Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 24th May 2012 Issue no. 523
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International News
Products Breaking more records: ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam 2012 ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam 2012 has proven to be essential event for the industry, by offering an even more international and diverse attendance than the previous edition. It was the biggest and best showing of the past 24 editions, increasing attendance to a record-breaking number. ISSA/Interclean 2012: show review
Poor hospital cleaning revealed in recent Canadian study The health of hospital patients, staff and visitors is increasingly at risk according to a March 2012 study reported by Erica Johnson of the Canadian Broadcasting Company reports Robert Kravitz. Brussels is to push for EU-wide minimum wage Yesterday, the European Commission proposed the introduction of a minimum wage in countries such as Germany - which doesn't at present have one - and raise wages where they are considered too low, according to a draft seen by EurActiv. Having a job will not necessarily ward off poverty in Europe, argues the organisation, pointing out that some 8% of European workers are having to survive on wages that keep them below the poverty threshold. Trojan Battery names C.I.A.K. distributor for eastern Europe Trojan Battery Co, has partnered with Zagreb, Croatia-based C.I.A.K., expanding Trojan's presence in eastern Europe. As Trojan's authorised master distributor in the region, C.I.A.K. is responsible for distributing and servicing Trojan products throughout Slovenia, Bosnia and Hercegovina and Croatia (Hrvatska ),Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Romania and Albania. RCM obtains the ECA Certificate RCM is delighted to announce that it has been awarded the ECA Certificate - provided under an initiative launched by the British Government to improve the 'Green' credentials of industrial cleaning equipment. New Sustainability Guide details how to measure carbon footprint The International Facility Management Association Foundation has announced the release of ‘Carbon Footprint’, a free publication in the Sustainability ‘How-to’ Guide Series’ offering facilities managers a comprehensive approach to understanding greenhouse gas emission accounting, reporting and minimisation. Registration to the 19th WFBSC is now open The 19th International Congress of World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC 2012) will take place in Curitiba - Brazil from October 10th - 14th. The registration is already open, and can be reached through the website www.wfbsc2012.com, where you can also find more information about the event and Curitiba (tourism, special tours, hotels, restaurants, etc). |
Welcome to the
Cleanzine - the original Cleaning & Hygiene industry e-news Read by industry professionals in 148 countries worldwide! An important report was released yesterday by the UK’s Cleaning & Support Services Association. ‘Employment Growth... The Case for Cleaning’ could have lessons for more than just the UK though. Unemployment is a real issue in many countries and the CSSA’s report makes a good case for using employment in the sector to stimulate growth. It includes some sound advice. For example, it challenges Government to make targeted investments in cleaning services in areas where they are so, so needed - such as the NHS, schools, care homes and transport networks. When one considers the costs of treating those with infections caused by poor cleaning and hygiene in these locations, as well as the cost to UK plc in lost working hours when employees are off sick (and the reduced taxable income that results), together with the costs of state-paid sickness benefit, just that point alone makes sound sense. But there’s a lot more… You can read more further down the page. Do make sure you click-through to the report itself – and once you’ve read it, do please let me know what you think of its contents. And if you’re one of our many thousands of readers from outside the UK, I’d love to know whether you identify with the issues highlighted by the report, or indeed if your government has taken some of the measures outlined as being a good way to encourage growth – and of course whether they’re working. Yours,
   This Week's News
New study finds office kitchens and break rooms are 'crawling with bacteria'
The place where US workers eat and prepare their lunch topped the list of office germ 'hot-spots' with sink and microwave door handles found to be the dirtiest surfaces touched by office workers on a daily basis. (Ed: this is probably reflected in workplaces throughout the world, so be aware of the hazards!) New initiative to help schools lead the way on reducing water pollution
A new initiative aims to help school's lead the way on reducing water pollution across the UK by encouraging schools to re-examine the way they use chemicals and switch to ecologically friendly cleaning products. Healthcare Cleaner of the Year 2012 Awards - shortlist announced The shortlist for the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals, Healthcare Cleaner of the Year 2012 awards has been announced. The awards are designed to encourage excellence in healthcare cleaning by highlighting and recognising achievement, raising awareness of the profession and the vital work its members perform in hospitals, clinics and residential care homes throughout the UK and Ireland. Nominees from the Rotherham and Leeds areas have dominated the shortlist this year. There are three categories for award nominations. These are the Healthcare Cleaning Supervisor of the Year, the Outstanding Healthcare Cleaning Team of the Year and the Working in Partnership award. Harry Hill highlights need for dog fouling equipment
Having watched the TV Burp sketch, I then clicked through to a more serious discussion of the piece of kit that had been featured. It turned out to be the Morclean Back pack litter and dog foul collector, which is being used to great effect by the cleaning teams at Liverpool City Council - and helping them to win awards to boot. LPM Cleaning & Support Services wins Zenos Outstanding Supplier Award 2011-2012
For Zenos National Facilities Manager Rob Cooknell, LPM is a worthy winner. He comments: New website for Principle Cleaning Services
CSSA Study: Jobs, the case for growth With the total number of jobless in the UK at 2.63 million - 8.2% of the population, the Cleaning & Support Services Association is launching a report to make the case for employment in the cleaning industry as a growth generator. The report is titled 'Employment Growth... The Case for Cleaning' and details the contribution that the cleaning industry makes to the economic growth of Britain. It identifies the cleaning industry as a growth multiplier for the UK and makes suggestions for policy initiatives the Government could embrace to support the industry and therefore the wider economy. Hands-free hygienic cleaning solutions from Vileda Professional
With Summer on its way, more hotels are raising hygiene standards The hospitality industry is expecting a busy Summer this year, and with the season set to kickoff in the US over the Memorial Day weekend and the Olympic Games in London just weeks away, more hotels and resorts are raising their hygiene standards - to the great satisfaction of customers, according George Clarke, CEO of UMF Corporation, a developer of infection prevention products. Hotels warned to look out for unwanted guests during Olympic Games A pest control company is warning hotel owners that there could be a surge in tiny, unwanted guests during the Olympic Games. Experts from Cleankill Pest Control say that London hotel and hostel staff need to be extra vigilant and look out for telltale signs of bed bugs. These include blood spots on sheets and live insects on headboards and around skirting boards. A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology wanted to find out how much trash Americans toss out each day and where it all goes. The researchers placed transmitter chips on thousands of pieces of garbage, from dog food cans to printer cartridges. What they discovered is that Americans throw out more than 7lbs of trash each day - that's 102 tons in a lifetime! New research reveals why strong engagement scores can spell trouble High levels of engagement could actually be damaging for organisations and their employees if one-dimensional engagement surveys mask the types of engagement at play within an organisation. That's according to new research, announced yesterday, by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development and Kingston University Business School's Centre for Research in Employment, Skills & Society (CRESS), which found an important distinction between transactional and emotional engagement. Professional cleaning from Spain at ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam 2012
The Spanish manufacturers of professional cleaning & hygiene products that participated with ASFEL (The Cleaning & Hygiene Association of Spanish Manufacturers) at ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam, made a very positive evaluation of the event, emphasising that not only the number of exhibitors has grown, but also the number of visitors. British Cleaning Council reacts to Hilton Hotel cleaner protest
The British Cleaning Council has responded to a protest outside London's Hilton Hotel, as over 1,000 cleaners appealed to the hotel chain to start paying the living wage amidst allegations that the hotel pays staff £3-a-room wages. Mark Woodhead, Chairman of the British Cleaning Council, comments: "The cleaning industry is a labour intensive sector and we understand that there is pressure on all costs, including wage costs, in the current environment. Nevertheless, there is a business case for paying the London Living Wage, built around improved staff loyalty and retention and we hope that the Hilton Hotel will give the London Living Wage serious consideration." 40 year jubilee for cleaning contractor
Over the last 40 years, Birkin Cleaning Services has gained a strong local reputation, managing both large and small cleaning contracts for offices, leisure and education premises across North London and the Northern Home Counties. KCC cleans up absenteeism through clocking in with The Cloud A long-established Bristol cleaning company has saved time and money by efficiently managing the attendance of its workforce using a powerful time & attendance system which flexibly and accurately monitors a workforce on the move. Bristol-based KCC Cleaning, which was founded in 1994 and now employs 52 people, is the first cleaning company to adopt a new time and attendance system called from Somerset-based T&A specialist Access-to-Time. Edge Direct sets course for expansion Nationwide cleaning equipment group Edge is announcing plans to roll out its new direct to door van service after a highly successful pilot of the service in the south-east. The Staffordshire-based group, which has distributors across the UK, started the van service Edge Direct in 2011 in order to expand its market reach. The Cleanzine Archive Search We keep an extensive archive of news stories and product information that have featured in past issues of The Cleanzine. If you would like to run a search of the The Cleanzine web site using the search tool below please just go ahead by entering in the name of the person, product or company or any other key words that you are looking for. How to contact us at The Cleanzine:
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Our weekly updated Hospital Hygiene features current developments and product solutions cleaning and hygiene industry manufacturers are coming up with. Read More. Recent UK News
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