June/July 2021 by European Cleaning Journal

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

JUNE/JULY 2021

HYGIENE IN FOOD

BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY

The rise of the takeway

Towards a better work-life balance

Where is it being used most?

Page 28

Page 42

Page 22

EFCI is working towards fairer public procurement across Europe - find out how Page 12

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CONTENTS

June/July 2021 | Vol.29, No.3

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORTS

42 The era of the four-day week?

22 Where is tech taking off?

Hartley Milner asks whether Covid has changed our working lives forever.

03 News

In what type of environments are high-tech solutions proving their worth?

28 Food prep takeaways A look at the particular cleaning and hygiene challenges faced by takeaways.

12 EFCI news

33 Food factories of the future As food manufacture changes, cleaning procedures become even more vital.

14 European reports

35 Streamlined wiping Do we really need a different wipe for every application?

48 Product review

44 Millennium reflections An overview of the key events and trends impacting on window cleaning.

46 Dispensing evolution How are chemical dispensing systems evolving as hygiene awareness grows?

Criterion Publishing Ltd PO Box 299, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1FP UK T +44 (0)1494 791222 F +44 (0)1494 792223 info@europeancleaningjournal.com www. europeancleaningjournal.com Subscriptions UK - £60 / Continental Europe - £70 / International - £80

Editor Michelle Marshall Features Writer Ann Laffeaty Advertisement director Chris Godman Advertisement sales executive Laura Bell

Circulation Marie Payne

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European Cleaning Journal is published six times a year by Criterion Publishing Ltd. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in European Cleaning, Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all material published in European Cleaning remains with Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents.

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NEWS Airport cleaners vulnerable

A cluster of Covid-19 cases among cleaners at Singapore’s Changi Airport has highlighted the everyday dangers they face. At the same time, the New Zealand authorities are investigating the case of an airport worker who contracted the virus after cleaning a plane. The aircraft had previously carried an infected passenger travelling from Ethiopia via Dubai. “It’s a huge challenge to figure out how the cleaner became infected because they were doing all the right things with PPE and being vaccinated,” said Otago University epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker. “The cleaner might have brushed past the passenger on an air bridge or inside the cabin. I’m not aware of any recorded examples of aerosols being left in an environment and then infecting someone after a significant delay, so leaving the

plane empty for a period of time before being serviced might just be the change that’s needed.” Meanwhile, 16 employees from Ramky Cleantech Services operating at Singapore’s Changi Airport tested positive for Covid-19 in May. The majority of them were cleaners, half of whom were over 60. And not all of them had been vaccinated, according to reports. The outbreak highlights the need to prioritise vaccination for all front-line workers, according to Professor Teo Yik Ying of the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. “All those in outward-facing jobs will come into contact with people coming from overseas,” he said. “The net should therefore be cast wide enough to cover staff members such as canteen operators, cleaners and shuttle bus drivers.”

Hand sanitiser not enough Teaching young children about hand hygiene is crucial - that’s according to Australia’s Department of Health in the wake of surging cases of gastroenteritis. At least 389 outbreaks have been reported in Victoria childcare centres so far this year. And experts believe the use of hand sanitisers in place of soap and • Une nouvelle concentration de cas de Covid-19 parmi les agents de nettoyage de l’aéroport de Singapour a mis en évidence les risques auxquels les personnels de nettoyage des aéroports sont exposés quotidiennement. • Le remplacement du lavage des mains par la désinfection en Australie a été mis en cause dans la multiplication des cas de gastroentérite.

10| June/July 2021 | ECJ

water could be partly to blame. Cases of gastroenteritis in Victoria went up four-fold from the five-year average in March. The state’s health authorities have noted hand sanitiser - while effective against some viruses - is not sufficiently effective in preventing viral gastroenteritis.

• Eine neue Anhäufung von Covid-19-Fällen unter den Reinigungskräften des Flughafens Changi in Singapur hat die Gefahren hervorgehoben, mit denen sich Reinigungskräfte auf Flughäfen tagtäglich konfrontiert sehen. • In Australien wurde das Ersetzen des Händewaschens durch die Verwendung von Händedesinfektionsmitteln für einen enormen Anstieg der Fälle von Gastroenteritis verantwortlich gemacht.

• Un nuovo focolaio di casi di Covid-19 fra gli addetti alle pulizie dell’aeroporto Changi di Singapore ha evidenziato i pericoli che gli addetti alle pulizie devono affrontare tutti i giorni. • In Australia, la sostituzione dei saponi con i disinfettanti per le mani è stata considerata responsabile dell’aumento dei casi di gastroenterite.

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EFCI NEWS One step further towards quality-based procurement

Public procurement is one of the key areas of activities for EFCI and the organisation feels there is a real need for public authorities to better promote efficient, fair and transparent competition. So it has developed a set of specific recommendations. Public procurement is one of the focuses of advocacy work for the EFCI. Indeed, our sector provides essential services to both public and private buyers who often select their contractors through public tenders. In some countries contracts awarded in this way account for 50 per cent of the sector turnover. Some companies’ turnover depends on an even higher proportion of this kind of contract, while others have opted out of participating in tenders given the high risks and pressure they entail for companies. And this is due, mainly, for the lack of focus on quality by tendering authorities.

Room for improvement in procuring across Europe From our work and discussions with partner organisations and stakeholders (such as representatives from the European Commission, the legal profession and contracting authorities), we have concluded there is a general agreement that while the legislation is there, further effort is needed to bring this to fruition in practice and for public authorities to better promote efficient, fair, and transparent competition between operators. For the rules to be

effectively applied in a way that promotes investment and true competition, the professionalisation of procurers needs further development. Indeed, both legal specialists and experts from our companies have reported that smaller procurers, such as small town halls, often struggle to consider the many different policy drivers that add complexity to the tendering process. For all the above, the EFCI has, since its foundation, worked intensively on the subject, conducting campaigns and lobbying activities towards public authorities at all levels to make them understand how essential it is that the focus it shifted from price towards quality in the selection of cleaning contractors. As a result of this focus, the EFCI and UNI Europa, our social partner in the social dialogue at EU Level, published the Selecting Best Value Guide. During the last period, though, EFCI members have emphasised the need to work further on specific recommendations from the sector on topics of concern. Therefore the EFCI has developed a set of specific recommendations, providing concrete ideas for procurers who want to go a step further in their commitment towards quality services and the respect for high social standards when contracting cleaning services.

EFCI’s recommendations to enable quality and innovation when selecting cleaning services Partnering with the sector: the EFCI highlights how outsourcing cleaning services allows organisations to focus on their main activity and ensures that specialised and trained professionals maintain high cleaning and hygiene standards

Les commandes publiques constituent l’un des grands domaines d’activité de l’EFCI qui estime que les pouvoirs publics devraient mieux promouvoir une concurrence efficace, équitable et transparente. Elle a donc élaboré un ensemble de recommandations spécifiques à cette fin.

12 | June/July 2021| ECJ

in their premises. In the tender design, we strongly recommend partnering with cleaning companies and associations from the early stages of the procurement design to ensure the conducting of a fair market analysis whilst maintaining a level playing field among bidders, ensuring transparency and equal treatment. Working in partnership throughout the procurement process and building constructive relations with the cleaning providers is key also through the execution of the contract. Tendering labour-intensive services requires the right approach: cleaning is a highly labour-intensive service where labour accounts for around 85 per cent of the total costs. This means that pressure on price will have direct consequences on staffing, the knowledge

and expertise of teams, the rest of the costs and the relevance given to innovation and sustainability aspects. As such, it is essential to shift the focus from price-alone criteria to a choice based on the best price/quality ratio. Following the recommendations of the Selecting Best Value Guide is the basis to reach this objective. Preparation as key for successful tenders and execution, including conducting

Die öffentliche Auftragsvergabe ist einer der wichtigsten Tätigkeitsbereiche des EFCI, und der Verband ist der Meinung, dass ein echter Bedarf für eine bessere Förderung eines effizienten, fairen und transparenten Wettbewerbs durch Behörden besteht. Aus diesem Grund hat der Verband eine Reihe spezifischer Empfehlungen entwickelt.

market research and consultations, following the recommendations by national authorities in the design of tenders and liaising with the national associations to get assistance and advice from an objective partner. Regarding price and award criteria, the EFCI strongly advises using (i) the ‘MEAT’ criteria (most economically advantageous tender) within a ‘best price quality ratio’ approach, and (ii) applying the proportional model in the evaluation of the bids. Further, the EFCI recommends to (iii) avoid using the number of hours as a scoring criterion (as cleaning contracts are result-based and not activitybased contracts). Moreover, and in order to improve the balance of other scoring criteria, the EFCI recommends procurers to (i) pay special attention to the organisation of the execution of the contract to enhance quality control during the life of the contract; (ii) include references in the contract to the qualification and experience of staff; (iii) include the relevant environmental and sustainability systems in each country and making reference to GPP (green public procurement) criteria and (iv) pay special attention to innovation. Of course, the EFCI also recommends including daytime cleaning in the execution criteria. The leaflet is being published during June 2021 and it will be widely disseminated by the EFCI and its members. It will form the basis for further advocacy activities, with the final objective of ensuring the achievement of the cultural shift towards real quality-based procurement of cleaning services. www.efci.eu

Gli appalti pubblici sono una delle aree chiave delle attività per la EFCI e l’organizzazione è dell’opinione che ci sia una concreta necessità per gli enti pubblici di promuovere una concorrenza efficace, equa e trasparente. Per questo motivo ha sviluppato una serie di consigli specifici.

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Workplace worries as lockdown lifts

Cleaning takes on a different value

Danes worry about returning to work so can our sector live up to expectations asks Lotte Printz.

What are the implications of the coronavirus for work and buildings, Dutch reporter John Griep asks.

Like cows jumping for joy as they are released to grass for the first time in spring, Danes have rushed to test centres and gladly queued for hours (in some places) to obtain a negative Covid-19 test allowing access to restaurants, museums and gyms that opened again on April 21. For those not fortunate enough to have been vaccinated, the negative test is a prerequisite for resuming cultural life. Working life is also slowly returning to some kind of normality. So, there’s certainly some light at the end of the tunnel as restrictions are lifted and vaccination rolled out. However, while the Danes seem to enjoy leisure and entertainment carefree, returning to their workplaces after months of working from home physically distanced from colleagues is not being taken quite as lightly. According to a survey commissioned by Coor, a Scandinavian facility management provider, up to 60 per cent of Danes worry about clocking back into their pre-pandemic working lives. Half of those who responded are concerned they’ll take infections home or fall ill themselves. And more than a quarter do not feel safe about hygiene at their workplaces. Other concerns expressed are whether the office space and other workplace areas make it possible for employees to keep proper distance from each other, and whether colleagues will live up to hygiene protocols and remain cautious around close contact. But the worries expressed about workplace hygiene and cleanliness cause particular alarm. “It’s remarkable that so many Danes worry about returning to their workplaces. And

What are the implications of the coronavirus culture shock for work and buildings? This was the subject of the VSR webinar held recently. During lockdown, Jitske Kramer wrote the management book ‘Work has Left the Building’, well known in the Netherlands. As a corporate anthropologist, she believes we will continue to work hybrid: partly at home, partly on location. Does that still offer opportunities for cleaning companies? According to facility management experts, yes. Cleaning has taken on a different value; after all, a clean workplace is a safe workplace. According to Kramer, coronavirus has caused a culture shock in her country. The crisis has major implications for collaboration and interaction in the workplace. Kramer distinguishes two interaction processes in decisionmaking within a culture: bullet point meetings and campfire conversations. “A bullet point meeting is a transactional conversation, in which we organise and order what had already been ordered. In the less formal campfire conversations, there is room for transformation. Bullet point meetings are suitable for online encounters, whereas for campfire conversations online, we have to try much harder because they require trust and loyalty. We sense that more face-to-face.” The fact that we now have to have every conversation, including campfire conversations, online is causing a culture shock, according to the anthropologist. How do we remain connected to our tribe? We develop desire lines for this, such as one-toone walks with your supervisor

Les Danois s’inquiètent de leur retour sur le lieu de travail habituel, ce qui a obligé le secteur de la propreté de songer aux normes d’hygiène qui seront désormais requises. Rapports Lotte Printz pour la ECJ.

this concern about the level of hygiene, in particular, must be taken seriously,” Annette Vindstrup Jensen, cleaning division manager at Coor, says. “It’s the employer’s responsibility that employees return safely to the workplace. Closer attention to hygiene is paramount as it is the best cure for virus spreading, and thus reducing sick leave,” she continues. More than one year on from the pandemic, this is no news, you would imagine. So, why do so many Danes still worry? During the pandemic, people from the cleaning sector have been thrilled about the light the coronavirus has shed on the importance of hygiene and cleanliness. So is it simply not possible to eliminate this kind of fear entirely? And are those worrying about returning to their workplace the same people who are not so reluctant to return to their social lives? Probably not. But could something still be learned from this apparent eagerness to enjoy other aspects of life again - carefree? Coor offers advice to employers on the safe return to workplaces. And following the ‘grand’ re-opening in late April and in May, the Danish Working Environment Authority announced its work and special supervisory efforts connected to Covid-19 will go on: monitoring whether office space requirements are being met, providing guidance on Covid-19 prevention, and supervising PCR-testing of those travelling into Denmark. Provided Covid-19 cases do not rocket after this extensive re-opening, these joint efforts, transparency and continued focus on good hygiene and cleanliness may eventually convince all working Danes.

Dänen sind besorgt über die Rückkehr an ihre Arbeitsplätze. Kann die Reinigungsbranche die erforderlichen Hygienestandards erfüllen, fragt Lotte Printz.

14| June/July 2021 | ECJ

La corrispondente Lotte Printz indaga per scoprire se il settore del cleaning è all’altezza degli standard di igiene richiesti dai lavoratori danesi che devono ritornare nei loro posti di lavoro.

Quelles seraient les incidences du choc culturel occasionné par la pandémie du coronavirus pour le travail et les immeubles? Tel fut le thème d’un récent webinaire tenu par VSR. John Griep, notre correspondant aux PaysBas, en rend compte.

and webinars instead of physical meetings. ‘It’s interesting to investigate these paths - are they only there in a crisis or do we want to keep them? In other words, are you experiencing this time as a crisis or as a transformation?’ One of the experts on the panel said: “I see this time as an opportunity for redefining and redesigning. Cleaning used to be generally invisible – now, hygiene is a prerequisite for returning to the office. A clean workplace is safe. As a building user, you’re no longer disturbed by the cleaners, but in fact glad to see them there. It’s a chance to be a brand.” One point raised was that as hygiene experts, cleaning companies can take control and advise organisations on how to prevent the spread of viruses. Another person thought that the crisis (or transformation) offers similar opportunities for hospitality: ‘I think we’ll continue to work from home to a certain extent, so that going to the office will be like an outing. People do need to think it worthwhile to come though, and hospitality can take care of that. It needs to become an experience.’ Jitske Kramer noted that this is precisely the kind of culture change that can occur as a result of a crisis or culture shock. “Cleaning has taken on a different value in this crisis,” she emphasised, “and people build their culture on what they find valuable. People shape culture and culture shapes people. Maybe in the future, the surgeon will talk to the cleaner about hygiene in the operating room.” This is how a crisis can turn out to be a transformation.

Welche Auswirkungen hat der CoronavirusKulturschock auf Arbeit und Gebäude? So lautete das Thema eines vor Kurzem von VSR gehosteten Webinars, berichtet der niederländische ECJReporter John Griep.

Quali sono le ripercussioni dello shock culturale del coronavirus sul lavoro e sugli edifici? Questo è stato l’argomento di un webinar tenutosi di recente e condotto dalla VSR come ci informa il corrispondente olandese di ECJ John Griep.

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LATEST: FRANCE

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A city fights against fly-tipping

New environmental codes

Christian Bouzols reports from France, where local authorities in Avignon are making citizens accountable for urban cleanliness.

The advent of new environmental rules is bringing change to the sector in Italy, says Anna Garbagna.

In the south of France, the city of Avignon - famous for being the seat of the Popes during the Middle Ages - the authorities have made a determined stand to keep that historic city clean. Their aim is to make the people of the town accountable for their behaviour in terms of urban cleanliness and to put an end to antisocial attitudes in that department. Their campaign is two-pronged: first the authorities are going to remind people how to behave and second, they are going to take concrete steps to catch offenders red handed by setting up mobile “photo traps”. They say they are fed up with people leaving rubbish in the streets, and particularly with fly-tippers, who throw away large objects. In their declared war on litter, they’ve launched the educational aspect of the campaign by placing leaflets in everyone’s letterbox, promoting the correct way to behave. They’ve also displayed anti-litter posters across the city with the slogan “We’re all Concerned” and even posted good behaviour videos on social media.

Shock treatment The mayoress of Avignon intends this to be a shock treatment. “If things don’t change, we’re seriously going to fine offenders,” she says. To this end, the city has increased from six to 70 the number of wardens authorised to hand out fines to litter louts and fly-tippers. In its campaign against fly-tipping, the town has purchased 10 mobile photo traps which will be set up randomly in those areas known to be used by fly-tippers. These devices will be taking Christian Bouzols, notre correspondant en France, évoque la situation à Avignon où les autorités ont décidé de responsabiliser les habitants pour ce qui est de la propreté de leur ville.

photos to make it possible to bring charges against people caught in the act of leaving an old fridge, a worn mattress or some other bulky item on a public highway. There will be fines to the tune of €1500. To give an idea of the problem, the mayoress said that 4,000 tonnes of rubbish and flytipped objects were collected from public spaces last year in Avignon. But this southern French city is not the only one to be blighted by this type of antisocial behaviour. Not far from Avignon, in the town of Cavaillon, the authorities are infuriated by this scourge, which even affects the town centre. They too have installed mobile photo traps in known polluted areas. These devices detect movement and automatically take shots of cars stopping there, registering their number plates as evidence of fly-tipping for forwarding to the local prosecutor. Gérard Daudet, mayor of Cavaillon, explained that over 300 tonnes of fly-tipped waste were collected from the streets of the town last year, at a cost of about €500,000. The cameras take all the evidence needed to produce a report for forwarding to the local magistrate, who will then decide on the size of the fine to apply. This can reach €1,500 and will be determined according to the degree of incivility shown by the offender. To date, nine people have been caught on camera and their files sent to the Avignon prosecutor.

Next edition of ECJ - September

Christian Bouzols berichtet aus Frankreich, wo die Kommunalbehörde in Avignon die Bürger für die Sauberkeit der Stadt verantwortlich macht.

16| June/July 2021 | ECJ

Dalla Francia, il corrispondente Christian Bouzols ci parla della città di Avignone nella quale le autorità locali hanno deciso di rendere i cittadini responsabili per la pulizia urbana.

With the introduction of the New CAMs (Minimal Environmental Criteria) following the Decree of the Ministry of the Environment in January, many changes have been introduced in the professional cleaning sector. Their implications were addressed in a workshop organised by Afidamp recently. Alessandra Mascioli, coordinator of Gruppo di Lavoro CAM - Ministero della Transizione Ecologica (CAM Working group of the Ministry of Ecological Transition) clarified the scope of their application ranging from cleaning services in residential environments to cleaning and sanitisation in healthcare applications, from the supply of detergents for regular cleaning to detergents for deep cleaning, from hand detergents to tissue paper products for personal hygiene. The main objective is to introduce new environmental requirements which will make the documents more effective at allowing the required targets to be achieved, ie. reducing the use of dangerous substances, greater efficiency in the use of resources and lower carbon footprint of cleaning services. Mascioli emphasised how CAMs represents an objective for environmental qualification in the professional cleaning sector and they can also be applied in the emergency situation related to the pandemic. Many changes have been introduced. Among them: requirements for detergents and disinfectants have been standardised; requirements for machinery, auxiliary products and some detergents have also been introduced; the effectiveLe secteur italien de la propreté a connu un certain nombre de changements importants par suite de l’introduction de nouveaux critères minimaux de protection environnementale, rapporte Anna Gargabna.

ness of cleaning services in residential environments has been approached; and recognition has been sought for bidders who commit to perform services with the customer, the customer’s sector, or the customer division in possession of the Ecolabel (EU) for cleaning services. Cleaning and sanitisation techniques have also been enhanced. These reduce environmental impact and achieve better results in terms of service effectiveness. The CAMs have also brought about the obligation to adopt environmental criteria for contracts supplying hand detergents and tissue paper products. All the issues related to selection criteria and contract terms for the different types of products have been reviewed. The region of Emilia Romagna was highlighted as a virtuous example of this sector, for its commitment to training and possible standardisation of conformance and assessment procedures with the aim of creating a checklist to ensure effective and correct operation. As a stakeholder Afidamp has played a key role in setting the new CAMs - working closely with the Ministry of Ecological Transition in the development of the guidelines. Italy turned out to be the European country with the highest number of Ecolabel certificates for cleaning services (34) compared to Austria (one), France (two), Poland (one) and Spain (two). Many questions were asked, showing the interest generated by the topic and demonstrating how Afidamp is a reference point for the sector.

Nachdem in Italien die neuen Minimalen Umweltkriterien eingeführt wurden, gab es einige erhebliche Änderungen in der Reinigungsbranche, berichtet Anna Garbagna.

Dall’Italia, la corrispondente Anna Garbagna di informa che ci sono stati dei cambiamenti significativi nel settore delle pulizie professionali in seguito all’introduzione dei nuovi Criteri Ambientali Minimi.

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LATEST: GERMANY

LATEST: UK

Trainee campaign begins

Trailblazing the cleaning sector

A new campaign in Germany aims to attract new recruits to the sector, explains Katja Scholz.

Lynn Webster reports from the UK on initiatives seeking to raise the profile of the cleaning sector.

www.reinindiezunft.de - the relaunch of this website in May marked the start of this year’s trainee campaign by the Federal Guild of Contract Cleaners (BIV). And the name of the website itself gives a clear indication of the content: “We would like to recruit young people and show them the possibilities offered by a varied vocational training programme that will open up opportunities for them”, explained Steffi Reuter, BIV’s head of marketing who is also involved in training. The core of the trainee campaign is the newly redesigned website. Its fresh design shows what trainees in the contract cleaning trade can expect and what career opportunities are on offer. “The experience of previous years with our social media channels has shown us that it pays to catch young people where they are most likely to be found and to address them directly in their own environment. This approach is supported by good content with which we hope to attract the attention of potential trainees towards us”, said Reuter. In 2020 there were 1826 young people undergoing training in the contract cleaning trade spread across all three apprenticeship years. How many trainees will take up training in the coming year is difficult to estimate. The fact is, however, that the demand for male and female contract cleaners is very high throughout the whole of Germany. To give potential trainees a comprehensive overview of what training places are available and where, an apprentice place radar has been integrated into the website in which all BIV member companies with vacant training places are listed

The opportunities to recognise the cleaning industry and its front-line employees have never been so great. It has been an ideal time to speak with clients about raising the profile of the cleaning teams; to consider reviewing the service levels to effectively be ‘cleaning for health’ and providing safe, hygienic spaces. Raising the profile of cleaning, and specifically operatives has been championed by the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) with its strapline #Creating a Career in Cleaning but unfortunately the investment costs for some are cost prohibitive or they’re not a priority on their bottom line. But in the words of lyricist Bob Dylan the times they are a changing! Following the successful launch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the UK Cleaning and Hygiene Industry, The British Cleaning Council (BCC) has set up a Trailblazer Group, including major companies with a balance of national organisations along with representation from SME’s and industry supporting stakeholders. This will hopefully result in an accredited training provision in the format of an apprenticeship scheme for the sector. Which will allow those companies who pay into the Apprenticeship Levy to gain some return on their investment. The Apprenticeship Levy requires employers with an annual pay bill of more than €3.5 million put around 0.5 per cent towards it. BCC deputy chairman Jim Melvin, who is part of the trailblazer group, said: “There is an overwhelming need for an industry-wide training accreditation and apprenticeship.” The benefit of an apprentice-

Les secteur de la propreté professionnelle en Allemagne a lancé une nouvelle campagne pour attirer des jeunes vers les programmes de formation du secteur. Katja Scholz faire rapport.

by region. There are currently around 2,500 members. Those companies that have an apprenticeship vacancy are stored in a database and can thus easily be found by young people looking for a place when they search by criteria such as postcode or location. “The search results will then enable the potential candidate to look at the website of the different companies and apply direct with all the necessary documentation. This is a very convenient way for young people to submit their applications.” Those interested can also find general information on the website about training in the contract cleaning trade – such as pay, conditions and training content – as well as possible career opportunities, further training possibilities and the coveted title of master craftsman.

Social media campaign The target group identified by BIV comprises young people aged between 16 and 18 and their parents. In order to reach this demographic, it has been concentrating its efforts on social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram. “We frame our training advertisements, which consist of various different messages, specifically to attract young people and their parents and to direct them to the new trainee website,” said Christopher Lück, BIV’s director of policy and communications. “As we have seen in the past, we can reach young people through these channels – and are confident that, with the relaunch of our website, we are offering them a convenient and easily navigable platform for checking out training opportunities in the or for finding a suitable vacancy.

Die deutsche Reinigungsbranche hat eine neue Kampagne gestartet, um junge Menschen für die Ausbildungsprogramme der Branche zu rekrutieren. Katja Scholz berichtet.

18| June/July 2021 | ECJ

In Germania, il settore del cleaning professionale ha lanciato una nuova campagna per reclutare i giovani a frequentare i programmi di training del settore. Ce ne parla la corrispondente Katja Scholz.

Dans son reportage du Royaume-Uni pour ECJ, Lynn Webster évoque plusieurs initiatives lancées dans le but de relever le profil et le professionnalisme du secteur de la propreté.

ship has not been open to cleaning operatives and their employers other than in a healthcare setting where there is maximum funding of €4,654. The healthcare cleaning operative may work in any establishment that requires cleaning to a healthcare standard. Beneficiaries other than in direct healthcare settings of hospitals and care homes include some specific educational settings; child care facilities plus some leisure environments. The unrepresented, and major part of the cleaning and support services industry has no such framework. With the impact of cleaning pioneers and success of this BCC group we will slowly begin to have recognised the skills and professionalism of our industry. Next challenge will be recognising the diverse skills, abilities and value of our supervisory and management teams. Opportunities to provided recognised training and certification for cleaning supervisors (BICSc Cleanlogic programme) and the development of ISSA’s Cleaning Supervisory Management Certification are demonstrating the importance of training and continuously developing skills and knowledge at this level. And so, the journey continues to highlight a clear path for our career in cleaning. I am delighted to be part of the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners’ work towards recognising and maintaining high standards and ongoing proficiency at the senior level. We will then be able to demonstrate our charter status alongside chartered colleagues in accountancy and finance, with formal credentials aligning our value as chartered environmental cleaning professionals.

Lynn Webster berichtet für das ECJ aus Großbritannien über eine Reihe von Initiativen, die zum Ziel haben, das Profil und den Professionalismus der Reinigungsbranche zu heben.

Dal Regno Unito, la corrispondente di ECJ Lynn Webster ci aggiorna su alcune iniziative che stanno cercando di alzare il profilo e la professionalità del settore delle pulizie professionali.

CLEAN UP

your routine

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SMART TECHNOLOGY

Where is tech taking off? In what types of environments are high-tech cleaning systems that involve elements such as software, sensors, automation, remote tracking and robots proving their worth, asks Ann Laffeaty? And why is this the case? Cleaning has traditionally tended to be a fairly manual process until recently. True, there is a whole host of equipment and machinery available on the market that can significantly improve the speed, efficiency and end-result of cleaning. Such products include mops, scrubber dryers, microfibre cloths and high-pressure cleaners, for example. But it is that magic combination of water, detergent and elbow grease that have long remained at the core of most cleaning regimes. However as in most areas of modern life, technology has begun creeping into the mix. As a result, high-tech methods involving digital systems, robots and sensors are increasingly being used to automate cleaning. Solutions providers are quick to point out that such technological breakthroughs offer a number of key benefits. They can help to speed up cleaning, for example, while ensuring accurate dosing takes place. And they allow operatives to remotely monitor those areas that need to be cleaned. But despite all these advantages, takeup of high-tech tools has been sporadic over recent years and has largely depended on how user-friendly and intuitive they happen to be. However, the global pandemic has changed the cleaning landscape and made all of us more willing to adapt and embrace novel solutions. So, in what types of environments is cleaning technology proving to be most useful? And what are the reasons behind the take-up? High-tech solutions have become par-

22 | June/July 2021 | ECJ

ticularly popular in large open spaces such as airports, railway stations, hotels and large office blocks, according to Kärcher’s digital solutions product manager Philipp Kipf. And this is because needs-based cleaning in such environments tends to be hugely time-consuming, he says. “It is easy to see how much time and effort can be lost where large distances are being covered unnecessarily,” he said. “For example, the terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York covers more than 350 hectares in area. No matter how intelligently the workforce is deployed it is often necessary for staff to walk long distances in order to get from one place to the next. And this means the process of carrying out visual checks on the cleanliness of facilities and monitoring dispenser refill levels can eat up a lot of time.” Other time-consuming tasks in large facilities include the checking of waste bins and air conditioning filters, he says, adding that Karcher’s Dynamic Cleaning solution can address these issues. “This system uses artificial intelligence to quickly calculate the savings that can be made with regard to work, effort and consumables.” Kärcher Dynamic Cleaning uses sensors to monitor footfall and check on the refill levels of washroom dispensers. Notifications are then sent to cleaning staff via a smartphone, giving information on which rooms are likely to need cleaning and what materials and products might be required. According to Kipf, the cleaning market in general is becoming tougher – and this is having an impact on technological take-up. “While cleanliness and hygiene have become more important as a result of the global challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a drop in order numbers in sectors such as office cleaning, hospitality and tourism,” he said. “And while there needs to be stricter cleaning and hygiene measures in place, there is a significant shortage of qualified cleaning personnel. So the use of digital solutions that replace static cleaning schedules and paper-based administra-

tion is likely to increase in importance.” Available from Soniq Services - an independent subsidiary of Kärcher – is a software platform said to digitally manage the cleaning process from customer acquisition to service provision and invoicing. [SQ] ONE gathers and uses information from various sources including data from Kärcher cleaning machines. Another company claiming to have noted an increased demand for technological systems in airports, manufacturing facilities and other large open spaces is Essity. “These types of environment tend to be spread out over a wide area and may incorporate multiple facilities with a high footfall,” said the company’s product management director Charishma Kothari. “Traffic is difficult to predict in these places and there tends to be sudden unexpected peaks in traffic.”

Time management Other areas where demand has increased over recent years include healthcare facilities, large offices, colleges and universities, she said. “The cleaning staff in such environments will have many commitments which means managing their time is critical,” she said. “Knowing when and where they are likely to be needed has never been more important, and having access to real-time data makes this possible.” Essity’s Tork EasyCube uses sensors in washrooms and throughout buildings to monitor washroom dispenser refill levels and general footfall. Cleaners are then alerted via a smartphone app when a dispenser is running out or when a cleaning issue is likely to arise. “Sensor technology makes it easy to monitor real-time traffic,” said Kothari. “When thresholds are determined, management and cleaners are alerted to essential needs.” The company also offers Digital Cleaning Plans which are said to help streamline the cleaning process, and Tork Interactive Clean Hospital Training. This is an online and interactive training and support package designed to provide cleaning insights

SMART TECHNOLOGY floor cleaning equipment is gathering pace, possibly fuelled by our heightened infection control priorities and the need for operatives to maintain an appropriate distance from other people,” she said. She believes the profile of cleaning will change dramatically in the future. “Sanitising, infection control and measurement will all be key areas for ensuring clean and safe environments, and businesses will need to demonstrate to employees and visitors that their facilities are hygienic and safe,” she said. “As a result there will be a greater demand for ‘proof of clean’.”

to cleaners and facility managers. While demand for technology tends to be at its highest in large open spaces, Kothari believes high-tech systems can be useful anywhere. “Software-based systems such as Tork EasyCube and Digital Cleaning Plans can work well in smaller spaces, too, where remote access to realtime information on product supplies and foot traffic levels can virtually eliminate the need for any unnecessary checks by the cleaner,” she said. ICE offers a range of autonomous vacuums, scrubber dryers and sweepers – and these are proving popular in a wide range of environments according to the company’s marketing manager Ellen Gasson. “Our machines are now in use in manufacturing plants, warehouses, schools, airports, railway stations, hospitals, hotels and in the retail sector,” she said. “With the pandemic at the forefront of our minds there has been a higher demand for such systems that allow for automated and socially distanced cleaning.” ICE’s Co-Botics machines are designed to operate alongside human cleaners, allowing operatives to focus on the more detailed tasks. “Demand for autonomous

However, she sees no reason to believe automated systems will be used to replace people. “The profile and importance of cleaners and the industry as a whole has increased dramatically over recent months,” she said. “We believe this trend will continue, and the public will increasingly look to cleaners as a visible resource to provide confidence all environments are being cleaned and kept sanitised.” So in a precarious health landscape with uncertainty being created about the everfluctuating levels of COVID-19 around

Aéroports, magasins, usines, hôpitaux...quels sont les environnements de nettoyage qui se prêtent le mieux aux solutions technologiques ? Se peut-il, par exemple, que les très grandes surfaces dégagées conviennent le mieux aux méthodes intelligentes vu la difficulté pour des opérateurs humains de les couvrir ? On encore, se peut-il que la technologie fonctionne le mieux en milieux hospitalier ou dans des aéroports dans la mesure où elle facilitera l’éloignement social et rassurera visiteurs et passagers de leur sécurité ? ECJ examine les endroits où la technologie du nettoyage a trouvé le plus d’adeptes

Flughäfen, Geschäfte, Fabriken, Gesundheitswesen – in welchen Umgebungsarten erweist sich Technologie in Bezug auf das Reinigen als am nützlichsten? Funktionieren beispielsweise intelligente Lösungen am besten in großen, offenen Bereichen, die von einer menschlichen Reinigungskraft nur schwer zu bewältigen ist? Oder sind sie besser geeignet für das Gesundheitswesen, wo sie das Befolgen der Abstandsregeln unterstützen können, oder für Flughäfen, wo sie im Hinblick auf Sicherheit eine beruhigende Wirkung auf Passagiere ausüben können? Das ECJ wirft einen Blick auf die Orte, wo Technologie vorzugsweise eingesetzt wird.

Changing profile

the globe, how will the role of cleaning technology develop in the future? High-tech solutions will continue to prove particularly useful, says Essity’s Charishma Kothari. “By using sensors to track supply levels, individual dispenser checks can be eliminated - and this will create additional time for cleaners to adhere to the new standards and requirements,” she said. “And traffic trackers across a facility will allow more time for staff to carry out detailed cleaning.” Karcher’s Philipp Kipf agrees that demand for technology will only grow. “The significant shortage of specialist workers in the cleaning sector makes the strategic use of existing workforce members all the more important,” he said. “And one factor that helps to meet these requirements is the use of suitable cleaning technology, since this improves the efficiency of work processes and allows companies to remain competitive.” ICE’s Ellen Gasson concurs. “We believe that today’s higher demand for automated and socially distanced cleaning will certainly impact the way in which cleaning is carried out in the future,” she said.

Aeroporti, negozi, fabbriche, strutture sanitarie, in quale tipo di ambiente la tecnologia si sta dimostrando più utile per quanto riguarda le pulizie? Per esempio, le soluzioni smart funzionano meglio in aree di grandi dimensioni e aperte che presentato delle difficoltà per un addetto alle pulizie umano per lo svolgimento del lavoro? Oppure sono più adatte per gli ambienti sanitari dove possono favorire il distanziamento sociale, o negli aeroporti per riassicurare i passeggeri sulla sicurezza? ECJ prende in esame i luoghi dove la tecnologia si sta dimostrando più popolare.

June/July 2021 | ECJ | 23

PRODUCTS: SMART TECHNOLOGY

• Le dispositif Easy de la société Vigilant, dont l’encombrement est celui d’une carte de crédit, assure la collecte en temps réel de données et le suivi de tâches de nettoyage. • Spectro, un spécialiste des produits chimiques de nettoyage, a lancé le système Internet of Spectro qui entre en communication avec l’ensemble des équipements et capteurs de dosage d’une entreprise. • Développé pour les prestataires de services de nettoyage, TEAM Software propose le logiciel de gestion de force de travail Timegate. • Bei Easy von Vigilant handelt es sich um ein Gerät in Kreditkartengröße, mit dem Echtzeitdaten gesammelt und Reinigungsarbeiten nachverfolgt werden können. • Spectro, Hersteller von Reinigungschemikalien, hat Internet of Spectro vorgestellt, das mit allen Dosiergeräten und Sensoren des Unternehmens kommuniziert. • Bei Timegate von TEAM Software handelt es sich um eine Personalmanagement-Lösung, die speziell für Reinigungsdienstleister entwickelt wurde. • Il dispositivo Easy della Vigilant è uno strumento della misura di una carta di credito che può essere utilizzato per raccogliere dati in tempo reale e tracciare le attività di pulizia. • L’azienda produttrice di detergenti chimici Spectro ha lanciato Internet of Spectro che comunica con tutte le apparecchiature di dosaggio e i sensori dall’azienda. • Timegate della TEAM Software è una soluzione di gestione della forza lavoro sviluppata per i fornitori di servizi di pulizia.

24 | June/July 2021 | ECJ

Be vigilant Data specialist Vigilant developed the Easy device to gather real-time data to use in tracking cleaning tasks. Key features are simplicity and ease of use, it says, and this is a low-cost solution as there is no need to invest in smartphones. The Easy device is about the same size as a credit card, although thicker and more robust. There is no keyboard or display, just three light indicators. It contains a long-lasting rechargeable battery. The device is placed on an NFC

tag and a beep and vibration tells the employee that he has been registered. The system collects the data, which is stored and processed for the monitoring of tasks carried out, and reports generation. www.vigilant.es/en

The Spectro app now boasts more functions. Users can request installations via the technical service team, generate work reports and (soon) receive notifications when a product needs a refill. www.spectro.eu

Use of data

Workforce

Cleaning formulas specialist Spectro has recently launched the Internet of Spectro, designed to efficiently use data in its cleaning solutions systems. The company will install a Spectro Internet Module at client sites, which can communicate with its dosing equipment and sensors. This data will continuously be passed on to its server. So when users reach the stage when they need to order more product, it’s done automatically. And they always receive a notification when they’ve completely run out so they never have to be without product.

Timegate from TEAM Software is a workforce management solution purpose-built for cleaning service providers. It’s designed to provide information to help firms operate efficiently and improve performance, while reducing cost and risk. The Timegate Essentials pack is a good way to start - this handles employee and customer information along with time and attendance and schedules. Additional packs can then be bolted on for employee engagement, finance, recruitment, reporting and service. teamsoftware.com

PRODUCTS: SMART TECHNOLOGY

Take control

The Avista Operations Center is a cloud-based software enabling service managers to take control of planned and completed cleaning tasks. Operations managers plan and assign staff to customers or vice versa, then travel time is automatically calculated from home/ office to/between clients/sites. Work hours are automatically adjusted based on the result from previous calculations, and operations managers can monitor work in real time via web or mobile apps. The key element, says Avista, is the actual time spent in each

cleaning area, as clients want to release time and focus on business development. Balancing actual quality with budgeted time versus actual time highlights data to gain business control, reducing over-delivery in combination with needsbased cleaning. avistatime.com

Latest app Cleantracker AI is the latest mobile app from Optiqo, designed to enable facility service providers with an easy-to-use method to validate cleaning effectiveness by adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

The primary purpose of the app is to determine, through a standardised and consistent method, whether a cleaning procedure has been sufficiently carried out and approved. The service provider can visually and objectively validate whether surfaces that have been recently cleaned are in fact as visually clean as they appear; all through the use of Artificial Intelligence. The areas of effectiveness for the app are consistently measuring approved cleaning procedures and examining timespans. Through data being collected over time, insights regarding how each floor or area can be best maintained are provided. Cleantracker AI’s intelligence is built into both its iOS and Android applications. By using the app with Optiqo’s predefined test kit, contamination percentages can be detected, quantified, and stored within the application directly. www.optiqo.com

• L’Avista Operations Center est un logiciel de planification sur le cloud intéressant toutes sortes d’opérations de nettoyage. • Dernière application mobile de la société Optiqo, le Cleantracker AI est un système à intelligence artificielle de validation du rendement de nettoyage.

• Das Avista Operations Center ist eine cloud-basierte Planungssoftware für alle Arten von Reinigungsbetrieben. • Bei Cleantracker AI handelt es sich um die neueste mobile Anwendung von Optiqo, einem System, das mithilfe von KI die Wirksamkeit der Reinigung überprüft.

• Avista Operations Center è un software di pianificazione basato sul cloud e adatto per tutti i tipi di operazioni di pulizia. • Cleantracker AI è la più recente applicazione mobile della Optiqo, un sistema che convalida l’efficacia delle pulizie adottando l’IA .

June/July 2021 | ECJ | 25

questions F O R N I E L S VA N D E N B E R G , C E O O F C L E A N J AC K

It reads like an adventurous boy’s book: how CleanJack’s CEO Niels van den Berg travelled the world visiting cleaning companies with his CleanJack. Since 2014 Van den Berg visited cleaning companies in Europe, Australia, South Africa, Russia and even Japan.

An App or a CleanJack terminal: What’s the difference? When do you use which? An App seems obvious: almost everyone has a mobile phone. Employees can install the CleanJack App on their own phone. It's cheap. Still, many companies prefer a CleanJack terminal at the work location where employees can log in with an ID key fob. Terminals provide reliable data and are easy to manage.

What important lessons did you learn on your tour along cleaning companies around the world? We learned how professional cleaning is organized and managed in different countries. One of the most important lessons was to keep things simple. We needed to make the solution widely applicable and easy to use. So everyone can immediately use it in various cleaning environments. Digitalization is indispensable for cleaning companies to have more control over operational processes and keen insight in costs and revenues. Why would a cleaning company choose CleanJack? Cleaning companies are assured of a system that fits seamlessly into daily cleaning practices. It’s their feedback which determines CleanJack's development agenda. CleanJack is accessible from anywhere via the cloud. It doesn't matter where a cleaning company is located. Rates are low.

In practice, CleanJack Apps and terminals are easily used side by side. If the cleaner has to visit several small locations, an App is preferable. If hours are worked at the same location, the CleanJack terminal is usually preferred. Can you explain how data are sent from and to the devices? Via 4G mobile networks, the terminals and the Apps are 24h x 7 connected to the CleanJack portal in the cloud. For the terminals we use a data sim of IoT Service Provider Comgate. An international company that provides connectivity solutions to make devices, machines and sensors smarter and connect them to the internet. It enables managers to monitor the operational process and make immediate adjustments if necessary.

How does it work? Simple: cleaners, managers and customers have access to the CleanJack portal in the cloud. Cleaners see their schedules, tasks and hours worked. Managers make the schedules, monitor the process and can easily send messages to cleaners and customers. Customers can give feedback via the CleanJack portal.

How do you see the future of digitalization in the cleaning industry? System integration, sensor technology, artificial intelligence and robotization will have serious impact. It is important for a cleaning company to keep control against the background of these developments. ERP, building management and payroll systems are easily linked to CleanJack. The same goes for sensors. By measuring visit frequencies and usage volumes, cleaning can be smartly planned and carried out.

When cleaners confirm their attendance onsite, they are informed about tasks and priorities via an App or via the CleanJack terminal.

Activities of cleaners will shift in the coming years, but in the end it will first and foremost remain human work.

Cleaning management SIMPLIFIED

CleanJack is a smart online onliine cleaning management system. Cleaning Cleaniing companies companiies can make schedules, schedu ule send messages to employees, keep trackk off hours, h monitor the operational process and stay in touch with customers. Let’s meet and learn more via a Teams call. www.cleanjack.com  +31 702 040 132  info@cleanjack.com

www.cleanjack.com

HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION

Food prep takeaways Many restaurants have had to morph into off-site diners during the pandemic, while “ghost” kitchens have sprung up everywhere. What are the cleaning and hygiene challenges faced by food takeaway and delivery businesses, asks Ann Laffeaty? And how has Covid-19 impacted on those challenges? The restaurant industry has suffered hugely over the past 15 months, with many eateries all over Europe being forced to close. But in many cases, takeaways have been allowed to remain open since off-site dining is considered less of a threat than spending hours at a time seated in an enclosed restaurant alongside strangers. So there has been a huge upsurge in food takeaway businesses. Besides such traditional offerings as Chinese, Indian, pizza, and fish and chips, it is now entirely possible to order a threecourse takeout banquet or a tasting menu from a fine dining restaurant. At the same time, a growing number of talented home bakers and enterprising cooks have been setting up “ghost” kitchens and offering their own off-premise meal options. And many of these restaurants and ghost kitchens have teamed up with logistics operators to enable meals to be delivered directly to the customer’s door. But all food businesses – whether takeaway or dine-in - need to adhere to high standards of hygiene, particularly when in the midst of a global pandemic. And there are several cleaning and hygiene challenges that are specific to a takeaway. For example, speed of service and delivery is a major requirement - but dishing up meals in double-quick time should not lead to cleaning and hygiene regimes being skimped, says Essity’s horeca marketing director Hanneke Kuipers. “It is key that the hygiene efforts of staff are placed front and centre at every

28 | June/July 2021 | ECJ

step of the food journey to ensure an efficient workflow and safe food handling,” she said. According to Kuipers, ghost kitchens pose particular challenges. “Research reveals that more than 50 per cent of consumers now claim to be comfortable when ordering from a delivery-only restaurant with no physical storefront,” she said. “However, most ghost kitchens have limited space and they tend to use on-demand staff and third-party delivery companies. This means it is crucial the food-handling policies of all third-party companies are scrutinised because these operators will become part of the food journey.” Where restaurants operate their own delivery fleet it is important to ensure all staff are provided with food safety training and PPE, she says. “A delivery toolkit incorporating face masks, sanitiser bottles and paper towels can be helpful.” And customers need reassurance the premises are clean, she adds. “The provision of a tamper-proof seal on every delivery bag is an easy way of demonstrating to clients the food has not been touched since leaving the kitchen,” she said. “Similarly, a pouch containing individuallywrapped napkins incorporated in the food package will reassure the customer that these, too, are hygienic and untouched.” She claims it is important for takeaways to be transparent with guests about their food safety efforts. “You could even go so far as to include a note with each order to explain the measures that have been taken to ensure the food is safe,” she said. “And if this message also thanks the customer for their support, it will help to build on the emotional connection between customer and food provider even when it is not possible to entertain them in-house.” A new page on the Tork website provides a complete series of tips for takeaways from food preparation to handover. The portal includes hand hygiene posters, pick-up station signs and a guide to using QR codes.

In traditional takeaways where customers pick up their own meals, it is important all cleaning and hygiene measures are both rigorous and evident, she says. “Hand sanitising stations should be provided at all points where guests are entering and exiting, and staff hand-washing stations should be checked regularly to ensure they are fully stocked with soap and paper towels at the start of each shift,” she said. “And all staff members should be trained to handle takeaway bags with care, treating the packing process in the same way as they do when preparing the food itself.”

Speed is key Essity offers a range of products for use in takeaways including Tork Reflex Portable Single Sheet Centrefeed. This compact portable surface wiping system has a docking station and a rotating nozzle which allow the paper to be pulled out one-handedly from any angle for speed of delivery. New from Essity is Tork Odour Control Hand Washing Liquid Soap, claimed to remove pungent food odours such as fish and garlic from the hands. Filmop’s export area manager Paolo Scapinello agrees with Kuipers that speed is of the essence in any takeaway. “All products and systems used in these environments should be capable of achieving thorough cleanliness in the shortest possible time,” he said. “And all equipment should be close at hand, lightweight and user-friendly to allow cleaning and sanitising operations to be carried out quickly and easily.” The fact that takeaway kitchens are usually smaller than those of dine-in restaurants presents a challenge, he says. “All equipment needs to be sufficiently compact to be able to be easily accommodated in a confined space,” he said. And business operators need to be aware customers are more likely to watch their food being prepared in a takeaway, adds Scapinello. “It is therefore reassuring for customers to note cleaning is being carried out regularly, particularly since the advent of Covid-19,” he said. “A takeaway

HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION can enhance its image and add value by paying close attention to cleanliness.” Filmop’s ErgoDrop mop is said to be particularly suitable for use in takeaway kitchens due to its compact size. It has a dosing system to prevent accidental spillage and a design that allows cleaning to be carried out quickly and effortlessly. Unlike Scapinello, GOJO’s UK and Ireland managing director Chris Wakefield believes the pandemic has led to a shift away from the traditional takeaway model where people watch their food being prepared. “A combination of Covid-19 and the ready availability of contactless payments has meant an increasing number of takeaways now offer doorstep delivery to help maintain social distancing with customers.” According to Wakefield, the large numbers of orders received in a typical takeaway can be a major challenge – particularly in the current climate. “Having a larger volume of orders to fulfil means more time needs to be spent on sanitising surfaces - and the operatives’ hands will also need to be cleaned more frequently,” he said. “This means the main challenge is not space, but speed.” Customers have high expectations of quick service food outlets, he says. “We live in a world where everything is available on demand, and this has bred a culture where people are not prepared to wait,” he said. “However, hygiene should never be sacrificed for the sake of speed which means takeaway managers need to equip their premises with surface sanitising products that are both effective and fast-acting.” Such products need to be ready to use, fast-acting and quick to dry while also offering high levels of antimicrobial efficacy, he adds. “Where time is of the essence it is vital to select products that will quickly reach their stated efficacy levels,” said Wakefield. “This is where surface sanitising sprays and wipes come to the fore.” He claims such products can be easily incorporated into daily protocols alongside hand hygiene and cleaning routines. GOJO offers various hand hygiene solutions Les établissements proposant des plats à emporter se sont multipliés pendant la pandémie car celle-ci a provoqué la fermeture d’innombrables restaurants. Quels sont les problèmes d’hygiène alimentaire que ces établissements ont à résoudre ? On peut penser que leurs clients vont être davantage enclins à observer la manière dont leurs plats sont préparés, de sorte que les employés devront visiblement paraître propres. Il est également possible que les mains et les surfaces aient à être nettoyées plus fréquemment afin de faciliter la production de plats à emporter aussi rapide que possible. Dans ce cas, on peut s’interroger sur les produits et systèmes à utiliser à cette fin.

for small kitchens including the Purell Everywhere System which is said to have a small footprint. Also from GOJO are Purell Surface Sanitising Spray and Wipes and Purell Advanced Hygienic Hand Rub. Kärcher’s target group manager Gundula Braun feels the compact size of the kitchens can be a particular issue in takeaways. “The fact there is less space available means that scaled-down cleaning equipment will be required,” she said. “In a takeaway business with an open kitchen and a small counter it is also important the premises are visibly hygienic. This will create a good impression on customers and encourage them to come back. “Speed of delivery is also crucial because nobody wants to sit there for 20 minutes to wait for their food. And customer throughput will be higher compared with in a dine-in which will lead to more dirt being walked in. Cleaning therefore needs to be a high priority.”

Customer expectations Kärcher offers small steam cleaners and battery-operated products for use in takeaway kitchens. “Cleaning with plug-in machines is undesirable in these environments since they tend to have few electrical sockets and little space,” she said. Also from Kärcher are window and kitchen cleaning agents for removing grease and other liquids from surfaces. According to Braun, customer expectations have changed in the light of Covid-19. “Many clients are now taking a closer look at takeaways and they expect

Während der Covid-19-Krise waren geschlossene Restaurants die Regel und die Zahl der Abholrestaurants hat stark zugenommen. Mit welchen Problemen bei der Lebensmittelhygiene müssen Abholrestaurants fertig werden? Ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit höher, dass Kunden hier bei der Zubereitung ihrer Speisen zusehen als in einem Restaurant? Bedeutet das, dass die Mitarbeiter offensichtlich sauber sein müssen? Müssen Hände und Oberflächen schneller gereinigt werden, um einen schnelleren Durchsatz zu ermöglichen, und wenn dem so ist, welche Produkte und Systeme können dabei helfen?

their servers to be wearing gloves and masks,” she said. Cromwell Polythene provides disposable gloves for use in takeaways. “Our range includes blue nitrile examination gloves which have strong barrier properties and offer a high resistance to oils and fats,” says managing director James Lee. “They are also packed in a way that means they are dispensed cuff first, which offers clear hygienic advantages.” However, he says the increased use of gloves and other disposable products can lead to waste issues. “The on-the-go nature of takeaways increases the risk of littering, so it is important recycling initiatives in public spaces are expanded to help mitigate this risk,” he said. So as lockdowns start to cease and restrictions ease, will the current boom in the takeaway sector level off? This is unlikely, says Kärcher’s Gundula Braun. “The industry has high potential and we believe we can grow our takeaway market share in the future,” she said. “And we feel demand for battery-driven machines and compact products will grow in this sector.” Essity’s Hanneke Kuipers also believes that the industry is likely to grow further. “This new dynamic will force restaurants to adapt to evolving guest expectations,” she says. GOJO’s Chris Wakefield concurs. “Until the pandemic is declared to be over, some consumer concern about ‘dining in’ restaurants will remain – and this means takeaway and delivery businesses will continue to thrive,” he said.

I takeaway hanno proliferato durante il Covid-19 quando le chiusure dei ristoranti sono diventate la norma. Quali sono i problemi di igiene alimentare che devono affrontare i takeaway? E’ più probabile che i clienti di un takeway vedano il loro cibo mentre viene preparato piuttosto che in un ristorante, e questo significa che il personale deve essere visto pulito? E mani e superfici devono essere pulite più di frequente per facilitare una veloce produttività e se questo è il caso, che prodotti e sistemi possono aiutarne il compito?

June/July 2021 | ECJ | 29

HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION

• L’association du JettyRobot et du grenaillage à la glace sèche est mise à profit pour le dégraissage de cuisines. • Essity a lancé un portail sur Internet prodiguant des conseils d’hygiène et de sécurité alimentaires pour les établissements proposant des plats à emporter. • Vileda Professional a lancé le SafePlus, un distributeur de lingettes à microfibre à usage unique doté d’un couvercle autofermant. • L’autolaveuse à batterie BR 30/4 C de Kärcher est un appareil de type accompagné, pesant 14 kg et à autonomie d’une demi-heure. • FBK est un fournisseur spécialisé d’outils de nettoyage hygiénique pour le secteur des aliments et boissons. • RoeTech propose un déboucheur liquide de tuyaux et pièges d’évacuation constitué par une formule concentrée de cultures bactériennes.

• Die Kombination von JettyRobot und Trockeneisstrahlen wurde zur Reinigung von fettigen Ablagerungen in Küchen entwickelt. • Essity hat ein Webportal vorgestellt, das Hygieneund Sicherheitstipps für Abholrestaurants bietet. • Neu von Vileda Professional ist SafePlus, ein Spender für EinwegMikrofaserwischtücher mit einem selbstschließenden Deckel. • Bei der akkubetriebenen BR 30/4 C von Kärcher handelt es sich um eine handgeführte Scheuersaugmaschine mit einem Gewicht von 14 kg, die eine Betriebszeit von rund einer halben Stunde bietet. • FBK ist auf die Bereitstellung von hygienischen Reinigungswerkzeugen für die Lebensmittel- und Getränkebranchen spezialisiert. • RoeTech bietet Liquid Drain and Trap Cleaner, eine konzentrierte Formel mit Bakterienkulturen.

• La combinazione fra JettyRobot e la sabbiatura con ghiaccio secco è adatta per la pulizie delle cucine. • La Essity ha lanciato un portale web che offre consigli di igiene e sicurezza per le attività di cibo da asporto. • La novità della Vileda Professional è SafePlus, un dispenser per panni monouso in microfibra dotato di un coperchio a chiusura automatica. • La lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a terra e alimentata a batteria BR 30/4 C prodotta dalla Kärcher pesa 4 kg e ha una autonomia di lavoro di circa mezz’ora. • La FBK è specializzata nella fornitura di strumenti di pulizia igienici per i settori del cibo e delle bevande. • La RoeTech propone Liquid Drain and Trap Cleaner, una formula concentrata di colture batteriche.

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Dry ice robot JettyRobot has developed a system using its machines combined with dry ice blasting for food preparation area cleaning. Kitchen grease cleaning can be a particularly challenging task due to its high resistance and stickiness, with contamination in pipelines also being highly flammable. JettyRobot is a track-driven robot designed to inspect, clean and repair ducts and pipes. It centres itself in a duct or pipe and uses various high-pressure cleaning methods. Dry ice blasting is a non-abrasive cleaning process which does not produce any secondary waste or chemicals. www.jettyrobot.com

Takeaway advice

Safe wiping

Hygiene tools For surface cleaning and disinfection in food preparation areas Vileda Professional has developed the SafePlus dispenser for single use microfibre wipes. Both sizes - Mini and Maxi - feature an antibacterial self-closing lid for optimum hygiene. Each SafePlus MicronRoll wipe cleans while disinfecting at the same time and they are designed for use even in high-risk areas. The dispensers have been certified to store pre-prepared wipes for 31 days. The rolls of wipes are sealed in polybags and fit neatly into the dispensers - cleaning staff can add detergent or disinfectant or choice. www.vileda-professional.com

Battery model Tork manufacturer Essity has launched a new web portal offering hygiene and safety tips to food takeaway businesses. The site looks at food safety at every stage from kitchen to handover and delivery, offering a variety of tools for restaurant staff plus a guide to using QR codes. It also incorporates downloadable hand hygiene posters and pick-up station signs. The Tork takeaway guidance covers a range of issues from restaurant design and hand sanitiser placement to the need for avoiding cross-contamination via delivery drivers. Tips include the addition of a tamperproof seal on delivery packaging to show that the food has not been touched since leaving the kitchen, and the provision of individually-wrapped napkins to inspire confidence these too have been untouched. The web portal can be accessed at tork.co.uk/ off-premise

in one hour with the quick charger provided. The Kärcher Battery Universe includes two battery platforms - 18 and 36 V - with a continuously growing number of machines being added. www.karcher.com

The battery-powered version of the BR 30/4 C walk-behind scrubber dryer from Kärcher has a runtime of around half an hour and is a hygienic alternative to cleaning floors with a mop, it says. The compact and cordless design has been developed for safe use in small and furnished areas such as shops, restaurants, service stations and supermarkets. Corners and tight spaces are easy to access and furniture or equipment can be avoided. Thanks to the exchangeable battery, the BR 30/4 C Bp Pack can be used through several work shifts. Even with one battery, several application cycles are possible during one day, as the battery can be recharged

FBK supplies hygienic cleaning tools to the food and beverage industries worldwide. Among its range is a combined bannister brush and dustpan set which boasts long life and versatility. Designed to take up minimal storage space - with the two items clicking together to form one - this set is made of polypropylene which makes for a supple and smooth surface that is easy to clean. It also withstands high operating temperatures required in the food and beverage industries. The dense filaments on the hand brush facilitate troublefree sweeping and collection of debris, even the finest particles says FBK. The ergonomic and easy-grip handle is comfortable to hold which minimises effort. www.fbk.dk

Drain and trap RoeTech is a subsidiary of Roebic Laboratories, which specialises in the manufacture of bacterialbased cleaning products. Liquid Drain and Trap Cleaner (LDT) is a concentrated formulation of specialised bacterial cultures and an odour-neutralising fragrance that keeps drain lines flowing by degrading FOG, proteins, starch and cellulose. As a natural way to clean sink traps, floor drains and other waste plumbing. RoeTech says LDT will not damage pipes, plumbing or other fixtures and is non-corrosive so there is no danger to workers’ skin. www.roetech.com

CLEAN/SANITIZE/DISINFECT SAFELY!

meet

MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF: MACHINERY TOOL EQUIPMENT TISSUE and this edition

SERVICE COMPANIES I SSAPUL IR E.COM

HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION

Food factories of the future Mariane Hodgkinson, hygiene consultant for Hillbrush, manufacturer of specialist cleaning tools for the food industry looks at how food companies can expand their business to meet demand for new types of products, particularly in the vegan and free from categories, without adding on square metres and the importance of reviewing cleaning procedures in food production areas to minimise cross- contamination.

The food factory of the future will have many demands on how its space is used as changes in consumer eating and buying impact on existing ways of manufacturing. Consumer demand for new kinds of food products - such as plant-based or ‘free from’ - to meet a range of dietary requirements for health issues, lifestyle choice or increased wellbeing has enabled many food manufacturers to broaden their portfolio, push NPD (new product development) boundaries and bring products to market at a faster speed than seen before. While these opportunities are great news for the food manufacturing industry, expanding business output without adding square metres of workable space is the reality for many growing food companies, and it is not without its issues from a food hygiene perspective. Inevitably this will have a knock-on effect on the type, frequency, and method of cleaning in food production areas. Adding new product types to an existing range is exciting but also demanding and it isn’t a case of replacing ‘like for like’ in the factory environment. Trying to reach new consumers or ensure the fulfilment of their expectations needs to be care-

fully balanced with constant assurance of food safety and quality. Using new and different ingredients in an existing production set-up may raise the likelihood and severity of hazards historically thought to be under control or typically suppressed by pre-existing controls in the factory environment controls which are not always relevant for new products. The reality is that cleaning costs money; it is an essential step, but it does not add direct value to the product and often has hidden financial impacts such as the costs of water, heating, chemicals, increases speed in wear and tear of processing equipment, requires monitoring and formal validation study of cleaning. When food manufacturers are rushing to introduce the latest product to meet consumer demand, the changes to cleaning protocols, training in new ways of cleaning, the right tools to use or the amount of time devoted to cleaning can sometimes be overlooked.

Simple and practical Food manufacturers are looking for simple, practical solutions that will make cleaning regimes much simpler to implement and manage, particularly when they are introducing new kinds of ingredients, materials, and even new technologies onto a line. Relying on systems to ensure hazard and risk control is complex but not impossible. Buy-in from all levels of the organisation is required and senior management commitment is crucial to ensure sufficient support is given for new ways of working, staff training, education, additional equipment, as well as extra safety barriers needed, including of course, new cleaning regimes. If introducing plant-based ingredients into the production line, the Plant-Based BRC Global Standard highlights the potential risk of cross-contamination by using common ingredients for non-plant-based and plant-based products. This assessment is particularly sound when assessing ways of producing when space constrains

are a problem. Contamination can be easily transferred during storage, weighing of ingredients and sometimes stock control activities. Traditional methods of control will play a vital part in ensuring the successful run of products with such different requirements, where it is highly likely that product contamination is the worst-case scenario when assessing risks in production. So, what steps should be taken to ensure the cleaning implications of these new introductions are part of the project and that the team is on board in producing safe products? Often, changes in cleaning activities are discussed and review after product introduction, due to a retrospective HACCP review or unfortunately, due to issues with product quality and safety. To ensure that improvements to accommodate introducing new products are given the appropriate level of importance at the right time, it is strongly recommended adding a “cleaning review” to the critical path within your product development (new - NPD and existing – EPD). This means any shortcomings based on existing capabilities can be discussed with the project team, financial support can be agreed, and it allows cleaning to be given the necessary focus to ensure risks to product safety are managed during the product development and prior to completion of the project.

Better perspective Where space is a limiting factor, discussions with the project team will also enable a re-think on better use of available space or allocation of additional space for cleaning tools, how to ensure cleaning of processing lines can take place without contaminating other areas and provide the project team with a better perspective of what it takes to produce a safe, wholesome product, supporting a true product safety culture. The last thing any company wants is a product recall due to contaminated new product reaching its consumers. The key is Continued page 34

June/July 2021 | ECJ | 33

HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION Food factories of the future (continued) to know your enemy and plan for control. It is important to review any crosscontamination routes in the factory, taking into consideration flow of production, waste, personnel, and cleaning activities; how ingredients are handled and how best to plan production while minimising contamination risk. Running a plant-based line alongside traditional products for example means that cleaning is more important than ever. Maintaining cleaning segregation for different products supports the idea of creating different environments according to the hazards and risk for that specific run. Utilising available knowledge (from members of HACCP multi-disciplined teams, suppliers’ expertise, professionals in the various areas, etc) will allow an assessment to be made on what piece of machinery is to be cleaned, known issues with particular food products can be discussed and will give the opportunity to look at the benefits and limitations of available cleaning tools to ensure the best decision can be made on changes to hygienic activities, avoiding excess expenditure with unsuitable solutions and providing a very robust plan of action to ensure the site is in control of its operations.

Segregation and the right tools Mobile shadowboards with tools for specific use (vegan, gluten free, vegetarian, standard) are a good way of ensuring space in the production floor remains relevant. These will allow tools used for processing and cleaning to be wheeled in Mariane Hodgkinson, de la société Hillbrush, examine la manière dont des entreprises peuvent développer leurs affaires pour répondre à la demande en produits nouveaux, particulièrement sur le marché végalien et celui des produits alimentaires exempts d’ingrédients artificiels donnés, sans devoir étendre leurs superficies de production. Elle évoque également l’importance de la révision des procédures de nettoyage dans les aires de production alimentaire afin de minimiser le risque de contamination croisée.

34 | June/July 2021 | ECJ

and out, washed and stored safely elsewhere. Colour coordinated product instructions are a great visual aid for users, with PPE of the same colour to support a clear ‘mindset segregation’ between operational teams, allowing re-adjustment of behaviour from one production to another. Although a standard within the industry for some years, there are now specific references included in the BRC Retail Standard and UK Retailer Codes of Practice on using colour-coded cleaning tools to reduce the risk of cross-contamination in a factory environment.

Check your tools Shadow boards can be tailored to describe the use of each tool, in many languages, allowing operators where English is not their main language to fully support systems in place and provide continuous compliance. Assigning specific coloured cleaning tools to areas to control allergen usage, high-risk and low-risk factory zones, floor cleaning and food contact equipment is looked upon favourably by customers, auditors, and inspectors. They demonstrate that the manufacturer takes hygiene and cleaning seriously and organises procedures effectively in their business. Check with your cleaning tools supplier about their advice in dealing with specific food products and any tools designed to tackle certain areas. Often suppliers have worked on projects with other customers and sharing these learnings will increase knowledge about the tools they promote Mariane Hodgkinson bei Hillbrush betrachtet, wie Lebensmittelhersteller ihr Geschäft ohne Vergrößerung der Quadratmeterzahl erweitern können, um die Nachfrage nach neuen Produktarten, insbesondere in den veganen und Frei-vonKategorien zu befriedigen. Sie spricht auch an, wie wichtig es ist, die Reinigungsmethode in lebensmittelherstellenden Bereichen zu überprüfen, um Kreuzkontamination auf ein Minimum zu reduzieren.

but also help to raise the cleaning standard in food manufacturing.

Swiss cheese model There are many different solutions to ensure that cleaning tools are actively supporting improvements in cleaning. Anti-microbial surfaces on cleaning tools are specifically designed to provide an extra safety barrier when preventing the growth and reducing the risk of bacterial cross-contamination. This improvement doesn’t replace the need of a well-thought-out and delivered cleaning regime, it is designed to add an additional level of protection for cleaning and product handling tools, making cleaning these tools more effective and minimising the transference of organisms from one area to the other, between cleaning tools and consequently from one type of product to another. Check the design of cleaning tools. Tools that are manufactured using hygienic design can be great help in minimising foreign body contamination and transference to other areas. These improvements can be minimal changes to traditional designs but will make a big difference when trying to keep tools clean. Further advances are being developed in cleaning and disinfection to support full product safety and integrity, some of them focused on the very issue of multiuse of factories. www.hillbrush.com • The September edition of ECJ will feature a report on mopping equipment. Mariane Hodgkinson della Hillbrush prende in esame come le imprese alimentari possono espandere le loro attività per soddisfare la domanda di nuovi tipi di prodotti, particolarmente per le categorie vegana e senza determinati ingredienti senza aumentare l’area di produzione e l’importanza di riesaminare le procedure di pulizia nelle aree di preparazione alimentare per minimizzare la contaminazione crociata.

WIPES & CLOTHS

Streamlined wiping There are now cloths, wet wipes and paper products available for a vast range of applications. For example you can buy specialist products for cleaning in offices, dairies and industrial units as well as anti-static, food-safe and alcohol-free wipes. But is the market not now saturated with application-based products? And would a few wipers perform most of the tasks in question? David Gourlay at leading distributor Janitorial Express offers some insight in this exclusive piece.

Have we got to the point where the market is now saturated with wiping products to choose from? Are there any key trends within this product range? The answer to both questions is probably yes but what should we be doing about it? Before we look into cloths and wipes, let’s take a quick look at a bigger market sector in our industry and see what’s happened with our sales patterns there. There’s no doubt that the cleaning liquid market sector is flooded with choices from numerous manufacturers offering all sorts of products in different sizes, different concentrates, fragrances etc for cleaning different surfaces etc. Within this sector we’ve noticed two easily identifiable trends over the past year-and-a-half which can be evidenced from the sales patterns of our existing customers and also from the conversations we have when we on board new customers. I would suggest that the trends within this sector will soon be mirrored when it comes to wipes and cloths. Product effectiveness and price still

remain the two key drivers when it comes to what to purchase but there are two other questions purchasing managers are frequently considering. The first trend is that purchasing managers are trying to streamline their range. They don’t want to have money unnecessarily tied up in stocking dozens of products when maybe four or five will cover 90 per cent of their requirements. Additionally, they don’t want management time wasted training staff on multiple products and the admin involved having COSHH paperwork for a multitude of products. On a lighter note we all know the lack of space clients allocate for cleaning supplies so why clutter it up with many different products? The second trend is far stronger than the first one and continues to go from strength to strength - which is the desire to move to more eco-friendly and sustainable products. Sometimes this is driven by the cleaning contractors who genuinely want to do the right thing and sometimes it’s being forced on them by their clients who wish to move in this direction. Either way the end result is our sustainable products continue to grow in sales at the expense of petro chemical products.

Never-ending choice It feels like there’s a never-ending variety of wipes and cloths to choose from, especially with the multitude of sanitiser wipes on the market that weren’t around a year-and-a-half ago. With the plethora of options available surely we should be applying the same selection criteria as mentioned above. • Does it do what it promises? • How much does it cost? • Is it a core product/do I really need another line? • Is it an eco-friendly/sustainable product? We need a product that performs well and is competitively priced, so when it comes to doing what it promises, what better than the good old microfibre cloth? Until recently the questions we were always asked as a distributor were:

“Which one is your cheapest?” and “How many in a packet?” so clearly the default position with customer enquires was quite understandably mostly about the purchase price. Keeping in mind the trends for streamlining product ranges and being greener perhaps it’s worth speaking to your current supplier(s) and asking for some guidance on these two questions? Maybe they offer a laundry service on their cloths? If they do that could be a useful innovation.

Launder cloths We’d all think a restaurant owner was mad if they threw away their linen table cloths every time they were dirty and bought new ones – they get them laundered so why not consider doing the same with microfibre cloths? Aside from the cost saving, by getting the cloths laundered there is less waste so your carbon footprint is reduced and your eco credentials have also improved in the eyes of your staff and your clients. In terms of streamlining the product offering, microfibre is as we know very versatile, so it has a multitude of uses. If the cloth you choose can be laundered that’s even better, you might get 600 -800 washes dependant of which manufacturer’s product you choose. At present there isn’t a fully biodegradable micro fibre cloth available. To our knowledge the one with the best eco credentials has a Cradle to Cradle Bronze Certificate for Material Health. This is a big step towards having the first truly sustainable offering in this marketplace. If you are looking for cloths that are truly biodegradable then there are good options available that are not microfibre. The pricing of these products is quite reasonable now so they are worth considering if sustainability is your main driver. They don’t perform as well as microfibre cloths but they are a viable option. What about wipes? Prior to the pandemic they had a bad press and were being blamed for blocking sewers and Continued page 36

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WIPES & CLOTHS The wellbeing washroom (continued) generally being bad for the environment. And then along came the pandemic and understandably their use has risen sharply. There’s a cost to the balance sheet and the environment by using these so maybe we should consider an alternative if we’re simply using them for sanitising as opposed to specialist tasks such as screen cleaning, graffiti removal etc.

Switch from wipes We’ve noticed that in the past few months sales of sanitising wipes has tailed off and people are switching to using blue roll and virucidal cleaner in trigger sprays. This has been really noticeable in the education sector. Virtually every school we supply is opting for blue roll and virucidal cleaner. This is mostly because it’s cheaper than wipes but there are also two other factors. Firstly, blue roll going in the bin will end up biodegrading whilst the wipes almost certainly won’t. Secondly, I sense they are more confident in the virucidal cleaner doing what it says on the bottle than making an educated choice of using the correct wipe given that there are so many wipes to choose from on the market. Aside from schools, another example of this trend is gyms. One I visited recently had traditionally used wipes for cleaning pieces of equipment after use. For obvious reasons they’ve been looking at their finances recently and were keen to save money. The price of wipes had gone up and

Le marché offre aujourd’hui un grand éventail de tissus, lingettes humides et produits en papier pour une large gamme d’applications de propreté. Ainsi, il est possible d’acheter des produits spécialisés pour le nettoyage respectif de bureaux, de laiteries, et d’aires industrielles, ainsi que des lingettes antistatiques sans danger pour les aliments et exemptes d’alcools. Mais on peut se demander si le marché n’est pas devenu saturé de produits basés sur des applications. Et aussi si un petit nombre de produits d’essuyage ne suffiraient pas pour accomplir toutes les tâches en question.

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they were using more of them at a time when they could ill afford the extra cost. The answer was that some mounted a blue roll dispenser and some virucidal cleaner purchased in a five-litre concentrated format and decanted into re-usable trigger sprays. A cost saving for the gym and the gym manager was also v ery pleased to be using a more sustainable solution. In some high-end corporate settings maybe the blue roll and trigger spray doesn’t work quite so well but the trend is for streamlining the range on a site by site basis rather than a one-size-fits-all approach across all account types. There are sanitising wipes available that are biodegradable but they are regrettably much more expensive than the standard ones. These are in truth only really being purchased by those who place more importance on sustainability than the bottom line. Hopefully they’ll become more cost effective going forward. At the moment, for those of us who have to consider the price they’re not currently cost effective. But they do exist for those who want them.

Disinfect or not? For surface sanitising some form of wipe or blue roll and virucidal cleaner is going to be on the core list of what every site is currently using. If your intention is to disinfect then

Heutzutage sind Tücher, Feuchttücher und Papierprodukte für eine breite Palette an Anwendungen verfügbar. Beispielsweise sind Spezialprodukte zum Reinigen in Büros, Molkereien und Gewerbebetrieben sowie antistatische, lebensmittelsichere und alkoholfreie Desinfektionstücher erhältlich. Aber ist der Markt jetzt nicht mit anwendungsbasierten Produkten gesättigt? Ließen sich die meisten dieser Aufgaben nicht auch mit einigen wenigen Desinfektionstüchern erledigen?

regardless of which product you use it’s always important to note that equipment or surfaces which are visibly dirty will require cleaning prior to disinfection. Disinfecting with a wipe, cloth or paper product should only take place on surfaces that appear visibly clean otherwise the disinfectant will be inactivated by the dirt as well as failing to penetrate through it to the target micro-organisms. Aside from surface sanitisation there are several other types of wipe for more specialist use. Using these wipes for the specialist purpose they’re intended for is a convenient method of cleaning a surface which could be cleaned just as well with a cloth and the appropriate cleaning liquid. Some examples include: screen wipes, graffiti removal, food safe wipes, wipes for use on metal, heavy duty industrial wipes, de-rad wipes and dry wipes. When deciding whether to purchase these wipes or use a cloth and cleaning fluid it’s a case of considering value for money, effectiveness, ease of use and the environmental impact of using either option. Across all the different types of wipes and cloths, traditionally the products that have always sold the best are the ones that are either the best performing product or the most cost effective. The products that are currently benefiting from the fastest increase in popularity are the ones with the best eco-credentials.

Sul mercato sono disponibili nuovi panni, salviette umidificate e prodotti in carta per una vasta gamma di utilizzi. Per esempio, si possono acquistare prodotti specializzati per le pulizie degli uffici, aziende lattierocasearie e unità industriali e anche panni antistatici, sicuri per gli alimenti e senza alcool. Ma il mercato non è ora saturo di prodotti specifici per un determinato lavoro? E pochi raschietti lavavetri non possono svolgere la maggior parte dei lavori in questione?

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PRODUCTS: WIPES & CLOTHS

• Wecoline affirme que sa gamme de tissus en microfibres convient pour n’importe quelle application et pour 95% des tâches quotidiennes. • Kimberly-Clark Professional a introduit un distributeur à rouleau pour ses essuyeurs WypAll Wettask. • Les services de Teknoweb comprennent la conversion de chaînes de production de capacités différentes à l’intention de fabricants de lingettes à alcool. • Wecoline teilt mit, dass seine Produktreihe mit Mikrofasertüchern für jede Anwendung geeignet ist, für 95 Prozent aller täglichen Aufgaben. • Neu von Kimberly-Clark Professional ist das RollenwischtuchSpendersystem WypAll Wettask. • Teknoweb bietet Verarbeitungsstraßen mit unterschiedlichen Fabrikationsfähigkeiten für Hersteller alkoholgetränkter Desinfektionstücher. • La Wecoline afferma che la sua gamma di panni in microfibra sono adatti per ogni tipo di applicazione, per il 95 per cento dei lavori quotidiani. • La novità della Kimberly-Clark Professional è il sistema WypAll Wettask Roll Wiper Dispenser System. • La Teknoweb propone delle linee di produzione che convertono i rotoli lunghi in pezzi piu’ piccoli per i produttori di salviettine disinfettanti imbevute di alcool.

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Ecolabel

Wecoline microfibre cloths have been tested for their hygienic and cleaning functionality, absorption capability, colour fastness, shrinkage resistance and wear. They have earned the Nordic Ecolabel, which also guarantees the lifespan of the cloth, the company says. The cloths have been designed to be quick, ergonomic and streak-free. They can be used for 95 per cent of daily cleaning - as well as being washable at least 500 times. www.wecoline.com

Hygiene control New from Kimberly-Clark Professional is an improved wipe to

complete the WypAll Wettask Roll Wiper Dispenser System, designed for maximum hygiene control and cost efficiencies. The WypAll Wettask System is suitable for the disinfection of frequently touched surfaces, enabling the user to manage sheet saturation for optimum hygiene as they can add the wipe and disinfectant of their choice and control the strength of disinfectant or sanitiser.

The portable, high capacity system has 80 per cent more sheets than the existing format - meaning fewer refills. The bucket is reusable, reducing plastic waste. Colour coded tape is included, enabling users to clearly distinguish between different disinfectants or solutions for

specific tasks. The base sheet is textured for multi-surface disinfection and to reduce chemical evaporation, meaning it does not dry out, lowering usage and costs. www.kcprofessional.com

Disinfecting Teknoweb Converting specialises in the manufacture of complete wet wipe lines. Recently it has introduced some new features on its machines to mitigate the risks related to handling of Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA). This is the most commonly used disinfectant used in surface cleaning disinfecting wipes, however it brings manufacturing challenges because of its toxicity and high flammability. Teknoweb’s explosion-proof converting lines fully adhere to ATEX standards thanks to the development of special equipment on its machines. www.teknowebconverting.com

PRODUCTS: WIPES & CLOTHS

New microfibre

or disinfectants. The reusable ones have a reinforced stitched edge and can be washed up to 300 times in hot water or with bleach. Tork Microfibre Disposable Cleaning Cloths are white in colour. www.tork.co.uk

The Original Essity has added two microfibre cleaning cloths to its wiper range. Tork Microfibre Reusable Cleaning Cloths are available in red, green blue and yellow options to aid colour-coded cleaning regimes. Tork Microfibre Disposable Cleaning Cloths are designed for hygiene-critical tasks and are thrown away after use. Both may be used in offices, kitchens, healthcare and many other professional applications. The cloths can be used dry or with water in conjunction with cleaning solutions, sanitisers

Greenspeed’s Original Microfibre Cloth consists of fibres that are 100 times thinner than a human hair, using capillary action to increase absorbency. It can absorb six times its weight in water and dirt and is said to retain all its qualities after up to 600 washes. The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute has recently awarded Greenspeed’s flagship

cloth a Bronze Level Material Health certificate. The Material Health Certificate is awarded to products that meet the Material Health requirements of the multiattribute Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard. To achieve this, an independent third party first analyses what chemicals are used in a product. This is followed by a chemical hazard risk assessment. www.greenspeed.eu

Disposable Microsystem’s Duotex wipes are made from 100 per cent split microfibre and are said to attract dirt like a magnet when used dry, damp or wet. The company’s latest launch is the Micro EasyOneCloth, a disposable wipe on a roll. This single-use cloth for all types of surfaces won’t leave a single particle or mark, it says. www.duotex.se

• Tork a mis sur le marché sa gamme de tissus de nettoyage réutilisables en microfibres, qui convient pour les environnements à hygiène critique. • Greenspeed détient la certification Cradle-to-Cradle pour son tissu à microfibre inédit. • L’EasyOne Cloth, une lingette jetable sur rouleau, vient d’être lancée par Micro System. • Tork hat die Produktreihe Microfibre Reusable Cleaning Cloths vorgestellt, geeignet für Umgebungen, in denen Hygiene besonders wichtig ist. • Greenspeed wurde für sein Original-Mikrofasertuch mit dem Cradle to Cradle GOLD-Zertifikat ausgezeichnet. • Neu von Micro System ist das EasyOne Cloth, ein EinwegWischtuch auf einer Rolle. • La Tork ha lanciato la gamma di panni in microfibra riutilizzabili Microfibre Reusable Cleaning Cloths, adatti per gli ambienti dove l’igiene è di vitale importanza. • La Greenspeed ha conseguito la certificazione Cradle-to-Cradle Gold per il suo panno in microfibra originale. • Il nuovo prodotto della Micro System è EasyOne Cloth, un panno monouso in rotolo.

June/July 2021 | ECJ | 39

BUSINESS: WORK-LIFE BALANCE

The era of the four-day week?

Are we seeing the work-life scales finally balancing up … or even tipping in favour of employees? Hartley Milner reports on how the Covid emergency is helping bring about probably the most radical transformation of our working lives in generations. During the lockdowns, millions of people worldwide had their first taste of routinely working from home. Zoom fatigue aside, most have decided that overall it has had a positive impact on their lives; so much so they want to continue working remotely after the pandemic. And the message appears to be getting through to employers. Keen to keep their staff happy, while not being totally blind to the benefits to themselves, employers are coming round to accepting that homeworking will become a permanent fixture of the post-Covid ‘new norm’, at least for part of the time. Now businesses and governments are looking increasingly favourably on calls for an even more progressive shift in work patterns … to a four-day week. A shorter workweek would be more inclusive

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because it means everyone reaps the benefits, rather than just those in jobs that allow them to work from home. Proponents of a four-day working week point to trials that show it promotes better mental and physical health due to employees having more time to recuperate, exercise, socialise and be with family. Sick leave is reduced and productivity increases because workers are happier and more motivated in their jobs, and feel more committed to their employer. Other benefits claimed include significant cuts in CO2 emissions resulting from reduced commutes and large office and factory buildings shut down on one extra day a week. Unsurprisingly, a move to a three-day weekend gets an enthusiastic ‘bring it on’ from workers in surveys. In Ireland late last year, a study by Behaviour & Attitudes for trade union Fórsa revealed that two out of three employees thought that a four-day week – defined as “same job, same goals, same salary but over four days rather than five” – is “realistic and achievable” in the medium term. A majority of employers also believed it would be achievable.

Just over 77 per cent of workers said they supported their government exploring the potential introduction of four-day working compared to 67 per cent approval from employers. Three-quarters said they believed it would be “desirable” for employees and 59 per cent that it should be “achievable” for employers as well. Almost half of employers (46 per cent) said they saw trialling a four-day week in their workplace as “feasible”. Factoring out undecided respondents, the survey concluded that more than 80 per cent of those polled felt it was a realistic and achievable ambition, while 93 per cent favoured a trial.

Four-day week “The strong support for a four-day working week among Irish people is consistent with similar studies internationally,” said Joe O’Connor, Fórsa director of campaigning. “What may once have seemed like a radical concept is now, for many, a reasonable and rational ambition. The Covid-19 pandemic has further disrupted societal and workplace norms, while illustrating the potential for very different models of work.”

BUSINESS: WORK-LIFE BALANCE

A four-day week is a very different proposition to simply cutting employees’ hours, which is why governments are moving towards adopting it as national policy with caution. However, a growing number of employers have already made the switch or are planning to trial the model. The New Zealand-based financial services company Perpetual Guardian ran a pilot in 2018, moving all of its 240 employees from a five- to four-day workweek … without a cut in pay. Staff said their stress levels dropped by seven percentage points across the board, while work/life balance scores increased from 54 per cent to 78 per cent. Some employees spent the extra day pursuing hobbies, while others were able to spend more time with their family, studying or even cleaning their houses before the weekend. The company reported a 20 per cent rise in productivity and increased profits. “For us, this is about our company getting improved productivity from greater workplace efficiencies … there’s no downside for us,” said Perpetual Guardian founder Andrew Barnes. “The right attitude is a requirement to make it work – everyone has to be committed and take it seriously for us to create a viable long-term model for our business. We need to get more companies to give it a go. They will be surprised at the improvement in their company, their staff and in their wider community.” Another company to “give it a go” is global affiliate network Awin. Awin began trialling four-day working in January, and to March 31 saw a 59 per cent drop in sick leave compared with the same period in 2020. To allow for the impact of the March lockdown, a comparison was also made with the first quarter of 2019, but still revealed a fall of 29 per cent in sick leave. Bi-weekly employee surveys revealed a year-on-year increase of 12.8 per cent in staff engagement. People also felt they accomplished nine per cent

more in February this year compared with 2020. Global job applications rose by 12 per cent while the numbers leaving steadily decreased since 2019, with the 2021 figures the lowest yet. Awin regional managing director Ian Charlesworth said the scores suggest “a happy and motivated workforce in general”.

Rest well Microsoft experimented with a new project called Work-Life Choice Challenge Summer 2019, giving its entire 2,300 staff in Japan five Fridays off in a row without a pay cut. The shortened weeks led to more efficient meetings, happier workers and boosted productivity by 40 per cent, the company concluded at the end of the trial. As part of the project, the company also subsidised family holidays for employees by up to ¥100,000 or €756.70. Staff took 25 per cent less time off during the trial and electricity use in the office was down 23 per cent. The vast majority of employees – 92 per cent – said they liked the shorter week. “Work a short time, rest well and learn a lot,” Microsoft Japan president and ceo Takuya Hirano said in a statement to Microsoft Japan’s website. “I want employees to think about and experience how they can achieve the same results with 20 per cent less working time.” Multinational Unilever is trialling a four-day working week for all 81 staff members at its offices across New Zealand throughout 2021, without a drop in pay. The consumer goods company said it would evaluate the outcome and look at how a shorter working week could work for the rest of its 155,000 employees globally. New Zealand md Nick Bangs said: “If we end up in a situation where the team is working four extended days then we miss the point of this. We don’t want our team to have really long days, but to bring material change in the way they work. It’s very much an experiment. We have made no commitments beyond 12 months and

This year’s European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards are now open for entries so tell us about your company’s successes. Visit echawards.com to find out more. Il semble que la balance entre vie de travail et vie de famille ait commencé à s’équilibrer, voire même à pencher en faveur des employés. Hartley Milner explique la manière dont la crise de la Covid a eu pour effet de faciliter une transformation radicale de nos vies de travail.

Erleben wir endlich ein Ausbalancieren der WorkLife-Waage … oder sogar ein Kippen zugunsten der Mitarbeiter? Hartley Milner berichtet darüber, wie die Covid-Krise die wahrscheinlich radikalste Umwandlung seit Generationen unseres Arbeitslebens verursachte.

beyond New Zealand. But we think there will be some good learning we can gather in this time.” On a national level, several of Europe’s largest economies including France, Germany and the Netherlands, have moved closer to a four-day working week, but have baulked at doing much more than tinker a little with the working hours. However, the idea appears now to be gaining momentum in the light of the trend being set by industry and pressure from campaigners for a shorter working week. The Spanish government has announced it is to launch a pilot project for companies interested in testing out the four-day week after being approached to do so by leftwing party Más País. The trial is likely to be run over three years and could get under way as early as the autumn,

Less can be more “With the four-day work week (32 hours), we’re launching into the real debate of our times,” said Más País party leader Iñigo Errejón on Twitter. “It’s an idea whose time has come. Spain is one of the countries where workers put in more hours than the European average. But we’re not among the most productive countries. I maintain that working more hours does not mean working better.” It is thought that anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 workers from 200 companies could take part in the trial, with the government allocating €58.2 million towards its implementation costs. Más País has set as its red line that the pilot must result in a true reduction in working hours with no cut in salary or job losses. Governments elsewhere will be watching Spain with interest, while also having in mind the outcome of an experiment in Sweden. In 2015, the city of Gothenburg trialled a four-day week in its care homes for the elderly. While productivity and employee work satisfaction rates shot up, the schedule meant more nurses were needed to fill staffing shortages, costing the city €1.3m. After two years, the scheme was deemed too expensive and was scrapped. Even at a local level, it was shown the four-day week can be logistically difficult to implement, and costly. Stiamo finalmente assistendo a un ribilanciamento fra lavoro e vita privata oppure l’ago della bilancia si sta spostando a favore dei dipendenti? Hartley Milner ci spiega come l’emergenza Covid sta favorendo quella che probabilemente rappresenta la trasformazione più radicale della nostra vita lavorativa da generazioni.

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WINDOW CLEANING

Millennium reflections The introduction of new technology, a heightened concern for sustainability, a growing focus on safety, a global pandemic – all of the above have made for a turbulent 21st century so far. But what impact have these and other trends and events had on the window cleaning market, asks Ann Laffeaty? The chief tools of any window cleaner were once considered to be a ladder, a bucket and a squeegee. But the new millennium has spawned a whole host of novel attitudes and priorities along with the introduction of new technology. For example, a heightened focus on health and safety in the workplace has led to the use of ladders being generally discouraged in cases where an alternative cleaning method can be found. This has resulted in a growing preference for systems that allow cleaning to be carried out safely from the ground. Meanwhile, the industry in general has become more competitive due to the pandemic, with fewer public buildings being open and budgets having to be closely scrutinised. As a result, factors such as cost-cutting, high productivity and optimal cleaning efficiency have moved higher up customers’ lists of priorities. And a burgeoning sustainability movement has led to the wider use of methods and equipment that minimise the use of chemicals and that have a lower environmental impact. All these changes have led to a significant shift in the profile of window cleaning since the start of the new millennium. And according to Unger’s marketing communications specialist Stefan Kossmann, the rate of change has become even more pronounced during the past 10 years. “New technologies and methodologies have improved the quality and efficiency of cleaning, while sustainability is becom-

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ing increasingly important,” he said. “As a result, more customers are now expecting solutions that use no chemicals and won’t pollute the environment.” However, changes to the industry have varied from country to country – often as a direct result of the pandemic, he claims. “The comparatively hard lockdowns In France and Italy have had a major impact, with window cleaning orders declining significantly in Italy in particular in 2020.” “The closure of many buildings in Germany also led to a marked decline in orders. However, window cleaning has still been allowed In Benelux so while the interior market there has shown losses due to the large number of office buildings being closed, the pandemic has had less of an impact on exterior work.” Pure water cleaning is increasingly replacing traditional methods In the Benelux countries, according to Kossmann. “The filtering methods used for pure water cleaning in these areas are also changing,” he adds. “Filtering was originally mainly achieved with the use of resin filters, whereas reverse osmosis systems are now increasingly being used.”

Bright outlook He claims the post-pandemic outlook looks relatively bright in the UK. “Here the number of short and medium-term orders have decreased while investment in diversified services and in private sector orders has increased,” he said.” In the long term we believe there will be a UK recovery because the quantity of glass to be cleaned has not decreased.” According to Kossmann there has been a general trend in France for firms to specialise in window cleaning only. And he adds that Italy has had a difficult millennium so far – experiencing problems even before the pandemic struck. “The economic crisis had a negative impact in Italy between 2009 and 2012 when many end-users attempted to avoid all non-essential expenses, which meant they often saved on window cleaning,” he said. Among the most significant changes to

have taken place in the new millennium has been the growing use of pure water systems for cleaning glass and building surfaces, he says. Kossmann cites two reasons for this: a general demand for more sustainable practices and a recent change in the design of buildings. “Many new buildings are inaccessible to traditional window cleaning methods, which makes modern telescopic poles combined with the use of pure water an efficient and safe alternative,” he said. Window cleaning has generally become safer over the past 20 years, according to Kossmann. “Cleaning professionals are paying more attention to safety and are increasingly choosing higher quality tools for the job,” he said. “And the use of waterfed poles instead of ladders has contributed to this enhanced work safety.” A step-up in the use of automation has been among the major changes to have taken place over the past 20 years, according to Kärcher’s high pressure cleaner product manager Dominik Rauer. “This is particularly the case where huge window facades need to be cleaned,” he said. “Many companies are now seeking innovative methods such as robots or drones which can significantly reduce the total operational cost.” He claims to have witnessed a number of prototypes of robot and drone systems, adding that in his opinion these can work very well. “However, there is still a need for an operative to control these robots both for technological and safety reasons,” says Rauer. “So I don’t think we will see a fully autonomous window cleaning robot any time soon.” Another change over the course of the millennium has been an increase in competition and cost pressures on the industry, he says. “This means there is an ongoing need to use methods that both simplify and accelerate the process.” And he adds the use of water-fed poles has become a major part of the window cleaning business, although not the solution in every case. “Modern architecture poses a

WINDOW CLEANING number of challenges which means an individual, tailored solution is often necessary,” he said. “And a fair amount of window cleaning using classical tools such as squeegees and washers is still taking place.” Ergonomics and worker health and safety have both become pressing customer concerns since the start of the millennium according to IPC window cleaning system specialist Attilio Momi. “Operators are required to spend all day handling devices that force them to adopt awkward postures,” he said. “This can result in backbone trauma. “Window cleaning at height can also be highly dangerous if appropriate safety measures have not been put in place and if operations are carried out without the right equipment.” Momi agrees with other commentators that the increased use of water-fed pole systems has been among the millennium’s major industry changes. “Many building cleaners now swear by this method because it is cost-effective, can be quickly set up and saves on the cost of fork lift trucks or scaffolds because cleaning takes place from the ground,” he said. “And ionised water results in a high level of cleaning performance which means there is no need for additional detergents.” He claims the development of high-performing telescopic poles with lengths of up to 20 metres has driven the increased use of water-fed systems. “Another plus is these systems use no chemical detergents which is important from a sustainable viewpoint,” said Momi. “And where high buildings are concerned, water-fed poles help operators achieve cleaning more safely, and better.” So what will be the main industry drivers as the new millennium gathers pace? Health and sustainability will be at the forefront of all new developments, claims Unger’s Stefan Kossmann. “The increasing focus on ergonomics, health and ecology will continue to shape the development of the industry,” he said. Kärcher’s Dominik Rauer believes the need to cut costs will drive tomorrow’s window cleaning industry. “We will increasingly need to come up with innovative products that deliver time reductions, improved results and more ergonomic working conditions for operatives,” he said. And IPC’s Attilio Momi adds that in the wake of the global pandemic, manufacturers will need to redesign equipment to enable it to be used with strong disinfectants. “Complete cleaning systems that pay particular attention to ergonomics and safety will replace single tools or products that have a specific use,” he said. “And we are convinced that robotic systems will be further developed and will be technically improved to an extent that they will gradually be able to take over.” Le lavage des vitres a-t-il évolué depuis le début du millénaire ? Dans quelle mesure s’est-il automatisé et a-t-il recouru de façon accrue aux perches alimentées en eau ? Par ailleurs, observe-t-on des effets sur cette activité liés aux événements et tendances du 21ème siècle, notamment la crise économique, le mouvement en faveur de la durabilité, la révolution technologique, et, bien sûr, la pandémie de la Covid-19 ?

Welche Änderungen hat das Fensterreinigen seit Beginn des Millenniums erfahren? Inwieweit wurde es automatisiert, und gab es eine große Verschiebung zum Einsatz von Wasserdurchlaufstangen? Welche Auswirkungen hatten die Ereignisse und Trends des 21. Jahrhunderts, wie die Wirtschaftskrise, der Trend zur Nachhaltigkeit, die technologische Revolution und natürlich die weltweite Pandemie, auf die Branche?

Come è cambiato il lavaggio delle finestre dall’inizio del millennio? Fino a che punto è diventato automatizzato, e c’è stato un grande cambiamento verso l’uso di pali telescopici con serbatoio di acqua? E che effetto hanno avuto sul settore gli eventi e le tendenze del 21º secolo tipo la crisi economica, il movimento per la sostenibilità, la rivoluzione tecnologica e naturalmente la pandemia?

June/July 2021 | ECJ | 45

CHEMICAL DISPENSING SYSTEMS

Dispensing evolution How are chemical dispensing systems evolving in today’s hightech world? Are they providing more detailed information about chemical usage, refill cycles, usage patterns and cleaning routines etc? And is this what today’s customers want – or do they simply want a safe and sustainable solution that works? Dispensing systems specialist SEKO tells us more in this exclusive article for ECJ.

Post-coronavirus, the world has changed irrevocably, with heightened awareness of personal hygiene and virus prevention meaning that regular hand disinfection is now a normal part of our daily habits. The result is an unprecedented growth in the need for hand sanitiser dispensers, with the European market expected to reach $9.4 billion by 2027. The majority of suppliers have responded to the surge in demand by installing traditional one-litre light-duty units, compatible with gel sanitiser supplied in disposable cartridges or pouches. Unfortunately, a number of limitations mean that such systems are unsuitable for the increased demand we are seeing post-coronavirus.

Low capacity Events during the last 18 months have resulted in an unprecedented surge in awareness over hand and surface hygiene, subsequently meaning that more emphasis than ever has been placed on the importance of effective and reliable chemical dispenser systems. Interaction between staff and the general public in buildings creates specific demands for chemical dispensers and it is critical that certain criteria are met. For many years SEKO has been developing cleaning and hygiene systems which meet the market’s stringent requirements and ensure best practice is followed. Here we examine the latest trends, challenges and developments in chemical dispensing systems, specifically hand sanitiser dispensers and cleaning chemical dispensers.

Hand sanitiser dispensers Before the Covid-19 pandemic occurred, there was little importance placed on hand sanitising outside of hospitals, surgeries and other healthcare centres. The dispensers available at that time were adequate, could comfortably meet demand and, due to their limited usage, did not require excessive maintenance.

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A conventional one-litre dispenser provides just 1,000 doses of sanitiser on average, meaning that in sites with medium to high foot traffic, cleaning staff can’t possibly manage the constant replenishment required. The reality is that dispensers regularly run dry, leaving users unprotected and eroding confidence in the building management’s determination to provide a safe, Covid-secure environment. This can lead to visitors forming a negative perception of the company itself and a reluctance to use the facility in the future.

Reliance on batteries In order to power touch-free dosing, standard-sized automatic dispensers rely on batteries which must be changed regularly, with maintenance personnel unaware that batteries are low until they run out and render the unit inactive. Therefore, in large office buildings, supermarkets and conference centres, managing battery replacement effectively is unrealistic. Along with the ongoing cost of batteries, such systems leave operators vulnerable to multiple out-of-service dispensers across the site, leaving visitors without access to sanitiser which reflects poorly on the building and brand.

Environmentally unfriendly For decades, the practice of fitting dispensers to receive disposable sanitiser cartridges and pouches, as well as single-use batteries, has been commonplace. However, with the world committed to reducing CO₂ emissions, the impact of using such consumables is unacceptable to managers already under pressure to demonstrate their commitment to minimising the environmental effect of their operations.

Unhygienic Conventional non-electric dispensers such as pelican pumps that require users to manually deliver sanitiser via a push button carry a significant hygiene risk, as the surface of the unit may harbour and transfer viruses to subsequent users. Meanwhile, the light-duty nature of traditional dispensers means it’s common to see broken and empty hand sanitiser systems leaving users unprotected, as well as unappealing set-ups such as a pelican pump on a table or counter top along with the inevitable leakage.

High maintenance requirement In busy locations such as theme parks, dispensers are vulnerable to improper use such as excessive force from impatient visitors, which can cause the spring-loaded pump to prematurely degrade and fail. Along with an increased maintenance requirement, this can result in sanitiser leakage which not only wastes product but leads to unsightly mess, reducing user satisfaction.

Excessive chemical consumption Despite manual dispensers delivering a pre-set quantity of sanitiser, such systems are prone to chemical wastage as users may press the dispensing button multiple times in order to receive more product. Across a large site, excessive sanitiser consumption adds up to a significant added cost, while this limitation exacerbates the low capacity problem faced by conventional systems.

CHEMICAL DISPENSING SYSTEMS Clearly, conventional dispensers are too restrictive for the needs of the ‘new normal’, so what are manufacturers doing to solve this, and what advancements are being made to bring additional benefits to operators?

Larger capacity The most advanced hand sanitiser dispensers allow up to 25 litres of sanitiser to be connected – equating to 25,000 doses on average. This vastly reduces the replenishment rate for even the busiest sites to daily or even weekly refills, significantly easing pressure on maintenance personnel and allowing operators to allocate staff elsewhere or downsize the workforce.

Mains or battery powered With some systems connecting to mains electricity, operators are freed of their reliance on single-use batteries and the associated maintenance costs, guaranteeing continuous use and removing the environmental impact of battery disposal.

Robustness is of course a key characteristic, particularly in installations that are not regularly monitored or that receive harsh treatment. This includes excessive force (heavy-handed operatives may attempt to extract chemical even when the supply runs dry) and accidental collisions typical of high-pressure, fastpaced environments. Therefore a tough, impact-resistant design helps to ensure consistent, reliable performance while reducing the cost of maintenance, repair and replacement. Lightweight systems may be cheaper per

unit but such systems are unreliable and have a short lifespan, plus can lead to in adequate cleaning Due to the high turnover of staff in janitorial applications – along with a typically diverse workforce – the simplicity and ease of use and safety of chemical dispenser systems is also of vital importance. Indeed a multicultural, multilingual workforce can complicate identification of chemical type, presenting a health and safety issue should the incorrect solution be selected. For this reason, many manufacturers incorporate interchangeable colour-coded buttons and labels into system casing, helping to simplify selection and minimise the chance of error. In terms of cleaning effectiveness, it’s essential that dilution adjustment is precise and consistent, as this optimises chemical performance while reducing chemical consumption and the associated financial and environmental impacts. In many cleaning stations it’s common to see concentrated chemical storage containers such as 20-litre drums stored unbundled on the floor, causing a potential leakage or trip hazard. Or worse still, staff dosing detergent and other solutions manually, exposing them to potentially harmful concentrated chemical. Integrated chemical storage can help solve this issue, enabling operators not only to save space and make cleaning stations tidier and more presentable, but also providing vital health and safety benefits by keeping the chemicals off of the floor and avoiding possible spillage and tripping hazards. Such systems typically feature a cabinet-style enclosure where various-sized chemical containers can be stored and connected to the built-in dispenser. Lockable cabinets help to prevent theft and tampering and protect employees against exposure to harsh concentrated chemical. It’s clear that while the cleaning industry faces a number of challenges relating to chemical dispensing systems, manufacturers continue to respond to market needs with new and refined solutions to ease the burden on operators as we adapt to the ‘new normal’ post-Covid. www.seko.com

Welche Entwicklung machen Spendersysteme für Chemikalien in der heutigen Hightech-Welt durch? Liefern Sie detailliertere Informationen über den Verbrauch von Chemikalien, Nachfüllzyklen, Verbrauchsmuster, Reinigungsroutinen usw.? Ist es das, was die Kunden von heute möchten – oder möchten sie einfach eine sichere und nachhaltige Lösung, die funktioniert?

Come si stanno evolvendo i sistemi di erogazione di prodotti chimici nel mondo odierno ad alta tecnologia? Forniscono delle informazioni più dettagliate sull’uso dei detergenti, cicli di ricarica, comportamenti di utilizzo, routine di pulizia ecc.? E tutto ciò è quello che vogliono i clienti di oggi oppure vogliono soltanto una soluzione sicura e sostenibile che funzioni bene?

ing space for additional revenue, carry out promotions or display visitor information. And by uploading media via USB or remotely, operators can update content quickly and easily (including across multiple sites) to ensure it remains current and relevant.

Cleaning chemical dispensers In commercial kitchens, janitorial applications and food preparation areas, there are many difficult challenges associated with cleaning chemical dispensers used for dosing concentrated and pre-mixed solutions into sinks, spray bottles, mop buckets and scrubber dryers that need to be addressed. Understanding the particular problems and challenges of these environments is key to developing products which will meet the market’s expectations and ensure that the most effective cleaning regimes are followed.

Touchless technology Automatic sensor-activated delivery maximises hand hygiene and user safety, helping prevent the transmission of viruses while offering convenience and reassurance. This technology also guarantees that users receive the correct quantity of sanitiser every time, ensuring proper hand sanitisation while reducing the wastage associated with manually-operated units.

Remote access IoT-ready dispensers allow operators to track usage, check chemical level, view operational status and schedule maintenance from anywhere via PC, laptop or smart device. The freedom to manage their dispenser from any location means operators working from home can view data and make adjustments immediately and minimise costly unplanned downtime by identifying and correcting issues before they lead to system failure.

Video screens The latest sanitiser systems featuring an integrated video screen provide the opportunity for the operator to sell advertisLes systèmes de dosage de produits chimiques ont-ils évolué par nos temps de haute technologie ? Fournissent-ils des informations accrues sur l’utilisation de produits, les cycles de recharge, les profils de consommation et les routines de nettoyage ? S’agit-il vraiment des désirs du client, ou celui-ci se contente-t-il de solutions ne présentant aucun danger, de caractère durable, et susceptibles de fonctionner en tout temps ?

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PRODUCT REVIEW

• Diversey fait valoir la durée jusqu’à 24 heures - des effets du Degragerm 24, son nouveau nettoyant/désinfectant de surfaces. • Birchmeier a introduit un régulateur de pression devant servir sur des pulvérisateurs de produits chimiques. • Le GD Ultra est un nouveau liquide à injecter de Genesis Biosciences pour l’entretien de systèmes d’évacuation et de pièges à graisse. • La nouvelle série d’autolaveuses Scrubmaster B400 R de Hako vise les grands espaces industriels, palais des expositions, etc. • DiBO propose de nouveaux chariots de nettoyage haute pression qui travaillent de manière écologique.

• Diversey teilt mit, dass das neue Degragerm 24 Shield, Oberflächenreiniger und Desinfektionsmittel in einem, bis zu 24 Stunden auf Oberflächen wirkt. • Neu von Birchmeier ist ein Druckregelventil für ChemikalienSprühgeräte. • Bei GD Ultra von Genesis Biosciences handelt es sich um eine neue Spenderlösung zur Wartung von Kanalisationen und Fettabscheidern. • Die neue Linie Scrubmaster B400 R von Hako bietet Scheuersaugmaschinen, die für große Industrieflächen, Messehallen usw. entwickelt wurden. • DiBO hat zwei neue HochdruckAnhänger vorgestellt, die umweltverträgliche Merkmale aufweisen.

• La Diversey afferma che il suo nuovo detergente/disinfettante per le superfici Degragerm 24 Shield è efficace sulle superfici fino a 24 ore. • La novità della Birchmeier è una valvola per il controllo della pressione adatta per i suoi spray di prodotti chimici. • GD Ultra è una nuova soluzione di erogazione prodotta dalla Genesis Biosciences per la manutenzione dei sistemi di scarico e dei sifoni. • La nuova gamma di lavasciuga pavimenti Scrubmaster B400 R della Hako è progettata per aree industriali di grandi dimensioni, padiglioni di fiere ecc. • La DiBO ha lanciato due nuovi carrelli per la pulizia ad alta pressione che vantano delle credenziali ecologiche.

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Protection Diversey says its new Degragerm 24 Shield surface cleaner/disinfectant provides an additional layer of protection that works on high touch surfaces for up to 24 hours. This is thanks to its Advanced Polymer Technology (APT), which contains a special polymer film that allows the active ingredient to diffuse over time, enabling the surface to retain antimicrobial ability. www.diversey.com

the tank will be reduced down to zero bar to empty or clean the sprayer. www.birchmeier.com

Probiotic Genesis Biosciences, which specialises in creating probiotic cleaning solutions, has developed a system for easy maintenance of drainage systems and grease traps. GD Ultra is a simple-to-use dispenser system which automatically distributes a daily dose of powerful beneficial bacteria that work to break down fats, oils and grease. The dispenser can easily be plumbed in to the pipe to feed the probiotics into the system and one 310 ml cartridge will last for three months. No manual dosing is required. www.genesisbiosciences.co.uk

Better spraying New from Birchmeier is a pressure control valve that can be used to flexibly set working pressure between one and three bar. Suitable as an accessory for all manually operated backpack sprayers and compression sprayers with a capacity of three litres and more, it can be mounted easily between the trigger valve and the hose.

Before spraying, the user selects any pressure from one to three bar on the setting wheel. The pressure control valve ensures the pre-set working pressure, regardless of the effective pressure level. If this is lower than the pre-set pressure, the flow will be interrupted. Higher pressure is regulated down to the pre-set pressure. A bypass position can also be set. The pressure control is switched off or the pressure in

Large areas The new Scrubmaster B400 R Series of sweeper-scrubbers boasts customised solutions for individual requirements. For example the cleaning of very large areas of up to 14,000 square metres per hour, with a 400-litre solution and recovery tank capacity for long operating times, three machine variants for different cleaning applications, two different working widths (123 cm and 155 cm) as well as numerous optional extras. Suitable for use in large industrial buildings and exhibition halls, or in airports and multi-storey car parks, the machines’ high area performance, maximised battery capacity and large solution and recovery tanks make for long hours of operation. Ergonomics has been a key priority in the design, while

the on-board dosing system ensures efficient use of cleaning chemicals and HakoAntiBac gives the tanks antibacterial properties. Models can be upgraded with a host of optional extras, such as an overhead guard, various driver assistance systems, StVZO equipment, or an onboard high-pressure cleaner. www.hako.com

Intensive use New from DiBO Cleaning Systems are two new high-pressure trailers for intensive use - both equipped with the new generation DiBO GreenBoiler-CNG. This burner works on CNG gas, so fuel costs are lower with higher efficiency - and much lower CO2 emissions. The DiBO JMB-ME is a highpressure cleaner with a watercooled electric motor driven by an Li-ion battery offering 24.6 kW/hour. The battery management system controlling the trailer ensures the battery has a long life and its performance capacity is retained. And thanks to the electric motor the noise level of this model is lowered to less than 75 dB. The DiBO JMB-MG high-pressure cleaner, meanwhile, works fully on CNG gas. The trailer has a Kubota water-cooled motor running on CNG gas with CAN BUS-controlled ECU, that accurately manages all motor parameters under control of the DiBO control unit. This motor also has a heat recovery system with which the cleaning water in the tank is partly preheated. www.dibo.com

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Please tick just one box in each section. Your company’s main business activity: q Factory & industrial premises q Offices & commercial premises (including banks) q Contract cleaning/cleaning services q Distributors/wholesalers q Health authorities/hospitals/ nursing homes q Central and local government q Hotels/catering/recreation (including leisure centres) q Education establishments (including universities, schools & colleges) q Other (please specify) Number of company employees:

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