”

Quando scelgono una spazzatrice, i clienti considerano una gamma di fattori quali il prezzo, la misura, l’ergonomia e la facilità di utlizzo. Ma fino a che punto prendono in considerazione il tipo di rifiuti e detriti che devono essere raccolti? Non dovrebbere essere la tipologia di rifiuto che la macchina deve raccogliere, per esempio macerie, detriti, rametti o pulviscolo pericoloso, uno dei primi requisiti da considerare?

PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS

User-friendly Kärcher’s recently introduced KM 125/130 R ride-on sweeper boasts user-friendliness and efficient operation. One of its key features is the rotating brush, which is mounted between the main roller brush and the side brush and is an optional extra. It enables dirt to be completely picked up from corners in one pass.

Kärcher Fleet fleet management is available as an optional extra. www.karcher.com

Small in size RCM says its compact ride-on sweeper Atom Plus is most suitable for applications such as factories where there may be a lot of white and fine dust.

Thanks to its large filtering surface and hopper capacity, this machine boasts high performance. And the seat, along

with other ergonomic features, makes for operator comfort. www.rcm.it

Parts specialist TVH offers parts for scrubber dryers and sweepers - squeegees, floor pads, brushes, drive

and vacuum motors.

Along with its line of replacement parts for sweepers, TVH offers other tools. The Maxi sweeper, for example, can be used to clean large surfaces.

Other models include SmartSweep and Lazy Sweeper - both mechanical devices that can be fitted to a fork lift truck so it can be used as a sweeper. There is also the SmartSweep cleaning application, the Magnetic sweeper and the Hydro sweeper. www.tvh.com

The roller brush positioned on the rear axle can be removed and replaced without tools, and its position allows bumps to be driven over safely and ramps to be driven up or down.

Every 15 seconds one of the three flat pleated filters is automatically cleaned with a blast of compressed air using Kärcher TACT filter cleaning technology.

Performance is up to 10,000 square metres per hour, and the • Parmi les derniers produits Kärcher figure la balayeuse KM 125/130 R à conducteur embarqué.

• La balayeuse autoportée Atom Plus de la société RCM présente une bonne compacité et une grande contenance de benne.

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

• Unter den Neuentwicklungen von Kärcher befindet sich die Aufsitz-Kehrmaschine KM 125/130 R. • Die Aufsitz-Kehrmaschine Atom Plus von RCM bietet geringe Abmessungen und eine große Behälterkapazität.

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

• Fra i nuovi prodotti della Kärcher c’è la spazzatrice con operatore a bordo KM 125/130 R. • La spazzatrice con operatore a bordo Atom Plus della RCM vanta piccole dimensioni ed elevata capienza del contenitore.

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

November 2016 | ECJ | 53

PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS

• Les balayeuses urbaines Comac CS140 Twin Action combinent l’action mécanique pour ramasser les débris et l’aspiration pour les poussières fines.

• Proposée par Hako, la balayeuse de voirie Citymaster 2200 affronte des tâches de balayage, de nettoiement humide et d’hiver.

• La balayeuse autoporté Nilfisk SW5500 peut traiter des surfaces couvertes et en plein air.

• Die Straßenkehrmaschine CS140 Twin Action von Comac kombiniert mechanische Wirkung zum Einkehren von Feststoffen mit Absaugung zum Erfassen von feinstem Staub.

• Die Hako Straßenkehrmaschine Citymaster 2200 für kommunale Anwendungen ist geeignet zum Kehren und Nassreinigen sowie für den Winterdienst.

• Die Aufsitz-Kehrmaschine SW5500 von Nilfisk ist geeignet für Innenräume und Außenbereiche.

• La spazzatrice urbana CS140 Twin Action prodotta dalla Comac abbina l’azione meccanica per raccogliere i rifiuti alla forza aspirante per la polvere sottile.

• La spazzatrice stradale Citymaster 2200 della Hako per la pulizia delle strade comunali è adatta per spazzare, per il lavaggio con acqua e per i servizi invernali.

• La spazzatrice con operatore a bordo SW5500 prodotta dalla Nilfisk può essere usata sia negli interni che in aree esterne.

November 2016 | ECJ | 54

Needs no water The urban sweeper CS140 Twin Action from Comac combines mechanical collection with vacuum action - effectively acting as two machines in one.

The mechanical action collects solid debris while the vacuum picks up the finest dust.

This means no water is required to control the dust distributed by the side brushes with the Twin Action system the brushes work where the vacuum is running so dust is immediately dealt with. The mechanical action collects solid debris while vacuuming up dust, even the finest. The Twin Action system also makes it possible to work on uneven surfaces.

This model is also designed to reduce water consumption, with savings of up to 100,000 litres per year. The large filtering system makes for less clogging and the capture of the most minute and hazardous particles. www.comac.it

Municipal model

ploughs, front snow sweeper, silt graters or brine-sprayers. www.hako.com

Clean sweep

Hako’s Citymaster 2200 has been developed for municipal use in the two cubic metre class.

This machine is designed to offer sweeping, wet cleaning and winter service. It is equipped with a two- or three-broom system - providing a working width of up to 2.6 metres.

The sweeping brooms can reach difficult-to-access areas, so that no manual reworking is required, while the suction nozzle sucks debris directly into the large dirt hopper The quick-change system enables the sweeping equipment to be replaced by a scrub deck, and a sluicing system can be attached. This same system allows for the docking of snow

Nilfisk says its SW5500 ride-on sweeper enhances performance and productivity with a capacity of up to 15,000 square metres per hour. It comes with three power choices - battery, LP gas and diesel - and there is the option of adding a hybrid kit to the engine version.

Also available is the DustGuard system, whereby misting nozzles spray a fine water fog around the side brooms when dust control is needed.

Driving the machine has been simplified by a new modern control panel and iconic buttons allow the operator to control all cleaning functions easily from the driving seat. This means only limited training is required, as the operator is also supported by safety features. www.nilfisk.com

PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS

Perform better Tennant has made several updates to three of its ride-on sweepers, designed to make them easier to use and maintain.

The M20 integrated sweeperscrubber, M30 large integrated sweeper-scrubber and T20 heavy

duty industrial ride-on scrubber are suitable for warehousing, manufacturing, logistics facilities and other industrial applications.

New features include Touchn-Go steering wheel-mounted control module, which enables all machine settings to be accessed at the push of a button.

Also new is Available Pro-Panel technology, which incorporates a variety of controls into a high-

visibility, intuitive touchscreen interface. The Pro-ID feature allows team leaders to programme the machine for multiple variables including the skill level of the operator and to prevent unauthorised use. Pro-Check offers pre-operation checklists and is downloadable to mobile devices, while programmable Zone Settings boost cleaning efficiency with instructional videos on board and on demand. And PerformanceView allows operators to see their cleaning path.

Finally, yellow touch points are placed throughout the machine to identify maintenance locations. www.tennantco.com

Versatile hybrid The FSR sweeper is a compact ride-on model from Fimap which is available as a battery powered and hybrid version (FSR Hybrid).

This has been designed to work for more than seven hours.

The hybrid technology combines the autonomy of the petrol

engine with the clean energy of battery power. During the working cycle the operator can choose to work with the petrol engine for outdoor cleaning and the silence and emission free power of the electrical motor for indoor cleaning.

The steering wheel has been engineered for optimum comfort to offer ergonomics and an easy drive without distractions - the operator has full visibility. www.fimap.com

New ride-ons There are two new models in the IPC sweeper range, the 1250 and 1280 - both available in battery, dual power, petrol and diesel versions.

Features include high filtration system, V-shape main brush for optimum performance in debris collection and self-levelling mechanical system for best contact between brush and floor. www.ipcworldwide.com

• Tennant a remanié la conception de trois de ses balayeuses autoportées pour les rendre de maniement et d’entretien plus aisés.

• La balayeuse FSR Hybrid de Fimap peut fonctionner 7 heures d’affilée et produit un minimum d’émissions de CO2.

• IPC a ajouté à sa gamme deux balayeuses autoportées, les 1250 et 1280, proposées en versions à batterie, hybride, essence et diesel.

• Tennant hat drei seiner AufsitzKehrmaschinen überarbeitet, um sie benutzer- und wartungsfreundlicher zu machen.

• Die Kehrmaschine FSR Hybrid von Fimap bietet eine ununterbrochene Betriebsdauer von über 7 Stunden und einen reduzierten CO2-Ausstoß.

• IPC hat sein Angebot um zwei neue Aufsitz-Kehrmaschine erweitert: die 1250 und 1280, erhältlich in Akku-, Dual-Power-, Benzin- und Dieselausführungen.

• La Tennant ha rimodernato le sue spazzatrici con operatore a bordo per renderle più facili da usare e da farne la manutenzione.

• La spazzatrice FSR Hybrid prodotta dalla Fimap è in grado di funzionare per più di sette ore senza interruzione e riduce le emissioni di CO2.

• La IPC ha aggiunto alla sua gamma di prodotti due nuove spazzatrici con operatore a bordo, la 1250 e la 1280, disponibili nelle versioni a batteria, a doppia alimentazione e diesel.

November 2016 | ECJ | 55

CLEANERS AND ASTHMA

Breathing freely Cleaning operatives are exposed to sources of asthma on a daily basis according to a recent study.

According to breathing analyst and coach Nick Marshall, however, learning some basic breathing techniques can help them to manage their condition.

In spite of advanced workplace health and safety practices, professional cleaners are exposed to sources of asthma on a daily basis. A University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre study found a strong link between the use of cleaning products including irritants and sprays and a prevalence of asthma amongst professional cleaners. That may be true but individual members of the cleaning community can easily evaluate whether they are susceptible to asthma or not and, if yes, learn some basic breathing techniques to manage their condition.

Imagine walking into a dusty room wearing a snorkel attached to your mouth.

Taking a deep breath you immediately break into a coughing fit as your lungs try to expel the dust from the lungs you have just breathed in. Panting and coughing you run from the enclosed space with a tight chest and all the symptoms of stress and anxiety; high heart-rate, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing and an inability to focus and concentrate.

For those in the cleaning industry who have never had an asthma attack this is what it can feel like.

Now imagine you walk into that same dusty room with a filter attached to the top of the snorkel. This filter warms, humidifies and removes large- and mediumsized dust particles from the air and also contains a gas used by emergency rooms as a bronchodilator, a drug that widens the bronchi, whose inhalation alleviates asthma. Taking a relaxed, medium-sized breath you are able to move around the room and go about your activities focused Les travailleurs de la propreté sont exposés quotidiennement à des sources d’asthme, indique une nouvelle étude. Cependant, selon le spécialiste en respiration et coach Nick Marshall, l’apprentissage de certaines techniques simples de respiration peut alléger le problème.

November 2016 | ECJ | 56

and without breathing difficulty, asthma or stress.

This filter is known as the nose, and it too can help us track our health, focus, fatigue and asthma susceptibility each day.

When we breathe with the nose daily we are capable of reducing our heart-rate and blood pressure while at the same time increasing our lung volume due to its bronchodilatory benefits. An asthmatic can become dependent on bronchodilators such as Ventolin, Albuterol or Advair and at times become susceptible to their side-effects including nausea, heart palpitations and nervousness. For those in the cleaning industry this can have serious or dire consequences.

For most, just learning to breathe correctly with the nose is enough to change their daily stress, heart rate, anxiety and asthma susceptibility noticeably.

Simple exercise These benefits can apply to a professional cleaner during a long shift or a cleaning executive going from building to building, driving in the traffic and walking (and running) upstairs during the day.

For those cleaners whose nose is always blocked and who believe they can’t breathe properly, try this simple exercise.

1. Take a small inhale 2. Exhale and hold your breath 3. Block your nostrils with your fingers and nod your head up and down 10 times while holding your breath 4. Repeat this three to five times until nose unblocks.

Asthma, anxiety and stress each have similar symptoms; a heightened heartrate, high blood pressure, a tight chest, panting, sighing, gasping and heavy breathing (or over-breathing).

An asthmatic, as well as those who have stressful working conditions and anxietyrelated disorders will breathe up to 15-20 breaths per minute with the mouth, with each breath larger than the normal 500 ml. Assuming that each breath is 700 ml, the average respiratory minute volume for this person is 10 to 15 litres of air per minute. When we compare an asthReinigungspersonal ist den Ursachen von Asthma tagtäglich ausgesetzt. Zu diesem Ergebnis kommt eine vor Kurzem veröffentlichte Studie.

Laut Atmungsanalytiker und Coach Nick Marshall sollte es dem Personal durch das Erlernen einiger grundlegender Atmungstechniken jedoch möglich sein, mit ihrer Verfassung fertig zu werden.

matic and a non-asthmatic side-by-side it is actually the asthmatic that breathes nearly t wo to three times more than the non-asthmatic, even though they feel like they are not breathing enough. Evidently getting enough breathable oxygen is not the problem.

But getting enough usable oxygen is a problem. The release of oxygen from red blood cells depends on the partial pressure or quantity of carbon dioxide in our lungs/arterial blood. When we overbreathe, carbon dioxide is removed from the body, causing the oxygen to ‘stick’ to haemoglobin within the red blood cells.

This prevents oxygen release into bodily tissues and organs including the lungs and brain and can bring on the effects of asthma and stress; high heart rate, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing and an inability to focus and concentrate. To oxygenate our body, we need to increase carbon dioxide.

A one-minute oxygen efficiency test can tell us if we need more usable oxygen in our body.

1. Take a stopwatch and set it to Timer 2. Inhale, exhale and hold your breath 3. Count in seconds the duration of your breath-hold.

An asthmatic will generally have difficulty with a hold of over 10-15 seconds.

A stressed, anxious person may go to 20.

A non-asthmatic in good health will comfortably go to 30–60 seconds.

These usable-oxygen metrics can be vital in quantifying health, stress and asthma susceptibility in the cleaning environment. For example, a professional cleaner who over the period of weeks has a consistently long breath-hold of 30+ and steps of 40+ can be made aware of an oncoming illness or accumulated fatigue when these numbers drop and they start mouth-breathing.

A cleaning executive can try and change a late-night meeting for the morning and favour a night’s full rest when their numbers drop during a particularly long week as well.

Professional cleaners are susceptible to asthma in their working environment, but there are some simple methods to assess whether they are affected or not and, if yes, basic breathing techniques available that will help them control their asthma. www.2oxygen8.com A quanto emerge da uno studio recente, gli addetti alle pulizie sono esposti ogni giorno a fonti scatenanti di asma. Però, secondo il parere dell’analista del respiro e istruttore della tecnica della respirazione Nick Marshall, imparare alcune tecniche di respirazione di base può aiutare a gestire la loro condizione.

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