Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 13th March 2014 Issue no. 614
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 International News
Products Warning: your open-plan office can make you ill Don't blame other commuters if you catch a cold this Winter: blame the people who designed your office. According to a study published in the current issue of Ergonomics, workplace layout has a surprising effect on rates of sick leave. Nominees announced for Amsterdam Innovation Awards 2014
IFMA Foundation releases free how-to guide: 'Benchmarking for Facility Professionals
New adjustable 3M Scotch-Brite Fryer and Kitchen Cleaning Tool tackles toughest tasks
StepNpull marches into Europe to combat effects of dirty washroom users
Three-way partnership will help reduce HAIs Hill-Rom, a global provider of clinical workflow solutions for hospitals, has announced major partnerships with real-time healthcare patient flow systems specialist TeleTracking Technologies, and hygiene company Gojo, to co-market integrations with its Hand Hygiene Compliance Solution. Healthcare-acquired infections fuel uptake of hand hygiene solutions in Western Europe The need to prevent and control healthcare acquired infections across Europe, of which there are 4.5 to 5 million cases annually, is driving the hand hygiene market in Western Europe. Outbreaks of norovirus and bird flu over the past five years have also served to highlight the importance of hand hygiene in containing infectious diseases. Carpets versus hard floors: what do you consider to be more hygienic? Ed: We recently published an item entitled ‘Studies help settle great debate' in which we reported on the results of studies into the use of carpeting in US hospitals and their contribution to a reduction in hospital acquired infections. This has started a debate on our Facebook page and I’d be really interested in seeing what your feelings are about this argument. This is the debate so far: The eight germiest public places... We have our Australian industry colleague John Laws of the Australian Cleaning Contactors' Alliance, to thank for the following article: 'Excerpt from The List Maker's Get-Healthy Guide, By the Editors of Prevention'. It reveals some surprising germ pick-up points and offers several useful tips on the best way to avoid picking up germs... Unger founder honoured with posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award
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Welcome to the
Cleanzine - the original Cleaning & Hygiene industry e-news Read by industry professionals in 148 countries worldwide! While John and I often attend industry dinners when we’re working away from home, occasionally we have to find somewhere ourselves to eat and this can be a bit of a minefield in an unfamiliar town. Finding ourselves staying in Coleshill (just outside Birmingham) for the first time last week, we decided to try what looked like a rather smart Asian restaurant close to our hotel. And although we had a delicious meal, neither one of us felt 100% the following day. The restaurant had looked really clean and the service had been excellent – and as we’ve both been eating hot curries for years, we didn’t put feeling a little ‘off colour’ down to our meal. In reading yesterday that David Ward MP, is campaigning for it to be made compulsory for the Food Standards Agency’s food hygiene scores to be displayed on each establishment’s door (as only those with excellent scores tend to display them) I couldn’t help but check out the score that had been awarded to the establishment in which John and I had dined last week… A score of ‘1’, which means ‘major improvement needed’ did little to reassure me that we’d chosen well that evening – although I must admit that this score was from the last inspection in early December and the improvements certainly looked as if they had been made. I wonder what the kitchens and washrooms were like though? Understandably perhaps, I fully support David Ward’s campaign and hope in future that scores on every door will help us all decide where to eat. After all, what better way is there to ensure that the highest standards are met by every establishment, than have any shortcomings exposed at the entrance to the eatery?
Yours,
        This Week's News
Organisation formed by Asset Skills, the CSSA and the FMA, announces its name
The Building Futures Group is the only representative organisation for the Housing, Property, Planning, Cleaning, Parking and Facilities Management sectors. The new name reflects the organisation's commitment to developing individuals working within the industry, as well as safeguarding the buildings where we live, work and play, now and for the future. What's next for the sustainable cleaning products market? Sustainability is more important than ever for the cleaning products industry, as new technology develops and consumers become increasingly conscious of their environmental impact. Sustainability is no longer an optional add-on but an essential feature of successful companies' business plans.
However, there is always more that can be done to enhance eco-friendly credentials, and particularly the way these are communicated to purchasers. What is the relationship between consumers, sustainability and the cleaning products industry and how can it continue to improve? Gesture recognition & touchless sensing market worth $22.04 billion by 2020 According to a new report, the total gesture recognition & touchless sensing market is expected to reach $22.04 Billion by 2020, growing at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate of 30.91% from 2013 to 2020.
The report's authors, by MarketsandMarkets, find that hygiene concerns and growth in demand of contact-free authentication has boosted the touchless sensing market. They say that overall, government applications will be the highest revenue generator and lead the market from the demand side; that the Americas lead the touchless sensing market for both sanitary equipment and touchless biometric products, and that Europe follows close behind. One week to IFMA's Facility Fusion Ottawa: 'Crossing FM Borders' In just under a week, The International Facility Management Association will host a Facility Fusion Conference and Expo in Canada for the first time. The event will run on 18th and 19th March in Ottawa, Ontario and will include education workshops, leadership training and discussions on best practices in various disciplines related to FM, including workplace strategy, sustainability and trends. Registration remains open to the general public.
As the leading FM professional association - with nearly 24,000 members in 96 countries, IFMA organises annual conferences like the Facility Fusion Conference and Expo to help with the advancement of the FM discipline.
Clorox Professional Products recently surveyed US adults with a friend or family member in a long-term care facility and found they cite the risk of infection as a top concern, among other things - further attesting to these unique challenges. David Ward MP campaigns for compulsory display of food hygiene 'scores on the doors'
Having written to Bradford City Council and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon. Eric Pickles MP; David has tabled an Early Day Motion calling for an introduction of compulsory display of scores on the doors. The Low Pay Commission's recommendation for a 3% increase in the National Minimum Wage strikes a good balance in helping to regain some of its lost value, while not threatening to undermine employment levels, according to a new report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Looking further ahead it is also imperative that increases in the NMW ahead of earnings growth are only considered as a result of sustained improvements in productivity, and are not used as a tool to attempt to drive increases in productivity, the report 'Tackling low pay' argues. New floorcare guidelines designed for safety
In the US, the National Safety Council estimates that nearly nine million people end up in emergency rooms each year with many of these job-related accidents. And the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety reports that more than 42,000 workers are injured annually due to slip-and-fall accidents, which represents about 17% of the 'time loss injuries' in the country. And of course these types of accidents are not confined to North America, so any lessons learnt there can be put to good use elsewhere... Propelair notches up successes in run-up to Facilities Management 2014
Taking place at NEC, Facilities Management 2014 is dedicated to all members of the facilities management profession and will take a fresh look at the issues affecting the industry. Last week, Propelair exhibited at Ecobuild 2014 in London, described as the world's leading event for sustainable design, construction, energy and the built environment. Dustcontrol launches new dust extraction range for wood floor grinding
"Working with a wood floor grinder produces a lot of dust which means that the container or the plastic sack has to be emptied a number of times during usage," says Phil Haskins, construction sales manager at Dustcontrol. "To reduce unnecessary interruptions whilst working we have now developed the DC F60 pre-separator and the DC 1800 eco XL dust extractor." Mrs Bucket mops up Welsh school cleaning contract
The business, which has offices in Swansea, Cardiff and Newport, was awarded the contract following a competitive tender against companies from across South Wales. Top class cleaning at Salvation Army's International HQ
The Salvation Army's International College for Officers is relocating to Sunbury Court, near London, following a major redevelopment of existing facilities. The site consists of a conference centre and a Grade II listed mansion, which is being extensively restored and renovated. Accommodation is also being developed at the site - with 85 rooms planned. 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
GV Health supports World Kidney Day
New job opportunities as commercial cleaning company expands Cambridge operations
New university scholarship encourages excellence in cleaning and infection control
MITIE signs sponsorship deal with the Cleaning Show 2015 MITIE, the FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing company, has signed a ground-breaking deal to become Platinum Sponsor of the Cleaning Show 2015. CK Consumables to repeat success of Emirates show with follow-up event
Recycling project run by Warwickshire charities, wins Big Society Award A recycling project, run by two Warwickshire charities, which pumps profits into local community projects, has won a Big Society Award. Incentive FM takes street cleaning to a new level in Covent Garden
Spring cleaning time... for cleaning firms Spring is the traditional time for having a clear-out – and Steve Clarke says that cleaning firms, like other van users, should begin with their refuelling. Marketing manager for The Fuelcard People, a Fuel Card Group company, he insists that it makes sense. “Some businesses have been using the same fuel cards for years, without ever taking a real look at the alternatives. Some, unbelievably, are happy to pay pump prices. For anything else they buy, from tyres to teabags, they shop around for bargains. You would think that they would be equally keen on keeping down the cost of refuelling.” Greyland reaches latest milestone - 15 years!
Redditch recycling firm fined £100,000 for worker's death A Redditch recycling company has been sentenced for safety failings after a worker was killed by a bale of waste weighing more than a tonne.
Addenbrooke's staff receive specialist training
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