*Cleanzine_logo_2a.jpgCleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 6th September 2012 Issue no. 536

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International News
Products

Research on key antibacterial ingredient distorts real-world use

Media reports and analysis of a new research paper are distorting the real world safety and everyday use of the antibacterial ingredient Triclosan, based on faulty comparisons to overdosed test subjects, according to the American Cleaning Institute.
more


New law seeks to limit dumping of e-waste

At least 85% of electrical and electronic waste generated in the European Union will have to be recycled by 2020 under new rules that took effect recently.
more


Sustainability will be core theme of 19th WFBSC International Congress

'Water: its importance in sustainable cleaning' is the theme chosen for the 19th World Federation of Building Service Contractors International Congress, reiterating the environmental commitment of the maintenance and cleaning industry.
more


Global Soap Project helps Haiti fight cholera epidemic

* handwashing_Haiti_UNphotoMarco Dormino.jpg
Thanks to a new partnership with Salesian Missions, Global Soap Project recently distributed its largest donation of soap to date, reaching approximately 5,000 people in Haiti.
more


Soapbox: Why the EU isn't working: immigration and linguistic rules

Robin Chater, Secretary-General of the Federation of European Employers The Federation of European Employers (FedEE), a leading organisation for multinational companies operating in Europe, writes...
more


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You wouldn't go to a dentist to get a broken bone set and you wouldn't put a train driver at the wheel of a bus and expect him or her to do a great job, so why on earth are we getting nurses to clean our nation's hospitals? (see report below).

Yes nurses will know something about cleaning and their knowledge of infection and cross-contamination will help them do a better job and work more safely than someone from many other professions, but they're not trained to do it and the skills they've learned in patient care and medicine are being wasted and patients are being neglected.

Some say that it's a necessity because cuts in the cleaning budget have left gaping holes in our ability to pay the cleaners to carry out a proper clean, but this doesn't make good economic sense. Nurses are finally being paid a half-decent salary, so why are they doing a job that commands something around the National Minimum Wage? I reckon that whoever's sorting out the budets ought to go back to school!

But they're not the only ones that deserve our criticism. Some people are sadly lacking when it comes to simple common sense and negotiation skills. According to the many Internet blogs and forums I've looked at since this story broke, it has been written into some contracts that those employed by the professional cleaning contractors and facilities management companies are not responsible for cleaning 'bodily fluids' as they're called, such as vomit, urine, faeces and blood! This means that if, for example, a drowsy or drugged-up patient leaves a horrid mess in the washroom it's down to one of the ward nurses to clean it up, before moving on to tend to the needs of the next patient. This type of cleaning takes specialist knowledge and should only be carried out by those trained and qualified to do it. It should not be the nurses' job.

The press has been full of stories lately about 'health tourism', whereby people conveniently and deliberately arrive from overseas dangerously ill or about to give birth, have their treatment before those who've been waiting for ages and then disappear back home without paying the bill, leaving the NHS with an enormous deficit. I may sound a little harsh but my view is that the NHS should only treat patients that live in this country and those from overseas who pay the full cost of their treatment up front. That way there will be enough in the bank to pay for the round-the-clock professional cleaning that our hospitals need.

Yours,

janhobbs.gif

Jan Hobbs







This Week's News

Nurses regularly forced to perform heavy cleaning duties, survey finds

The results of a survey of 1,000 nurses and health assistants, conducted by Nursing Times and published this week, has confirmed that they are regularly carrying out the type of cleaning duties that one would normally expect the cleaning staff to undertake.

More than 50% of the survey's respondents say that they believe cleaning services for their own ward are inadequate, while around 20% say that their trust had made cuts to the cleaning budget within the past 12 months.
more


CSSA responds to survey on hospital cleaning

Responding to the results of the survey published by the Nursing Times, in which significant numbers of nurses reported that they had undertaken cleaning duties in the preceding months, Andrew Large - Chief Executive of the Cleaning & Support Services Association, said:
more


German chemical giant says REACH is worth the investment

BASF, the German chemical giant, has distanced itself from the rest of the industry by saying Europe's REACH chemical safety law was worth the investment in the end, reports Euractiv. A review of the legislation is expected this month.

From the moment it was tabled until its eventual adoption in 2006, the REACH regulations gave rise to one of the most epic lobbying battles in the EU's history.
more


US HEPA vacuum filters market expected to reach USD 621.3 Million by 2018

According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research, 'US HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuum filters market: United States industry analysis, size, share and forecast, 2010 - 2018', the US HEPA vacuum filters market revenue is estimated to reached USD 484.0 million in 2013 and then further reach USD 621.3 million by 2018, growing at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate ) of 5.1% from 2013 to 2018.

In terms of volumes, the market is expected to reach 31.88 kilo tons of filtration media by 2018.
more


Italian paper producer Sofidel Group, buys US-based tissue manufacturer Cellynne Holdings

* Sofidel.jpgIn a press statement issued yesterday, Italian paper producer, Sofidel (Regina paper towels) announced that on 31st of August 2012, it sealed the deal to buy the US company, Cellynne Holdings. This acquisition raises Sofidel's production capacity to 1,000,000 metric tpy and gives it access to the US market.
more


Your guide to the business opportunities in China's cleaning market

China's economy has achieved great success in the past 30 years and it is still maintaining its rate of growth even though the economic downturn is affecting the global economy.

The cleaning industry is also undergoing tremendous growth. The rising environmental awareness of customers, for example, has provided a new market for more eco-friendly items to be introduced.
more


FMA and Sheffield Hallam University to bridge the education gap for experienced FMs

In a statement published yesterday, an exciting opportunity is being offered to experienced facilities managers to gain a formal MBA in the industry.

The qualification in facilities management has been developed by the Facilities Management Association in association with Sheffield Hallam University and will provide a new and innovative route to a better position for those who have worked within the industry, but have had little opportunity to develop leadership qualifications.
more


Karcher launches new eco!efficiency emission-free hot water pressure washers

HDS_E_cleaning-indoors-hot-water.jpgKarcher has introduced a new range of electrically-heated hot water pressure washers, which offer emission-free hot water cleaning with dramatically reduced energy consumption and heating-up times.
more


Ladder Association launches 2012 Ladder Exchange

* Shattered_Lives.jpgFor three months starting 1st September 2012, anyone in the UK who buys, uses or has responsibility for supervising the use of ladders, can take advantage of this year's Ladder Exchange - the annual campaign that enables 'dodgy' ladders to be replaced for brand new ones, at a discounted price, at any one of the Ladder Exchange's official partners. 
more


Antimicrobial Technology expert releases White Paper

* Antimicrobial Technology expert releases White Paper.jpgX-Static, the silver-based antimicrobial technology expert, has released a White Paper to educate those responsible for infection prevention on the issue of contamination of soft surface fabrics in healthcare settings. Titled 'Soft Surface Bacterial Contamination: Considerations for a Complete Infection Prevention Program', it examines current data, guidelines and available antimicrobial fabric solutions.
more


Thuraplug - the revolutionary plughole cleaner

* Thuraplug.jpgHowever clean the basin may be, if the plughole hasn't been cleaned there is always a chance that contamination can occur - take splashback from spitting out toothpaste when cleaning your teeth, for example...
more


Fast, economical, hygienic mopping from Vileda Professional

* Vileda-ClickSpeed.jpgVileda Professional has announced the launch of its new ClickSpeed pre-prepared flat mopping system with hygienic 'touch free' mop removal and exceptional Microfibre cleaning performance at an economical price.
more


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Hospital Hygiene

Hospial Corridor

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

Train cleaner in race to find missing Olympic tickets

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Despite the many empty spectator seats at this year's Olympic Games, the tickets were really hard to come by, so you can imagine the anguish of the woman and her son when they arrived at the Olympic Park in East London this week, only to realise that they had discarded their tickets with other rubbish they had left on the train that had taken them into Liverpool Street station.
more


Oxypharm ticks all the boxes at key Birmingham hospitals

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When it comes to validated airborne disinfection, the Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust has clearly stated which it prefers, following its investment in 20 Oxypharm Nocospray machines to carry out the disinfection programme across its three key Trust Hospital sites.
more


ServiceMaster Clean introduces new guidelines for restoring damaged property

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A free best practice guide to restoring damaged property has been introduced by damage management expert, ServiceMaster Clean.
more


LPM publishes first cleaning supplies catalogue

* LPM-catalogue.jpg
LPM Cleaning & Support Services has published a new catalogue detailing a range of quality cleaning products available direct to both trade and the public through its trade counter and warehouse in Leeds.
more


Events & Exhibitions

Care Show London
24-25th April 2024
Excel
London

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Interclean Amsterdam
14-17th May 2024
Amsterdam
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Cleantex Africa
16-18th October 2024
Johannesburg
South Africa

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ISSA Pulire 2025
27-29th May 2025
Rho Fiera Milano
Italy

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