April/May 2021

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

APRIL/MAY 2021

WASHROOMS

BUSINESS

FLOOR POLISHING

Wellbeing hubs of the future?

The rise of cybercrime

How equipment eases the burden

Page 29

Page 40

Page 35

EFCI president Juan Díez de los Ríos evaluates the impact of Covid-19 on the sector Page 13

CONTENTS

April/May 2021 | Vol.29, No.2

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORTS

40 How to make home work secure

22 Is your toilet watching?

Hartley Milner asks how we can tackle the rise in cybercrime as home working increases.

03 News

Is such a high level of smart technology in the washroom an intrusion?

29 The wellbeing washroom How today’s smart washrooms can become a wellbeing experience.

06 EFCI news

35 Floor polishing made easy A look at the equipment that’s easing the burden of polishing.

14 European reports

43 Raising the bar on hygiene How dry steam vapour can play a role in reducing infection risk.

48 Product review

45 Has the Li-ion become king?

In this special batteries report, we ask is lithium ion now the battery of choice.

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 executive Laura Bell

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 2021

NEWS & EVENTS

Latest News & Events from ECJ

Enter now - European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards are back!

ECJ has published a special supplement focusing on the issues surrounding sustainability.

Key issues discussed include the Extinction Rebellion effect, the flip side of sustainability, single use plastics, and the role of robotics and technology.

Read it at the ECJ website (www. europeancleaningjournal.com) or download via the app.

The European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards are back and organisers are calling for entries from service providers, manufacturers and distributors across Europe.

The awards are a celebration of excellence in the professional cleaning industry. As the only pan-European awards for the sector, they provide the opportunity for businesses and individuals from across the continent to share their stories of success.

Michelle Marshall, editor of ECJ and founder of the awards, said: “Over the past year, the cleaning and hygiene sector has really stepped into the spotlight and people from outside our industry are finally starting to recognise the vital role we play in society.

From the key workers who have remained on the frontline throughout the pandemic, to the innovators who have created Covid-busting solutions, the cleaning industry has really stepped up to the challenge.

“The awards provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase your achievements and gain widespread recognition from the most respected companies in the sector. As we

look ahead to a more promising future, we cannot wait to hear your success stories and bring our industry together once again to celebrate in Brussels.”

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

• Best use of smart solutions by service providers • Investment in training • Excellence in client/contractor partnerships • Start-up business of the year • Sustainability - best practice • Commitment to diversity in the workforce • Best initiative raising the profile of the cleaning sector • Technological innovation of the year • Leader of the year • Rising star award Entries close on October 15 this year and the winners will be revealed at the glittering awards ceremony and gala dinner, which will take place on April 28 2022 at Le Plaza Hotel in Brussels.

The entry form and more information can be found at www.echawards.com You can also follow the awards on Twitter @ECH_Awards and #ECHAwards22.

Les propositions peuvent maintenant être envoyées pour les Prix européens de propreté et d’hygiène.

Visitez le site de cette manifestation pour en savoir plus.

EVENTS September7-9

April 28 2022

ISSA Pulire

European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards

Verona, Italy www.pulire-it.com

Brussels, Belgium www.echawards.com

September 28-30

May 10-13 2022

Middle East Cleaning Tech Week

Interclean Amsterdam

Dubai, UAE www.mectw.com

Amsterdam, Netherlands www.intercleanshow.com

October 19-21

October 10-13 2022

ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo

ISSA North America

Syndney, Australia www.issa.com

Chicago, USA www.issa.com

October 26-28

September 19-22 2023

Clean Expo Pulire

CMS

Moscow, Russia www.issa.com

Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.de

November 2-4

October 16-19 2023

The Cleaning Show

ISSA North America

London, UK www.cleaningshow.co.uk

Las Vegas, USA www.issa.com

November 10-13

October 21-24 2024

Cleaning Show 2021

ISSA North America

Bucharest, Romania www.cleaningshow.ro

Las Vegas, USA www.issa.com

November 15-18

November 10-13 2025

ISSA North America

ISSA North America

Las Vegas, USA www.issa.com

Chicago, USA www.issa.com

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

Nominierungen für die European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards sind jetzt willkommen. Besuchen Sie die Website, um mehr zu erfahren.

Sono aperte le iscrizioni al premio European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards, si prega di visitare il sito per ulteriori informazioni.

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 3

NEWS

‘Guests will spend twice as much at clean restaurants’ – study US diners will be prepared to spend twice as much in restaurants that offer high standards of cleanliness and hygiene in the future, according to a study.

And customers will use a different set of criteria in general when choosing a dining venue post-Covid-19. This is the claim of global strategy and marketing consulting firm Simon-Kucher & Partners which polled 600 US consumers in its “new normal for restaurants” study.

The study revealed that factors such as cleanliness and sanitisation standards have moved up higher on the list of criteria for customers when choosing a place to eat. In fact,

cleanliness and hygiene are now outranked only by food quality and taste in the diner’s list of priorities.

Meal cost has dropped to tenth place in the list, falling behind considerations such as speed of service, convenience of location, employee attitude and a previous positive dining experience.

Feeling of safety “Making consumers feel safe and the need to continue to develop digital offerings have accelerated throughout Covid-19 and are not going away,” says Dave Clement, partner at Simon-Kucher.

“Restaurant cleanliness has

Une étude prospective américaine a montré que les convives de restaurants seront prêts à payer deux fois plus pour leurs consommations s’ils bénéficient de hautes normes de propreté et d’hygiène.

4 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

always been important to consumers but sanitisation standards have now become top of mind due to the pandemic.”

He adds that today’s new attitudes towards hygiene go beyond the scope of parameters such as increased cleaning

Aus einer Studie geht hervor, dass Restaurantbesucher in den USA zukünftig dazu bereit sein werden, doppelt so viel in Restaurants auszugeben, die ein hohes Maß an Sauberkeit und Hygiene bieten.

frequency and the provision of hand sanitiser dispensers for guests and employees.

“Also relevant are factors such as contactless pick-up and delivery plus the overt communication of safety measures,” he said.

A quanto emerge da uno studio, in futuro, i clienti americani di ristoranti e tavole calde saranno preparati a passare il doppio del tempo nei locali di ristoro che offono alti standard di pulizia e di igiene.

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NEWS

CDC updates Covid-19 cleaning guidance for workplaces

Regular surface cleaning with soap and detergent is generally sufficient to reduce the spread of Covid-19, according to new guidance from the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention.

However, more frequent cleaning or disinfection may be recommended in areas occupied by people who are at greater risk

Le nettoyage régulier de surfaces avec de l’eau et un détergent est généralement suffisant pour enrayer la propagation de la Covid-19, indiquent les dernières orientations du centre prophylactique américain (CDC).

6 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

of severe illness as well as in places where transmission rates are high, or where few people are wearing masks or practising hand hygiene.

And while it is possible to contract the virus from touching contaminated surfaces and objects, evidence shows that the risk of doing so is low according to CDC chief Dr Rochelle Walensky.

“In most cases the practices of fogging, fumigation and widearea or electrostatic spraying are not recommended as a primary method of disinfection and there are several safety risks to consider,” she said.

“Disinfection is only recommended in indoor settings,

Laut neuen Leitlinien des CDC in den USA ist eine regelmäßige Oberflächenreinigung mit Seife und Reinigungsmittel im Allgemeinen ausreichend, um die Verbreitung von Covid-19 einzudämmen.

schools and homes where there has been a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19 within the last 24 hours.”

According to updated guidance on the CDC’s website, the daily cleaning of public spaces should be sufficient to curtail the spread of Covid-19 unless someone with a suspected or confirmed case of the illness has recently occupied that space.

Most infections occur via person-to-person contact when people are within six feet of each other according to Walensky. And she adds the risk of infection may be reduced by wearing masks consistently and correctly, by washing the hands and by following CDC guidance.

In America, a quanto emerge da una nuova guida del CDC, la pulizia periodica delle superfici con sapone e detersivo è generalmente sufficiente per ridurre la diffusione del COVID-19.

NEWS

Men best at hand washing

BIV publishes survey results The trade association representing the German contract cleaning sector - BIV - has published the results of its spring business survey. The results highlight a cautious approach among cleaning and facility service companies.

Of those who took part, 60.7 per cent describe their business forecasts for 2021 as satisfactory, sufficient, rather poor or poor. In the autumn 2020 survey that figure was

55.1 per cent. Just 39.3 per cent expect business to be good or very good.

Sixty-five per cent of the companies surveyed had lost turnover in 2020, 52.1 per cent had to introduce short-time work at least temporarily in 2020 and 70 per cent expect turnover in the current year to remain the same (35.9 per cent) or to fall (34.1 per cent) compared to the previous year. Just 24.2 per cent expect turnover to grow.

More lockdown toilet closures Men have been more conscientious than women in maintaining good handwashing habits during the pandemic, according to a new survey of 1,050 American adults.

Just under 70 per cent of men claim to have kept up their improved hand hygiene habits since the pandemic began compared with 57 per cent of women. And 62 per cent of men say they were “very concerned” about contracting the virus whereas only 45 per cent of women express the same level of anxiety.

The Healthy Handwashing Survey, carried out in January 2021 by Bradley Corporation, also revealed that men are better at drying their hands than women. More than 80 per cent of men said they are now drying their hands more thoroughly and for longer than before compared with 63 per cent of women.

Reports of new strains of

the coronavirus have prompted 75 per cent of men and 60 per cent of women to improve their hand washing behaviour. And just under 60 per cent of men and 51 per cent of women say they will keep up their new handwashing routines once the pandemic is over.

More thorough “In our previous surveys, women have always led the way with their handwashing actions,” says Jon Dommisse, director of strategy and corporate development for Bradley Corporation.

“It is encouraging to see more men incorporating thorough and frequent handwashing into their daily routines because it is one of the easiest ways to prevent the spread of germs and illness.”

Bradley Corporation has been carrying out an annual Healthy Handwashing Survey for the past 12 years.

The European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards are now open for entry. There are 10 categories to choose from so tell us your stories of success. Visit www.echawards.com to find out more and submit your entry.

• D’après une nouvelle étude américaine, les femmes se sont montrées plus assidues que les hommes pour le lavage des mains au cours de la pandémie.

• L’association allemande de la propreté professionnelle, BIV, a publié son enquête pour le Printemps, dont il ressort que les entreprises membres sont prudemment optimistes.

• Au Royaume-Uni, la dernière opération nationale de confinement a provoqué la fermeture d’une centaine de toilettes publiques en plus de celles qui avaient été fermées lors de l’opération précédente.

8 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

Around 100 UK more toilets have been closed to the public during the current nationwide lockdown than in the last one.

This was revealed by Lockdown Loo, a website set up to track public washrooms and highlight those that have remained open during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A total of 450 UK toilets have been temporarily closed since January 5 compared with 350 during the November lockdown, according to the site. And this number could be even higher since many closed toilets are going unreported.

Crucial services Lockdown Loo was set up in May 2020 by brothers Thomas and Charles Riley. “It is astounding that nearly a year into this crisis, councils have not learned that toilets are crucial services,” said Tom Riley.

“Closing toilets does not only keep millions at home, it also impacts on essential workers.”

The site claims to have been inundated with reports of toilet closures over recent weeks and

• Aus einer neuen Umfrage in den USA geht hervor, dass Männer gewissenhafter waren als Frauen, während der Pandemie gute Handwaschgewohnheiten beizubehalten.

• Der deutsche Bundesinnungsverband des Gebäudereiniger-Handwerks (BIV) hat das Ergebnis seiner im Frühjahr bei Mitgliedsunternehmen durchgeführten Konjunkturumfrage veröffentlicht.

Daraus geht hervor, dass die Mitgliedsunternehmen diesem Jahr vorsichtig gegenüberstehen.

• Beim letzten landesweiten Lockdown wurden im Vereinigtes Königreich rund 100 öffentliche Toiletten mehr geschlossen als während des vorherigen Lockdowns.

is urging councils to reopen them. Closed toilets make life difficult for people when heading out for their daily exercise, according to the site.

The creators of Lockdown Loo claim to be proactively monitoring updates from councils and speaking to businesses regarding access to washroom facilities.

More than 5,400 toilets are now listed on Lockdown Loo’s interactive map. The crowdsourced website, which receives more than a million visitors per month, relies on input from the public.

And besides pointing out those washrooms that remain open, the site also indicates how often these facilities are cleaned where possible.

• Un nuovo sondaggio americano rivela che gli uomini sono stati più scrupolosi delle donne nel mantenere delle buone abitudini di lavaggio delle mani durante la pandemia.

• L’associazione tedesca degli appaltatori di servizi di pulizia BIV ha pubblicato la sua indagine aziendale primaverile che evidenzia per quest’anno un approccio prudente da parte delle imprese associate.

• Durante l’ultimo lockdown nel Regno Unito sono state chiuse al pubblico nazionale circa 100 toilette in più dello scorso lockdown.

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NEWS

National NHS cleaning protocol launched for England A new protocol for cleaning public spaces in England has been launched in response to Covid-19.

This is said to be the first time that cleaning has been regulated by means of an official standard that can be measured and audited. Organisations previously relied on guidance from HSE and Public Health England for maintaining high levels of cleanliness and hygiene.

The aim of the new protocol is to raise cleaning standards and reduce the number of hospital admissions from bacterial and viral diseases.

Training on “Cleaning the NHS way” - accredited by the Royal Society of Public Health and set up by the NHS Deep

Cleaning and Advisory Service - provides the basis for the protocol. The course is said to be easy to understand even for those whose first language is not English, and certification depends on the outcome of an exam at the end of the training.

“People use the word ‘clean’ so much that it has a fairly wide definition,” said Tony Sullivan, environmental and decontamination manager at the NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service.

“By implementing the NHS protocol we’re trying to create a baseline that people can measure. Proper cleaning protocols in all public spaces can not only protect us during this pandemic, they can reduce the

Au Royaume-Uni, le service de santé national a publié un nouveau protocole pour le nettoyage d’espaces publics pour faire face à la Covid-19.

10 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

risk of another one happening.”

Originally developed by the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, the cleaning protocol is now being rolled out nationwide. Organisations seeking support with their

Als Reaktion auf Covid-19 hat der staatliche Gesundheitsdienst (NHS) in Großbritannien neue Richtlinien zur Reinigung öffentlicher Räume in England vorgestellt.

domestic cleaning are invited to invest in the “Clean the NHS Way” staff training programme.

Profits from the course will be reinvested back into NHS Trusts and put towards improving frontline patient care.

In Inghilterra, in risposta al COVID-19, è stato lanciato dal NHS un nuovo protocollo per la pulizia delle aree pubbliche.

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NEWS

A rollercoaster of a year Dominic Ponniah is co-founder and ceo of Cleanology, a Top 50 UK cleaning company with offices in London and Manchester. Like the majority of cleaning businesses, the past year has been extremely challenging.

Here, he speaks about the effect of the pandemic on the company.

It’s been a rollercoaster of a year for cleaning companies everywhere. For Cleanology, with clients in London and Manchester, it’s been no different. As a business serving clients in sectors hardest hit by lockdown, it’s been badly affected.

“In March 2020 we were winning new contracts and things were going really well,” Dominic Ponniah explains. “Then Covid struck.

“Almost overnight, client after client emailed us to say they were closing their buildings. In that first most chaotic period we were literally dealing with 400 clients - all closing offices, reducing cleaning hours.”

The majority of Cleanology’s clients had closed by the end of March last year. “Eighty-five per cent of them had absolutely no activity,” he continues. “We were left with a small head office team of staff. Unfortunately some people did lose their jobs.”

As the UK now emerges from its third lockdown, some activity is resuming. “Even those offices which are open have low occupancy though so our service is much reduced,” Ponniah says.

“And we have never had such a bespoke service - every client wants something different.

Some have closed their offices and moved out, others will make decisions later in the year. “ Many of Cleanology’s staff, therefore, have spent most of the past year at home on furlough. Naturally this has ECJ s’entretient avec Dominic Ponniah, directeur général et cofondateur de l’entreprise de propreté londonienne Cleanology.

Celui-ci explique comment la pandémie a affecté son activité et songe à l’évolution probable des postes de travail.

12 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

Dominic Ponniah

impacted on their mental health so there’s been a good selection of online training available to keep them engaged. “Many of them, however, have gone back to their native countries,” says Ponniah, “and they won’t be coming back so we have lost a lot of good people.”

Now, there’s some uncertainty ahead. “Nobody knows how things will pan out from here.

There will definitely be changes in how office space is used and it’s difficult to say if our industry will bounce back - it will be very slow. On the positive side, however, cleaning is much more important to our clients now.

They want to make their staff feel safe and confident to come back to work, however I can’t see the five-day week at the office returning for many firms.

“There will be a smaller footprint for us but what we lose in area, we will make up in quality of service. Visible cleaning will bring people back and hopefully that will impact positively on daytime work - as cleaning becomes a more prominent part of the client operation.”

Significant challenges lie ahead for the sector, Ponniah believes.

“But there are some green shoots,” he says. “Buildings are reopening, we have won some new contracts. We’re feeling more optimistic and we can see the finishing line now.”

Das ECJ führt ein Gespräch mit Dominic Ponniah, CEO und Mitgründer des Londoner Gebäudereinigungsunternehmens Cleanology.

Er erzählt uns, wie die Pandemie sich auf das Unternehmen ausgewirkt hat und wie sich Arbeitsplätze künftig möglicherweise verändern.

ECJ a colloquio con Dominic Ponniah, direttore generale e co-fondatore dell’impresa di servizi di pulizia Cleanology di Londra che ci parla degli effetti che la pandemia ha avuto sull’attività e ci espone la sua opinione su come i luoghi di lavoro potrebbero cambiare d’ora in avanti.

EFCI NEWS Challenges and opportunities in the post-Covid world Just over a year after the world first faced the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic, EFCI president Juan Díez de los Ríos looks back at the lessons learned by the professional cleaning sector during these most challenging of times. He also looks ahead to possible future opportunities.

A bit more than a year after the beginning of this unprecedented crisis, I feel it is a good moment to look back and take stock of the lessons learned during this challenging time. And this is necessary to have an in-depth reflection for the challenges that we face for the upcoming months and years, which combine the much-awaited recovery with the new postpandemic world (of work, of travel, of business…) and the impact of the twin (green and digital) transitions.

Pandemic’s impact The cleaning sector has received unprecedented recognition during this pandemic.

Our frontline agents have demonstrated their commitment to our society’s wellbeing by providing our essential services with determination.

Nevertheless, the sector has been directly hit by the negative economic impact of the containment measures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is still proving challenging to provide exact data to measure it at national and EU level.

Lockdowns were relaxed and repeated at different rhythms in our different countries and with different intensity in each economic sector. Consequently, cleaning and facility services companies have been very differently impacted. While some have been able to adapt their business and activities to new needs, or could focus their activity towards less-affected

sectors, others have lost up to 50 per cent or more of their activities.

Indeed, in some member states, cleaning companies have lost up to 50 per cent of their activities (and turnover) due to the temporary closure of offices, leisure and educational facilities which represent nearly 54 per cent of the sector’s market share. While the number of companies being unable to continue in business is still uncertain, cleaning companies are facing great difficulties in resuming business and in sustaining additional material and organisational costs (which are reaching an average of over five per cent, including those generated by the acquisition of personal protective equipment and products (PPE). Further, cleaning companies have been hit by unfair contracting practices: from unilateral cancellations to extended delays in payments.

The mid-term and near future of our sector will be determined by the changes that will impact the way in which many of us work. Office cleaning represents 45 per cent of the market and therefore, the impact of the reduction of working spaces will certainly be hard on our companies, who are already changing the way they work and offer their services. The heavy increase in hygiene demand/ attention by end users will ensure, nevertheless, that our essential services will continue to be in demand. This will also have a positive impact on daytime cleaning and the search for innovative ways of providing our services.

While cleaning agents and the value of the services we provide have been valued as never before, the expected economic crisis and the uncertainty we are facing is making it difficult to say that the fight for quality-based

Tout juste un an après l’apparition de la Covid-19, une pandémie sans précédent, le président de l’EFCI, Juan Diez de los Rios, contemple les enseignements que le secteur de la propreté a su tirer de ces temps vraiment difficiles.

Mais il entrevoit aussi des opportunités pour l’avenir.

selection of cleaning services will finally take the place it deserves.

Green and digital The pandemic has also determined a transformation in the cleaning sector in both operations and technology. First, to reduce the risk of contagion, the urgency of associating cleaning with sanitation has been promoted, leading to an increase in disinfection services.

Second, the importance of trained professionals and the use of appropriate techniques and products was emphasised to maintain and improve the level of hygiene and cleanliness.

Continuing on this path, in the future the focus will be on investing in new technologies, digitisation and the related training of workers. Upskilling and reskilling of our workforce is of key importance also in the business services sectors.

In the private employment services industry, for example, there are various channels for supporting workers in adapting to change, including skills intelligence and profiling, upskilling via training programmes at company level or through bipartite funds.

The EFCI is at work to provide the sector with the right tools to successfully navigate both transitions, through the EUfunded SK-Clean project and by putting special attention to sustainability issues which will soon transform into a Circular Economy guide for the sector.

Sustainability goals Moving towards a greener and digital future, the EFCI recently announced its commitment to the United Nations SDGs in the areas of health, hygiene, sanitation, maintenance of urban spaces, quality employment and equal opportunities. The EFCI believes the European cleaning and facility services sector can act as a key partner towards

Etwas mehr als ein Jahr nachdem die Welt zum ersten Mal mit der beispiellosen Covid-19-Pandemie konfrontiert wurde, wirft der EFCI-Vorsitzende Juan Díez de los Ríos einen Blick zurück auf die Erkenntnisse, die die professionelle Reinigungsbranche im Laufe dieser äußerst herausfordernden Zeiten gewonnen hat. Außerdem wirft er einen Blick nach vorn auf mögliche zukünftige Chancen.

a more sustainable Europe through a transformational recovery from the pandemic.

The SDGs will be a reference for EFCI and its members activities to support the sector in the green and digital transitions. This commitment has even greater relevance in light of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Challenging agenda In 2017, the European Institutions proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The Pillar sets out 20 key principles which aim to achieve a strong social Europe that is fair, inclusive and full of opportunities in the 21st century. With the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, the Commission has set out concrete initiatives to build fairer and more wellfunctioning labour markets as well as good welfare systems for the benefit of all Europeans.

In this context, the European Commission is putting forward legislative proposals which will bring both challenges and opportunities for our sector.

From a proposal for a directive on adequate minimum wages to a decided focus on skills and training, the EFCI is ensuring the needs of our sector are taken into account by policymakers.

Within this ambitious policy objective, we work with the certainty the cleaning and facility services sector is and will continue to be a vector for integration into the labour market. Indeed, the sector is key, among others, for the integration of young people into the labour market; the fight against undeclared work; the creation of jobs for workers with transferable skills, coming from other sectors hard hit by the pandemic; providing training in fundamental sector-related skills, essential also for basic re and up-skilling; and of course, the creation of flexible jobs.

Poco più di un anno dopo che il mondo ha affrontato per la prima volta la pandemia senza precedenti di COVID-19, il presidente di EFCI Juan Díez de los Ríos ripensa alle lezioni imparate dal settore del cleaning professionale durante questi momenti estremamente difficili e guarda avanti per trovare delle possibilità future.

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 13

LATEST: UK Cleaning Revolution - fact or fiction?

Lynn Webster in the UK explains why pre-pandemic cleaning regimes must now be questioned.

No one would have considered 12 months ago that we would experience the year we have all had. That we would only now be considering the return to a ‘new normal’ workplace. The options of phased returns; flexible working arrangements along with reopening of hospitality and retail experiences.

So is the cleaning industry ready and prepared for this next journey into the unknown?

Some businesses have managed to thrive throughout the pandemic; addressing some of the needs of those premises remaining open and trading, offering additional and specialist cleaning services to give confidence and reassurance to employees and the public alike.

Unfortunately, not all have been so fortunate. Many servicing office buildings and non-food retail outlets have found business life far more challenging, Not only having to furlough teams of employees, make difficult decisions regarding staff redundancies but also finding their turnover and profits diminishing dramatically.

It is, therefore, time to consider if we are ready to return. Are we prepared for the change and are we all ready to change? It is a sad to see many fellow cleaning professionals are still showing a lethargy to adapt to and adopt new routines. Perhaps there is still a fear of the unknown or facing the financial struggle to invest. Sitting in the forever comfort zone of yesteryear will not provide growth. Some cleaning companies buried their heads in the sand (or did they drown in hand sanitiser?!) and have not begun to face up to the future and how the new normal will work for them. Certainly, clients are already challenging Alors que le secteur de la propreté britannique se prépare à l’après-covid, Lynn Webster souligne l’importance d’une remise en question des anciens régimes.

14 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

their own positions; the public perception of clean will be in the forefront where there has never been such an opportunity for cleaning to be recognised as the profession it deserves to be.

Historically industrial revolution was a transition towards new manufacturing processes, moving from manual labour to mechanical machines; new chemical manufacturing, development of new tools and modernisation. The most significant economic event for humanity. We are heading towards the Cleaning Revolution.

We should therefore be looking to disrupt and question the normal regimes of before.

Yes, there will be concern for companies who have not moved forward or have not challenged their status quo. They could well be left behind as we face the survival of the fittest.

Considering the changes we make may not always be classified as innovation but about the how and the when we deliver the future of cleaning. There are leading cleaning service providers who have fully embraced the concept of cobotics - applying technology in relevant areas and releasing operatives to focus on the requirements of more detailed cleaning routines. We will also have a serious review of sustainability encompassing probiotic and chemical-free cleaning; and the opportunities these will bring.

Will there still be those working only with socket mops and buckets? They will continue to defend their principles of opposition to change as that brigade disappears, waving the flag (duster) of defeat in inevitable surrender. The Cleaning Revolution, there is no doubt, is here to stay.

Während sich die Reinigungsbranche auf neue Arbeitsweisen nach dem Lockdown vorbereitet, betont Lynn Webster im Vereinigten Königreich, wie wichtig es ist, die bisherigen Reinigungsregimes infrage zu stellen.

Mentre il settore delle pulizie professionali si prepara per il nuovo modo di operare dopo il lockdown, nel Regno Unito, Lynn Webster evidenzia l’importanza di mettere in discussione i regimi precedenti.

LATEST: ITALY New appointments for Afidamp Anna Garbagna in Italy brings news of latest developments at industry association Afidamp.

There is much news from Afidamp, the association representing manufacturers and distributors of machines, products and equipment for the professional cleaning sector. Among the most important news, surely, is the appointment of Stefania Verrienti, formerly general secretary, as the new director of the association. In her new role, Verrienti will have the task of leading this industry body which recently modified its structure by opening up to other product groups and other production companies.

She will have greater decisionmaking powers and operational autonomy to further consolidate the role of the association on the Italian political and institutional scene, and to increase its level of representativeness.

Joining forces However, this is not the only news for the association. In fact, with a view to supporting the catering sector, one of those most affected by the pandemic, Afidamp has joined forces with Fipe-Confcommercio - the Italian restaurant, bar and catering federation. They signed an agreement for the whole of 2021 to supply sanitisation materials and products for ordinary and extraordinary cleaning of premises, at subsidised prices.

As is well known, the terrible health crisis which for almost a year has been badly affecting the cleaning sector at a global level, has, on the other hand, given an absolutely central role to the cleaning and sanitisation operations of commercial business premises. Between constant closures and re-openings, business owners have been forced to adapt to new and strict rules in order to guarantee everyone’s safety: from customers to suppliers and employees too.

Notre correspondante en Italie Anna Garbagna évoque les activités récentes d’AFIDAMP, l’association de la propreté italienne.

After the much appreciated publication of guidelines for Covid-19 sanitisation last May followed by handbooks for bars and restaurants, a practical guide for cleaning operations in catering and also some video clips, the two associations wanted to offer further support to help companies to run their businesses in total safety.

This time the objective of the initiative is to support catering professionals through this very challenging time by giving them the opportunity to reduce, at least partly, the cost of products and equipment for sanitisation which is even more critical for the health of customers and workers during the economic and health crisis in which we are living now.

The fear of Covid-19’s presence on different surfaces forced proprietors right from the start to pay constant attention to all potentially contaminated areas in public premises.

The guidelines drawn up by the two associations represented important support for all the contractors and operators in the sector. The use of correct procedures and appropriate professional equipment can in fact avoid errors and avoid wasting effort on useless procedures.

Moreover, because of its role as aggregator of the entrepreneurial fabric in catering and entertainment in Italy, Fipe - the leading association in the catering, hospitality and tourism sector with over 120,000 members - has always been the advocate for the requests of contractors and represents them in the institutions with a view to building structural and consolidated relationships between its associates and the Government and also to offer itself as facilitator between these two major stakeholders.

Die italienische ECJ-Reporterin Anna Garbagna berichtet Neuigkeiten des italienischen Industrieverbands der Reinigungsbranche AFIDAMP.

Dall’Italia, la corrispondente Anna Garbagna ci aggiorna sulle ultime novità dell’associazione del settore del cleaning italiano AFIDAMP.

April/May 2021 | ECJ |15

LATEST: FRANCE Cleaners become wellbeing workers France reporter Christian Bouzols speaks to Guillaume Hubert at O’Petits Soins - a company offering innovative services alongside cleaning.

What is your philosophy?

What we’re offering are cleaning operations and wellbeing solutions. Our first challenge is to demonstrate that our job requires specific techniques and skills. At O’Petits Soins, we are also wellbeing workers. Staff are involved in housekeeping, of course, but that’s not their first assignment. We contribute to the wellbeing of all those who are employed by our clients.

At the heart of our work is the requirement to ensure the premises we deal with are clean.

If work spaces, socialising areas or toilets aren’t clean, employees won’t feel comfortable.

Cleanliness makes a vital contribution to a good experience.

What do your wellbeing workers do? We train our people to be good caretakers. They are therefore much better equipped to adapt themselves to various situations than usual cleaning workers. For example, they’re able to set up a meeting place, to prepare breakfast for executives, and even to collect clothes at the dry cleaners.

These are brave people. Take a cleaning lady: she gets up at 4 am and then takes the underground in order to have everything ready by the time you arrive for work. Despite this, some people are embarrassed just to speak to cleaners, let alone to show them some form of gratitude. It’s a disheartening job in that if it’s done correctly, cleaning staff just don’t exist.

However, if there’s a problem, they never fail to get complaints.

How you do ensure your people are appreciated? To start with, all our staff have appropriate tools, which are of good quality and easy to work Dans son reportage de la France, Christian Bouzols présente un entrepreneur de la propreté qui entend révolutionner la perception qu’on se fait des agents de nettoyage en les érigeant en promoteurs du bien-être.

16 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

with. Contrary to the saying that “clothes don’t make the man”, they do! There’s an intellectual and social hierarchy surrounding our people’s outfits. All our wellbeing workers wear a black shirt, for example. The way they are dressed is important because it highlights them as professionals.

The idea is to change the perception of cleaners among client employees. Every week, O’Petits Soins undertakes specific wellbeing actions (flowers, fruit baskets, fresh drinks) which are deployed by our workers. This has helped mentalities to change slowly.

We have clients who tell us they have sensed a difference, because their staff show more attention towards cleaning workers who they now recognise as bringers of happiness.

Our wellbeing workers come from 16 difference countries.

It’s our responsibility to make sure that they understand what client expects from them.

That’s why we’ve designed an app where they can get all the information they need, in their respective languages.

Protecting the environment is most important. We use green labelled products because it makes sense, but we keep using plastic containers. To make up for this, we plant a tree for each drum that we use.

We have the same attitude towards the use of consumables. For example, every week we collect used microfibre rags on-site, wash them and re-use them. Our microfibre products are always clean, which enables us to consume fewer.

We also help our clients in their recycling practices.

Christian Bouzols berichtet aus Frankreich über ein Reinigungsunternehmen, das die Wahrnehmung von Reinigungskräften revolutionieren möchte, indem sie als Förderer des Wohlbefindens geschult werden.

Dalla Francia, il corrispondente Christian Bouzols ci parla di un appaltatore di servizi di pulizia che sta cercando di rivoluzionare come vengono percepiti gli addetti di pulizia addestrandoli a diventare promotori del benessere.

LATEST: DENMARK Let’s make it very clear from the beginning. This is not some sob story from a hurt journalist. In my time as a correspondent for ECJ, I’ve talked to and met many obliging people in and around this industry. But I’ve also ‘met’ some closed doors and ‘silent’ sources.

Having been rejected on a number of occasions when looking for stories for this magazine, yours truly does wonder (as journalists do) what might be the cause.

In Denmark (my home ground), people are generally known for being trustful. Yet, thrusting journalists seems to be a different matter. When polls are made about the credibility of various professions, journalists rank low on the list. Only ‘surpassed’ by second-hand car dealers and politicians!

This combined with the press generally considering bad news to be good news, focusing considerably more on armed conflict, natural disasters and the like than on positive and constructive stories.

Closed doors Could that be one explanation for the closed doors? That I’m being ‘judged’ as one of those ‘ not to be trusted’ journalists who is basically up to no good – even when writing for an industry magazine?

Having trained as a journalist, a critical approach is in the DNA. We are ‘brought up with’ the notion of not letting sources say just about anything without challenging them. Professional integrity and editorial autonomy are at stake. In addition, journalists see themselves as important people – generally speaking of course! – watchdogs seeking the truth and educating the public about issues that affect their lives.

So, when not invited to walk straight in after merely having introduced him- or herself as a journalist, it may offend the journalist’s pride with a follow-up scenario likely to be: 1) “Can’t they see just how important my job is…

Well, never mind… their loss!” and then perhaps ditch that potential source or article for good. Or 2) “Aha! When they don’t want to speak to someone as important as me, they are hiding something… there’s something rotten that we better bring into the light of day!” Again, I’m generalising, of course!

Once, a source of mine suggested that various cultural backgrounds in the industry could be another explanation: if a cleaner, for instance, is asked to talk to a journalist about something apparently harmless (from our perspective), he/she may refuse because talking to a journalist in some countries could be fatal.

It takes two to tango Scandinavian reporter Lotte Printz on the interaction between journalists and the cleaning industry. A clash of professions?

Reluctant to talk Now, could these ‘closed doors’ be explained by a clash of various perspectives or are people in this industry downright afraid to talk to journalists? For obvious reasons, I couldn’t get a response from the people who didn’t want to talk to me or didn’t answer my calls, so I turned to the trade association, Danske Service, and its head of office, Malene Jæpelt, for her take on things.

“I think there are several explanations for what you see as people seemingly being reluctant to talk to you.”

“First of all, this industry consists largely of SMEs that are out there in the field on a daily basis and whose main concern is to provide excellent service to their customers. There’s not much time for or focus on speaking to the media and these companies don’t have a press service like the largest players on the market and usually don’t have the ambition to grow into a large enterprise either,” Jæpelt explains.

The typical Danske Service member is a business that employs 20 people or so and operates locally. As a member of Danske Service, cleaning companies are obliged to comply with collective agreements.

This year’s European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards are now open for entries - visit echawards.com

Lotte Printz, notre correspondante en Scandinavie, examine les rapports qui existent entre la presse et le secteur de la propreté et y trouve un peut-être un conflit de profession.

“Reputation is important to our members, but they prefer it being spread by word of mouth,” Malene Jæpelt explains and continues: “Surveys we’ve done among our members in the past show that they are concerned about the image of the industry. The cases that the press most frequently focuses on are those that involve the ‘black sheep’ of our business and the way they act and behave can harm the overall industry, and thus influences our members as well even though they are committed to providing excellent service, motivating employees and offering them proper conditions.”

Boosting the image Looking at things from the journalist’s perspective, Malene Jæpelt does acknowledge that ‘ignoring’ calls and ‘declining’ chances of being expert sources – no matter the reason – might backfire.

“However, our members will always ask themselves: What’s in it for me?”

Offering their members seminars about handling the press is not in the pipeline, but Danske

Die Skandinavien-Reporterin Lotte Printz untersucht die Beziehung zwischen der Presse und der Reinigungsbranche und fragt: Ist dies ein Konflikt der Branchen?

Service will always be committed to boosting the industry’s image, Jæpelt declares.

“We would very much like to contribute to telling stories with a different angle, more positive stories from the industry, so that it is not just the black sheep of the business that make news,” she says.

In this sense, Covid-19 has perhaps turned out to be a blessing in disguise?

“It has certainly increased focus on cleaning and the industry.

Cleaning is now being prioritised separately and as we’ve seen fewer outbreaks of the flu during this time, the gains of good cleaning, from a community point of view, also show. Whether this positive focus will continue… well, I guess only time will tell,” Malene Jæpelt says.

Only time can tell whether the pandemic will also have an impact on or even ‘ease’ the relationship between journalists and people in the cleaning industry. But one thing is certain. It still takes two to tango!

La corrispondente scandinava Lotte Printz prende in esame il rapporto fra la stampa e il settore delle pulizia e chiede: è uno scontro di professioni?

April/May 2021 | ECJ |17

LATEST: NETHERLANDS

LATEST: GERMANY

Do scrubbers degrade air quality?

When art and cleaning meet

Dutch reporter John Griep on a study into whether cleaning machines actually pollute the air.

From Germany, Katja Scholz on a special art project being supported by cleaning professionals.

For once, this column is not about coronavirus, but about the paradoxical question of whether a cleaning machine can pollute at the same time. Although coronavirus still dominates our lives, other research continues.

This includes research into the emission of micro-organisms by scrubber dryers.

You read it right: the question is whether these cleaning machines pollute the air. After all, scrubber dryers suck up contaminated cleaning fluid and then blow out the air they use to do it. It is not very far-fetched to think that the air leaving the machine could be contaminated and pollute the ambient air.

It is a theory that arose within the VSR Technical Committee, which they thought was worth investigating. The study was conducted in two phases.

Initially, at five hospitals, two machines in use were examined for the degree of contamination of the liquid in the holding tank immediately after use. Substantial numbers of micro-organisms were found in all the holding tanks for these machines.

Secondly, there was an investigation into whether and to what extent micro-organisms that have ended up in the absorbed cleaning fluid are dispersed into the ambient air while cleaning with a scrubber dryer. The outgoing air was sampled during cleaning with a scrubber dryer.

The tests were carried out both with and without the use of a HEPA filter. In addition, the concentration of yeast germs in the ambient air was measured before and after the tests.

The questions VSR hoped to answer are: 1. Do scrubber dryers disperse

When an artist and experts in all things to do with contract cleaning cooperate with a common purpose, something exceptional can happen. In a current project in Germany’s capital city Berlin, this has a name: MaHalla – the work of an artist, supported by the technical expertise of cleaning professionals.

The setting is a listed industrial building in Berlin-Oberschöneweide, formerly one of the most important urban manufacturing districts in Germany. The artist is Ralf Schmerberg, who intends to create a space for art, culture and innovation.

And this is where cleaning comes in. The interior brick façade of the turbine hall has so far never been professionally cleaned and was covered with decades-old layers of paint and varnish, dating back in parts to 1895 when the hall was built. In cooperation with a restorer and the Regional Office for the Protection of Historical Monuments, a gentle yet effective method was agreed for removing the dirt while at the same time preserving the original material. The company commissioned for this protective technique was Kärcher, the Winnenden-based cleaning expert. “Ralf Schmerberg approached us and we developed the project within the framework of our cultural sponsorship programme”, explained Sebastian Wein, Kärcher’s press officer. But the company is not only cleaning MaHalla – it is also supporting the creation of a new artwork in the turbine hall.

The hot water high pressure process was used to clean the walls of the hall: hot water hits the surface at a pressure of up to four bar. A large portion of the layers of paint and varnish had

Dans son compterendu des Pays-Bas, John Griep rapporte les résultats de récentes études par la VSR pour savoir si l’exploitation d’autolaveuses entraîne une dégradation de l’air ambiant.

micro-organisms removed from the floor into the ambient air during operation?

2. And, if this is the case, how does this contamination relate to the amount of germs already present in the air?

3. Finally, if airborne germs are spread by scrubber dryers, is this to an extent that could cause health risks?

Germs level lower The overall conclusion of the study was that the concentration of yeast germs in air exiting the scrubber dryer during operation was not higher before or after the tests. The concentration of germs blown out of the machine with HEPA filter during cleaning with a scrubber dryer is even lower than before and after the tests.

The answer to research question one is therefore that the scrubber dryers used for this research do not spread the micro-organisms removed from the floor into the ambient air.

The answer to research question two holds that the germ count for the outgoing air in this research was equal or, when a HEPA filter was applied, even lower than that of the incoming air. The germ concentration in the ambient air is therefore not adversely affected.

Therefore, the answer to question three is also obvious: the use of a scrubber dryer as described in this study has no influence on air hygiene. This implies that no health effects due to degraded air hygiene are to be expected for people living in the vicinity, nor for employees working with scrubber dryers.

This is good news at a time when healthy air is literally a matter of life and death!

John Griep berichtet aus den Niederlanden über eine Untersuchung des VSR, mit der festgestellt werden sollte, ob Scheuersaugmaschinen die Luftqualität vermindern.

18| April/May 2021 | ECJ

Dai Paesi Bassi, il corrispondente John Griep ci parla di una ricerca eseguita di recente dalla VSR per scoprire se le lavasciuga pavimenti possono realmente contribuire al degrado della qualità dell’aria.

Rapportant de l’Allemagne, Katja Scholz nous parle d’un projet spécial prévoyant une coopération entre le monde des artistes et celui de la propreté professionnelle.

already been carefully removed in this way – until the original, yellow glazed klinker bricks were visible. The green metal supports in the turbine hall, on the other hand, were cleaned using the dry ice blasting process. This technique involves blasting the dirty surface with dry ice pellets. At the moment of impact, the dry ice changes from a solid to a gaseous state (sublimation), penetrates the dirt and detaches it from the surface through the increase in volume in the course of sublimation, without causing any damage to the wall itself. At the same time, the difference in temperature and the velocity of impact combine to loosen the dirt. “Even particularly stubborn patches of dirt still clinging to the walls were successfully treated using this technique,” explains Sebastian Wein. Once all the walls and metal supports in the entire turbine hall were shining like new, it was then time for the artistic part of the “Kärcher for Art” cooperation.

On one wall of the hall, Ralf Schmerberg has created “reverse graffiti” – whereby pictures and motifs appear while patches of dirt are being systematically removed. Ralf Schmerberg chose the typeface for his reverse graffiti and created the appropriate stencils himself. The wall surrounding the stencils was then cleaned using hot water high-pressure cleaners. Through the contrasting effect of light and dark between the cleaned and the dirty surfaces emerged the words: “The world is full of pain”.

After just under three weeks’ activity under the slogan “Cleaning and Art”, the final task of cleaning the floors with a sweeper was completed.

In ihrem Bericht aus Deutschland informiert uns Katja Scholz über ein Sonderprojekt, bei dem es um eine Zusammenarbeit zwischen der Welt der Kunst und der professionellen

Reinigungsbranche geht.

Dalla Germania, la corrispondente Katja Scholz ci parla di uno speciale progetto di collaborazione fra il mondo delle arti e il settore del cleaning professionale.

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WASHROOM HYGIENE

Is your toilet watching?

Today’s “smart” washrooms can do everything from counting visitor numbers and gathering refill data to checking the user’s health – and even talking to you. But is such a high level of technology always a good thing, or could it become an unwelcome intrusion in a space that is supposed to be private, asks Ann Laffeaty?

Washrooms are becoming smarter all the time. Technology is now widely used in public facilities to prevent the user from having to physically touch the taps, flush systems or dispensers. And it is also being employed to count visitor numbers and monitor the usage of consumables such as soap and toilet paper.

However, some public facilities are going even further with their use of technology. For example, Japanese company Toto is currently developing a lavatory that uses artificial intelligence to analyse human waste. Sensors in the seat of the Wellness Toilet records the user’s pulse and blood pressure while analysing their waste via technology embedded in the bowl.

Meanwhile, New York’s Rochester Institute of Technology has pioneered a cloud-connected toilet that can track the user’s blood pressure, blood oxygen levels and other heart data. And more controversially, there are now public toilets in China that use facial recognition technology to limit people’s’ use of toilet paper.

The washroom visitor’s face is scanned before they are allowed access to paper, and they are then restricted from taking out any more for a seven-minute period.

The aim is to minimise waste and reduce over-consumption.

But intelligent toilets are hardly new.

In 2004 a cultural centre in Amsterdam

22 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

installed “talking toilets” as a novelty. The lavatories in the De Balie centre would interact with visitors and lightheartedly rebuke them for smoking, using too much toilet paper or failing to flush.

Virgin Trains introduced its own talking toilets in 2013 – not for fun this time, but to urge travellers to refrain from attempting to flush anything that could cause a blockage. And in September 2019, aircraft manufacturer Airbus announced plans to monitor toilet paper consumption and lavatory visits on board its planes with the use of technology. The company hoped that this would help address the problem of over-long queues.

However, high-tech toilets have their issues – and their critics. For example, the use of facial recognition toilet paper dispensers was paused in some parts of China in December 2020 amid fears that the data could be stored and used for other purposes.

Sensitive information And in December 2019, concerns were raised about a “wellness” toilet developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Designed to create a snapshot of the user’s lifestyle, the smart toilet contained sensors for assessing the user’s sleep patterns, exercise, medication and alcohol and caffeine intake. But there were fears that hackers could access this sensitive information en route to the user’s physician.

So can a toilet become too “smart” for its own good? And should there be limits on the type and scope of information they gather?

Essity claims to have been at the forefront of the smart washroom revolution and offers digital services and consumption monitoring systems. Tork EasyCube uses connected devices in washrooms to gather data on dispenser refill levels and visitor numbers. This information can then be accessed remotely by cleaners via a smartphone or tablet.

“Data-driven cleaning provides cleaners with real-time information that allows them to work out where they are likely to

be needed most - and when,” said communications director Renée Remijnse.

“The use of this data and connectivity in general can result in many gains in terms of efficiency and washroom quality.”

She feels that facial recognition systems for limiting paper use - such as the type pioneered in China - are ultimately unnecessary because consumption reduction can be achieved much more simply.

“A single-sheet dispensing system will reduce the amount of toilet tissue taken out at any one time while also ensuring continuous refill availability,” she said. The Tork SmartOne dispenser is claimed to reduce toilet paper use in this way.

However, Essity sees some value in smart toilets that can perform health analysis. “We partner with innovative washroom concept companies such as OneHundred Restrooms which offers various health checks, and we see great potential for the washroom in becoming a health or well-being centre going forward,” she said.

But privacy is also important, according to Remijnse. “We value customers’ privacy and are keen to ensure Tork EasyCube improves hygiene and efficiency without interfering with customers’ day-to-day visits to public places,” she said. “People don’t want to feel watched - especially when they’re in the washroom.”

Efficiency and quality All in all she feels that smart washrooms in general are a positive step forward. “There are many efficiency and quality gains to be made through the use of data and connectivity,” she said.

“But this data alone will not make a difference - it’s all about interpreting that information and offering customised improvement opportunities.”

Diversey’s retail and distribution European marketing director Angelika Koppe is unconvinced about the phenomenon of toilets that can monitor the user’s health or that use facial recognition technology to limit toilet paper use. “In my personal view this is an invasion of

WASHROOM HYGIENE privacy,” she said.

However, Diversey is currently considering the introduction of washroom monitoring systems. “I think this is the future,” says Koppe. “Smart washroom systems will automatically flag up when a certain number of visitors have frequented the facilities, and this will indicate that the toilet needs to be cleaned.

“These systems will also monitor refill levels of soap and paper towel dispensers. So they will be a real benefit and will ensure washrooms stay clean while also offering a consistent level of hygiene.”

Hagleitner has recently launched its own dispenser monitoring system that transmits real-time data on washroom consumption, fill levels and energy status.

Facility managers are able to adjust the dispensing volume and interval for each dispenser and can gather data on how often individual dispensers have been activated.

“This opens up the possibility of analysing not only the number of hand hygiene episodes, but also the level of user compliance,” says the company’s junior product manager washroom hygiene Bernhard Binderitsch. “Corrective action may then be taken where necessary.”

He believes connectivity can help to improve a dispenser’s efficiency. “Being able to monitor dispensers from the palm of your hand allows you to streamline cleaning routes while also significantly reducing waste, thereby maintaining a high level of efficiency and hygiene,” he said.

De plus en plus, les toilettes collectives se font « intelligentes » en étant dotées de dispositifs pour compter les usagers et surveiller l’utilisation de l’équipement. Dans le même temps, on a commencé à explorer le déploiement possible de sanitaires capables d’analyser les urines et de détecter toutes anomalies de la fréquence cardiaque. Jusqu’où doit être portée l’intelligence des toilettes collectives ?

Celles de demain seront-elles un outil susceptible de produire de données de santé utiles ? Si tel est le cas, convient-il de saluer une telle évolution ?

He believes that any toilet-based health-monitoring system should only be activated with the visitor’s consent.

“People should be offered a choice as to whether or not they want to make use of these kinds of systems,” he said.

The fact an increasing number of washrooms are becoming “smart” is positive news according to Gojo’s UK and Ireland managing director Chris Wakefield.

“Today’s technology includes touch-free dispensers and toilets that close and flush automatically – and there’s no doubt the washrooms of the future will become even smarter both in terms of monitoring usage and equipment installed,” he said.

Touch-free dispensers offer other benefits besides hygiene, he adds. “Where they are programmed to release an exact dose of product they can help to reduce

mess and waste.” Gojo is currently working on a dispenser that enables operatives to monitor refill levels at a glance.

Brightwell Dispensers’ business development manager Kate Williamson feels the use of technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in the washroom. “There are clear indications that smart washroom monitoring systems will become more commonplace in the future, and this is definitely where the market is being driven,” she said. “Assessing the use of consumables in high footfall washrooms can provide facilities managers with much better control of their resources.”

Brightwell is in the process of developing a number of smart solutions, she says.

“Smart washroom monitoring systems will help to prevent staff members from having to make unnecessary trips to check on stock levels, enabling facility managers to plan their inventory more accurately and improve staff scheduling,” she said.

And she believes toilets capable of monitoring the health of the user could become a valuable asset. “From a privacy viewpoint there would need to be a certain level of trust placed in those agencies charged with collecting, collating and analysing the data,” she said. “But no-one wants to see a repeat of the last 12 months.

“If smart toilets could provide early detection of a disease that might later become an epidemic - then yes, they could be highly valuable. And any preventative measures should surely become a priority whatever form they might take.”

Die Entwicklung von „intelligenten“ Waschräumen, die die Besucherzahlen zählen und die Nutzung überwachen, wird in zunehmendem Maße vorangetrieben. Gleichzeitig wird auch bei Toiletten, die den Urin analysieren und die Herzfrequenz auf Anomalien prüfen, wegweisende Arbeit geleistet.

Aber wie intelligent sollen unsere Waschräume sein? Werden die Toiletten von morgen dazu dienen, um wichtige Daten und Gesundheitsprüfungen bereitzustellen, und wenn ja, ist dies wünschenswert?

Vengono sviluppate un numero sempre maggiore di sale da toilette “smart” che permettono di conteggiare il numero di visitatori e di monitorare l’uso. Parallelamente, sono in fase di sperimentazione delle toilette che analizzano l’ urina degli utenti e controllano le anomalie della frequenza cardiaca.

Ma fino a che livello di “smart” vogliano che siano le nostre sale da toilette? Le toilette del futuro saranno lo strumento per fornire dati importanti e fare dei controlli sanitari? E se così fosse, sarebbe una situazione auspicabile?

And as far as toilet paper facial recognition systems are concerned he says: “Some people might perceive these types of systems to be an invasion of privacy. But reducing paper consumption is important.”

Hagleitner tackles this problem by means of an integrated brake in its Xibu hybrid toilet paper system and a delivery time delay on its Xibu towel dispensers.

“The Xibu app allows facility managers to adjust the dispensing interval on a five-point scale, ranging from economical time delay to ultrafast frequency,” explained Binderitsch.

Visitor consent

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 23

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• Du fait qu’un tampon hygiénique biodégradable ne peut se mettre dans un sac en plastique, Packing90 a développé un nouveau sac compostable en papier brun recyclé.

• Neu von Sanimaid ist der WC Stain Remover, mit dem laut eigenen Angaben Kalkablagerungen auf eine neue, intelligente Weise entfernt werden können.

• Mithilfe der intelligenten Technologie Hygiene Eye, die in die Waschraumspender Tubeless von Delt Papir integriert sind, werden Verbrauchsmaterialien kontrolliert und verwaltet.

• Da biologisch abbaubare Damenbinden nicht in einen Plastikbeutel gesteckt werden dürfen, hat Packing90 einen neuen kompostierbaren Beutel in recyceltem braunem Karton entwickelt.

• La novità della Sanimaid è il prodotto WC Stain Remover che vanta di rimuovere le macchie di calcare in modo nuovo e intelligente.

• La tecnologia smart Hygiene Eye, di cui sono dotati i dispenser per sale da toilette Tubeless della Delt Papir controlla e gestisce i prodotti di consumo.

• La Packing90 ha sviluppato un nuovo sacchetto per rifiuti compostabile prodotto in carta marrone riciclata per lo smaltimento degli assorbenti biodegradabili che non possono essere smaltiti nei sacchetti di plastica.

24 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

Cleans toilets New from Sanimaid is the WC Stain Remover, designed to remove limescale stains from the toilet bowl. This patented product consists of a handle and loose abrasive pads which are attached with Velcro. These pads can be used several times, or separate refill pads can be purchased.

The handle has built-in Microban technology which actively kills bacteria on contact. www.sanimaid.dk

Smart eye

Delt Papir has developed Hygiene Eye Smart Technology for control, monitoring and managing paper supplies in its Tubeless dispensers.

Dispensers and room sensors featuring Hygiene Eye continuously monitor footfall and when product is used, send real-time data through a secure hub to a cloud-based platform. Only one Hygiene Eye Hub is needed per facility and real-time push notification alerts are sent to paired handheld devices allowing cleaning operatives to monitor dispenser status, product consumption and facility usage.

The Hygiene Eye App dashboard allows building managers to monitor the facility - helping improve efficiency, reduce wastage, control spending and deliver consistent service standards.

Dispensers can also be remotely programmed through the app. www.tubeless.com

Compostable

As feminine hygiene products become more environmentally sustainable, with biodegradable sanitary pads now available, Packing90 has developed a bag dispenser with compostable bags. Made from recycled brown packaging, they come in boxes of 24 refills with 25 interleaved bags each. www.packing90.com

PRODUCTS: WASHROOM HYGIENE

Dispenses foam

need to open the dispenser to check the product level. rubbermaidcommercial.eu

One-wipe-clean

The LumeCel AutoFoam dispenser from Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) is battery-free and no-touch, featuring hygienically sealed refills to avoid cross-contamination.

The unit is powered by a rechargeable energy system that captures energy from any indoor or natural light source. It is also compatible with a wide variety of soap and hand sanitiser formulations.

And LumeCel offers concentrated dosing, providing more applications per refill (up to 2,750), and an LED refill level indicator meaning there is no

New from Kimberly-Clark Professional is the Scott Control Mini Twin Centrefeed Toilet Tissue system. Launched as part of the company’s 360 Hygiene & Protection programme, the new dispenser features a one-wipeclean design with no shut lines of key holes. This, the company says, ensures optimum levels of hygiene.

Featuring fully enclosed, protected rolls for touchless dispensing, the system avoids cross-contamination as users

only touch one sheet. Controlled single sheet dispensing reduces paper usage.

Kimberly-Clark says the twin design delivers 100 per cent tissue availability and reduces the need for refills. The fact it has 1,666 sheets and 408 metres of tissue per fully loaded dispenser makes it suitable for busy washrooms in high footfall venues. www.kcprofessional.com

Sheet by sheet MP Hygiene has made some improvements to its Autocut hand towel dispenser to make it quieter and smoother while still maintaining its robustness.

This automatic model features sheet-by-sheet cutting, no-touch operation and controlled consumption.

The towel level can be constantly monitored visually, refilling is simple and towel capacity is high. www.mphygiene.com

• Le distributeur LumeCel AutoFoam de RCP assure le débit de mousse sans contact et sans batterie.

• Kimberly-Clark Professional a lancé le système double à papier hygiénique Scott Control Mini Twin Centrefeed.

• Proposé par MP Hygiene, le distributeur Autocut de serviettes en papier débite celles-ci feuille par feuille.

• Der LumeCel AutoFoam Spender von RCP bietet batterielose, berührungslose Handschaumbereitstellung.

• Neu von Kimberly-Clark Professional ist das Scott Control Mini Twin Toilettenpapiersystem mit Zentralentnahme.

• Der Autocut Handtuchspender von MP Hygiene bietet eine blattweise Ausgabe.

• Il dispenser touch free LumeCel AutoFoam prodotto dalla RCP eroga schiuma per le mani e non ha batterie • La novità della Kimberly-Clark Professional è il sistema di carta igienica Scott Control Mini Twin Centrefeed Toilet Tissue System.

• Il dispenser di asciugamani in carta Autocut della MP Hygiene eroga asciugamani foglio a foglio.

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 25

PRODUCTS: WASHROOM HYGIENE

• Hagleitner propose désormais la surveillance de distributeurs en temps réel grâce à ses distributeurs XIBU Hybrid.

• Auto Pod est le nouveau distributeur automatique de serviettes de réserve de Kennedy Hygiene.

• Le fabricant de papier de soie Cheeky Panda est certifié B Corp, Ami des végaliens, Exempt de cruanté et d’origine 100 pour cent FSC. • La nouvelle plateforme Hygiene & Care de Lucart intègre information, outils de soutien et produits pour toilettes collectives.

• Die XIBU Hybrid Spender von Hagleitner bieten jetzt EchtzeitÜberwachung.

• Bei Auto Pod handelt es sich um den neuen automatischen Spender mit einer Reserve-Papierrolle von Kennedy Hygiene.

• Tissuehersteller Cheeky Panda ist eine zertifizierte B Corporation, veganfreundlich, pestizidfrei und 100 Prozent FSC-zertifiziert.

• Im Rahmen der neuen Hygiene & Care Platform von Lucart werden Informationen, Hilfsmittel und Waschraumprodukte integriert.

• La Hagleitner offre ora il monitoraggio delle erogazioni in tempo reale mediante i suoi dispenser XIBU Hybrid.

• Auto Pod è il nuovo dispenser automatico di rotoli di asciugamani in carta con rotolo di riserva della Kennedy Hygiene.

• L’azienda produttrice di carta Cheeky Panda è certificata B Corp, Vegan Friendly, Cruelty-Free e certificata al 100 per cento FSC. • La nuova piattaforma Hygiene&Care della Lucart integra informazioni, strumenti di supporto e prodotti per le sale da toilette.

26 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

Real-time Hagleitner’s eight different XIBU hybrid devices dispense hand disinfectant, toilet seat disinfectant, toilet paper, toilet paper moisturiser, foam/cream soap, hand paper towels, skin protectant/care, and air freshener.

At the same time, they transmit real-time data about their individual consumption, fill level, and energy status - via a LAN/ Wi-Fi or SIM-operated gateway, or Bluetooth, to a secure

cloud database. This data can be accessed through an app (Hagleitner XIBU app) on smartphones and tablets, and through a digital facility management tool (Hagleitner senseMANAGEMENT) on laptops and PCs. The app allows adjustment of dispenser settings - such as dose or interval - for each individual unit. And the facility management tool enables users to keep statistics on aspects such as how often each hand disinfectant dis-

penser has been activated and how much product per activation has been dispensed. www.hagleitner.com

Automatic Kennedy Hygiene Products’ Auto Pod offers automatic paper roll towel delivery via capacitive sensing: the singleuse paper self-presents and the automatic follow-on feature presents paper in advance of the next operation.

Thanks to its automatic reserve feature, the new roll automatically loads itself once the first roll has finished, making sure no paper is wasted. Additional features include changeable paper length and presentation modes. kennedy-hygiene.com

Certified Tissue company Cheeky Panda is certified B Corp, Vegan Friendly, Cruelty-Free and 100 per cent FSC sourced. And its

bamboo tissue boasts a 65.5 per cent reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional trees-based tissue.

The entire range is also carbon balanced through The World Land Trust, helping clients reduce scope 3 carbon emissions. Not only that, products can help customers reduce single-use plastics on site - with toilet roll and facial tissue being plastic-free. cheekypanda.com

Next ECJ - June/July

Integrated The Hygiene&Care platform from tissue and dispenser specialist Lucart Professional integrates information, support tools and products.

The platform offers useful knowledge on reducing the risk of infection in the workplace through appropriate hygiene practices, along with tools to raise safety and hygiene standards. It supports that then with specific products. www.lucartprofessional.com

PRODUCTS: WASHROOM HYGIENE

Continuous

The Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel Dispenser from Essity ensures a long-lasting supply of towels because it serves more than 1,000 guests between refills.

Designed to be easy to use even for people with low hand strength – is the high-capacity Tork Skincare dispenser. Each refill contains 2,500 shots of soap compared with around 1,000 in most liquid soap systems, and the cartridge can be snapped into place in seconds to reduce maintenance.

For digital monitoring of soap

and paper refills there’s the Tork EasyCube, which works via a smartphone or tablet. And designed to help businesses improve their washroom offering when reopening after the pandemic is Essity’s ‘secure the new hygiene standard’ web portal. This one-stop resource hub for businesses includes downloadable posters, washroom checklists, hand hygiene facts and a series of Tork Back to Business Toolkits. www.tork.co.uk/safeatwork

Sustainable Katrin tissue products from Metsä Tissue carry the Nordic Swan or EU Ecolabel, and the company has been awarded the platinum level Eco Vadis rating, putting it in the top one per cent of sustainable companies.

Its self-presenting towels boast strong absorbency which reduces product consumption - thereby impacting positively

on the environment. Metsä also says they reduce cost in use with large capacity solutions that lower time and effort spent on maintenance and logistics. www.metsatissue.com

Safe distance SafeCount from Irisys uses accurate people counting sensors to automatically count people as they enter and exit the washroom. When the preprogrammed occupancy limit is met, connected display signage updates in real time to alert and notify other building users that the washroom is at capacity.

This prevents overcrowding and maintains social distancing.

The sensors use an anonymous sensing technology that does not rely on cameras and does not capture any personally identifiable information. Data gathered can be used to optimise cleaning schedules. www.irisys.net

• Le distributeur continu PeakServe de serviettes en papier proposé par Essity garantit un long approvisionnement en serviettes.

• Metsä fait valoir l’absorbance de ses serviettes en tant que moyen de réduire la consommation.

•Proposé par Irisys, le SafeCount effectue le comptage automatique de personnes entrant et sortant de toilettes collectives.

• Der Tork PeakServe EndlosHandtuchspender von Essity stellt eine langanhaltende Versorgung mit Handtüchern sicher.

• Metsä teilt mit, dass die Katrin Papierhandtücher dank starker Saugfähigkeit einen verringerten Produktverbrauch bieten.

•SafeCount von Irisys verwendet Personenzählsensoren, um automatisch Menschen zu zählen, wenn sie einen Waschraum betreten und verlassen.

• Il dispenser Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel Dispenser della Essity assicura una fornitura duratura di asciugamani.

• La Metsä afferma che i suoi asciugamani in carta Katrin sono molto assorbenti e quindi riducono il consumo del prodotto stesso.

•SafeCount della Irisys utilizza dei sensori per il conteggio automatico delle persone che entrano ed escono dalle sale da toilette.

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 27

WHEN HYGIENE E MATTERS RS MOST. The coronavirus pandemic is emphatic proof of how important preventive hygiene is in our day-to-day lives. It is possible to achieve effective disinfection using sustainable products – anywhere that people meet.

Professional Kärcher steam cleaners are proven, HACCPcertified systems and inactivate epidemic viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, norovirus and adenovirus to 99.99%* and bacteria to 99.999%**. kaercher.com

* According to EN 16615, PVC surface, test device SG 4/4 and SGV 6/5 (SGV 8/5 by analogy), test g germ: erm: MVA, murine norovirus, adenovirus (except hepatitis B virus), under low organic load. ** When cleaning with a professional Kärcher steam cleaner with a cleaning speed of 30 cm/s and maximum steam pressure, 99.999% of all bacteria are killed on typical smooth and hard surfaces (as per EN 16615:: 2015-06, PVC floor, test bacteria: Enterococcus hirae ATCC® 10541).

WASHROOMS OF THE FUTURE

The wellbeing washroom Photo: Alwin Kroon

Because of COVID-19 there has been a shift in customer perception towards public washrooms in terms of hygiene levels expected. Users also want a better all-round experience when they visit a washroom as awareness around health and wellbeing grows. Marielle Romeijn at ONE HUNDRED restrooms explains more.

Whilst cleanliness has always been important, today feeling safe about the hygiene of public spaces is front of mind now more than ever. After all, hygiene and health go hand in hand. Hygiene wasn’t a liability before. It is now.

Due to Covid-19 there has been a shift in customers’ perception towards public toilets. Some facts from a recent research conducted by MSI-ACI for ONE HUNDRED restrooms with 4,546 participants in eight countries show the urgency to meet the new and evolving customer requirements: • Fifty-nine per cent agree that public spaces such as train stations, petrol stations, shopping centres and municipalities give too little priority to the quality of their experience and hygiene of toilets.

• Sixty-seven per cent agree that the quality and hygiene of the toilets is a clear indicator for the general hygiene of a public space.

• Fifty-nine per cent evaluate the presence of high-quality, hygienic toilet facilities in public spaces more critically due to Covid-19.

• For 31 per cent, a bad experience with the quality and hygiene of toilet facilities in a public space is a reason to visit this place less often or to stay for a shorter period of time.

• Thirty-three per cent would use a health check in public toilet facilities when offered.

Looking at the facts, you can only conclude that the general public not only wants a better experience but will demand much higher hygiene standards due to Covid-19. This will become even more of a priority for them in consideration of their own health and wellbeing in the coming years. The awareness for the importance of prevention and sustaining wellbeing is growing everyday. Enabling health and hygiene solutions will definitely become more of a priority in any public location.

Untapped area If you think about it, it’s quite simple in theory and time for a transformation, however to deliver this to the next level requires much more thought and innovations. These days everything from equipment to lifestyles is connected and smart, yet the ‘washroom’ is still a very untapped area. Whilst focus has been on aesthetics to the washroom experience and its hardware there’s not been much innovation and washrooms still reflect basic principles that have been around for hundreds of years. Don’t you find that is remarkable, since public washrooms and specifically the toilet is the perfect environment for a short wellbeing break as part of the daily routine? It’s that moment of ‘me-time’ and evidence shows that such micro-breaks are helpful for wellbeing, life satisfaction, and health.

The Covid-19 effect Covid-19 has brought to the forefront an accelerated development of new design standards that are quickly becoming the norm for any public washroom. With innovation primarily focused on the prevention of the transmission of viruses and bacteria new design rules have been defined to take into consideration improved ventilation, air humidity, modified layouts, antibacterial finishes with zero touch solutions to avoid direct hand contact with tapss, flush plates and urinals.

To monitor and guarantee the hygiene and quality standards, smart washroom solutions like sensors, water flow meters

and other IoT services are necessary. They are a must for any high footfall location looking to increase hygiene standards and reduce operational costs, while enhancing the customer experience and duration of stay, in turn giving the general customers a feeling of being informed and valued.

Hygiene and quality From the MSI-ACI research we know that 67 per cent think that broken parts in public washrooms give the impression that not enough attention has been paid to the quality of the services and hygiene.

Fifty-five per cent feel safer if the washrooms are staffed continuously instead of regular cleaning visits. Full focus on quality and hygiene is one of the biggest challenges in high footfall locations.

The good news is that there are professional companies such as ONE HUNDRED which have the answer and offer turnkey design solutions, including a fully automated operation of staffed public washrooms. These companies offer paid toilet services with a high quality experience.

Operators of high footfall locations like shopping malls, airports or train stations sometimes hesitate to offer a paid solution, because it has always been believed that toilets should be a free service for their customers. However, research shows that customers are more than happy and prepared to pay for high quality services rather than using low standard toilets for free, especially when they get a good deal with additional value. The average amount people are willing to pay for high quality, clean toilets with extensive services is €1.21 in Europe. This means people value a good toilet experience, especially women and people with children.

Apart from an increased focus on hygiene the growing interest in health and preventive wellbeing will have an effect on the future of washrooms. Already we see temperature checks, frequent testing, and other measures such as vital body statistics becoming part of the service offer in public spaces. The MSI-ACI survey shows Continued page 30

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 29

WASHROOMS OF THE FUTURE The wellbeing washroom (continued) that 41 per cent would use a temperature measurement service and 33 per cent would use a health check, when offered during the toilet break. This shows that the washroom is the perfect environment for taking care of yourself. It’s a space associated now and in the future with wellbeing, based on relaxation of the body and mind.

In fact, clean and safe toilets are fundamental for health.

Complementary services So, what impact do we think these trends will have on public washrooms?

Apart from the accelerated introduction of the ‘new normal’ design rules, more developments and innovation will impact the future of public washrooms, becoming health and wellbeing hubs. First of all, the atmosphere will become increasingly important. Think about personalised light, sound and even scent experiences to create the optimal atmosphere for relaxation and privacy, with complementary services like meditation booths and energy pods. Secondly, the increased focus on the health of our planet will steer the choice of materials and the use and control of water and energy. Last but not least, technology will safeguard the quality of the operations, give insights to ensuring the services are always available and will support preventive health and wellbeing of the users. With the help of artificial intelligence, people will become aware of potential changes in their health condition months, or even years, before symptoms

La pandémie du SARS-Cov-2 a conduit le public à exiger une hygiène accrue dans les toilettes collectives. En s’y rendant, le public tend aussi à demander davantage en termes de bien-être et de santé. Marielle Romeijn, représentant ONE HUNDRED Restrooms, fournit de plus amples précisions sur cette question.

30 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

appear. Why is this important? Because more and more people are looking for ways to monitor their complete wellbeing continuously, without having to change their daily routines. It should be invisible, and ‘always-on’.

Washrooms of the future will become one of the greatest medical innovations of our time. How? • Internet-connected toilets will appear, safeguarding health by using discreetly placed sensors and artificial intelligence to analyse urine and waste.

• Smart toilets could detect early signs of disease or viruses and help people manage their wellbeing.

• Data from smart toilets in public bathrooms could give insights into public health, predicting outbreaks.

• Smart mirrors will be added to track body temperature and vital body statistics and detect anomalies.

• These smart mirrors also interact by playing skin care tutorials reminding the user to apply sunscreen based on that individual’s plan for the day together with the weather forecast.

In short: the washroom will become a science centre furnished with devices with multiple smart sensors, that also happen to work like a toilet, sink or a mirror monitoring all kinds of wellbeing data.

And this data will play a central role in the future of health, together with data from a variety of other relevant sources. It will all be merged seamlessly and intuitively

to create a highly personalised picture of every consumer’s wellbeing. Every toilet visit will become a five-minute wellbeing boost; a moment to relax and recover and to feel refreshed and rewarded.

Durch Covid-19 hat sich die Wahrnehmung der Kunden im Hinblick auf die in öffentlichen Waschräumen erwartete Hygiene verschoben.

Aufgrund des wachsenden Bewusstseins für Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden möchten die Benutzer insgesamt ein besseres Erlebnis, wenn sie einen Waschraum besuchen. Näheres dazu von Marielle Romeijn von ONE HUNDRED restrooms.

A causa del COVID-19 c’è stato un cambiamento nella percezione del cliente circa i bagni pubblici in termini di igiene previsti. Gli utenti esigono una migliore esperienza a tutto tondo quando utilizzano un bagno pubblico grazie all’aumentare della consapevolezza verso la salute e il benessere. Marielle Romeijn della ONE HUNDRED restrooms ci spiega meglio.

Let’s transform together The standard for clean toilets on-thego is stepping into the future, changing rapidly. Still only a very small number of the challenges are resolved. There is a common understanding on the importance of high standard washrooms as one of the main drivers for customer satisfaction, but the majority of high footfall locations are missing in action, whilst this is the moment to make a difference. The importance of technology, continuous innovation and cooperation are the key to success. For this transformation to occur, we must connect the dots, linking new information to old, join forces and think big and make a change. Together we shape the journey and make the transformation happen.

Recently a new initiative has been launched to guide industry development and promote growth across the ecosystem: the Digital Bathroom Association (DBA). Have a look at: digitalbathroomassociation.com This and other initiatives help to transform a washroom visit from a stressful, unemotional trip into a safe and comfortable visit to a wellbeing hub, that offers smart health and hygiene technologies enabling us to design the future together.

FLOOR POLISHING

Floor polishing made easy Does the task of floor polishing necessarily need to be a complex and time-consuming one? Ann Laffeaty talks to manufacturers about the difficulties involved in polishing a floor – and finds out about the equipment that that can help to ease the burden.

Floor polishing comes with plenty of caveats from the experts. If you make a mistake you may find yourself having to start all over again. If you use the wrong method you will run the risk of damaging the floor. And if you polish too infrequently the floor will begin to look so unsightly that it may be past saving.

But does it have to be this way? Can a hard floor surface be successfully polished both quickly and easily – and by an operative who has had little or no previous floor polishing experience?

Unfortunately the answer is generally no, according to IPC’s floorcare product manager Paolo Bassanini. “Floor polishing requires time, methodology and professionalism – plus a certain level of expertise,” he said. “And there is such a wide range of manual equipment, mechanical floor polishers and floor cleaning products available on the market that you need to choose carefully, otherwise you may end up with an unsatisfactory result or by damaging the floor.”

A regular maintenance regime will help to reduce polishing time while also improving the result, he adds.

Condition of floor “The condition of the floor will determine the most effective method to use - whether manual or mechanical - as well as how intensive the floor polishing task will need to be,” he says.

A machine will produce the best results,

according to Bassanini. IPC offers a range of single disc floor polishing machines operating at either high or low speeds as well as a choice of accessories and pads for use on hard, resilient, sanded and parquet floors. IPC machines are said to feature ergonomic handles to make them easy to manoeuvre even in furnished environments, while particular attention has been given to weight distribution and vibration dampening for enhanced operator comfort, according to Bassanini.

The complexity of the polishing task also heavily depends on the location of the floor in question, he says. “Let’s take for example the floors of a school, office, restaurant or community area,” he said.

“These types of floors experience a high level of traffic which means they will become dirty, grimy and dull over time - even if they have been regularly vacuumed, cleaned and mopped.

“Instead of replacing the floor, what is needed here is a complete professional cleaning and polishing job that will ensure the removal of dirt, scuff marks and all signs of wear.”

Kärcher’s floorcare product manager Christian Mrowka agrees that floor polishing tends to be a time-consuming task – and one that may need to repeated up to six times a year.

“There are many steps involved in achieving a high-gloss shine,” he said. “And it can be very complicated depending on the type of flooring involved, the condition it is in and the polishing method used. The methodology, machine choice, accessories and chemicals will all be determined by the type and condition of the floor.”

According to Mrowka, customers tend to consider factors such as speed and productivity when choosing a floor polishing system. “However, other factors such as user safety, performance and price are also very important,” he adds. “If you rush the polishing process it could permanently damage the floor, or it could produce uneven results which would lead to the need for unnecessary extra work.”

Some customers focus mainly on price, he adds – a policy he deems to be risky. “Lower quality products will be less productive and achieve poorer results,” according to Mrowka.

The Kärcher BDP 50/2000 RS standon polishing machine is claimed to offer higher levels of productivity and enhanced comfort in use while the Kärcher BDP 50/1500 C Ep operates at ultra-high speeds of 1500 rpm. This model is said to be easy to manoeuvre due to a central auxiliary impeller, while the simple controls are claimed to ensure intuitive handling.

Damage potential According to Mrowka, floors made from stone, marble and granite – particularly those bearing marks or stains - are among the most complex to polish. “These types of surfaces often require special attention,” he said. “A great deal of damage can be incurred if the wrong chemicals are applied to the floor or if the machine is used incorrectly.”

Factors such as stains, marks and dullness can also increase the complexity of the task, he adds. “Operators need to be able to deal with such issues,” he said.

“The accurate identification of the stain is key if the operator is going to be able to select the right chemical. All stains have very different characteristics – and an acid-based stain needs to be treated quite differently to a protein-based or solvent stain, for example.”

Anyone taking on the task of floor polishing should be able to correctly identity a floor’s composition and be trained in the safe use of machinery, he says. “They also need comprehensive training in chemical dosing practices,” he said. “And should be taught how they can achieve better results quickly and with reduced effort - while also preventing the floor from remaining out of action for any longer than necessary.”

While technically complex, there is no need for floor polishing to be physically Continued page 36

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 35

FLOOR POLISHING Floor polishing made easy (continued) difficult, according to Mrowka. “The latest stripping agents, floor pads, machines and floor finishes are all designed to improve productivity, performance, ergonomics and comfort,” he said. “Selecting the right polishing method, machine, accessories and chemicals will ensure great results along with high productivity and operator comfort. And there’s no need to use a big, heavy machine.”

Good results are achievable with the use of light, ergonomic machines combined with well-chosen accessories and chemicals, he says, adding that the fastest and most ergonomic results will be produced with a polishing machine operating at 1,500 revolutions or more.

The recent increase in labour costs has highlighted the importance of productivity - and there are new products coming out to address this, he says. “New stripping agents, pads, machines and finishes are frequently being launched to improve productivity and reduce the total cost of the

Le polissage de planchers doit-il obligatoirement constituer un travail complexe, ardu et chronophage?

ECJ interroge des fabricants sur les équipements qu’ils proposent pour que ce travail soit rapide, aisé et ergonomique.

36 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

floor polishing process,” he said. “These new products are able to achieve faster and more consistent results along with a good quality finish in a shorter timeframe.

And they put the focus firmly on ergonomics, productivity and total cost reduction.”

Trained staff Floor polishing is only difficult and timeconsuming when executed with the wrong equipment, according to Filmop’s export area manager Paolo Scapinello. “The use of functional and easy-to-use tools can make a big difference in simplifying the operation,” he said.

According to Scapinello, floor polishing needs to be carried out by trained personnel in order to achieve the best results.

However, he claims Filmop’s own polishing systems require little operator training and describes them as intuitive, ergonomic and user-friendly.

Unlike Mrowka he advocates the use of manual equipment. “The use of heavy

Muss das Polieren von Böden eine zeitaufwendige, komplizierte Knochenarbeit sein? Das ECJ befragt Hersteller nach den von ihnen angebotenen Geräten, die ein schnelles, einfaches und ergonomisches Polieren von Böden ermöglichen.

machinery will potentially lead to fatigue,” he says. “Manual tools, on the other hand, allow polishing to be carried out efficiently and will enable the operator to cover even those hard-to-reach areas that may be missed by machinery.”

Bending and stretching on the part of the operator should not be required when using ergonomic equipment, he says. “In the long term, cleaning operations that include extreme bending, repeated stretching and weight-handling can cause the development of work-related illnesses,” says Scapinello.

So, is there any way to make the task of floor polishing a quicker and easier one?

Yes - but only with the right equipment, says Scapinello. “In order to be able to polish quickly and effortlessly, operators need to be supplied with well-designed, user-friendly tools,” he said.

IPC’s Paolo Bassanini believes single disc machines are the answer. “With the movement of the brush or pad these are able to scrub, smooth and polish a floor with a single pass,” he said. “And using a machine can increase the lifespan of your floor while reducing the time spent working on it and achieving a high shine.”

And Kärcher’s Christian Mrowka claims a combination of the right polishing method, machinery, accessories and chemicals is crucial. “Selecting the right machine and accessories will ensure a higher level of productivity, better ergonomics and improved performance,” he said. “And it will also prove more comfortable for the operator and remove the need for a big, heavy machine.”

La lucidatura dei pavimenti deve essere necessariamente un lavoro complesso che richiede molto tempo e risulta massacrante per la schiena?

ECJ chiede ai produttori quali attrezzature offrono che permettono di lucidare i pavimenti in modo veloce, facile ed ergonomico.

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PRODUCTS: FLOOR POLISHING

Diamond pads Sign up to receive the free monthly ECJ email newsletter at the website

• Proposé par Diversey, Twister désigne un jeu de tampons de nettoyage de sols codés couleur qui sont imprégnés de milliards de diamants microscopiques.

• Schwamborn a développé une lustreuse oscillante, la OES 430.

• Le tampon de nettoyage des sols SmartScrub de Americo offre des économies en réduisant ou en éliminant le brunissage.

• Le revêtement résistant aux alcools Atlas de Amano Pioneer Eclipse résiste notamment aux désinfectants des mains et à l’iode.

• Bei Twister von Diversey handelt es sich um eine Reihe mit farbcodierten Bodenpads, die mit Milliarden von mikroskopischen Diamanten beschichtet sind.

• Schwamborn hat eine oszillierende Reinigungsmaschine entwickelt: die OES 430.

• Laut eigenen Angaben sorgen die SmartScrub Bodenpads von Americo für Kosteneinsparungen, da der Bedarf an Polieren verringert oder eliminiert wird.

• Atlas, die alkoholbeständige Bodenbeschichtung von Amano Pioneer Eclipse, wurde mit dem Ziel formuliert, beständig gegen Händedesinfektionsmittel und Jod zu sein.

Twister is a set of 13 colourcoded floor care pads from Diversey made from recycled plastics impregnated with billions of microscopic diamonds on the working side.

The increased floor quality achieved with Twister pads results in extended lifespan of both floor and pad, claims the company. The difference between the alternative colours is the size or mix of the diamonds.

Depending on the diamond mix impregnated in the pad, various applications can be performed.

The pads can be used with water alone, last three times longer than traditional products and significantly reduce the need for periodic maintenance, according to Diversey. They can reduce chemical usage by 100 per cent, floor pad costs by 66 per cent and weight of consumables by 98 per cent compared with traditional products. www.diversey.com

floor polishing. Those movements are called oscillations.

The company also offers relevant accessories, among them the diamond Furby pads manufactured exclusively for surface polishing. The bonding of the diamonds ensures dynamic 3D freedom of movement and a long service life. www.schwamborn.com

Smart pad Americo’s latest innovation is the SmartScrub cleaning and shining floor pad, designed to simplify the care of hard floors.

The company says it saves on labour and material costs by reducing or eliminating the burnishing process.

Claimed to last five times longer than traditional floor pads and effective using just water, SmartScrub cleans the floor while gradually increasing the shine with each use. It is designed for wet use with a lowspeed scrubber dryer or singledisc rotary machine and highly suited to daily maintenance.

Americo says it performs well on VCT, vinyl, sheet vinyl, ceramic tile, stone, terrazzo, concrete, marble, granite, and rubber. www.americomfg.com

Alcohol resistant

Oscillating • Twister della Diversey è un set di dischi per pavimenti con codice colore impregnati con miliardi di microscopici diamanti.

• La Schwamborn ha sviluppato una lucidatrice oscillante, il modello OES 430.

• I dischi per pavimenti SmartScrub della Americo vantano un risparmio di costi riducendo o eliminando la necessità di levigatura.

• Il rivestimento per pavimenti inattaccabile dall’alcool Atlas della Amano Pioneer Eclipse è creato per essere resistente al sanitizzante per le mani e allo iodio.

38 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

Schwamborn has introduced an oscillating cleaning machine, the OES 430. This is claimed to operate particularly quietly at 1,410 oscillations per minute.

As well as rotating, the discs on the machine also move simultaneously in every horizontal direction - this enhances the cleaning effect, particularly in

Amano Pioneer Eclipse has developed Atlas alcohol resistant floor coating, a repairable and removable finish specially formulated to be resistant to alcohol hand sanitiser and iodine.

Atlas uses a polymer emulsion blend to produce a durable floor coating that is also repairable and removable with standard processes. This single component formula does not require mixing or special equipment and application processes to achieve alcohol and iodine resistance. www.pioneereclipse.com

3 color codes Disposable pad

20m2 cleaning coverage

with only one disposable pad

Comfortable using

Cleaning efficiency with water by mechanical elimination Concept Manufacturing l All rights reserved

of micro organisms greater than 99.9%

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BUSINESS: COVID-RELATED FRAUD

How to make homeworking secure?

The Covid vaccines rollout gives us hope for a strong global economic recovery following the pandemic … but will do nothing to rid the world of another toxic menace that has fed on people’s fears over the past year, writes Hartley Milner.

Fraudsters will have rubbed their hands with greedy anticipation when the world locked down early in 2020. Millions of people suddenly found themselves working from home without the levels of security provided in their workplaces, leaving them vulnerable to a raft of elaborate scams devised to exploit the health crisis on an industrial scale.

Covid-related frauds that emerged almost overnight included social media platforms and fraudulent websites advertising PPE products, phoney charity appeals for money to develop Covid drugs and fake email and text alerts purporting to be from public health authorities but actually containing malicious software.

Among the most insidious were phishing emails designed to trick people into clicking on links that download malware providing access to an

40 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

organisation’s IT systems.

Global policing agency Interpol reported recently that “significant volumes” of phishing scams were detected by around two-thirds of its member countries. There is also a vast amount of fake news and misinformation in circulation about the virus or casting doubt on the effectiveness of the vaccines. Ransomware attacks, in which users have to pay large sums to get their computer working again, are also on the rise. From January to April last year, some 907,000 spam messages, 737 incidents involving malware and 48,000 malicious URLs – all related to Covid-19 – were detected by one of Interpol’s private sector partners.

“Cybercriminals are developing and boosting their attacks at an alarming pace, exploiting the fear and uncertainty caused by the unstable social and economic situation created by Covid-19,” said Interpol secretary-general Jürgen Stock.

“The increased online dependency for people around the world is also creating new opportunities, with many businesses and individuals not ensuring their cyber defences are up to date.”

Scams and cyber attacks have risen to record levels in almost every country over the months of the pandemic. The cost to the global economy is predicted to exceed $6 trillion annually by the end of 2021, up from $3 trillion in 2015, and rise to $10.5 trillion each year by 2025.

Not safe enough While Coronavirus is in retreat across much of the world, its impact on the way we work will likely be long lasting.

Surveys show that the majority of people who have worked from home during the lockdowns wish to continue doing so after the pandemic, at least for part of the time.

Homeworkers report having happier family lives, feeling less stressed not having long daily commutes and say they are spending less and are more productive.

However, many complain that not enough is being done to keep them safe from attack when online.

Employers are also increasingly coming round to accepting that remote working is here to stay, seeing significant cost savings for their organisations. In the UK, a poll of 350 employers across the private and public sector reveals that 85 per cent

BUSINESS: COVID-RELATED FRAUD

expect up to half of their employees to continue working from home over the next year. A quarter of employers say they will be looking to downsize their office space as a result. Almost all (97 per cent) agree that homeworking environments will need to be adapted if the trend is to be sustainable in the long term … including making them more cyber secure.

Transformation required “While many organisations were able to navigate the short-term technology challenges posed by the rapid increase in homeworking, further transformation is required for it to be effective in the long-term,” said Richard Beeston, product director at secure IT services provider DCS that commissioned the report. “To date, many homeworkers have simply ‘got by’ using their existing Internet connectivity, but this does pose both ongoing performance and cybersecurity challenges for many organisations. As homeworking models mature, we would expect to see increased investments in connectivity and security as remote access to systems, applications and data becomes the norm.”

Ensuring the safety of his staff was Martin’s first concern as head of communications for a pan-European prestige car dealership. Martin, who for security reasons asked ECJ to not use his full name or name his employer, had less than three weeks to prepare his team for working from home in early 2020.

Martin said: “It turned out to be a formidable logistical challenge, not least because as well as transitioning my communications staff I was also being expected to move the rapid-response engineers to remote working, and then manage the service they provide to customers. Not being my department, I didn’t have a clue about the IT systems and procedures the engineers depended on to perform their tasks, so I had a lot to learn, and I had to learn fast. I decided to look first at the common, basic provisions I would need to make to ensure both groups of workers were able to work happily from home. My priority concern was for the mental and physical wellbeing of everyone and keeping them motivated

Le déploiement de vaccins contre la covid offre la promesse d’une forte reprise de l’économie mondiale au terme de la pandémie, mais ne nous débarassera pas d’une autre menace toxique qui inquiète les gens depuis un an, écrit Hartley Milner. Il s’agit des nombreux escrocs qui ont trouvé des arnaques complexes pour tirer parti de la crise sanitaire.

during a period of huge disruption, and a big part of this would be to ensure they felt safe and secure.

“At the same time, I had to ensure that the company’s own security would not be compromised by the move to homeworking. Fortunately, I was able to access an IT consultancy that had experience of delivering remote systems.

They advised about the devices that could be used at home with minimal dependency on the company’s critical IT systems, so reducing their exposure to hacking. This included setting up a VPN (virtual private network) so that where a dependency was unavoidable the remote computers had secure and encrypted connections with the firm’s servers and homeworkers’ networked devices.

“Our people would not be allowed to use their own desktop computers, laptops, iPads and smartphones for company business because there was no guarantee they could be used securely. Employees could inadvertently expose company data to risk through their use of personal devices, and it was likely they would not be the only ones with access to them. So we provided equipment that had been purged of vulnerabilities and then made as secure as possible with up-to-date firewalls, antivirus software, anti-malware and other essential security protocols.”

Employees’ responsibility Martin said employees then needed to be reminded that it was their responsibility to stay safe at home. “I read somewhere that 95 per cent of cyber security breaches were due to human error, so scam and fraud awareness training was crucial,” he said. “During our weekly Zoom sessions, I have always banged on about the risks of working remotely and how they can be minimised, including when using unsecured public Wi-Fi on the occasions they are away from home. I regularly update the teams on emerging scams and ask them to log and report all suspicious emails and texts.”

Martin said he receives reports of suspicious activity from his teams most days, but any malicious software that may have been inadvertently uploaded onto

Der Einsatz der Covid-Impfstoffe gibt uns Hoffnung auf eine starke weltweite Erholung der Wirtschaft im Anschluss an die Pandemie. Dies wird jedoch leider nicht dazu beitragen, eine weitere toxische Bedrohung aus der Welt zu schaffen, die sich während des letzten Jahres an der Angst der Menschen genährt hat, schreibt Hartley Milner.

Dabei handelt es sich um die Betrüger, die eine Fülle von raffinierten Maschen ersonnen haben, um die Gesundheitskrise auszunutzen.

a device has always been neutralised by the firewalls. But he added: “We know we dare not drop our guard with scammers becoming evermore stealthy and probing.”

Homeworking will represent a weak link in a company’s cyber defences for some time to come, according to UK online security consultant Stan Ogilvy.

“For businesses, their employees’ safety at work is a top priority, which is why they invest a large portion of their annual budget into protecting their premises from cyber incursions,” he said. “But securing a premises where everyone is working under one roof is a far less challenging proposition than keeping hundreds of people secure when they are scattered across many different locations.

Sophisticated security “At the moment, it is simply too complex and expensive to make employees’ homes as secure as they really need to be. It is true, security systems and protocols are becoming more sophisticated, especially so over the past 12 months or so, but then so is the cybercriminals’ expertise in breaching them. And it has to be said that homeworkers may not always be as diligent as they could be in following security precautions when working from home.”

Ogilvy suggested speeding up the rollout of remote working hubs that provide a halfway house between working entirely from home and commuting daily to the office. He said the hubs are kitted out with desks and ICT services, superfast broadband, cloud-based software providing secure isolated connections and resilient encryption networks that deliver “corporation-grade” security.

“As part of a mixed-use policy for buildings left permanently empty by the pandemic, the hubs could play an important role in helping to rejuvenate local communities and high streets. Being able to walk, cycle or even run to work promotes a healthier workforce, and a reduced dependency on transport could help countries achieve their CO2 reduction targets. The issue now is not whether hybrid working has a future post-Covid but how to make it secure.”

La campagna vaccinale Covid ci dà delle speranze per una forte ripresa economica globale dopo la pandemia … ma non servirà a liberare il mondo da un’altra minaccia tossica che si è nutrita delle paure della gente nell’ultimo anno, come scrive Hartley Milner. Questa minaccia è causata dai numerosi truffatori che hanno escogitato una serie di elaborate truffe per trarre vantaggio dalla emergenza sanitaria.

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 41

DRY STEAM VAPOUR

Raising the bar on hygiene When cleaning to achieve a sanitised, safe environment it is vitally important to understand the difference between disinfection and decontamination.

Thomas Stücken at OspreyDeepclean explains how dry steam vapour technology can play a valuable role in creating a safe and clean environment – free from infection risk.

As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt the globe, the face of environmental hygiene needs to change, and we must adapt fast. We need to put standard cleaning practices under the microscope and raise the bar on what’s considered ‘standard practice’. When cleaning to achieve a sanitised, safe environment, understanding the difference between disinfection and decontamination is paramount, and how you can use Dry Steam Vapour (DSV) cleaning to tackle COVID-19 is useful in achieving this.

Let’s look at how COVID-19 can be transmitted, the different techniques to disinfect and decontaminate, as well as the role deep cleaning with Dry Steam Vapour technology plays.

One of the main vectors of COVID-19 transmission is when infected people cough or exhale and droplets land on surfaces and objects. Humans naturally rub their eyes, nose and touch their face and the consequences for touching infected surfaces increases the risk.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released ‘Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19 guidelines’, which recommends good hygiene practices are adhered to and states that one of the most effective ways to reduce transmission is washing hands with soap and water regularly to try and reduce the depositing of harmful microbes on touchpoints. While sound advice, it doesn’t go far enough to create a safe and clean envi-

ronment. We must take a similar approach to disinfection and decontamination of frequently touched surfaces to reduce the risk of repeated cross-contamination from surfaces to hands.

Maintaining a high level of environmental hygiene in your workplace is one of the best defences against infections from spreading. This includes deep cleaning, disinfection and decontamination.

There are four main physical and chemical means of disinfection and decontamination: (1) heat; (2) liquid disinfection; (3) vapourisation/fogging; and (4) radiation.

1. Heat/steam cleaning: although potentially paradoxical because of the use of water, the small levels of water used is super-heated to the point that the steam generated is ‘dry’ (moisture levels less than five per cent).

Steam cleaning is one of the most trusted and convenient means of safely removing pathogens and destroying bacteria and viruses. It can be used with or without chemicals or detergents for an eco-friendly clean. Is easy and quick to set up and can be utilised inside or outside, across all manners of surfaces, and as it ‘dry’ steam it can even be used on electricals.

Safe environments 2. Liquid disinfection: is your typical spray bottle filled with halogens - acids, alkalis, alcohol, halogens and chemical compounds. This has varying degrees of effectiveness, which hinge on the application, concentration, contact time and the biofilm they are looking to destroy, and how the liquid waste is disposed of.

3. Vapourisation/fogging: the same basic principle as steam sterilisation, but decontamination is achieved by using chemicals to kill microbes - differing from steam which lifts the microbes ready for physical removal. It can create safer environments for cleaning operatives within 10 minutes, but it should be coupled with physical deep cleaning.

4. Radiation: there are two core subcategories here: • Ionizing radiation- is not a practical

way of decontamination. It will destroy micro-organisms but it could destroy the health of cleaning operatives too!

• Non-ionizing radiation- such as UV is effective in destroying microorganisms in the air, water and on surfaces, however, that is dependent on whether or not the organisms are directly exposed to the UV light. If the organisms are shadowed or under dirt or dust they will be shielded, greatly limiting UV’s effectiveness. Deep cleans should be undertaken before UV decontamination takes place.

Good cleaning practices are the essential foundations for successful disinfection and decontamination. During the pandemic, it became evident that a greater focus on interval cleaning of hand surface contact areas were required for disinfection and decontamination to work.

Cleaning is the act of removing unwanted material from a surface or area.

These unwanted materials, be they dirt, dust and/or grime, can harbour harmful microbes. It is therefore vital to clean before engaging in any sort of disinfection or decontamination.

Disinfection is the process of eliminating up to 99.999 per cent of all known pathogenic (disease producing) microorganisms that latch onto bacterial biofilm that parades as grime, dirt, dust and other organic matter, typically with the help of chemical disinfectants.

Biofilms are communities of pathogens that live together and thrive under the protection of a sticky glue-like layer and are the leading cause of infections in hospitals.

Hospitals are among the most cleaned environments in the world, as patients are vulnerable, sick and high-risk. When a virus-like SARS CoV-2 latches onto biofilm in an unsterilised environment, you have a recipe for disaster. Now more than ever it’s imperative that you comprehensively disinfect areas as often as possible to reduce the risk of infection.

You can effectively disinfect surfaces Continued page 44

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 43

DRY STEAM VAPOUR The other two pillars (continued) and objects with the help of chemical disinfectants, but you need to be careful to choose the right products.

Decontamination eradicates all microbial contamination from materials, ensuring complete safety when you touch surfaces and objects. It plays an instrumental role in establishing a safe space for workers, customers and family members. Once you’ve destroyed the remnants of dangerous substances, like bacteria and viruses, you can be confident that you’re safe from the possible transmission of infections.

As public spaces start to open up it is just as important as ever to prepare and take precautionary measures. Reaching the highest possible level of environmental hygiene is paramount to ensuring safety.

Dry steam is unique in offering an all-inone product solution in the battle against bacteria and viruses. It achieves excellent

cleaning, disinfection and decontamination results via thermal and mechanical action of surface penetration and extraction to safely remove contaminants.

The SARS CoV-2 virus is enveloped by a fatty outer layer that’s susceptible to detergent and steam vapour. It penetrates common surfaces that are porous – like unvarnished wood — and/or have nonsmooth, textured and rough surfaces that harbour and hide biofilm and soil. Where manual cleaning isn’t possible, the Dry Steam Vapour reaches those areas and delivers a hygienic environment.

Scientific studies by OspreyDeepclean, UCLH (University College London Hospitals) and TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), focusing on the efficacy and removal of all biofilms and microbiological decontamination, demonstrated that Dry Steam Vapour per-

Dans les opérations de nettoyage visant à réaliser un environnement désinfecté et sûr, il est critique de comprendre la différence entre désinfection et décontamination. Thomas Stücken, de l’entreprise OspreyDeepclean, explique pourquoi le recours à la vapeur sèche peut jouer un rôle précieux dans la réalisation d’un environnement sûr et propre, protégeant des risques d’infection.

Bei der Reinigung mit dem Ziel, eine hygienisch saubere, sichere Umgebung zu schaffen, ist es von ausschlaggebender Bedeutung, den Unterschied zwischen Desinfektion und Dekontamination zu verstehen. Der bei OspreyDeepclean tätige Thomas Stücken erläutert, wie die Trockendampftechnologie bei der Schaffung einer sicheren und sauberen Umgebung – frei von Infektionsrisiken – eine wertvolle Rolle spielen kann.

44 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

formed equal to, or better than, conventional disinfection practices, achieving 4-6 log reduction.

Dry Steam technology with steam fogging attachments use three of the four main ways to decontaminate: 1. Heat: steam machines super-heat water to generate dry steam, which easily saturates soiling on all manner of surfaces, to lift any biofilm that may act as insulation, which can then easily be wiped away.

2. Liquid disinfectant: as the dry steam saturates soiling, it is loosened from the surface, either with the use of a HEPA level vacuum cleaner or with a microfibre cloth the liquid waste can safely be removed 3. Vapourisation/fogging: the superheated steam propels a disinfectant solution as a vapour onto surfaces, killing microbes quickly. ospreydc.com Quando si pulisce per ottenere un ambiente sicuro e igienizzato, è di vitale importanza capire la differenza fra disinfezione e decontaminazione. Thomas Stücken della OspreyDeepclean spiega come la tecnologia del vapore saturo secco può svolgere un ruolo prezioso nel creare un ambiente sicuro e pulito e senza rischi di infezioni.

BATTERIES

Has the Li-on become king?

Ann Laffeaty looks at the growing popularity of lithium ion batteries and asks manufacturers whether Li-ion is poised to become the battery of choice in the cleaning industry.

cleaners and scrubber dryers such as the BR 35/12 and the BR 45/22.

According to Becker, the tide is definitely shifting towards the use of lithium ion in cleaning. “There are clear signs of a switch towards the use of Li-ion in cleaning machines wherever it is technically possible,” he said. “And customers are actively searching for Li-ion solutions as the advantages of these batteries become more widely understood.”

The battery landscape has changed dramatically over the past few decades.

Most battery-operated cleaning machines used to be powered by flooded, AGM or gel products, all of which offer their own specific benefits. Flooded batteries are cheap and long-lasting while gel batteries are maintenance-free and spill-proof. And AGM batteries are low maintenance, require no watering and can be charged safely without the risk of emissions.

But then in the 1990s along came lithium ion. Mainly used in telecommunications equipment to begin with, lithium ion batteries are now powering everything from laptops to power tools and electric cars. And they are increasingly being used in cleaning machines as well where they offer numerous benefits over traditional models, according to Kärcher’s energy storage systems manager Jan Becker.

“These batteries require very little maintenance,” he said. “They also produce zero emissions, are low-noise and can be used indoors without any restrictions.”

Other advantages are a longer life cycle and a higher energy density, he adds. “The state-of-charge indicator is more reliable than with other types of battery as well which makes cleaning easier to control,” he said. “And the fact Li-ion machines offer faster charging capability and have a higher usage-to-charging ratio means the overall total cost of ownership is reduced.”

Li-ion batteries are used extensively in Kärcher’s compact floor cleaning machines and hand-held devices such as window vacs, high-pressure cleaners, vacuum

Higher investment He concedes the initial investment required for lithium ion is higher than that of lead acid batteries. “However, the overall total cost of ownership with Li-ion is very attractive compared with lead acid,” he adds.

Kärcher uses a range of batteries in its cleaning machines including cylindrical and prismatic Li-ion cell and traditional lead acid products. “Our range of machines powered by Li-ion will be extended significantly in due course, but we will also keep lead acid in our portfolio due to the lower investment,” he said.

Diversey’s global portfolio manager for TASKI machines Stefan Wilms also claims lithium ion offers a number of advantages over traditional models. “In most cases our TASKI IntelliPower lithium ion batteries will last as long as the machine itself,” he said. “They can also withstand up to four times as many cycles as traditional models and the technology is particularly robust against interrupted charging sessions.”

According to Wilms, the company’s batteries are capable of fully charging a scrubber dryer in 90 minutes. “The same process can take anything from six to 10 hours with a non-lithium battery,” he claims.

Like Becker he says the relatively high initial cost of lithium ion is a key disadvantage. “However, lithium ion batteries don’t need to be replaced – and this is a significant benefit in terms of the full lifetime cost,” he says.

The difficulty in recycling the batteries

can be a drawback, according to Wilms.

“It is still a relatively new technology and many recycling facilities don’t yet have a way to recycle them sustainably,” he said.

“However, we sense a change is on the way because recycling options in general are increasing month by month.”

Despite the advantages of lithium ion, he says traditional batteries remain a good option for price-sensitive customers and in situations where cleaning machines are only used periodically. “In these cases, traditional batteries will have an extended lifespan because they will be subject to fewer charging cycles and a lower level of wear,” he said.

The low weight of lithium ion is often quoted as an advantage, but he claims the increased weight of traditional batteries can actually be a benefit in some cases.

“The heaviness of some machines – particularly walk-behind scrubber dryers will generate brush pressure and enhance the cleaning performance with their own weight,” he said. Diversey’s lithium ionpowered machines that rely on weightgenerated brush pressure use additional weights to compensate for the lighter battery, says Wilms.

Definite shift Like other companies, Diversey has remarked a strong shift towards lithium ion. “In some cases it has been the enabler for the product itself,” said Wilms. “For example, the low weight and high energy density of lithium ion has allowed us to create cable-free offerings such as a backpack vacuum and an upright vacuum cleaner.”

He adds that the cost of lithium ion batteries has recently been reduced which has made them a more competitive option. Diversey uses TASKI IntelliPower batteries in several machines including the AERO Up and AERO BP vacuum cleaners and the AERO 3500 ride-on sweeper vacuum.

IPC floorcare products manager Paolo Bassanini has also witnessed an increasContinued page 46

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 45

BATTERIES Has the Li-ion become king? (continued) ing shift towards lithium ion.

“The long life of lithium ion batteries dramatically reduces the cost of battery replacement and maintenance,” he says.

“The fact these batteries are considerably smaller and lighter than lead acid models also allows manufacturers to design more compact, ergonomic machines around smaller lithium packs. And they can be charged more quickly than lead acid while requiring less energy to do so, resulting in a significantly reduced environmental impact.”

Some disadvantages However, he agrees with other commentators that there are disadvantages.

“Lithium ion batteries require a protection circuit to keep the voltage and power levels within safe limits,” he says. “The fact they are subject to regulatory controls also means they are more expensive and difficult to ship. And the cost of traditional batteries is still considerably lower than that of lithium ion - and they are less risky to store.”

IPC uses a range of batteries in its machines including gel and AGM products. “However, lithium ion batteries are installed as a standard in our new compact CT5 scrubber dryer and are available as an option on our CT15 and CT30 scrubber dryer models,” said Bassanini.

He believes the relatively high cost of lithium ion and the transport difficulties the batteries represent will remain a bar-

Les batteries au lithium offrent des avantages par rapport aux produits conventionnels, en particulier, une maintenance nulle, des recharges rapides et un faible poids. Assiste-t-on ainsi à l’adoption généralisée de batteries au lithium dans les machines de nettoyage ? Ou se peut-il que le prix relativement élevé de ces batteries empêche une telle évolution ? Nous examinons l’adoption de batteries au lithium par le secteur de la propreté, au regard de l’usage de batteries traditionnelles.

46 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

rier to their more widespread use. “This is despite the fact that lithium ion batteries are indisputably more productive and ecofriendly than traditional ones,” he adds.

Demand for lithium ion is growing in the cleaning sector, according to Battery Supplies’ export sales manager Micha Denys. “These batteries are lighter in weight than traditional models and have a longer lifespan,” he said. “They can also be charged more quickly and in any location since they are emission-free, which means no separate charging area is required. And intermediate charging – a practice that can be very harmful for lead acid batteries - is perfectly possible with lithium ion.”

Battery Supplies offers LiFePO4, a lithium iron phosphate product which Denys claims to be 100 per cent safe. “There is no risk involved because we have developed our own battery management system which supervises the strings of LiFePO4 cells and monitors the balance between them and the temperature,” he said.

Batteries offered by the company include traditional lead acid, gel and lead carbon models. Introduced by Battery Supplies last year, lead carbon batteries are said to be a relatively new technology and involve the use of carbon in the negative plates.

“Lead carbon batteries cope better with intermediate charging than other traditional models and have almost twice the lifetime of a high quality gel battery,” said

Lithium-Ionen-Akkus bieten im Vergleich zu herkömmlichen Produkten viele Vorteile, einschließlich keinerlei Wartung, schnelles Laden und eine leichte Bauweise. Bedeutet das, dass sich das Blatt zu Gunsten der Verwendung von LithiumIonen-Akkus in Reinigungsmaschinen wendet? Oder stellen die relativ hohen Kosten von Li-Ionen-Akkus weiterhin ein Hindernis für ihren weitverbreiteten Einsatz dar? Wir betrachten die Aufnahme von LiIonen-Akkus in der Reinigungsbranche im Vergleich zu herkömmlichen Akkus.

Denys. “They are currently very popular in the cleaning machine market.”

However like other commentators, he has remarked a growing demand for Li-ion. “The initial cost is still higher than that of open lead acid, gel or lead carbon batteries,” he said. “However, the price has decreased over the past five years and this has had a positive impact on demand. And the advantages of lithium ion show up very quickly when the battery is in use.”

But what effect – if any - has COVID-19 had on the lithium ion market?

Boosted demand “The global pandemic has boosted demand for batteries in general,” says Denys. Diversey’s Stefan Wilms claims it has actually highlighted the advantages of lithium ion. “Site closures due to COVID-19 have meant that some cleaning machines remained out of use for months at a time,” he said. “And when these sited reopened, it emerged that the sudden shutdown had led to the failure of the less robust traditional batteries used to power them.”

He added that lithium ion batteries had also proved their worth in environments where extra cleaning was taking place.

“For example, there has been a significantly higher use of cleaning machines and more wear and tear on the batteries in healthcare-related facilities,” he said. “In these situations lithium ion truly shines because it allows for the machine to be available 24/7.”

Le batterie agli ioni di litio offrono molti più benefici rispetto ai prodotti tradizionali che includono zero manutenzione, ricarica veloce e una struttura leggera.

Quindi, c’è uno spostamento di tendenza verso l’uso di batterie agli ioni di litio per le macchine per le pulizie?

Oppure il costo relativamente elevato è ancora una barriera al loro impiego diffuso? Diamo un’occhiata alla diffusione degli ioni di litio nel settore delle pulizie professionali rispetto alle batterie tradizionali.

PRODUCTS: BATTERIES

Updated range

U.S. Battery Manufacturing has launched its new and improved line of AGM DeepCycle batteries, designed to provide increased deep-cycling performance and longevity, for maintenance-free operation requiring high reliability.

Features include the use of thick positive alloy grids for optimum corrosion resistance, high-density positive active material, and advanced glass mat separators.

These components work together to maintain the battery cell structure during deep-cycling, limit acid stratification and inhibit internal shorts. The batteries also feature a carbon-enhanced negative active material that improves charge acceptance and cycling performance.

There is also built-in vibration resistance and maintenancefree valve-regulated operation.

The company’s AGM DeepCycle range also has a new look, featuring a new case and graphics on redesigned labels. www.usbattery.com

Alternatives According to Battery Supplies its Dyno Europe Lead Carbon battery range is a good alternative to GEL and AGM batteries.

In fact it says this line boasts a lifetime almost double that of a GEL battery and more than triple that of an AGM one.

The negative plates of these batteries are made from lead and carbon, combining the

advantages of ordinary leadacid batteries with those of a supercapacitor. The addition of carbon ensures they have a higher charge acceptance, says Battery Supplies, and therefore have to charge less than regular lead-acid batteries.

They also supply more power, are more resistant to (extreme) low temperatures and guarantee a longer life. And this latest technology is claimed to suppress sulphidation better than any other technology.

Lead carbon batteries can perform well without being 100 per cent charged.

Also from Battery Supplies come AQ-TRON waterproof chargers. The charging curve is programmed during manufacture so only one option is available - avoiding mistakes when assembled. These models are compatible with Semi-Traction, Monobloc, Deep-Cycle, AGM, Lead Carbon, GEL and Li-ion. www.batterysupplies.be

• US Battery Manufacturing propose une gamme mise à niveau de batteries AGM à décharge profonde.

• Battery Supplies affirme que sa gamme Dyno Europe de batteries carbone-plomb constitue une bonne alternative aux batteries à gel et AGM.

• Neu von US Battery Manufacturing ist eine aktualisierte Produktreihe mit AGM-Deep Cycle-Batterien.

• Battery Supplies teilt mit, dass seine Produktreihe Dyno Europe mit Blei-Kohlenstoff-Batterien eine gute Alternative zu Gel- und AGM-Batterien darstellt.

• La novità della US Battery Manufacturing è una nuova gamma aggiornata di batterie AGM a ciclo profondo.

• La Battery Supplies afferma che la sua gamma di batterie zinco-carbone Dyno Europe è una buona alternativa alle batterie al gel e AGM.

April/May 2021 | ECJ | 47

PRODUCT REVIEW

• La formation Tork VR au lavage des mains est désormais accessible gratuitement à l’aide d’un dispositif électronique quelconque.

• La gamme de pulvérisateurs de désinfection de surface Purell de GOJO s’est enrichie d’un seau de lingettes et d’un conteneur de 5 litres (pour la recharge des bouteilles de pulvérisation à déclencheur).

• Hydro Systems propose le dispositif EvoOne Bottle Lockout pour la fermeture sans contact physique de son distributeur à pompe poussoir.

• Le system Hi-Flex Wall Bracket est un nouveau rangement d’outils de nettoyage signé Vikan.

• Das Tork VR Clean Hands Training kann jetzt kostenlos über jedes beliebige elektronische Gerät aufgerufen werden.

• Zu GOJOs Produktreihe mit Purell Desinfektionssprays und -wischtüchern für Oberflächen wurden ein Kübel mit Wischtüchern und eine 5-Liter-Kanne (zum Nachfüllen der Sprayflaschen) hinzugefügt.

• Die EvoOne FlaschenSperrfunktion von Hydro Systems verhindert eine Verwendung von nicht für die Druckpumpenspender zulässigen Chemikalien.

• Das hygienische Hi-FlexWandhalterungssystem ist eine neue Aufbewahrungslösung für Reinigungsgeräten von Vikan.

• Il training Tork VR Clean Hands Training è ora accessibile gratuitamente tramite qualsiasi dispositivo informatico.

• Una confezione di salviettine e un flacone da cinque litri (per riempire le bottigliette spray) sono stati aggiunti alla gamma di spray e salviettine per superfici Purell prodotte dalla GOJO. • EvoOne Bottle Lockout della Hydro Systems è un sistema di tappo che previene il contatto con prodotti chimici adatto all’uso con il suo dispenser a pompa.

• Hi-Flex Wall Bracket System è una nuova soluzione della Vikan per tenere gli attrezzi di pulizia.

48 | April/May 2021 | ECJ

Free training Essity’s Tork VR Clean Hands Training can now be accessed free of charge via any electronic device.

Based on the World Health Organisation’s Five Moments for Hand Hygiene, the module previously required the use of a virtual reality headset. By creating a desktop version Essity has made it easier than ever for healthcare staff to access effective hand hygiene guidance.

The new training platform was launched in time for World Hand Hygiene Day on May 5.

Tork Clean Hands Training invites users into a digital world where they are presented with a series of scenarios in which hand hygiene needs to be carried out. Developed in collaboration with behavioural scientists, university hospitals and hand hygiene experts, the course aims to provide hand hygiene guidance in an engaging and inspiring way.

It is available in English, German, Polish, Dutch, French, Spanish and Arabic.

Tork Clean Hands Training can be accessed free of charge at: www.tork.co.uk/cleanhands

Wipe away GOJO Industries-Europe has extended its PURELL surface range with the addition of Surface Sanitising Spray and Wipes - a bucket of wipes and a fivelitre jug. The bucket holds 450 wipes, suitable for large surfaces and intensive use, while the five-litre jug is designed to refill 750 ml trigger spray bottles.

PURELL surface sanitising products are compatible with most smooth surfaces such as desks, tables, toys, fitness equipment, and worktops. Bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal,

they come ready-to-use with no rinse required.

This range also has a new look, with the yellow packaging replaced with blue trigger handles, lids, and labels. www.gojo.com

Exclusivity

Chemical dispensing and dosing solutions specialist Hydro Systems has developed the EvoOne Bottle Lockout System to complement its EvoOne push pump dispenser. This is a no-chemicalcontact cap system which provides chemical exclusivity with its EvoOne product range.

Comprising two separate parts, the Lockout Cap has a custom ‘keyway’ position unique to the customer. This makes it an attractive option for chemical suppliers, as it helps prevent users from switching out chemical bottles with other brands.

Installing the EvoOne Bottle Lockout also minimises the risk of accidental contact with the chemical. The range delivers the advantages of chemical dispensing without requiring a water line connection - ensuring accurate doses into sinks, bottles, buckets and other containers.

Installation is said to be quick and easy, requiring no special tools. The foil sealed cap assembly requires users to simply tear out the centre of the cap to expose the foil. The Lockout Cap is then push-fitted to create a non-removable seal over the chemical bottle cap, while a lever pierces the foil to allow uninterrupted chemical flow.

The locking mechanism is preinstalled into the cabinet and no extra components are required for mounting. www.hydrosystemseurope.com

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Tool storage New from Vikan is a cleaning tool storage solution - the HiFlex Wall Bracket System. The system, which consists of four separate products, is intended for use in food processing plants, industrial kitchens, supermarkets, restaurants, canteens and other facilities where food and beverages are produced, processed, served or sold.

Conceived as a wall bracket plus separately available grip and hook modules, the durably constructed system is easy to install and provides flexible storage of up to five tools. Hygienic design and availability in 12 colours help to ensure hygienic storage wherever cleaning tools and other utensils are used.

The four products in the system are: • The Hygienic Hi-Flex Wall Bracket System (1011x), which stores up to five products via attachable hooks and grip bands

• The Single Hook module (1012) for storing individual products with hanging holes • The Grip Band module (1013), which stores almost any product with a handle • The Double Hook module (1014x) for storing two products with hanging holes.

While the Hi-flex Wall Bracket System is intended for storing several products in the same place, the single and double modules meet the need to store any product even in very small spaces. www.vikan.com

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