Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 25th October 2012 Issue no. 543
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International News
Products REACH benefits not obvious yet, EU admits The REACH chemical safety regulations have so far showed limited results, with only "anecdotal evidence" that industry was starting to phase out the most dangerous substances, the European Commission said ahead of a review of the legislation due later this month, reports EurActiv. |
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Personal hygiene - or the lack of it - and its link to the spread of infection has been hitting the headlines again in recent weeks. First there was the repeat of the news which seems to surface every couple of years that many Brits don't wash their hands after visiting the loo, then the revelation that many Frenchmen only shower once a week (I know we need to conserve water but surely this is taking it to extremes)! This week comes the report regarding what is claimed to have been the widest and most prolonged study into handwashing in healthcare environments that has ever been carried out (see more below). It says that 'personalised feedback' makes healthcare workers twice as likely to wash their hands. We all know what we're supposed to do, don't we? And we all know the potential consequences of not complying. Yet many of us simply choose not to. I can't help feeling that inattention to personal hygiene is a mix of laziness and something akin to feeling that 'what the eye doesn't see, the heart can't grieve over' (for those readers not familiar with this English proverb, it means that if you're unaware of an unpleasant situation or someone's bad behaviour, you can't be troubled by it). I believe that those who decide not to comply with handwashing requirements often do so because they think they can get away with it... that if they're not seen leaving their hands unwashed, people can't be disgusted with them - and to hell with the consequences. It's human nature, isn't it? But not a nice part of human nature when it's actually endangering the lives of others.... So the answer is personalised feedback; tackling those that don't do as they're supposed to and sending them back to do it properly, much as my mother used to when she'd check to see that I'd washed the back of my neck properly when I was little. Yours,
     This Week's News
For those that weren't able to make it to the presentations at the recent ISSA trade event in Chicago, the winners of the Innovation and Customer Service Award winners, as voted for by ISSA Show attendees, were: Australian cleaning contractors face similar issues to those in the UK It's interesting to read in the Australian Cleaning Contractors' Alliance newsletter that the industry there is facing the same problems as we are here. Writes the Alliance's John Laws: "It's time again to mention that the industry continues to compete on unrealistic hourly rates rather than on quality of service. How can the users of our services ever give us respect when they see wages constantly increasing while our hourly charges remain static or reduce? Study shows efficacy of improved hydrogen peroxide against healthcare-associated pathogens A new study published in the November issue of Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, finds for the first time that improved hydrogen peroxide, the active ingredient found in some cleaning products, had a greater log-reduction of organisms at a one-minute contact time than standard hydrogen peroxide and quaternary ammonium compounds (QUATS). Effective hand hygiene in reducing the spread of infections Rafael Cobos AMIMarEST, of Futureclean Assured Systems, reports on the psychology of hand washing and the best ways of promoting effective hand hygiene
Hand hygiene has long been considered to be the single most important preventative measure in the transmission of infectious agents. Measures to undertake hand hygiene are surprisingly straightforward and effective decontamination can be achieved through the use of soaps or detergents and a compatible disinfectant. Personalised feedback makes healthcare workers twice as likely to clean their hands A major three-year trial led by researchers at University College London, in partnership with the Health Protection Agency, has shown that giving one-to-one feedback to healthcare workers makes them twice as likely to clean their hands or use soap. Sustainable floorcare costs less with 3M Scotch-Brite Surface Prep Pads
The latest addition to the company's floor care range is the 3M Scotch-Brite Surface Prep Pad - a premium quality floor stripping pad that strips and prepares a wide variety of floors without harmful chemicals, delivering improved sustainability and productivity at a total lower cost. A self sustaining solution for electronically controlled taps
New apprenticeships in facilities management launched New apprenticeships have been launched to help strengthen the facilities management workforce. The entry-level Facilities Services Apprenticeship, set at Level 2, offers employers a new route of recruiting 16 - 24 year olds into FM, while degree-level Facilities Management Apprenticeships have also been introduced at Levels 4 and 5. Greyland 'wins gold' from supplier to the London Olympics
This example just serves to illustrate that "using Greyland as your warehouse" is not just an empty phrase! Truvox Multiwash machines keep Glasgow Royal Infirmary floors clean
New success signals unparalleled award hat-trick for SkySiren
The national safety group awarded the 'Innovation of the Year' prize to the pioneering anti-entrapment system which was launched by Nationwide Platforms at the end of 2011. Norse scores high in schools cleaning and grounds purchasing frameworks One of the clearest indicators that a supplier has a proven track record is its placement on a 'Framework Agreement' managed by the five biggest professional buying organisations in the UK. Solving the dilution dilemma...
Betco launches new Stealth MicroRider scrubber
The machine includes the new Eco-Mode feature that allows an operator to conserve energy and reduce water consumption on demand. With a productivity rate of more than 30,000 sq. ft per hour, the new Stealth MicroRider greatly improves cleaning efficiency. In addition, it operates at only 54 dBA. 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
Speed manufacturing makes for record sales at Greyland
"After several years of successive growth, the business urgently needed to expand capacity," says Greyland Managing Director Richard Dyson. Ladder Association stresses need for safe equipment following prosecution
We have mail: Campaign to Protect Rural England's Past President, Bill Bryson, writes...
You've no doubt seen them many times before. Bedraggled but defiant, snagged at lofty heights, their unnatural livery of garish hues jarring against the sky. They are the flags of mindless consumption; the pennants of profligacy. Training flexibility with the WoolSafe Academy Professional cleaners and carpet care specialists who want to further their knowledge without sacrificing precious time are encouraged to enrol with the new online training centre from the WoolSafe Organisation. Launched this month, the cutting-edge WoolSafe Academy provides comprehensive training courses that offer the ultimate in flexibility. Emprise bulks up its gym cleaning portfolio
Selden acquires Jeyes Professional Division
Sweeping away a feather fiasco
Gum success for Newham Council
Karcher repeats popular £100 cashback scheme
New features on offer at The Cleaning Show 2013
Kensington & Chelsea SITA street cleaners to be balloted for strike action over pay On Monday, GMB, the union for public services workers in the UK, gave notice of an official ballot for strike action for 70 GMB members employed by contractor SITA on the street cleansing contract with Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (RBKC) - the most affluent borough in London - in a dispute over pay. |
