Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 6th July 2017 Issue no. 781
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  International News
Products IICRC announces presenter lineup for technical conference
Manufacturers help infection control experts make sense of FDA rules on antiseptic ingredients
Revolutionary new P-Wave urinal screen shows the shape of things to come in washroom hygiene
Dealing with potential Norovirus incidents in restaurants
Cromwell Polythene's antimicrobial bin liners prove popular in Austria
Latest Sapphire largest jewel in the crown
Stepan to acquire Mexican surfactant production facility and part of its surfactant business
Reclassifying hospital floors as "critical" areas when it comes to cleaning
Social enterprise launches new eco-foaming hand wash
Clean Hands Safe Hands secures investment from SC Johnson
APIC 2017 Film Festival winner highlights hand hygiene as infection prevention tool
Burgess Health Center implements Clorox Healthcare UV technology to fight infection
Cell Signaling Technology recycles 4,400 pounds of glove waste through innovative programme
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Welcome to the
Cleanzine - the original Cleaning & Hygiene industry e-news Read by industry professionals in 163 countries worldwide!
Over the 15 years Cleanzine has been broadcasting we've run a few pieces that compare cleaners' wages with wages earned in other industries. 0There's a new report in today's issue and although the future's not rosy for cleaners who are saving up to buy their own home, this has more to do with excessive property prices than it has to do with cleaners being the poorest paid workers in the land. For although they're still on the list of those who are most hard-up, they're not at the bottom! When I joined this industry in the early nineties and for many years after that, contractors could lose crucial members of their workforce if the local supermarket advertised for evening cashiers and night-time shelf fillers. They were paying a fair bit more an hour than the contractors were and this was enough to encourage the cleaners to move on. Back then the emphasis was put on training (leading to promotion) and making cleaners feel valued, which on the face of it is good but if you're not earning enough to feed the family and pay the bills, then however much training you're getting, doesn't matter, does it? When it comes downs to survival, people do what they have to... It was with some delight then that I saw in this latest report that cleaners are moving up the league table and although, on average, they're not earning anything like their worth, their pay is gradually increasing. I know a lot of this has been down to regular small rises thanks to what was the legislated National Minimum Wage and is now the National Living Wage - which currently stipulates that over-25s must earn £7.50 an hour. Some contractors though, made the decision to pay the Living Wage which is based on the real cost of living. This is currently £8.45 an hour for workers aged over 18, rising to £9.75 in London (www.livingwage.org.uk). Whenever I speak to the contractors who voluntarily pay that higher rate, they tell me that it was the best decision they've made. They have a stable, happy workforce whose members can concentrate on the job in hand instead of worrying about how they can make ends meet. Staff turnover is reduced, standards are higher and contracts are retained. I feel our industry is helping spearhead the Living Wage... and for that I applaud all those involved. Please get in touch either by emailing me or posting a comment on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/Cleanzine
Yours,
        This Week's News
Cleaners fare better than some when it comes to buying a first home (but it's not all good news) Online estate agent HouseSimple.com has looked at the latest Office for National Statistics wages data and average prices for first-time buyers' properties, to compile a table of jobs where it will take so long to save for a deposit for an average UK property, that those concerned (unless they get help from the Bank of Mum & Dad), won't have saved enough until at least 2100. Cleaners aren't the worst off, but the picture is grim... IICRC opens nominations for two prestigious industry awards The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification is seeking nominations for the Cy Gantt Award and Keith Williams Award. The Cy Gantt Award recognises special contributions to the industries served by the IICRC, while the Keith Williams Award recognises a significant technical contribution to the science of inspection, cleaning & restoration. The deadline for nominations is 15th August. Call to end 'one in, three out' deregulation gains wide support More than 700 organisations and individuals have now signed an open letter to UK Prime Minister Theresa May which challenges arbitrary deregulation of health & safety. In the wake of the Grenfell Tower blaze, global health & safety professionals, leading academics and some MPs have joined leading organisations in signing the letter. Sent to 10 Downing Street, it calls for a shift in politicians' attitudes towards health & safety regulation and fire risk management in the aftermath of this latest tragedy. Enforce professionalism: drone effectiveness study showsFM sector is seeking better governance
The organisation's Drone Effectiveness Study was implemented to get a better understanding of what industry thinks of commercial drone services.
OspreyDeepclean's increasing international orders for multiple units are ready and waiting to be shipped from the production line straight to the company's distributors. Celebrating 20 years in commercial cleaning
A specialist in commercial kitchen and grease extraction deep cleaning, the company says its expansion programme, which will see resources at its Head Office and cleaning teams expand, marks its anniversary perfectly with a recruitment campaign which is in full swing. New research on preventing the spread of norovirus
This study aimed to help stop the 'Winter vomiting bug' norovirus from spreading, by understanding and improving food handler behaviours. Official workplace fatality figures hide tens of thousands of related deaths The GMB Union, which has members across every sector of the British economy, says yesterday's official workplace death figures hide tens of thousands of related deaths. Official Health & Safety Executive figures show 137 people died at work in the financial year 2016/17. [see note 1 for breakdown by sector]. GMB says while the number of deaths is down slightly, they are just the tip of the iceberg and every death demands justice and enforcement. CMS 2017 Berlin jury nominates 17 PIA finalists
Launched in 2005, these industry awards recognise intelligently made products, tools and systems that feature excellent usability and an outstanding overall design. Mechanised cleaning welcomed at Hubballi railway station
On Monday, Pralhad Joshi, MP and Prasad Abbayya, MLA for Hubballi Dharwad East Constituency, welcomed the new cleaning equipment acquired by the Khagaul Loco Labour Cooperative Society, which has won the cleaning contract for Hubballi station. Automatic grill-cleaning robot deals effectively with burnt-on mess
Driven by a powerful CPU that controls movement, speed and direction of brushes, the Grillbot is equipped with three high-power electric motors and comes with an LCD alarm and timer that can be set for a light scrub, deep clean or something in between. SOAPBOX: Why I now love B2B review websites
"After a few years in the commercial cleaning business I soon learnt that all cleaning companies say that they are 'excellent' at everything they do and they all promise their customers the world. Prospective customers are unsurprisingly distinctly immune and unimpressed by this hyperbole. RAS supports 'Keep Clean, Singapore!' 2017
ARL wins contract with leading restaurant operator
Worth in the region of £70,000, it will see the company deliver a range of window cleaning services at 135 buildings across the UK. 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
CSSA Annual Luncheon revisited
SOAPBOX: Public Toilets UK - a matter of urgency
"Articles about public toilets appear to be ever increasing - usually because so many facilities are now closing. This is a great worry especially for the young, the elderly, those who are pregnant, on medication of various types that necessitate the loo, have a particular medical condition... in fact the list gets longer if you also take into account the needs of taxi drivers, bus drivers, train drivers, police officers, postal workers, night shift workers and so on... Castlemeadow Care chooses Girbau Laundry
Incentive QAS secures contract extension with Johnson Matthey
Delta-Q Technologies announces lithium charger supply to Orbot LiFe floor machines
Gemini Commercial Cleaning increases market share with latest acquisition
Jangro has welcomed Crystal Cleaning Supplies as the latest addition to its independent janitorial distribution network, an expansion which brings the total number of distributors in the group to 44, strategically located across the UK, Ireland and the Isle of Man. UK Government urged to end health & safety deregulation following Grenfell Tower blaze The UK Government has been urged to scrap its approach to deregulation of health & safety legislation in the light of the Grenfell Tower blaze.
Green World Innovations launches GreenFit Solutions service
Soapbox: The Bathroom Manufacturers Association's CEO Yvonne Orgill on 'Leaky Loos'
BCC Chairman praises EFCI 'Best Value' guide
Working together to keep schools clean and safe
Leading industry awards return with renewed focus on raising standards
How to keep a hotel room clean
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