African Cleaning Review MayJune '20 issue

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educational of you. So maybe it’s not that dramatic, but customers want to feel like they can sense what’s up. They walk through the commercial area of a hotel and they see the frequent cleaning with a well-known product of high-touch areas in the lobby.” As part of that push for more transparency, the Hilton housekeeping procedures will include the placement of a room seal on the door to indicate that a room has been cleaned and left vacant since.

More sanitising tools for guests Marriott is stocking guest rooms with disinfecting wipes and installing more hand-sanitiser stations in communal areas of its hotels. “Marriott is also evaluating adding partitions at front desks to provide an extra level of precaution for our guests and associates and is working with

supply chain partners to make masks and gloves available to associates,” a company statement said. Hilton is adding stations of disinfecting wipes in “key high-traffic areas,” including at elevators. But it’s also strategically subtracting: Hotels will remove pens, paper and the guest directory from rooms, with digital alternatives “available upon request.”

Contact-free check-in and room access With social distancing so pivotal in preventing COVID-19’s spread, reducing contact with others is a priority. For hotels, that means tweaks to the check-in process are, too. More than 3 200 Marriott hotels are offering guest check-in and room access through their smartphones. Those guests can also use their phones to order room service or make other hotel requests.

Hilton, meanwhile, is expanding its Digital Key service, allowing guests to check-in and enter their rooms using their smartphones.

Employee health precautions Under its new initiative, Hilton workers will “be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) and enhanced training,” the chain said. Marriott says it is “working” to provide masks and gloves to its employees; as an extra barrier for staff and guests alike, it is also looking into adding partitions atop its front desks. As for other countries? Hotels in Singapore, for one, are abiding by the government’s ‘SG Clean’ certification programme, which mandates temperature and health screenings for employees.

Fogging as a sanitisation technique In recent times, clients, the public and service providers have been made more aware of the risks of germs and are, therefore, exploring better weapons in the war against infection. This article by Ashley White, Commercial and Safety Manager at cleaning and FM services specialist Nviro, demystifies fogging as a sanitisation technique.

C

hemical or bio-fogging has been around a long time as a way of sanitising interior spaces in buildings. But what once was a highly specialised (and costly) cleaning technique for clean rooms, hospitals and the food-processing sector is now seeping into the mainstream. There are various factors spreading its appeal. As in other areas of cleaning, the progress made in developing new chemical treatments has been remarkable. Historically, various chemicals including formaldehyde, phenol-based agents and compounds of ammonium have been used in fogging. Many had not been properly tested for

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African Cleaning Review May/June 2020

potential effects on human health, some were toxic and others even damaged materials they came into contact with. Advances in biocidal technology have bypassed these problems so that biofogging is now known to be both safe and effective. In practical terms, not only is it now far more straightforward to carry out fogging, we can demonstrate how effective it is through simple before and after tests, using ATP (adenosine triphosphate) monitors. The other big factor is the growing demand for infection control and enhanced cleaning services. As a society we are now all too aware of the risks posed by the winter Norovirus vomiting bug, MRSA infections

in hospitals, and the less regular but potentially lethal swine and bird flu pandemics. At times of heightened risk, hand sanitisers moved from hospital entrances into corporate offices, and are now increasingly commonplace. Managing these risks falls increasingly on the facilities manager, in particular where they serve large employers. They understand the impact on their business of high levels of sickness, which runs to hundreds of millions of pounds each year in the UK. The employee well-being agenda has focused further attention on how the workplace is serviced, and on the importance of cleaning, indoor air quality and hygiene.


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