Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110

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Jail honours grads of Janitorial Work Program

Eight county jail inmates have just graduated from the DuPage County Jail's new Janitorial Work Program. Each has earned the Custodial Technician Certification from ISSA's Cleaning Management Institute, one of the most respected education and certification programs in the professional cleaning industry.

In honour of their graduation, all eight inmates wore blue caps and gowns and ceremoniously tossed their caps into the air after the ceremony.

DuPage County is located about 30 miles west of Chicago. The Janitorial Work Program is a six-week course instructing inmates on the proper use of janitorial tools, equipment, and cleaning solutions. Due to Covid-19, it also includes training in effective infection control strategies.

Putting their newly learned skills to work, the course also includes regular cleaning of sections of the jail.

Upon release, the eight inmates will be part of a program designed to help get them full-time jobs as custodial workers.

"We're serious about rehabilitation here," says County Jail Sheriff James Mendrick. "Our goal is to give these inmates a life outside of jail. We want them to better themselves while they are here and give them stability so they can take care of their families once they leave."

Prominent in the program is training using Kaivac's No-Touch Cleaning systems. Unlike other machines such as traditional floor machines that perform just one or two cleaning duties, inmates use the No-Touch Cleaning systems for a variety of cleaning tasks such as cleaning floors, walls, stairs, washrooms and food service areas.

Sheriff Mendrick believes the Janitorial Work Program and the tools used is one reason there has not been one case of the Coronavirus in the DuPage County jail. This is far different from what is happening around the country, where there have been more than 250,000 prisoners testing positive for the virus since December 2020.

"This training program taught us all teamwork and appreciation for others," says inmate Charles Lawler, speaking for the class. "It's given us a new sense of integrity and a motivation for success."

T: 513-887-4600
E: [email protected]
W: www.kaivac.com

21st January 2021