November 2019

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

NOVEMBER 2019

SPECIAL REPORT

BUSINESS

HAND HYGIENE

Stop Norovirus in its tracks

The rise of the ‘olderpreneur’

Better compliance

Page 32

Page 42

Page 25

All the news and winners from the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards Page 10

CONTENTS

November 2019 | Vol.27, No.6

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORTS

42 Going it alone in middle age

25 Lack of compliance

Hartley Milner explores the growing number of ‘oldpreneurs’ starting their own business.

Why are people still failing to wash their hands as often as they should?

32 Stop Norovirus in its tracks Cleaning protocols can play a vital role in controlling the spread of Norovirus

34 The world of cleaning, 2029 How has the industry evolved, and what’s to come in the next 10 years?

03 News

37 The disappearing trolley A look at how manufacturers are making cleaning trolleys unobtrusive.

10 ECH Awards 2019 16 European reports

44 A high pressure job What’s the role of the cleaning operator in high pressure cleaning tasks?

48 Easy rider How do producers ensure their sweepers are as comfortable as possible?

56 Product review

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

54 The recycling solution Recycling companies play an important part in the plastics pollution issue.

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

Circulation Marie Payne

Italy, Spain & Switzerland Fabio Potesta Mediapoint & Communications Corte Lambruschini, Corso Buenos Aires, 8 V0 Piano, Interno 7 16129 Genova, Italy T +39 010 570 4948 F +39 010 553 0088 info@mediapointsrl.it www. mediapointsrl.it

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.

ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2019

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NEWS & EVENTS

Latest News & Events from ECJ

Poor hand hygiene behind E.coli spread, says new study

ECJ has published a special supplement focusing on the issues surrounding sustainability.

Key issues discussed include the Extinction Rebellion effect, the flip side of sustainability, single use plastics, and the role of robotics and technology.

Read it at the ECJ website (www. europeancleaningjournal.com) or download via the app.

Alternatively, email info@europeancleaningjournal.com to reserve your printed copy

People not washing their hands after going to the toilet, rather than undercooked meat, is behind the spread of a key strain of E. coli.

That’s according to a new study published in Lancet: Infectious Diseases. In it, a team analysed 20,000 human faecal samples and 300 blood samples plus hundreds of sewage samples, animal slurry and meats including beef, pork and chicken - as well fruit and salad.

One strain - ST131 - was seen in the majority of human samples from all three sources. It is found in the gut but can, usually via urinary tract infections, cause serious infections.

However, the strains found in meat, cattle and animal slurry were mostly different.

Prof David Livermore, from the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School, who led the research, said: “Critically - there’s little

crossover between strains from humans, chickens and cattle.

“Rather - and unpalatably - the likeliest route of transmission for ESBL-E.coli is directly from human to human, with faecal particles from one person reaching the mouth of another.”

EVENTS November 12-14

May 18-20 2021

Hygienalia Pulire Madrid

Pulire

Madrid, Spain www.hygienalia-pulire.com

Verona, Italy www.cms-berlin.de

November 18-21

September 21-24 2021

ISSA North America

CMS

Las Vegas, USA www.issa.com

Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.de

Wash hands

May 12-15 2020

November 15-18 2021

Interclean Amsterdam

ISSA North America

He said maintaining food hygiene was still important - people should handle raw meat carefully, not least because there are other strains of food poisoning bacteria that come through the food chain.

But he added: “Here - in the case of ESBL-E.coli - it’s much more important to wash your hands after going to the toilet.

“It’s particularly important to have good hygiene in care homes, as most of the severe E.coli infections occur among the elderly, and people may need help going to the toilet.”

Amsterdam, Netherlands www.intercleanshow.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issa.com

October 14-15 2020

October 10-13 2022

Budapest Cleaning Show

ISSA North America

Budapest, Hungary budapestcleaningshow.hu/en

Chicago, USA www.issa.com

Selon une nouvelle étude, la propagation d’une souche puissante de E. coli serait due non à la consommation de viande insuffisamment cuisinée, mais au non-lavage des mains après l’usage de toilettes.

October 26-29 2020

ISSA North America Chicago, USA www.issa.com March 16-18 2021

The Cleaning Show London, UK cleaningshow.co.uk

To have your event included in Events, contact ECJ via email at: michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com

Eine neue Studie kommt zu dem Schluss, dass Menschen, die nach dem Besuch der Toilette ihre Hände nicht waschen, der wahre Grund für die Verbreitung eines wichtigen Bakterienstamms von E. coli sind, und nicht halbgares Fleisch.

Uno studio rivela che il ceppo epidemico grave di E. Coli è stato causato dalle persone che non si sono lavate le mani dopo essere state alla toilette, piuttosto che causato dalla carne poco cotta.

November 2019 | ECJ | 3

NEWS AI focus

German machines market faces uncertainty Global economic uncertainty has impacted on Germany’s cleaning machine manufacturers since the end of 2018, and sales in the first half of 2019 fell by three per cent. That’s according to latest figures from trade association covering the sector, VDMA. There are around 50 suppliers of cleaning systems for commercial and industrial use in the country, employing approximately 5,400 people there. The export share of German manufacturers amounts to about 71 per cent. The world market share for German suppliers reached almost 20 per cent in 2018; the market share in

Europe about 50 per cent.

The year 2019 got off to a stable start in domestic business in the first quarter, says VDMA, but remained below the results of the good first quarter of the previous year.

Currency fluctuations Foreign business, on the other hand, was turbulent, due to issues such as the trade conflict between the USA and China, and Brexit. Currency fluctuations have also been worrying.

VDMA’s study also finds that economic growth in China is currently as weak as it was 30 years ago. In India, on the

• L’incertitude pesant actuellement sur l’économie mondiale affecte depuis la fin de 2018 les fabricants allemands de machines de nettoyage, dont les ventes ont baissé de 3 pour cent pendant le premier semestre de 2019.

• Londres a accueilli le récent Forum du parfum, tenu sous les auspices de l’International Fragrance Association UK (IFRA-UK).

4 | November 2019 | ECJ

other hand, the growth rates in the machinery business are still considerable, even though economic growth has lost momentum. The total volume is still too low, however, to compensate for negative trends in other important markets.

Next edition of ECJ - February/March 2020. Keep up to date with news at the website

• Die globale wirtschaftliche Unsicherheit zeigt seit Ende 2018 Auswirkungen auf die deutschen Hersteller von Reinigungsmaschinen, und in der ersten Hälfte 2019 fiel der Absatz um drei Prozent.

• In London wurde vor Kurzem das Fragrance Forum von der International Fragrance Association UK (IFRAUK) veranstaltet.

London was the venue for the recent Fragrance Forum hosted by the International Fragrance Association UK (IFRA-UK).

This year, the programme explored how new artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and machine learning are changing the face of the fragrance industry, with some of the biggest names in the fragrance, computing and biotechnology industries and academia presenting the latest research and developments that fragrance and AI has on their sectors.

Next year’s event will take place in London on October 15.

• L’incertezza economica globale ha avuto una ripercussione sui produttori di macchine per le pulizie in Germania dalla fine del 2018 e le vendite nella prima metà del 2019 sono diminuite del tre per cento.

• Di recente si è tenuto a Londra il forum Fragrance Forum organizzato dalla International Fragrance Association UK (IFRA-UK).

NEWS Emergency landing after spill

Two crew members were reportedly left unconscious after a spilt cleaning product forced a flight from London into an emergency landing.

American Airlines said two crew members and one passenger were taken to hospital ‘for evaluation’ after the passenger jet, flying from Heathrow to Philadelphia, diverted to

Dublin. They were discharged shortly afterwards.

Passengers on board flight 729 reported feeling unwell and suffered burning eyes. The airline said the incident was “due to an odour caused by a spilled cleaning solution in the galley”.

The cleaning product was reportedly left inside the plane’s toilets at Heathrow and had seeped into the carpeting.

• Deux membres d’équipage auraient perdu connaissance par suite du déversement d’un produit de nettoyage, qui a forcé l’atterrissage d’urgence d’un vol parti de Londres.

• Le groupe de services d’installation Mitie a reçu, de la part de Masternaut, la Certification d’Or pour avoir réduit les émissions de carbone de son parc de véhicules.

Mitie gets gold for CO2 drop Facilities services group Mitie has been recognised for its success in reducing the carbon emissions of its fleet, by being awarded Gold Certification by Masternaut. Across its whole fleet in the UK it cut CO2 by 770 tonnes - the equivalent to planting almost 800 trees.

Among its initiative is the Driver Risk Management Framework, to improve driver behaviour and offer training to encourage the most fuelefficient driving, as well as the installation of speed limiters.

Over the year, Mitie has also moved to more fuel-efficient models in order to reduce fuel

• Es wurde berichtet, dass ein Flug von London zu einer Notlandung gezwungen war, nachdem zwei Crewmitglieder nach Verschütten eines Reinigungsproduktes bewusstlos wurden.

• Facility-Management-Group Mitie wurde für ihre Reduzierung der Kohlendioxid-Emissionen ihrer Flotte ausgezeichnet und erhielt die Gold Certification von Masternaut.

consumption and emissions, subsequently announcing a commitment to move 20 per cent of its car and small van fleet to 100 per cent electric models by 2020.

Independently verified by the Energy Savings Trust, Masternaut’s Fleet CO2 Certification is calculated by analysing telematics data from each vehicle in the Mitie Fleet, to track fuel consumption and how much CO2 is emitted over the year, compared to the previous 12 months. In order to achieve gold status, a business must see at least five per cent reduction in emissions each year.

• Due membri dell’equipaggio sono rimasti privi di sensi dopo che un prodotto di pulizia rovesciato ha forzato un volo da Londra a un atterraggio di emergenza.

• Il gruppo di servizi Mitie ha ricevuto il premio Gold Certification dalla Masternaut per avere ridotto le emissioni di anidride carbonica della sua flotta.

November 2019 | ECJ | 5

NEWS EXTRA The importance of making your cleaning staff feel valued Paul Ashton, ceo of cleaning services company Birkin in the UK, explains why it is vital to take care of cleaning staff in this exclusive piece for ECJ.

Our employees are the backbone of our business and in this industry, which can suffer from a negative reputation, we must ensure our employees feel secure and valued at all times.

Unfortunately cleaning is not seen as glamorous, so it does tend to get negative attention.

We believe our employees do one of the hardest jobs - it is manual labour and involves unsociable hours and high demands.

Therefore we are sharing some basic steps that we believe all cleaning companies should take to ensure a great working relationship with their employees. This will help to make them feel valued and can therefore provide the high levels of service clients expect:

Pay the Living Wage Paying fair wages is the best way to show your employees you value them and the work they do for you. In our industry, cleaners provide an invaluable service to our clients’ working environments, ensuring their workspaces are kept clean to help with their long-term health.

Without cleaners the working environment would deteriorate, and you would see a significant increase in sick days which will, in turn, have an impact on company productivity.

Provide full training Full, accredited training should be provided to all cleaning teams, especially those who complete specialist tasks.

Investing time and money into training will reap great rewards and is proven to improve

Encourage positive relationships Initiatives such as Thank Your Cleaner Day are encouraging people to acknowledge the hard and important work that cleaners do, often in challenging circumstances. In addition, we would recommend letters of congratulations, reward

• Paul Ashton

retention of staff rates.

With thorough planning and the right people with relevant industry qualifications leading the way, the potential for a great training programme is endless.

Never forget to cross-train your employees and ensure their record of training is continuously updated.

Enable strong communication channels Communication is key in all industries and day-to-day life. In the cleaning industry, it doesn’t just involve the client, it also includes service partners, contractors and cleaning teams. On-site teams require daily support from contract management teams in order to feel supported and to know they have contacts should an issue arise. Our teams ensure daily communication via telephone and email, but also weekly site visits to ensure discussions take place in more detail where required.

A high quality cleaning company is more than just the sum of its parts so the opinions and suggestions of all its employees will be a good indicator of the type of culture that exists within the business.

Taking the time to listen to feedback from employees will make them feel valued and will provide valuable insight into their perception of the business.

• À Berlin, les autorités offrent aux touristes la tournée gratuite d’un parc pour autant qu’en chemin, ils ramassent les détritus qu’ils y trouvent.

6 | November 2019 | ECJ

schemes and social media sharing for jobs well done these are always positive ways of improving employee and client relationships and breaking down the communication barriers.

Valuing employees is more than just a requirement as it improves their wellbeing, ensures better standards of work and reduces turnover.

Tours in exchange for clean-up Berlin authorities have been offering holidaymakers a free tour - in exchange for litterpicking in one of the city’s parks.

Cigarette butts, corks and broken glass are a permanent feature of parks in the districts of Pankow and Mitte. But as part of a new “Clean City” campaign, administrators have been offering tourists a free guided tour in exchange for picking up rubbish for an hour.

Organisers want to raise awareness of the fact that public littering is a shared responsibility. “It’s all about attracting attention and appealing for such garbage to be avoided,” says Pankow district councillor Rona Tietje. “Tourists come here because they like the city - not to disturb local residents or get on their nerves.

So they can now give something back in the shape of a small, green footprint.”

She says another reason for staging the campaign is to ease

• Berliner Behörden bieten Urlaubern eine kostenlose Tour an – im Austausch gegen das Aufsammeln von Müll in einem der Stadtparks.

tensions between tourists and locals, which often arise due to issues such as noise and litter.

The city’s Pankow and Mitte districts have been cooperating with international city tour provider Sandemans New Europe to set up the scheme. Mauerpark is popular due to its central location and its history, being part of the former “death strip” that divided the East from the West.

A free guided tour before the cleaning session provided tourists with background information on the history of the Berlin Wall plus insights into life in the former German Democratic Republic.

Participants were then equipped with brightly-coloured vests, gloves and waste disposal bags for the clean-up.

Around 70 people took part in the first event, held in Mauerpark during the summer.

Two similar events took place at the Ernst-Thälmann-Park in early autumn.

• Le autorità di Berlino offrono ai turisti un tour gratuito in cambio della raccolta di immondizie in uno dei parchi della città.

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NEWS Ecocleen buys Regency Cleaning Services Services provider Ecocleen in the UK has completed the acquisition of Regency Cleaning Services in a deal worth up to €2.9 million.

The successful takeover will enable the company to increase its presence within key sectors such as education and motor retail, while expanding its nationwide franchise network.

“Regency Cleaning Services is a like-minded and profitable business that will immediately strengthen a number of existing franchisees while helping us create new franchise areas,” explains Jean-Henri Beukes, managing director of Ecocleen.

Its managing director, Darran Penny, will also join us as commercial director, bringing more than 20 years of experience within the cleaning industry.”

Beukes added: “This is the

• Ecocleen, un prestataire de services au RoyaumeUni, a repris la Regency Cleaning Services dans le cadre d’une transaction atteignant 2,9 millions d’euros.

8 | November 2019 | ECJ

first of a number of strategic acquisitions we are planning as we look to accelerate our growth within the UK. We are seeking further opportunities in London, the South-East, South-West and North-West.”

• In Großbritannien hat Facility-ManagementDienstleister Ecocleen die Akquisition von Regency Cleaning Services mit einem Vertrag im Wert von €2,9 Millionen abgeschlossen.

Interclean Amsterdam will take place from May 12-15 2020.

ECJ will be running comprehensive previews to the exhibition from February/March edition so if you’re exhibiting email us at: info@ europeancleaning journal.com for more information

• Nel Regno Unito, la fornitrice di servizi Ecocleen ha completato l’acquisizione della Regency Cleaning Services in un affare del valore di €2,9 milioni.

NEWS CMS PIA winners announced

Kenter, Husqvarna, Hako and Adlatus are the winners of this year’s CMS Purus Innovation Awards (PIA) 2019. They were announced during the recent CMS exhibition in Berlin.

In Large Machines, Kenter was the winner with the Comac C 85 NSC scrubber dryer, while Husqvarna won in Small

Machines for its Automower 535 AWD. In the Equipment section Hako got the prize for its Dust Stop accessory for use on scrubber dryers. Finally, Adlatus Robotics won the category Digital Tools and Systems for the Adlatus Teams 2020 manmachine interface. www.cms-berlin.de

• Kenter, Husqvarna, Hako et Adlatus sont les gagnants des Prix Purus de l’Innovation (PIA) de cette année, qui ont été décernés lors du dernier salon CMS de Berlin.

• La société britannique Northwood Paper, Tissue & Hygiene a repris Dicepa Papelera Espagne, et Sidcot Group au Royaume-Uni.

Two acquisitions for Northwood Northwood Paper, Tissue & Hygiene in the UK has made two acquisitions.

The first is Dicepa Papelera in Enate, Spain as well as the trade and assets of the converting plant of Manipa in Madrid. This brings additional recycled paper production and further increases the security supply for the converting papers needed by the Northwood Companies, as well as giving the wider Northwood Group access to the markets in Spain and mainland Europe.

Recycled tissue And in the UK, Northwood has bought the Sidcot Group,

• Kenter, Husqvarna, Hako und Adlatus waren die Gewinner der diesjährigen Purus Innovation Awards (PIA), die im Rahmen der vor kurzem in Berlin veranstalteten CMS verliehen wurden.

• Das in Großbritannien ansässige Unternehmen Northwood Paper, Tissue & Hygiene hat zwei Akquisitionen abgeschlossen – Dicepa Papelera in Spanien und Sidcot Group in Großbritannien.

comprising the recycled tissue mill at Chesterfield and the converting operations of Matryx, Techcel and Negociar. The acquisition means additional recycled tissue production and converting capacity. www.northwood.co.uk

Keep up to date with European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2020 news at echawards.com

• Kenter, Husqvarna, Hako e Adlatus sono i vincitori di quest’anno dei premi Purus Innovation Awards (PIA) che sono stati presentati alla fiera CMS tenutasi di recente a Berlino.

• Nel Regno Unito, la Northwood Paper Tissue & Hygiene ha effettuato due acquisizioni, la Dicepa Papelera in Spagna e in Gran Bretagna la Sidcot Group.

November 2019 | ECJ | 9

EUROPEAN CLEANING & HYGIENE AWARDS ECJ European award winners announced at London gala dinner The annual European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards took place at The Church House in London recently, where the 2019 finalists were honoured at a glittering awards dinner.

Following a record year for entries, the judges considered over 130 nominations. Twentythree finalists across nine categories were announced in August, and the London event saw the winners revealed.

Now in their fourth year, the awards recognise standards of excellence in the professional cleaning industry and are the only pan-European awards for the sector. They were founded

by European Cleaning Journal (ECJ). The winners were: • Best use of smart solutions by service provider (sponsored by i-team Global): Swiss Post Real Estate Management and Services • Investment in training (sponsored by Greenspeed): Derrycourt • Excellence in client/ contractor partnerships: Principle Cleaning Services, 30 St Mary Axe • Sustainability – best practice (sponsored by Werner & Mertz, greencare Professional): Incentive QAS • Commitment to diversity (sponsored by Principle Cleaning Services): Facilicom/Buitengewoon • Best initiative raising the profile of the cleaning sector (sponsored by Ceris Burns International): Lucart • Technological innovation of the year: Adlatus/Killis • Leader of the Year: Gerlinde Troestl, Markas • Rising star (sponsored by Jangro): Sol Amorim, Principle Editor of ECJ and member of the judging panel, Michelle Marshall, said: “The European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards are all about shining the spotlight on the outstanding work going on in our industry so it was fantastic to see so many entries flood in this year.

“There was some seriously strong competition but we really felt that our nine winners

10 | November 2019 | ECJ

had gone above and beyond to champion our industry. They are some of the most innovative, proactive leaders in the sector and it was brilliant to be able to honour them in London on the night.”

Joining Michelle Marshall on the judging panel were Lynn Webster, director of Lynn Webster Consultants (UK), Juan Diez de los Rios de San Juan, president of European Cleaning & Facility Services Industry (EFCI), and Frank Veneman, director of Association for Cleaning Research (VSR) (Netherlands).

This year’s sponsors include RAI Amsterdam,

Ceris Burns International, Diversey, Greenspeed, i-team Global, Jangro, Principle Cleaning, Werner & Mertz, greencare Professional, Truvox

International, Vectair Systems and Vermop Salmon.

News of 2020’s event will be early in the new year. www.echawards.com

EUROPEAN CLEANING & HYGIENE AWARDS

Les gagnants des Prix européens de proprété et d’hygiène 2019 ont été annoncés récemment lors d’une cérémonie à Londres.

Die Gewinner der European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2019 wurden vor kurzem im Rahmen einer Preisverleihung in London bekanntgegeben.

I vincitori del premio 2019 European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2019 sono stati annunciati durante una cerimonia che si è tenuta di recente a Londra.

November 2019 | ECJ | 11

NEWS EXTRA What can we learn from the collapse of Thomas Cook?

Paul Wonnacott is managing director of Vectair Systems, which is in its 31st year of trading. He takes a look at the collapse of Thomas Cook - the 178 year old British holiday firm - and how the cleaning industry can learn from its demise.

In the UK and abroad, we were all surprised and saddened to hear about the folding of holiday giant Thomas Cook. To lose such a major player in the tourism industry, it seems that no businesses are safe from failure.

But what went wrong, and how does it relate to our industry?

Founded in Market Harborough in 1841 by Thomas Cook, a religious man who believed in the abstinence of alcohol, the company organised railway outings for fellow followers of the temperance movement.

Some 178 years later, it had grown to a gigantic global travel group, having survived two world wars, the reigns of six British monarchs, and the invention of flight.

Following its first local outing, the business quickly expanded.

Four years on Thomas Cook organised its first trip abroad, taking a group over to Calais.

This was followed in the 1860s with trips to Italy, Egypt and America. The Cook family sold up in 1928, and the company saw subsequent periods of national and private ownership, including Midland Bank and C&N Touristic AG, one of Germany’s largest travel groups. Before its closure, annual sales were £9 billion, it had 19 million customers each year and 22,000 staff operated in 16 countries.

So what happened? I’ll take the chance to mention now, that unlike many things, this cannot be solely blamed on Brexit! Thomas Cook had been struggling for a while - eight years ago, the company was teetering on the edge and was

saved by an emergency loan from a group of banks. As well as weak trading, the company’s big problem in 2011 was too much debt. Brexit has meant that in the last year or two, some people have delayed their summer holiday plans however, as Thomas Cook’s most reliable airline Condor serves the German market, Brexit cannot be blamed for much of the downhill spiral.

Changes in business Firstly, there is no doubt that the modern business and leisure market has changed, far more rapidly in recent years than in previous decades. With sophisticated websites offering people the chance to compare prices, competition is at an all-time high. In addition, many holidaymakers have become used to putting together their own holidays and not using travel agents.

No longer do people visit high street stores to sit down with a holiday representative and discuss travel options - instead, people already know where they want to go, browsing the internet in search of the best deal. People are choosing to save money by relinquishing check-in luggage on low cost airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet.

New ventures like Airbnb have proved stiff competition for companies like Thomas Cook,

Paul Wonnacott, administrateur délégué de Vectair Systems, examine les causes de la chute de Thomas Cook, le géant des voyages organisés, et les leçons que le secteur de la propreté peut en tirer.

12 | November 2019 | ECJ

and one could say that Thomas Cook never kept up with the times. People had changed but the company hadn’t.

The weather, which is of course something out of everyone’s control, did affect things and a recent summer heatwave meant people stayed at home instead of travelling abroad. But huge debt and a lack of management control, which included big payouts to top staff (even when the company was losing money) finished Thomas Cook off, to the detriment of the poor staff who had virtually no forewarning their jobs were going to be snatched away from them.

So what can we learn from this? Firstly, as much as Brexit wasn’t the sole cause of Thomas Cook’s collapse, it was a contributory factor so we need to get our heads around Brexit and understand the impact, negative or positive, it may have on our businesses. There are seminars and webinars out there, such as the one run by the ISSA, that promise to provide useful information about the potential implications of Brexit on regulation related to chemicals and biocidal products.

Secondly, we need to explore the changing marketplace and keep up-to-date with the latest technologies. Marketing is one area that is really important lots of people think that in times of trouble, marketing budgets should be reduced. However this is one of the worst mistakes that they can make. Losing awareness of your brand and its connection to its customers can negatively affect its position in the market.

Companies need to stay in the minds of their customers to reassure them of their strong position in the market, and continue to take part in activities like trade shows.

Business culture (or the beliefs and behaviours that govern how

Paul Wonnacott, Managing Director bei Vectair Systems, wirft einen Blick auf den Zusammenbruch des Tourismuskonzerns Thomas Cook und wie die Reinigungsbranche von seinem Niedergang lernen kann.

people act in an organisation) can decide a company’s fate success or failure. Businesses need to change and define their values and behaviours in line with their vision for the future.

Look at your end goal and make sure that everything aligns with that - think about how your staff fit into your strategy, and reward them when they are on the right path. Honesty and accountability grows loyal customers, and you should lead by example - when we work hard, it encourages others to work hard too.

Understand customers We also need to continually find ways to understand our customers. The customers we had 30 years ago might be the same customers, but they do not have the same needs that they had all that time ago. We need to find new avenues to sell our products and continue to innovate to meet their ever-changing needs.

We need to provide materials for people looking to educate themselves on our products and the marketplace in general - this could be by writing blogs, articles or keeping an up-to-date website which people can peruse at a time convenient to them. We were once available from 9 to 5 - now we must be available 24/7 with an impressive but easy to use online presence.

Of course, a successful business has to also fight against factors that are out of their control, like environmental problems impacting stock and raw materials. Exchange rate fluctuations and political unrest are other examples. Compliance is another area where costs can spiral and new legislation is coming in all the time. By trading in different countries, and by having stock coming from different places, risk is spread a little. Planning ahead is crucial, especially from a financial point of view.

Il direttore generale della Vectair Systems, Paul Wonnacott, esamina il crollo del gigante delle vacanze Thomas Cook e come il settore del cleaning può imparare da questa rovina.

EFCI NEWS EFCI news - workforce characteristics in the cleaning industry In June 2019, the EFCI published its Trend Report The European Cleaning Industry 1995-2016.

This statistical work presents a great deal of information about the cleaning companies in Europe and their evolution throughout the past 20 years.

The report builds on the past editions of the EFCI Survey published regularly since 1987 and on Eurostat’s most recent data. By using and sharing this report, the EFCI intends to promote the industry and enhance the sector’s competitiveness and image.

The cleaning industry is a highly labour-intensive sector. More than 3.9 million of men and women are working for the sector in Europe to ensure a healthy and comfortable living and working environment for all.

An important part of EFCI’s Trend Report The European Cleaning Industry 1995-2016 is devoted to analysing the distinctive characteristic of the workforce.

Employees and productivity The cleaning industry employed close to four million people in 2016. This is a considerable increase over the 2.16 million from 1995 and corresponds to an average addition of 87,000 employees per year in Europe. The number of employees working in large companies (more than 250 employees) notably increased in the last 20 years.

At the same time, employees’ productivity increased by 69 per

cent between 1995 and 2016, with a particularly high increase in the UK, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland.

Workforce characteristics The workforce of cleaning companies is often characterised as follow: high ratio of part-timers, high ratio of women and high diversity. EFCI’s Trend Report provides us with figures to illustrate these trends.

The cleaning industry has the particularity to employ a lot of part-timers. Indeed, in 2016, almost seven out of 10 employees were working parttime. However, the ratio of parttimers decreased between 1995 and 2016 from 74 per cent to 68 per cent. The duration of work per week remained relatively low, only increasing from 22 to 23 hours weekly on average throughout the years.

Moreover, the sector is employing a high number of women: out of 10 workers, on average seven are women.

However, female employment decreased from 75 per cent in 1995 to 71 per cent in 2016, demonstrating progressive incorporation of male employees into the workforce.

The workforce of the cleaning companies is also characterised by a high proportion of employees with migration backgrounds. Even if exact data on this subject is difficult to collect, the report shows that the share of migrant workers in the cleaning industry has increased during the past 20 years.

The winners of the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2019 were announced at a gala dinner in London recently. News and photographs from the ceremony - page 10

L’EFCI (European Cleaning & Facility Services Industry) a récemment publié un rapport de tendance sous le titre The European Cleaning Industry 1995-2016 (Le secteur européen du nettoyage 1995-2016). Ce document rassemble les données les plus récentes d’Eurostat et s’appuie sur les enquêtes que l’EFCI a menées par le passé.

14 | November 2019 | ECJ

Shift to day-time cleaning Cleaning services are still performed predominantly outside the premises’ usual periods of occupation (early morning, evening, night). This is particularly true for office cleaning, but also applies to commercial premises or buildings with public access.

Nevertheless, Europe had a moderate shift with more classic

EFCI (European Cleaning & Facility Services Industry) veröffentlichte vor Kurzem einen Trendbericht unter dem Titel „The European Cleaning Industry 1995– 2016“. In diesem Dokument werden die neuesten Daten von Eurostat erfasst, und es stützt sich auf historische EFCI-Umfragen.

working shifts implemented in 2016 than in 1995, with some countries excelling in daytime cleaning (eg, Finland).

EFCI’s Trend Report is available at www.efci.eu/wp-content/ uploads/flipbooks/1/ and specific information about the workforce are available pages 26 to 31. For comments or questions, please contact secretariat@efci.eu.

EFCI (European Cleaning & Facility Services Industry) ha pubblicato di recente un rapporto sulle tendenze intitolato The European Cleaning Industry 19952016. Questo documento raccoglie i dati più recenti di Eurostat e parte dai sondaggi storici di EFCI.

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UPDATE: NETHERLANDS Spray bottles - a Trojan horse?

From the Netherlands, John Griep at VSR reports on some new research about the hygiene of spray bottles holding cleaning solution.

Cleaning professionals get things clean. Or don’t they?

Apparently, it’s not that simple.

Indeed, with the arrival of smartphones and the use of tablets in healthcare settings, awareness has grown of bacteria and microorganisms on such devices. A policy is needed.

However, this goes beyond smartphones. After all, as demonstrated by research at VSR, cleaning material - such as spray bottles - can also be a potential source of contamination. This is what a past inspector from the Healthcare Inspection had to say about it in 2016: “(…) concentrated products are diluted. The solution is stored in reusable spray bottles.

Generally there is no guaranteed method to clean and dry the spray bottles. After all, how do all those tubes and pistols fit together on such bottles? There has been no research (…)”

This was why VSR decided to conduct some research into hygiene relating to spray bottles.

The initial aim was to get an idea of whether spray bottles used in professional cleaning suffer microbial contamination.

Should this be the case, we also wanted to know whether the organisms were found freely in the (remaining) liquid in the spray bottles (free germs) or (also) in any biofilm present (attached germs). Finally, VSR wished to establish if rinsing with a disinfectant would eliminate infection already present.

Our researchers assumed that spray bottles could be contaminated in three different ways: by germs on external contact surfaces, by free germs inside and/or by germs attached to the inside (biofilm).

Research demonstrates Depuis les Pays-Bas, John Griep évoque des travaux de recherche sur l’hygiène de flacons pulvérisateurs contenant des liquides de nettoyage.

16 | November 2019 | ECJ

that the cleaning fluid in used refillable spray bottles can be contaminated with microbes. Of the 61 spray bottles investigated in this study, 44 were found to contain germs.

Furthermore, the spray bottles contained both free and attached germs.

Finally, it was demonstrated that, after hygienic treatment following infection-prevention guidelines, fewer attached germs were present than in untreated spray bottles. We do point out the number of spray bottles investigated was too small for statistical justification of this effect.

Conclusion: while more detailed studies will provide more evidence, we do recommend hygienic treatment of spray bottles.

Tips for smartphone hygiene: • Hold the telephone with clean hands. Remove gloves before answering the telephone; your hands are probably cleaner than your gloves.

• Clean the telephone after leaving the client zone.

• Never return a telephone directly to your pocket or bag, be sure to clean it first.

• Do not take a telephone or tablet with you into the room of a client where additional infection measures apply, such as contamination with the norovirus, MRSA or so-called superbugs.

• When you have finished your duty, disinfect your smartphone or tablet or give it a good clean.

• Clean your smartphone or tablet with a pre-impregnated cloth or use screen wipes.

• Protect your telephone with film or a case so that you are not required to clean the telephone itself.

In seinem Bericht aus den Niederlanden erörtert John Griep eine neue Untersuchung über die Hygiene von Sprühflaschen, die Reinigungslösung enthalten.

Dai Paesi Bassi, il corrispondente John Griep ci informa su una nuova ricerca sull’igiene dei flaconi spray che contengono soluzioni di pulizia.

LATEST: GERMANY Are you ready for a dragon fight?

From Germany, Katja Scholz reports on an initiative designed to attract young talent to cleaning.

The National Association of Contract Cleaners (BIV) is faced with a highly competitive market in trying to attract young trainees to the profession. “We would specifically like to target young people and give them an understanding of the contract cleaning business. With this in mind, we need to reach out to them where they feel most at home”, explains Christopher Lück, BIV director of policy and communication. “And today this clearly means primarily on social networks such as Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.”

In competing for the skilled workers of tomorrow, the BIV is quite literally taking up the “fight” for young trainees which is currently prevailing on the employment market. It has produced a social media clip with the revealing title “Are you ready for a dragon fight?” and uses it to demonstrate how important it is for the contract cleaning sector to focus on interested young people at the earliest opportunity.

The setting for the social media clip is an adventure playground in Germany’s capital city Berlin.

Those watching see smoke rising, water spraying, heavy equipment and young people in protective clothing. They are engaged in cleaning a dragon sculpture made of various materials ranging from stone and tiles to papier mâché – with teamwork and a lot of energy and enthusiasm. “The dragon sculpture in the Berlin-Wilmersdorf playground has been created by an anonymous artist. This seemed to us to be the perfect object for demonstrating the multi-faceted challenges which contract cleaners of the future will encounter in their profession, because the materials to be cleaned and the range of equipment and techniques are as varied as the profession itself,” explains Lück. Trainees who would like to experience constantly changing workplaces such as glass facades Notre reporter en Allemagne Katja Scholz rend compte d’une nouvelle initiative visant à attirer de jeunes talents vers le secteur de la propreté.

of buildings, exhibition spaces in museums, spectator seating areas in stadiums or the demanding environment of operating theatres will gain comprehensive knowledge of the type and nature of buildings, building components and surfaces in addition to chemical relationships and materials.

They will also learn how to use various types of machinery and techniques and how to carry out sustainable cleaning processes.

“Sensors, automation and co-robotics will also play a greater role in future – which makes the sector attractive to the techsavvy target groups.”

Training in the skilled trade with the largest workforce in Germany – the contract cleaning sector – gives access to a multi-faceted and varied working environment but also excellent future prospects with good earning potential.

Following completion of their initial training, skilled workers of the future will have numerous opportunities for further training, for example as a Master Craftsman or to study for a degree in cleaning and hygiene management/technology.

Potential earnings in the sector are also equally attractive at the moment: standard wages have been increasing for years, along with payment rates for trainees: apprentices throughout the country in their third year of training will receive €1,050 per month from the beginning of next year.

The starting salary for those who have completed their apprenticeship varies from state to state but can often exceed €2,500.

But back to the dragon fight in the Berlin adventure playground: “The video has been online since September and can be seen on all social media platforms. The first reactions have been positive and show we are reaching the future trainees and upcoming skilled workers of tomorrow”, concluded Christopher Lück.

Die deutsche Reporterin Katja Scholz berichtet über eine neue Initiative der Vertragsreinigungsbranche, um neue Mitarbeiter anzuziehen.

La corrispondente tedesca Katja Scholz ci informa su una nuova iniziativa del settore delle pulizie professionali per attirare i giovani talenti.

November 2019 | ECJ |17

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UPDATE: FRANCE Eagerness to diversify Christian Bouzols reports from France for ECJ. Despite a slight decrease of its growth rate, the job market for professional cleaners remains on the increase. This is evidenced by the nearly 100,000 cleaning jobs that have been created in France during the past 10 years. The main explanation is that, as companies increasingly subcontract their cleaning and cleaning related tasks, service providers in those areas are constantly developing and improving the range of services that they are able to offer.

Beyond traditional maintenance services, which have progressively become more technical, a large number of cleaning companies are diversifying their services towards client groups such as those in the IT, health, food and pharmaceutical industries, which are bound by very strict hygiene regulations. To meet their requirements, new processes need to be implemented.

As a result Onet, a leading cleaning contractor, has developed methods to both define and control the services it provides to client companies according to their line of business. It begins by carrying out an audit of the client company’s requirements, this being followed by the setting up of a continuous assessment system enabling the monitoring of the quality of the services provided and of the satisfaction of their users. Based on technological developments, the systems uses a number of applications allowing for the measurement in real time of the satisfaction levels of both clients and their workers, and for the triggering of any corrective actions that might be required.

All this basically involves working towards better trained operators and diversifying the range of services offered to client companies beyond Rapportant de la France, Christian Bouzols se penche sur la volonté de diversification accrue des entreprises de nettoyage.

20 | November 2019 | ECJ

long-term standard cleaning contracts, which means being able to perform specific ad hoc services. Eficium, a French cleaning company, has put in place a range of services which aim to be a natural complement to standard cleaning services by enhancing them with small painting and plumbing jobs, removal tasks, bulb and other light source replacement and deep cleaning of carpets.

Another opportunity is the cleaning of sensitive areas subject to strict cleaning and hygiene standards - such as those found in the food, pharmaceutical, nuclear, hospitality and transport sectors. And of course hospitals and other healthcare establishments.

Cleaning linked services cover other areas as well. For example reception, the management of meeting rooms, the organisation of logistics, distribution of mail, etc. In this regard, Eficium has created a subsidiary called Welcome which specialises in undertaking reception services for companies. A second category would include tasks for the proper maintenance of buildings, such as paint, plumbing, masonry, carpentry and electricity works, plus more ad hoc duties such as salt application, snow removal and pest control. Another example could be waste management.

So cleaning contractors need better qualified operators. That’s why they’re encouraging staff to take training courses that consolidate their work experience and why, in it’s approach towards young people planning to start a cleaning related career, the cleaning sector has put in place specialised curricula going well beyond the secondary schooling certificate. This should help to re-vamp the image of a sector regarded as rather humble by many.

In seinem Bericht aus Frankreich erläutert Christian Bouzols, dass sich viele Reinigungsunternehmen gegenwärtig in andere Dienstleistungen diversifizieren.

Dalla Francia, il corrispondente Christian Bouzols spiega come numerose imprese di pulizia si stanno diversificando verso altri servizi.

LATEST: NORWAY Tours and tides Scandinavian correspondent Lotte Printz brings a report on current affairs in the Norwegian industry.

“Good leaders encourage humour, social activities and having a bit of fun at work.” So, the text reads next to a picture of a laughing monkey on a slide presented by Ann Kristin Reinskau from Ny Vy. She is giving tips on successful management in the cleaning industry and is one of several speakers on a trade seminar tour around Norway this autumn organised by the Norwegian Association for Facility Services and Cleaning.

The tour was planned after members had asked the association to be more present locally and is mainly for management level, be it private or public sector, within the industry. In the seven towns NFSR is visiting this autumn, talks are given not only on successful management, but also on how to handle sick leave properly in the workplace. Other speakers will cover microplastics, environmental issues, sustainability and updates from the robot and digital worlds and, not least, there’ll be insights into using the latest INSTA 800 which was introduced in Norway this spring.

While NFSR is touring for the people upstairs, the Norwegian government brought good news for workers with few qualifications, likely including some cleaners. Last year a qualification upgrading pilot programme was launched on a national scale and across industries, enabling workers with years of practical experience an upgrade in general education or any basic skills needed, such as reading, writing, math and Norwegian.

Forecasts suggest that by 2030 there’ll be a shortage of skilled tradespeople in Norway of 100,000. Hence, in the middle of October the government announced that it would grant €1.5 million to enable more adult Notre correspondante en Scandinavie Lotte Printz fait rapport sur un séminaire tenu récemment sous les auspices de l’Association norvégienne de la propreté.

workers to qualify for tradespecific vocational education: “We must prepare people for the future labour market. And with a vocational education diploma you’ll have a higher level of job security and can make important contributions in your trade,” the minister in charge of this area, Jan Tore Sanner, said in a government press release.

Turn of the tide?

From good news to bad – or rather: what first seemed like bad news for cleaners carrying out cleaning jobs at various premises a day, and which sent shock waves into the Norwegian Union of General Workers (NAF), has seen a more positive development. For ISS cleaners at least. In August 2019, a Norwegian Labour Court (Arbeitsretten) decision ruled in favour of employers in the cleaning industry, stipulating that employers were not obliged to pay those cleaners for time spent on the road between tasks.

For these cleaners this could mean receiving wages for only five hours of a working day lasting nine, NAF proclaimed furiously after the decision was passed. But then, in October, the leading facility service provider, ISS in Norway, publicly announced it has no intention of changing its payment policy: despite the ruling, it will continue paying these cleaners for the time they spend moving from one job to another.

But by the time ECJ went to press, ISS was the only service provider to strictly hold on to that policy. When asked by the trade union magazine ‘The Worker’, most other leading service providers and cleaning companies in Norway replied they had not had time to evaluate the ruling, but generally stick to current practice, rules and regulations.

Die ECJ-Korrespondentin für Skandinavien Lotte Printz berichtet über ein Seminar, das vor Kurzem in Norwegen stattfand und vom norwegischen Reinigungsverband organisiert wurde.

La corrispondente scandinava Lotte Printz ci informa su un recente seminario che si è tenuto in Norvegia organizzato dalla associazione norvegese del cleaning.

November 2019 | ECJ | 21

LATEST: UK

LATEST: ITALY

First impressions count

Autumn association activities

UK reporter Lynn Webster on how important first impressions are, and how cleaning plays a vital role.

Anna Garbagna in Italy brings news from the first general meeting of a new industry association.

There are many training programmes that emphasise the need to make that first impression count. We don’t get a second chance to make a good ‘first impression’ and interestingly according to one university study people make 11 decisions about us in the first seven seconds of contact, so the clock is ticking. Whether this is with a new client; at an interview for a new job or promotion; at a sales presentation or just the times you want someone to think well of you as an individual - we are well aware of this behaviour.

Experience has shown me that not only people but places should take note of such advice and be mindful of both a good quality entrance and the impact of a poorly cleaned facility. A recent visit to my local airport demonstrated just this with extremely poor cleaning outcomes clearly visible as I waited for an early morning flight. The cleaning specification, the service delivery and generally the performance and process of clean all made a contribution to this judgement.

Some suggest we get what we pay for; as a commercial enterprise there are budgets to be met but at what cost? As the entrance to the UK ‘Northern Powerhouse’ this was certainly not an appropriate welcome.

First impressions have the ability to make or break a business, and a positive experience can create long-lasting business relationships. Once a first impression is made, if it’s less than great, unfortunately it takes a long time to change it.

Businesses want to be successful so it is vital those who have cause to connect receive the very best impression from the Notre correspondant au Royaume-Unique Lynn Webster montre à quel point il importe de donner une impression favorable au visiteur qui entre dans un immeuble, ainsi que le rôle vital du nettoyage dans ce contexte.

outset. In a recent survey cleanliness was top of the list when it came to customer satisfaction. That was higher than value for money, quality and even customer service! Perception is everything. If customers feel the facility is unhygienic and dirty, they simply won’t want to give their custom.

As cleaning service providers, in-house or externally, there are therefore major challenges to uphold clients’ first impressions.

People tend to look at the floor when they’re entering somewhere new to prevent them from falling or slipping in unfamiliar territory so a clean floor, litter free and dry, is important.

One bad washroom experience is an impression likely to be shared with many others.

In a consumer survey, 50 per cent of people said they would tell friends and family about a negative experience and 46 per cent said they would avoid going to an establishment based on a poor washroom review. This, TripAdvisor and social media reviews add a further dimension to the cleaning challenge.

The exterior of a client’s office building is the first thing potential clients and visitors see and is often missed even though it yields an extremely important first impression. A filthy, stained exterior, collections of cigarette stubs at the entrance, dirty and overflowing refuse containers all contribute to a less than pleasing look, and with a regular faux pas of the stained or soiled caution sign that displays your company name or logo.

The cleaning industry is certainly in the right place with the best opportunity to make every first impression count, hopefully yours is a good one!

Die britische ECJKorrespondentin Lynn Webster erläutert, warum der erste Eindruck beim Betreten eines Gebäudes wirklich zählt und warum die Reinigung eine ausschlaggebende Rolle spielt.

22 | November 2019 | ECJ

La corrispondente del Regno Unito Lynn Webster spiega il motivo per cui la prima impressione che si ha entrando in un edificio conta veramente tanto e come le pulizie giocano un ruolo di vitale importanza.

The first general meeting of Confindustria Servizi Hygiene, Cleaning & Facility Services, Labour Safety Solutions took place in Rome in the presence of current Confindustria president Vincenzo Boccia. This was the debut of the new organisation which groups the companies of the service sector comprising over 44,000 potential company members with a potential turnover of over €25 billion.

Boccia explained that “it is not a simple companies trade union, but a social actor with a strong identity representing a bridge between the interests of companies and the country”.

The meeting was chaired

by Lorenzo Mattioli, its first president. The project has been described as “strategic” and to be addressed as “an innovative design”. Starting from these bases and thanks to the current president Boccia, who is a confirmed supporter, ANIP-Confindustria, ANID, ASSOSISTEMA and UNIFerr have started on a path which begins with the well established need to give more importance to the issues expressed by the member companies, in order to offer solutions aimed at improving the representation and the image of the whole sector.

“Confindustria Servizi Hygiene, Cleaning & Facility Services, Labour Safety Solutions,” added Mattioli, “represents more than half a million operatives: a dimension which will surely have a new and important significance with regards to Institutions, policy makers and stakeholders - allowing us to aspire to provide more leadership in our country’s economy and market.

We are the companies devoted Dans son reportage d’Italie, Anna Garbagna évoque l’assemblée tenue récemment par une nouvelle association dédiée à l’hygiène, à la propreté et aux services d’installation.

to citizens’ welfare, the care of cities, workplaces, schools and hospitals; we are the companies that make the country modern and safe and we commit to raise awareness of the service sector for companies, community and people”.

Hygiene in hospitality Talking about hygiene in the hospitality sector is of vital importance because hospitality venues are often the first not to comply with the simple rules of cleaning.

This topic was discussed during Host (at Fiera Milano), the exhibition dedicated to the Ho.Re.Ca sector, where manufacturers’ association Afidamp was present with a stand, which provided a meeting point for the sector’s professionals.

The association also took part in a meeting at Spazio APCI – Association of Italian Professional Chefs - where it had a dialogue with chefs and restaurateurs, emphasising how often a clean kitchen or dining hall hide pitfalls and scopes for improvement. Regarding this issue, Afidamp is committed to create new and updated information materials, which included the ‘Manual for Cleaning in Hospitality and Manifesto for Cleaning of Toilets’, produced with Codacons and Confcommercio. These are practical tools for maintaining all the places used for food preservation, storage and preparation to the best possible standards, as well as food halls and other public areas. The training of operatives by means of courses and education remains crucial: a clean venue will always attract a higher number of customers.

Die italienische Reporterin Anna Garbagna berichtet von einer kürzlich stattgefundenen Konferenz des neu gegründeten Verbandes, der Hygiene, Reinigung und FacilityManagement abdeckt.

La corrispondente italiana Anna Garbagna ci aggiorna sulla recente assemblea generale della nuova associazione che include le imprese di servizi di igiene, pulizie e servizi alle strutture.

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HAND HYGIENE

Lack of compliance We are constantly being reminded of the role that hand hygiene plays in preventing the spread of germs. But studies regularly show that many people – including those working in hygiene-critical industries – are still failing to wash their hands as often as they should. Why is this the case, and how can well-designed hand washing systems and products help to improve compliance rates? Chris Brooks, technical product manager at SC Johnson Professional, writes for ECJ.

It’s no secret that good hand washing plays a critical role in infection prevention and thus the spread of illness; hands are the main pathways of germ transmission according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In hygiene-critical areas and environments such as healthcare and the food industry, the spread of infection can have serious repercussions; a good hand washing technique with the right product at the right time can save millions of lives in the healthcare sector alone.

However various studies have shown that hygiene compliance rates in these critical industries are not what they should be. According to WHO, even in resource-rich hospital settings, hand hygiene compliance can be well below 40 per cent. Elsewhere, the Food Standards Agency found that a shocking 39 per cent of staff do not wash their hands after visiting the toilet, and a huge 53 per cent do not wash their hands before preparing food. Hand hygiene has a part to play in general washrooms too – less than six per

cent of the population wash their hands adequately according to a study by Borchgrevink, C.P. et al.

So why is this the case, and how can better hand hygiene compliance be promoted and put into place?

Hygiene critical areas: healthcare The first and most obvious area where hand hygiene is critical is healthcare.

Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs) are a persistent and serious health threat to patients, and inadequate hand hygiene compliance has a significant part to play in this. In the UK alone, a study by the University of Nottingham found that HCAIs caused by hospital superbugs such as C.difficile and MRSA are responsible for at least 5,000 deaths a year; greater than the number associated with road traffic accidents.

There are several reasons for low hand hygiene compliance in healthcare. According to a report by the AHA Health Forum, the issue is twofold: the human factor, and the method of reporting. On an individual level, insufficient education can lead to common misconceptions; that glove use does not necessitate hand washing; demands being placed on medical staff can lead to fewer hand hygiene events than necessary, or simply forgetfulness.

Furthermore, when it comes to reporting hand hygiene compliance, data can also be inaccurate. If measured incorrectly, the required actions are less likely to be implemented when it comes to a hand hygiene review.

Tackling hand hygiene compliance can come in many forms. Greater awareness and education is needed, for example, the teaching of the WHO’S 5-Moments for Hand Hygiene. Strategic placement of resources around healthcare facilities can aid this, encouraging and reminding healthcare professionals when to sanitise and clean. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers have been cited by the WHO as an essential, complementary method to washing with soap to drive hand hygiene compliance within healthcare facilities, as they

require less time and are highly effective at killing potentially harmful germs. Well-placed dispenser points, and smaller more portable pump packs can also be effective here.

Monitoring can also assist when evaluating hand hygiene rates. Existing observation methods can be unreliable, but technology-based electric monitoring systems can both remind professionals of hand hygiene events and record these. They have been proven to provide accurate and reliable data on true hand hygiene compliance levels to help identify areas for improvement.

Hygiene critical areas: the food industry Another critical area for hand hygiene compliance is the food industry, where the cross contamination of food can cause serious illness outbreaks. Thirty per cent of foodborne illness outbreaks can be traced to poor personal hygiene according to a study by Epidemiol, but many of these diseases are preventable through proper hand washing.

A study by Oregon State University found that the top factors affecting hand hygiene compliance were time constraints, inadequate facilities, a lack of accountability and a lack of general support for hand washing practices in the workplace. With the fast pace and turnover of the food industry, factors such as language barriers and unfamiliarity with the working environment can also lead to misunderstandings and a low compliance rate.

Long-term behavioural change needs to be driven in order to improve hand hygiene compliance in the food industry. More awareness and education of the risks and procedures involved is recommended, ensuring that proper training is fulfilled so that employees are aware of how to avoid cross-contamination. However for high compliance, the right products need to be provided at the right times – an on-site assessment can help with this, by identifying critical hand hygiene control Continued page 26

November 2019 | ECJ | 25

HAND HYGIENE Lack of compliance (continued) soap reservoir, potentially contaminating the soap – these dispensers are also often inadequately cleaned or refilled.

Procedure states that they should be emptied and cleaned thoroughly on each refill, however this rarely happens, meaning that contaminated soap is simply topped up. According to a study by Chattman, Maxwell and Gerba, a huge 25 per cent of public refillable bulk soap dispensers are contaminated with unsafe levels of bacteria and can actually leave the hands with 25 times more bacteria after washing.

Maximum hygiene

points. As with the healthcare environment, if products are clearly signposted and labelled, this will assist in promoting thorough and compliant hand washing.

Hand washing should also be incorporated with the use of hand sanitisers, which can be used without water, at the point of need, to provide rapid and easily accessible hand hygiene.

Protecting the general population When it comes to the general washroom, although less hygiene critical in relation to acute illnesses, hand washing is important when it comes to infection prevention across the general population in places such as offices, schools and public spaces. According to the Centre for Economic and Business Research, the UK economy lost €4.9 billion in 2013 due to poor hygiene related sick leave. The WHO states that 80 per cent of germs are spread through personal contact or by touching contaminated surfaces, and in office environments, for example, if hand hygiene is not promoted it can quickly manifest in absenteeism and loss of productivity.

A recent survey by the Royal Society for Public Health also found that although the importance of hand hygiene is generOn nous rappelle sans cesse le rôle de l’hygiène des mains dans la prévention des maladies. Cependant, des enquêtes démontrent régulièrement que de nombreuses personnes, y compris celles engagées dans des industries où l’hygiène est critique, ne se lavent pas les mains autant qu’elles le devraient.

Comment l’expliquer, et en quoi la conformité pourrait être améliorée en proposant des systèmes et produits bien conçus pour le lavage des mains ?

26 | November 2019 | ECJ

ally well understood by the public, there is some confusion over the relationship between germs and hygiene, and the times and situations where hand washing is most vital.

There are a wide range of factors that contribute to low hand hygiene compliance levels in general washrooms. An understanding of the difference between washroom types is vital, as is awareness amongst users. In offices, for example, it is critical to bring raised awareness of hand hygiene and the potential risks to truly drive compliance. Resources such as posters and signs can help encourage this, as can training and skin care plans. One of the important factors is quality product provision and its presentation. Products which are easy and enjoyable to use, have a pleasant scent and care for the skin communicate freshness and cleanliness to the user, thus encouraging hand hygiene compliance.

Despite the above, hygiene compliance rates can swiftly become irrelevant if the washroom itself is unhygienic, or the products contaminated. Commonly seen in general washrooms, open soap systems that are bulk filled can actually present a serious hygiene problem.

Airborne germs and bacteria can enter the Wir werden immer wieder daran erinnert, welche Rolle Handhygiene dabei spielt, die Verbreitung von Krankheiten zu verhindern. Studien zeigen jedoch regelmäßig, dass viele Menschen – einschließlich derjenigen, die in Branchen arbeiten, in denen Hygiene besonders wichtig ist – ihre Hände noch immer nicht so häufig waschen, wie sie sollten.

Warum ist das so, und wie können gut konzipierte Handwaschsysteme und -produkte dabei helfen, die Vorschrifteneinhaltung zu verbessern?

Cartridge soap dispensers which are sealed will bring maximum hygiene, with a measured dose of fresh product dispensed each time. The maintenance of washrooms has a significant impact on hand hygiene, and with a more readily replaceable cartridge, this is made easier and simpler for cleaning professionals. With visibly cleaner and more pleasant soap dispensers, users are far more likely to wash hands thoroughly and carry out a full hand hygiene event.

Not only are soap cartridges more hygienic, when coupled with foam soaps, they are much more cost effective with savings on refill time and water use, as well as reducing product usage and packaging.

Although the risks of inadequate hand hygiene are clear to most users, a clean washroom and availability of product is often the primary concern. Whether in hygiene-critical environments or general washrooms, it is clear that more could be done to really raise awareness of the risk, and make hand hygiene matter to users. Time constraints, lack of awareness and proper facilities are common factors across all sectors from hospitals to office washrooms. More education, raised awareness and the provision of quality, safe skin care products could have a huge impact on hand hygiene compliance rates, thus reducing the spread of infection and ultimately the risk to life across all industries. www.scjohnson-professional.com

Ci viene costantemente ricordato il ruolo che l’igiene delle mani ha nella prevenzione della diffusione delle malattie. Nonostante ciò, gli studi regolarmente mostrano che molte persone, includendo coloro che lavorano nei settori nei quali l’igiene è fondamentale, non si lavano le mani con le frequenza con cui dovrebbero farlo. Come mai succede questo, e come possono dei sistemi e dei prodotti per il lavaggio delle mani ben progettati aiutare a migliorare la conformità?

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PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE

• Les revenus dégagés des ventes du nettoyant moussant des mains BECO sont entièrement réinvestis pour contribuer à la création d’emplois en faveur de personnes handicapées.

• Les distributeurs Myriad de la société Brightwell comprennent des appareils de distribution de savon et de serviettes.

• All Care souligne l’hygiène accrue de son sèche-mains Twinflow grâce à l’application d’un revêtement antibactérien sur l’appareil.

• GOJO a lancé le programme Purell Perfect Placement pour encourager la conformité aux normes d’hygiène des mains.

• Les lingettes humides débitées par le nouveau distributeur Addgards nettoient mains et surfaces tout en les désinfectant.

• Sämtliche Einnahmen aus dem Verkauf von BECO Schaumseifen und Seifenstücken werden reinvestiert, um Arbeitsplätze für Behinderte zu schaffen.

• Die Myriad-Spender von Brightwell umfassen Seifen- und Handtuchspender.

• All Care teilt mit, dass der Handtrockner Twinflow dank einer antibakteriellen Beschichtung jetzt hygienischer ist als zuvor.

• Neu von from GOJO ist das Purell Perfect Placement-Programm, mit dem die Einhaltung der Handhygiene gefördert werden soll.

• Die Feuchttücher aus dem neuen Mini-Feuchttuchspender von Addgards reinigen Hände und Oberflächen und wirken gleichzeitig desinfizierend.

• Tutti gli introiti generati dalle vendite dei detergenti per le mani in schiuma e sapone della BECO vengono reinvestiti per aiutare a generare attività lavorative per persone con disabilità.

• La linea di dispenser Myriad della Brightwell include unità per l’erogazione di sapone e asciugamani.

• La All Care afferma che il suo asciugamani Twinflow è più igienico di prima grazie al rivestimento antibatterico.

• La novità della GOJO è il programma Purell Perfect Placement che incoraggia l’osservanza dell’igiene delle mani.

• Le salviettine umidificate del nuovo mini dispenser della Addgards puliscono mani e superfici e inoltre disinfettano.

28 | November 2019 | ECJ

Eco soaps

A range of soaps designed to offer major environmental and corporate social responsibility benefits is now available from Clarity and Co. Beco foaming hand wash is both vegan and hypoallergenic and the company says every five-litre container saves 1,760 litres of water compared with the same quantity of liquid soap.

All bar soaps are made from biodegradable ingredients, come in recyclable packaging and carry the Plastic Free Trust Mark.

Beco’s pH-balanced Argan oil shampoo bar also carries this trust mark.

Revenue from sales of Beco foaming hand wash and bar soaps is reinvested to help generate employment for people with disabilities. According to the company, one five-litre container of Beco hand wash creates one hour’s work at notfor-profit Clarity and Co where 80 per cent of the 110 strong workforce has a disability or long-term health condition.

The brand is spearheading a disability awareness campaign called #StealOurStaff, encouraging businesses to consider employing any of its operatives seeking new career challenges. www.clarity.org.uk

Black and white Customers can equip their washrooms in style with the Myriad range of dispensers, according to manufacturer Brightwell.

The units for soap, hand towels and toilet tissue can be teamed with a matching bin.

All dispensers are available in black as well as white to provide

washrooms with a sleek and modern look.

Described as being versatile and stylish, the dispensers have a smooth surface and are said to be easy to maintain. This makes them particularly suitable for use in areas with a high footfall such as stadiums, gyms and petrol stations.

All units can be tailored to the customer’s requirements with a choice of window colours and customisable finishes. www.brightwell.co.uk

floor, on the same side as the door handle. This is claimed to be the ideal height to trigger good hand hygiene behaviour among washroom users and prevent the transmission of bacteria from door handles.

The programme includes a range of marketing materials such as a customisable email

No splatter The PlastiQline Twinflow hand dryer from All-Care has now been HACCP-certified. Energyefficient and stylish, the dryer takes between eight and 10 seconds to dry the hands via a double-sided airflow. This makes it particularly suitable for use in high-traffic washrooms.

shot which can incorporate the distributor’s logo and contact details. Other materials include a selection of web banners designed to raise awareness of the campaign, plus social media content and messaging aimed at engaging the target audience.

Posters and infographics to encourage hygienic behaviour in end-users are also available to partners of the Purell Perfect Placement programme. www.gojo.com

Mini dispenser The unit operates at an airspeed of 410 km/h and its engine power is adjustable to between 420 and 1100 watts.

The dryer’s HEPA filter purifies the air before it touches the hands which means the air used to dry the hands is cleaner than the ambient air, the company says. And the water blown away from the hands is collected in a tank that can be easily removed and emptied, leaving behind no water splatter.

The Twinflow also has antibacterial Biocote protection that is designed to suppress the growth of bacteria and fungi. www.all-care.eu

Get rid of germs GOJO has launched the Purell Perfect Placement programme, designed to encourage hand hygiene compliance and head off germs leaving the washroom The Purell Perfect Placement programme recommends placing a Purell dispenser near the exit of every washroom and between 36 to 46 ins above the

Designed for use on hands, surfaces, desks and equipment are Addgards wet wipes which come in a new mini dispenser.

The company says a mini antibacterial dispenser for wet wipes placed on shared work spaces in offices and canteens

will encourage good hand hygiene, preventing the spread of germs on common touch points such as desks, computer keyboards and door handles.

The mini dispenser is weighted at the bottom to allow it to be placed on a desktop. It also comes with a bracket and can be wall-mounted if required.

The Mini Wipe Dispenser comes in a wide range of colours, finishes and branding options and holds rolls containing 500 sheets of antibacterial wet wipes. www.addgards.com

Innovative Hygiene.

No microplastic, it‘s fantastic.

For abrasive hand soap HAGLEITNER uses chopped corncobs and shredded olive stones (both GMO-free)— as cosmetics made by HAGLEITNER are 100% free of microplastic ingredients in general.

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PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE

• Kennedy propose des distributeurs de savon et des consommables pour des applications de tous types.

• Parmi les nouveaux produits d’Essity figure un distributeur de serviettes en papier exempt de bourrages et de grande autonomie.

• Diversey propose des solutions d’hygiène des mains pour les secteurs sanitaires, alimentaires, hôteliers, etc.

• Northwood prône les qualités de son système North Shore, qui intègre les dernières technologies des distributeurs et assurent rendement, rentabilité et durabilité.

• Yellow, un nettoyant des mains proposé par Americol, s’applique sur des mains très encrassées.

• Das Angebot von Kennedy umfasst Seifenspender und Verbrauchsmaterialien für alle Arten von Anwendungen.

• Unter den neuesten Markteinführungen von Essity befindet sich ein Handtuchspender, der nie klemmt und langfristige Versorgung sicherstellt.

• Diversey bietet Handhygienelösungen für das Gesundheitswesen, die Gastronomie, das Gastgewerbe usw.

• Northwood teilt mit, dass das North ShoreSystem mit der neuesten Spendertechnologie ausgestattet ist und dadurch sowohl ein hohes Fassungsvermögen bietet als auch kostengünstig und dauerhaft ist.

• Yellow Hand Cleaner von Americol wurde zur Reinigung von stark verschmutzten Händen konzipiert.

Fast dose

The Savona Auto foam dispenser from Kennedy Hygiene offers fast-dose delivery and provides a large volume of foam in a single dose, according to Kennedy. Designed for a range of hand-washing environments, the dispenser houses a large 800 ml cartridge containing 2,000 doses of soap.

Liquid soaps come in a one-litre automatic dispenser powered by two D-Cell batteries - they last for up to 96 bottles of liquid soap which keeps down running costs. The soap is available in both cartridge and direct-fill versions.

Hand washing products include luxury cosmetic soaps, regular soap lotions, foaming soaps, industrial hand cleansers and antibacterial soaps along with ecolabelled soaps and antibacterial hand gels.

Kennedy dispensers come in eight colour inserts and in a choice of designer grey, chrome and satin finishes. kennedy-hygiene.com

Jam-proof • La Kennedy propone dispenser di sapone e prodotti di consumo per tutti i tipi di necessità.

• Fra i più nuovi prodotti lanciati dalla Essity c’è un dispenser di asciugamani che non si inceppa mai e che garantisce una fornitura duratura.

• La Diversey offre soluzioni per l’igiene delle mani adatte per il settore sanitario, servizi alimentare, ristorazione ecc.

• La Northwood afferma che il suo sistema North Shore offre la più nuova tecnologia di dispenser ad alta capacità, economicamente vantaggiosa e di lunga durata.

• Yellow Hand Cleaner della Americol è progettato per pulire le mani molto sporche.

30 | November 2019 | ECJ

A hand towel dispenser that is claimed to be jam-proof while also delivering a towel in three seconds is among Essity’s latest launches.

The Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel is said to enhance hand hygiene by ensuring a long-lasting supply.

The towels are delivered one at a time in a continuous action so each washroom visitor only touches the towel they use. This delivery method is designed to ensure the unit will never jam.

Tork PeakServe is aimed at high-traffic venues such as stadiums, airports, educational institutions, large offices and transport hubs. The dispenser holds 2,130 towels.

The fact that the towels are delivered one at a time helps to naturally reduce consumption, says Essity. Also designed to offer sustainability benefits is the company’s Tork PaperCircle, a recycling service for paper hand towels.

Tork PaperCircle takes customers’ used paper towels to local recycling facilities and turns them into products such as toilet tissue and hand towels.

Tork PaperCircle is already in operation in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands and a more comprehensive European-wide roll-out is planned over the next few years. www.torkglobal.com

Interchangeable

Diversey offers a wide range of hand hygiene products for use in the healthcare, food service, hospitality and other sectors.

Products in the company’s IntelliCare system are supplied in interchangeable self-contained pouches. This is said to save time, reduce complexity and allow users to switch between products more easily.

The larger-than-average pouch size of the product is claimed to last longer than many others.

The company offers hand hygiene products aimed at the healthcare sector designed to be effective against common pathogens while also being kind to the hands. Also on offer are perfume-free soaps for the food industry and perfumed, handconditioning products for the hotel and hospitality sector. www.diversey.com

Leading edge Aimed at high-footfall washrooms is the North Shore washroom dispenser and consumables system from Northwood.

Dispensers in the range are said to employ leading-edge technology to create a high capacity, cost-effective, durable

and environmentally sustainable hand hygiene system.

The line includes no-touch dispensing options that facilitate single-sheet presentation.

Dispensers are easy to wipe clean and all toilet paper and hand towel product refills are individually wrapped.

North Shore dispensers include the high capacity 5,000 sheet, four-roll Orbit toilet tissue unit.

The dispenser is made from durable ABS transparent plastic which allows maintenance staff to check supply levels at glance.

All dispensers are lockable and designed to minimise waste since the next roll may only be accessed once the first roll is exhausted. The paper products are also drain-friendly. www.northwood.co.uk

Natural granules A switch from synthetic granules to natural alternatives in the formulation of Americol’s Yellow Hand Cleaner is among the company’s most recent product developments. The new granules cause no harm to the environment, says the company.

Designed for professional use in the automotive and industrial sectors, Yellow Hand Cleaner can clean heavily-soiled hands quickly and easily. It also leaves the skin in a healthy condition even with frequent use, according to Americol.

The company has developed a complete skincare and hand hygiene range that incorporates products for use in washrooms and industrial environments. www.americol.nl

NOROVIRUS

Stop Norovirus in its tracks Norovirus is one of the most common stomach bugs and the arrival of winter often brings many outbreaks. ECJ gets the advice of some experts - Paul Casson, technical field manager at Rentokil Specialist Hygiene and Jamie Woodhall, technical and innovation manager for Initial Washroom Hygiene on how cleaning protocols play a vital role in prevention.

Autumn has brought a sharp drop in temperature. As is often the case, this has come hand in hand with a rise in news stories about Norovirus outbreaks.

A school in the UK was closed just a few weeks ago after 50 pupils and staff were taken ill with what is more commonly known as the “winter vomiting bug”.

Norovirus is one of the most common stomach bugs, with symptoms including sudden nausea, aching limbs, vomiting and diarrhoea. It is also highly contagious – fewer than 20 virus particles are necessary to cause infection. With as many as 250 outbreaks affecting between 600,000 and a million people in the UK alone each year, businesses must review their hygiene processes for the upcoming winter months when we know there is a higher risk of bugs like Norovirus spreading.

Regular cleaning is essential Workplaces can be challenging environments in which to prevent crosscontamination due to the large number of people, shared spaces and equipment. It’s essential that businesses take action to ensure their workplace doesn’t serve as a hotbed for viral infection.

Kitchen, dining areas and washrooms must be subject to vigilant daily and weekly cleaning routines. We advise that standard cleaning is scheduled and tracked, ensuring that it takes place regularly and on time. Organisations with hot-desking policies should also encourage staff to wipe down their desks at the end of each day by providing antibacterial wipes.

It might sound simple but encouraging proper hand washing will also help to prevent the spread of germs. Our hands are a natural breeding ground for germs and one of the principle carriers of harmful pathogens – in fact, 80 per cent of infections are spread by hand. Ensuring your employees have access to essential hand washing tools – warm water, soap, drying facilities and ideally, hand sanitiser - is key. There should be ample supplies of these products in the washroom, kitchen

32 | November 2019 | ECJ

and throughout the building, paired with hand washing reminders to encourage best practice.

Proactive prevention On top of a regular cleaning regime, autumn is the perfect time to book in a thorough deep clean, preferably managed by a professional cleaning company trained to tackle those hard-to-reach or rarely seen areas where potentially harmful micro-organisms might be hiding.

Professional cleaners will have access to specialist multi-purpose biocidal cleaners, which can decontaminate surfaces by killing bacteria, fungi, spores, yeasts and viruses. A deep clean should include a thorough disinfection of high frequency touch points, as well as moving all furniture or equipment away from the walls to make sure no areas are missed from the cleaning routine. One powerful tool in the deep cleaning arsenal is Ultra Low Volume (ULV) disinfectant fogging. This involves specialist technicians generating a mist of disinfectant which settles on top of, underneath and on the sides of objects, enabling technicians to disinfect a large area in a short period of time.

Reacting quickly In addition to prevention, it’s also important that if your premises and workers do fall victim to an outbreak of Norovirus, you react quickly to decontaminate the premises and make it fit and safe for purpose once again. ULV disinfection is one of the most effective tools in this instance, given the speed in which large areas can be disinfected and returned back to use.

We’d also recommend a proactive analysis of the environment, which can come in the form of a ‘Hygiene Healthcheck’. This is where specialist technicians analyse the microbiological landscape and investigate levels of bacteria on various surfaces and touchpoints. With this information, they can create a heatmap to highlight the varying levels of microbiological activity throughout the building and identify any particular problem areas

NOROVIRUS that need to be flagged for more frequent cleaning moving forward.

As Norovirus is considered a hardy virus, it is often transferable for several days, living on hard surfaces like door handles. It is important that any staff with Norovirus symptoms notify their workplace and stay away from work for at least 48 hours after the symptoms have ceased, to reduce the risk of the virus spreading further.

Final words Proactivity is key to prevention. And while a regular cleaning regime and proactive hand hygiene is imperative in keeping winter illnesses like Norovirus at bay, specialist deep cleans will offer that extra level of protection.

Stay up to date with news from the cleaning sector at the ECJ website: europeancleaningjournal.com And you can now read ECJ anywhere - online or via the ECJ app available for Android or iOS Le microbe Norovirus est une cause fréquente de maux d’estomac et l’arrivée de l’hiver tend à multiplier les cas. ECJ obtient des avis d’expert sur la manière dont des protocoles ont un rôle de prévention vital à jouer.

Der Norovirus ist einer der häufigsten MagenDarm-Infekte, und der Wintereinbruch bringt oft zahlreiche Ausbrüche mit sich. Das ECJ holt sich Rat von einigen Fachleuten zur wichtigen Rolle, die Reinigungsverfahren bei der Prävention spielen.

Il Norovirus è uno dei virus intestinali più comune e l’arrivo dell’inverno spesso porta numerose epidemie. ECJ riceve l’avviso di alcuni esperti su come il protocollo di pulizia gioca un ruolo importantissimo nella prevenzione di questo supervirus.

November 2019 | ECJ | 33

PREDICTING THE FUTURE

The world of cleaning, 2029 How has the cleaning industry evolved from a technological viewpoint over the past 10 years? And what changes will we see 10 years from now? Ann Laffeaty looks back on the past and canvasses the views of industry players about future developments.

If we were to go back in time a mere 10 years we would probably be astonished at how rudimentary the technology was compared to how it is now.

Ten years ago the “personal digital assistant” was one of our most sophisticated technological aids. These devices pre-dated the smartphone and allowed cleaners to submit reports in real time via data that was inputted manually.

Other common technological solutions included tobacco detection systems which sounded an alarm or generated a voice message when smoke was detected.

Indoor smoking bans had only just come into effect in Europe in 2006-2008 and facilities were keen to ensure that endusers were adhering to the bans.

It was truly a different world. Looking back at past issues of ECJ, we ran an article in 2008 on M2M communications, a relatively new concept at the time.

It charted details of technologies that enabled operatives to find out via a text message when a machine had been in use for a set number of hours which would indicate that a service might be required.

Text messages could also be used to notify company managers when a street cleaning machine had been moved to another site in order to provide an overview of which apparatus was located where.

Machine manufacturer Tennant was an early promoter of this type of technology.

Software articles in ECJ in 2008-2010

34 | November 2019 | ECJ

also dealt with other “high-tech” systems that would today seem old-fashioned and clunky. For example, there were various solutions that enabled companies to estimate the size and scale of a cleaning task in advance using a CD and a manual.

The contract cleaner would be required to manually enter information for each area of the building via a PDA and the software would then calculate the number of hours the job would be likely to take.

Other staff checking systems would involve the employee having to dial a landline number at the client’s site. If they failed to do so, a text message would be sent to the cleaning company informing them of a potential no-show.

And of course mobile phones were much more rudimentary 10 years ago than they are how and were basically only used for making calls, sending SMS messages and maybe for taking low-res images. The world of digital communications only really opened up after the iPhone was launched in June 2007.

Rapid acceleration Essity’s European marketing manager Anna Konigson Koopmans confirms that the rate of technological development has accelerated rapidly over the last few years.

“The use of digital tools is increasing and becoming more accepted,” she said.

“Driving this development is the decreasing cost of sensor technology along with the growing understanding of the impact that new and smarter ways of working can have on cleaning companies.”

Touch-free dispensing and sensorbased solutions have helped to drive the market, she says “Meanwhile, new apps and computer programmes have been making the technology more accessible,” she adds. “Today we see digital aids mostly being used by managers to support them in their work, but productivity can also be improved by connecting operational employees with technology.

This can make members of staff happier and more loyal because they are able to interact with their employers in a richer

way. The expanded use of technology will significantly increase the value of digital tools for companies and their customers.”

Essity’s Tork EasyCube system provides cleaners and managers with information on cleaning and dispenser refill needs via sensors. When placed in facilities and washroom dispensers these constantly monitor visitor traffic and dispenser levels, transmitting the relevant information to cleaners via connected devices.

Rising standards Essity believes technology will change the industry for the better over the next 10 years. “Cleaning standards will rise and cleaners’ working conditions will improve as they start to work smarter, not harder,” said Konigson Koopmans.

“There will also be objective data to support fact-based decisions and help cleaners do their job - and as a result, the cleaning industry will be more valued by its customers. We will probably also see new business models, new revenue streams and customer relationships reinvented 10 years from now.”

Automation and digital solutions have exploded on to the cleaning world as they have done in many other industries according to IPC’s PR and communications manager Gabriella Bianco.

“The advent of technological management and command systems means that operating equipment and machinery no longer needs to be checked only by humans,” she said. “Software can be incorporated into existing systems to help cleaning operators monitor and manage their daily tasks.”

The introduction of technology has reduced working time and cut labour costs while also improving operator performance and cleaning efficiency, she claims. “Furthermore, workers’ safety and security have been enhanced by the use of technological devices which can provide reassurance in isolated spaces,” she said.

“For instance, indoor positioning systems can localise people and objects through sensors linked to smartphones.”

PREDICTING THE FUTURE The development of cleaning robots both for outdoor and indoor tasks has had a dramatic impact on the industry, she says. “Robot vacuum cleaners can move around tables and chairs, sucking up debris and dust while sweeper and scrubber robots are also able to perform their activities without the need for human assistance,” she said. “These all satisfy a high demand of automated labour.”

Humans still needed?

Among the latest offerings from IPC is the Telematics GPS system which is integrated into the company’s CT 51 and CT 71 scrubber dryers. “This is a digital tool that monitors the performance of the scrubber,” said Bianco. “It allows the user to take control of maintenance parameters and to stop the machine if something unexpected occurs.” Tracking of the machine’s position, user identification and battery level can all be carried out via a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Also from IPC is the Multifunction Safety Control high-tech system designed to protect the machine and operator when using hot and cold water pressure washers. This is described as an innovative self-diagnostic system said to provide full operator control over the machine while reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs.

It is clear that digitalisation will shape the future of the industry, says Bianco.

“With the help of technology, cleaning companies will improve their performance and satisfy consumer needs,” she said.

“While human intervention will definitely not be eliminated, the presence of robots will grow while humans will be on hand to manage, monitor and maintain the machines. Furthermore, human involvement will also be required to clean the more difficult buildings such as those spread over several floors or that have hard-to-access corners, large amounts of furniture and constant traffic. These types of environments are more challenging for a robot than, say, an empty room or an indoor hotel lobby and in these types of cases, human cleaning operators will prevail over robots.”

The speed of technical development has Sur le plan technologique, l’industrie du nettoyage présente aujourd’hui une allure très différente de celle qui prévalait il y a dix ans. À cette époque, les dispositifs les plus sophistiqués dont nous disposions étaient les assistants numériques personnels, qui nécessitaient la saisie manuelle de données. Et les systèmes de gestion des heures de travail et de la performance s’accompagnaient souvent d’un CD et d’un manuel d’instruction. À quel point le tableau actuel changera-t-il d’ici à 2029 ?

certainly increased over the past 10 years according to Werner & Mertz sustainability manager Christopher Luening.

“Ten years ago we were less evolved digitally when in contact with the customer, since most of the information we gave them was only available in printed format or on a static website,” he said.

The company still tries to provide a balance between digital and analogue methods. “In this way our new tools and methods facilitate our work, but not to the extent that the devices become selffulfilling,” he said.

“Many software-based innovations have had a real impact on the business as they help to improve work processes without having to invest into new equipment. The future is less about the hardware and more about clever combinations of tools and human workforce.”

The company’s own breakthroughs over the past 10 years have included monitoring and remote control systems in dishwashing and laundry dosing.

Artificial intelligence So, how do industry players see the industry developing by 2028?

“In healthcare we may see biosensors that detect potentially harmful bacteria and give alerts to self-driven robots,” said Luening. “The robotics industry will make a greater use of augmented reality and object recognition, and cleaning will no longer be seen as a mere maintenance function

Was Technologie betrifft, sah die Reinigungsbranche vor zehn Jahren im Vergleich zu heute sehr viel anders aus. Die raffiniertesten Systeme waren PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), die eine manuelle Eingabe von Daten erforderten. Und Zeit- und Leistungssysteme wurden häufig mittels einer CD unter Zuhilfenahme eines gedruckten Handbuchs genutzt. Wie sehr wird sich dieses Bild bis 2029 gewandelt haben?

but also as an image factor.

“And artificial intelligence will play a crucial role when it comes to improvements in detection and recognition.” As for Werner & Mertz’s own plans, he says augmented reality may be introduced into its e-learning platform. “We are looking at more intelligent and more flexible mobile dosing systems,” he said. “However, good operatives will continue to be an asset.

But as in all industries, the trend towards specialisation and the qualification of good staff members will continue.”

Meanwhile, IPC is working to simplify the use of its products and improve its maintenance systems, says Gabriella Bianco. “These will rely even more heavily on electronic devices, replacing the need for manual checks of all the main products’ parameters,” she said.

And Essity’s Anna Konigson Koopmans believes the impact of technology will be felt by the facility management sector as a whole in the future. “Big data is here to stay and has just started to change the industry,” she said. “Knowing rather than guessing will become the standard, while cleaning companies will start to request integrated digital solutions to provide them with smarter ways of interacting with staff and customers.

“We expect the cleaning industry to adopt technological solutions to meet and exceed the expectations of increasingly demanding customers and also to improve their bottom line.”

In termini di tecnologia, dieci anni fa il settore del cleaning era molto diverso da come è ora. I nostri sistemi più sofisticati a quell’epoca erano i PDA (assistenti personali digitali, palmari)che richiedevano l’intervento delle persone per inserire manualmente i dati. I sistemi di orario e rendimento erano spesso gestiti per mezzo di un CD con l’aiuto di un manale cartaceo. Quindi fino a che punto cambierà quest’immagine entro il 2029?

November 2019 | ECJ | 35

TROLLEYS

The disappearing trolley A large, cumbersome cleaning trolley can be an intrusive eyesore in any public area. So, how do trolley manufacturers ensure that their products are as unobtrusive as they can possibly be? ECJ finds out.

It is a sad fact that cleaners are usually expected to fade conveniently into the background, carrying out their work as quietly and as unobtrusively as they can.

In the past this has been relatively easy to achieve. A long tradition of cleaning carried out either the at night or during the twilight hours has meant that as far as the public is concerned, cleaning could well have been accomplished by a team of invisible elves.

However, there has been a growing trend towards daytime cleaning over recent years for a number of reasons. A greater emphasis on staff well-being has led to the introduction of more flexible working conditions for cleaners. Meanwhile there has been an increase in the number of facilities operating 24/7 which means cleaning often needs to be carried out in full view of the public.

And while a soft-footed cleaner might be able to melt unobtrusively into the background, he or she would find it much more difficult to do so when pushing a large, ugly, clanking cleaning trolley laden with mops and buckets.

So, how do manufacturers ensure their products remain as inconspicuous as possible? And in which types of sectors is an unobtrusive trolley particularly invaluable?

Trolleys should be virtually invisible in environments such as courts and administrative buildings where serious business is being carried out, says Kärcher product manager Kamila Dobler. “Bland colours, quiet wheels and a compact, elegant design will all help to achieve this,” she said.

“The trolleys should also have smooth surfaces and plain lines and should preferably be enclosed so no cleaning equip-

ment is visible. And an easy uncoupling system between each module will enable staff to separate the components swiftly, avoiding the need to move the entire trolley from one place to another.”

Kärcher’s trolleys are designed for use in public areas, hotels, restaurants, airports and hospitals and feature enclosed storage spaces, quiet wheels and customisable panels, says Dobler.

Trolleys should be adapted to suit the environment in which they operate and not the other way around, according to TTS export sales manager Alessandro Costantini. “Hotels and healthcare facilities in particular need solutions capable of integrating harmoniously into their environment to provide maximum discretion,” he said. “Trolleys must also deliver a high performance while at the same time promoting a professional image.”

Brand promotion He says a sober, elegant design coupled with quiet wheels will help a trolley “disappear” into the background. But he adds there are some instances in which a noticeable trolley can be a good thing.

“If a cleaning company or facility wants to promote its brand they might actually prefer a conspicuous trolley,” said Costantini. “Our panels can be personalised with a customer’s image or advertisement so that the trolley may be turned into an effective means of communication.”

TTS’s “invisible” products include the Magic trolley which can be customised with a picture or motif to allow it to blend into the background. And the company’s H-Cube, aimed at hotels and holiday villages, has multiple compartments and containers of different sizes plus movable dividers that allow staff to customise the space to accommodate a range of hotel room equipment and amenities.

General manager of Crisp Clean Paul Frost agrees with Costantini that a trolley should never be the focus of attention.

“While it doesn’t have to completely blend into the environment, neither should it be too obtrusive,” he said. “And in areas

where hazardous substances are transported and could be tampered with by the public there is a clear need to hide the trolley contents – and in some cases this should be achieved securely.”

Covering up the cleaning equipment as far as possible will make it less conspicuous, says Frost. “Where space and costs allow, the complete concealment of all equipment from view is ideal because this will make the trolley ‘disappear’ and look more like a piece of furniture,” he said. “And it is also important to keep any noise to a minimum when moving a trolley between locations. This can be achieved with the aid of free-running castors and secure fixings for items within the trolley to prevent bangs and rattles.”

A trolley can sometimes be used to enhance its environment or impart information to the public according to Frost. “This can be done by covering the outer surface in graphics or targeted advertising,” he said. “Colourful characters for children’s hospital wards and location maps for airport trolleys are typical examples.

“In fact some customers actually want to use their trollies as marketing tools.

Enclosed trolleys offer more scope for this because the bold logos and graphics printed on the panels help them to stand out and make them more effective.” Crisp Clean offers fully enclosed and partially enclosed trolleys that hide the cleaning equipment from view.

Customisable design Filmop export area manager Paolo Scapinello agrees a conspicuous trolley can become an excellent tool for promoting a business. “For this reason it is fundamental to offer a customisable design,” he said. “Our trolleys can be customised with images and trademarks which transform them into advertising vehicles.”

He says the need for an unobtrusive trolley depends very much on the environment in which it operates. “A pleasant and functional trolley can increase the sensation of well-being for the user,” he said.

Continued page 38

November 2019 | ECJ | 37

TROLLEYS The disappearing trolley (continued) logos,” she said.

IPC communications manager Gabriella Bianco believes cleaning trolleys should blend so seamlessly into any environment that they virtually disappear. “Compact trolleys painted in muted colours are one solution,” she said. “Trolleys should also operate noiselessly and leave behind no visible track marks.”

She says the lines, colours and shapes of a trolley should be closely aligned to the facility in question. “For example in facilities such as hotels and offices, top quality cleaning equipment is a sign of professionalism,” she said. The company’s new Brix Hotel line of trolleys are designed to be silent and discreet while leaving behind no surface marks.

Welcome reminder?

Scapinello agrees with the general consensus that a compact design will help to make a trolley blend into the background. “Our trolleys have been designed to combine a high storage capacity with a compact design that will fit into even the smallest space,” he said.

Speeding up cleaning can also help to make the whole process less obtrusive, he says. And a silent operation will cause less of a disturbance in locations where noise is an issue such as in hotels and hospitals.

Less obtrusive “Our trolleys are extremely silent during cleaning due to their rubber wheels and the Hush system, which ensures that the bag-holder’s cover is closed softly and quietly,” he said. Filmop’s Alpha motordriven trolley is said to speed up cleaning and make the task less obtrusive.

Greenspeed marketing manager Floor Loos also believes quiet wheels and a compact design will allow staff to manoeuvre a trolley more easily and noiselessly. “Trolleys should also have a neutral look to allow them to blend into the environment,” she said.

The Greenspeed C-Shuttle 250 is said to have quiet wheels and a compact design. However, Loos adds her company Il est normalement attendu des agents de nettoyage qu’ils passent inaperçus, notamment quand des membres du public sont sur les lieux. Ils doivent donc disposer de chariots aussi peu visibles et encombrants que possibles, et capables de se déplacer sans bruit sur des roues silencieuses.

Cela étant, que font les fabricants en vue d’utiliser des coloris subtils, des techniques pointues et des agencements compacts pour que leurs produits se fondent dans le décor ?

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receives many requests from customers for personalised trolleys. “These are different each time: sometimes we are asked to print an image on the panel while at others a logo is requested,” she said. “This gives customers the opportunity to use their own branding.”

Whether or not a trolley needs to blend into the background depends very much on the sector, says Diversey’s global marketing manager for cleaning tools Gemma Haslam. “It is probably more crucial in offices and hotels where daytime cleaning takes place in full view of the public,” she said. “But in every sector a trolley should be tidy so that it portrays a professional image. And it is always important that the task of cleaning does not disrupt.”

Like other manufacturers Haslam says muted colours, a compact design and quiet wheels will all help to render a trolley less conspicuous. The company’s Protect trolley offers these features along with a completely enclosed design to maximise safety in public areas.

However, conspicuous trolleys are sometimes an advantage in high-traffic areas, she adds. “For example, trolleys in airports are often used to advertise while for many big customers it is an opportunity to increase brand awareness by using Vom Reinigungspersonal wird normalerweise erwartet, dass es im Hintergrund verschwindet und unauffällig arbeitet – vorzugsweise, wenn die Öffentlichkeit nicht zugegen ist. Daher müssen auch die Reinigungswagen unauffällig und möglichst klein sein, während sie auf leisen Rädern dahingleiten.

Wie schaffen es Hersteller, mit dezenten Farben, Konstruktionstechniken und kompaktem Design sicherzustellen, dass ihre Produkte im Hintergrund verschwinden?

But is a conspicuous trolley ever a welcome reminder that the environment in question is actually being cleaned? This is rarely the case according to Kärcher’s Kamila Dobler. “However, it is true to say a trolley sometimes needs to be noticeable to avoid the risk of a collision, in environments such as railway stations and warehousing facilities for example,” she says.

Diversey’s Gemma Haslam believes that a conspicuous trolley can be an advantage in the healthcare sector. “While a tidy enclosed trolley will create a professional cleaning image, in healthcare it is still important to show that cleaning is being carried out,” she said.

But according to Crisp Clean’s Paul Frost, most people will automatically assume that public areas are being cleaned – whether they see a trolley or not. “It is the cleanliness of the environment itself that is important: if the floors are dirty and littered, having a trolley in view is not going to improve the public’s perception,” he said. “And if the trolley is dirty or disorganised this will also have a negative effect.

“So the trolley should have a professional appearance to demonstrate that cleaning is an important function of the organisation. And this will have the knock-on effect of raising the profile of the cleaner, who will become more motivated as a result.”

Ci si aspetta che gli addetti alle pulizie si confondano con lo sfondo e che lavorino con discrezione, preferibilmente quando il pubblico non è presente.

Quindi anche i loro carrelli non devono attirare l’attenzione e devono occupare il minor spazio possibile mentre scivolano senza far rumore sulle ruole silenziose. Così, come si avvalgono i produttori di colori discreti, tecniche di ingegneria e design compatto per assicurarsi che i loro prodotti si confondano con l’ambiente circostante?

PRODUCTS: TROLLEYS Carbon neutral TTS claims its Magic range to be the first ever line of carbon neutral trolleys.

Said to be ergonomic, modular and fully customisable, the trolleys are made from polypropylene which is described as being low-impact, long-lasting and completely recyclable at end-of-life.

Polypropylene generates fewer CO2 emissions than stainless steel or chromed iron, according to TTS, and its environmental impact is claimed to be eight times lower than aluminium.

Some of the components used to make Magic trolleys contain recycled Plastic Second Lifecertified polypropylene which is said to further reduce emissions.

And TTS claims to have completely compensated for the emissions produced from manufacturing its Magic trolleys in 2018 through the reforestation of 55.5 hectares of Natura7, an Italian forest hit by the Vaia cyclone. This makes Magic the first ever line of carbon neutral trolleys, according to TTS. www.ttsystem.com

Key-lockable Claimed to combine a high degree of safety with a quality design is the Wetrok KeyCar. The trolley can be locked with a single key to prevent unauthorised individuals from coming into contact with cleaning chemicals. As a result it is said to provide valuable protection in the healthcare sector, school

• Magic désigne la première gamme de chariots de nettoyage de TTS, caractérisée par son absence d’empreinte carbone.

• Le Wetrok KeyCar est un chariot de nettoyage conçu dans un souci de sécurité et de sûreté grâce à son agencement verrouillable.

classrooms and in frequentlyvisited public buildings.

Available in small, medium and large sizes, the KeyCar is described as having a flexible and customisable exterior design. Trolleys in every size may be configured to the customer’s specifications and clients can choose from 20 themes or have their own logo, motivational picture or positioning statement printed on the trolley.

Features of the KeyCar can also include a wheeled box for dirty cloths; a time-saving dispensing system and a holder for dust wipes. www.wetrok.com

• Bei Magic handelt es sich um die erste Produktreihe mit Reinigungswagen von TTS, die klimaneutral ist.

• Beim Wetrok KeyCar handelt es sich um einen Reinigungswagen,der unter Berücksichtigung von Sicherheit und Schutz abschließbar konzipiert wurde.

• Magic è la prima gamma di carrelli della TTS ad essere a emissioni zero.

• Wetrok KeyCar è un carrello di pulizia progettato tenendo presente la salute e la sicurezza delle persone grazie al suo design con serratura.

November 2019 | ECJ | 39

PRODUCTS: TROLLEYS

• Proposé par TWT, Solar System est un chariot de nettoyage qui s’utilise avec des moppes plates imprégnées.

• Nouveau produit Filmop, le Drive réunit une nouvelle gamme de chariots de nettoyage motorisés à capacité de charge de 150 kg.

• Solar System von TWT ist ein Reinigungswagensystem zum Einsatz mit imprägnierten Flachmopps.

• Neu von Filmop ist Drive, eine neue Produktreihe mit motorisierten Reinigungswagen, die eine Ladekapazität von 150 kg bieten.

• Solar System della TWT è un sistema di carrelli adatti per l’uso con i mop piatti preimpregnati.

• La novità della Filmop è Drive, una nuova gamma di carrelli motorizzati con una portata di carico di 150 kg.

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Integral pump TWT’s new Solar System trolley features a miniature delivery pump concealed in its structure.

This is fed by a 12 volt battery that is charged by a small solar panel activated by the internal lighting of the rooms in which cleaning takes place.

By pressing a button located on top of the trolley, the operator is able to access the optimal amount of solution for the task.

Solution delivery is programmed by software according to operational requirements.

A USB connection can be used to link the system with other devices so dosing and trolley operation parameters may be set across the board. This USB connection can also be used for charging operators’ mobile phones or tablets.

There is no need for the operator to pick up the mop and position it manually in the impregnation tray before activating the

dispensing lever. This is because the mop is collected from the bucket with the frame.

The Solar System is a module of TWT’s Opera trolley programme which offers a range of configuration options plus various touch-free methods of using and collecting mops. www.twt-tools.com

Motor-powered New from Filmop is the range of Drive Line motor-driven trolleys, designed to allow the operator to effortlessly handle heavy loads, preventing the risk of musculoskeletal issues.

The new models can be

manoeuvred in the same way as traditional ones but using an intuitive console. They will carry loads of up to 150 kg and can negotiate all types of floors as well as gradients of up to 12°.

According to Filmop, Drive Line trolleys are easy to manoeuvre even on difficult surfaces such as pavements, carpets and slopes. Different acceleration speeds can be selected for forward and back movement and the emergency STOP system is said to guarantee safety.

The Drive Line includes Alpha motor-driven multipurpose trolleys; Alpha Hotel Drive and Emotion Drive motor-driven service trolleys. www.filmop.com

PRODUCTS: TROLLEYS

Concept trolley Vikan is launching a concept that combines pre-configured trolleys with training and dedicated tools to help facility management companies improve their cleaning operations.

The concept is based on the premise that staff are critical to profitable operations and that better tools and knowledge will unleash their full potential.

The company’s new offering is based around a system of ergonomically-designed, purpose-built microfibre mops and other tools on trolleys that

have been pre-configured for specific cleaning applications such as stairways, large offices and washrooms.

The trolleys are said to be lightweight and easy to manoeuvre with application-specific tools supplied as standard.

They can also be further configured for specific applications.

Staff using the system are provided with Vikan CleanAssist on-trolley cue cards plus online guidance videos. These can accelerate training. www.vikan.com

No bending Diversey’s Taski trolley has been developed to ensure all tools and equipment are within easy reach of the operator.

This avoids the need for the user to bend or stretch awkwardly which could lead to musculoskeletal disorders. The result is faster cleaning with less time spent stopping and starting between tasks.

• Les nouveaux chariots de nettoyage « plus intelligents » de Vikan sont préconfigurés pour des applications de nettoyage données.

• Diversey propose des solutions d’hygiène des mains pour les secteurs sanitaires, alimentaires, hôteliers, etc.

Described as a modular workstation, the Taski trolley can be configured for microfibre, spray-and-wipe, wet-mop and general cleaning applications.

Six core configurations based around two chassis models have been devised for the commonest cleaning applications, and customers can adapt these according to their requirements using the tools and equipment available. Changes are made by adding or removing components.

The trolley may be used with equipment that reduces the reliance on chemicals such as ultra microfibre tools from the Taski Standard or Taski JM Pro ranges, or spray-and-wipe products. www.diversey.com

• Die neuen „intelligenteren“ Reinigungswagen von Vikan sind für bestimmte Reinigungsanwendungen vorkonfiguriert.

• Diversey bietet Handhygienelösungen für das Gesundheitswesen, die Gastronomie, das Gastgewerbe usw.

• I nuovi carrelli “più intelligenti” della Vikan sono disponibili pre-configurati per le specifiche operazioni di pulizia.

• La Diversey offre soluzioni per l’igiene delle mani adatte per il settore sanitario, servizi alimentare, ristorazione ecc.

November 2019 | ECJ | 41

BUSINESS: ‘OLDERPRENEURS’

Going it alone in middle age

New kids on the block are changing perceptions about what makes a successful entrepreneur. But these rising stars of the business world are far from being kids anymore and in terms of life experience have already been around the block a dizzying number of times. Hartley Milner meets the ‘olderpreneurs’ and shares their stories.

A wave of redundancies was sweeping through the UK car plant like a plague.

A survivor of many a cull in the past, assembly line technician Martin Hewitt learnt his fortunes had finally turned and he was about to lose his job to a robot.

“In hindsight, I probably could have seen this coming,” Martin told ECJ. “Over my 37 years in the motor industry, I had seen numerous slumps and each time manufacturers responded by cutting production jobs and ramping up automation. We were now in the worst recession for decades and it was happening all over again. I suppose the

42 | November 2019 | ECJ

only surprising thing was that I had managed to hang on for so long.”

As he approached his 57th birthday, Martin was left to reflect on his options. “I knew I was not going to find a job paying anything like what I was earning before,” he said. “My partner was in part-time work, but we would not get by for long on her income alone. And I was still years away from drawing a pension. The future was looking bleak and rather scary.”

Martin’s thoughts were careering round his head like a pinball. So he sought respite in his hobby, making and restoring furniture. While working on an 18th century oak coffer for a neighbour, an idea flashed across his mind…was the solution to his woes literally in his hands? Could he turn his life-long love of carpentry into a business?

New career?

“I had looked at a career working with wood on leaving school, but traditional cabinetmaking was in decline and I could see no future in it,” he continued. “Now, all

this had changed. Bespoke handcrafted furniture was back in fashion and there seemed to be almost as much on TV about salvaging and restoring old furniture as cookery shows. So I saw there could be a demand for my skills, but did I have what it takes to run a business?”

Martin decided he needed mentoring and turned to a small business adviser. Six months later, Gateshead Fine Furniture was up and running from his home workshop. “Commissions started coming in but not as fast as the money was going out,” he said. “I had got through my £16,000 (€18,700) redundancy pay and had started eating into my savings. But then I won a contract to make retrofurniture for a new restaurant. This led to further commissions from the restaurant chain and things picked up from there.”

Martin has since moved onto an artisan crafts park where he employs eight people, six full-time, and has clients throughout the UK and overseas. The furniture making side of the business is managed

BUSINESS: ‘OLDERPRENEURS’ by one of his sons while he focuses on commissioned restoration projects. In addition, he writes about furniture topics, runs woodworking courses and has a shop selling period furniture he buys himself at auctions and restores.

He said: “I am where I wanted to be, making a good living out of something I am passionate about. Of course, it was a gamble that could have gone horribly wrong. My top tip to others going into business for the first time is to seek professional advice at every stage of the process, it greatly loads the odds in your favour.”

Martin’s guiding spirit was Philip Peters, who specialises in advising olderpreneur start-ups. Philip highlighted some personal qualities he believes give silver go-getters an edge over more youthful so-called wonder kids.

“For one thing, older people today generally enjoy better health and are far fitter than they used to be,” Philip explained. “They will have accumulated many more years of work experience, have more life skills, knowledge, integrity and wisdom, and take a more thoughtful, assiduous approach to whatever they do.”

Older people have greater access to finance. In the UK, pension freedoms have made it possible to draw on retirement funds from the age of 55, plus transfer valuations on final salary schemes have soared in recent years. This makes it possible to access valuable lump sums, or even borrow against the value of a pension. Those who own their home outright will have serious equity available to them. But Philip cautioned: “Think hard before going down this path…you won’t want to risk being left without a roof over your head!”

Sources of finance He said other sources of startup finance may be available from government-backed loan schemes, peer-to-peer lending or, increasingly for baby boomers, an inheritance. People receiving state benefits may be eligible for an enterprise allowance and further government venture funding.

Philip started his consultancy late in life himself, having quit his job as a small business adviser with a large high street bank in 2014, aged 60. He said: “I was meeting increasing numbers of older people wanting to go into business for themselves and saw there was little help available tailored to their specific requirements. Starting a business can be risky at any age, but at their time of life getting it wrong can prove especially costly, even disastrous, for their futures.”

He now employs a team of four advisers – all aged over 50 – and can fall back on business people with proven track records to provide advice in more specialist areas. Plus he runs business networking events, business education seminars and workshops and is a habitual blogger. Through his mentoring programmes, Philip reckons he has helped more than 300 seniors set up and run successful enterprises.

Franchise an option Figures from the Office for National Statistics in the UK show the over-50s make up 43 per cent of those who start their own businesses in the UK. A recent report from Barclays bank highlighted that people over 55 are 63 per cent more likely to start businesses than 10 years ago.

And the rise in business owners does not only apply to founders in their 50s…the number of self-employed people aged 65 and over more than doubled between 2013 and 2018.

Even more remarkably, by the age of 70, almost 60 per cent of people still in work are self-employed. Furthermore, around 70 per cent of businesses started by older entrepreneurs last longer than three years compared with only 28 per cent set up by their younger counterparts.

For the more risk-averse, buying a franchise has become an increasingly popular choice in the UK. The number of franchise-owned businesses has grown by 70 per cent during the past decade and now account for €13.7bn annually in sales.

Franchises require a lower financial outlay and the chances of success are greater because the product or service

has already been tried and tested. The package includes training, ongoing support and advice, plus guidance on the best route to market.

Steve Brown, of Thatcham near Newbury, Berkshire, took on a franchise in 2010 to provide an escape from the tedium of retirement. A year earlier, at the age of 58, he had quit his job as a global support manager with a large IT firm after growing weary of working long hours in a pressurised environment.

“I didn’t plan to go back to work, I had enough to live on but I got bored after 12 months,” he said. “I suddenly realised I had no motivation to get out of bed, nothing to plan for. Sitting watching the TV and doing the garden didn’t appeal to me anymore. I wanted something where I could work from home and there would be repeat business.

“My daughter, TJ, who had been an office manager, was coming off maternity leave and we went to a franchise show. I wanted something where I could work from home and there would be repeat business. I did not want to sell products.”

The pair got chatting with representatives of Rosemary Bookkeeping at the show and felt that the franchise opportunity being offered would suit them both, so they went into partnership. The initial cost of the franchise was about €17,500 and Mr Brown said he put more money into the business in the first year than he took out.

But the business prospered and in September 2016, Mr Brown won the British Franchise Association award for olderpreneur of the year. By then, he was employing five people and had a record of increasing revenues by 30 to 40 per cent a year. He also set up a virtual office on Skype, and has saved clients money through the automation of bookkeeping processes.

“My message to anyone my age who’s thinking of a start-up is do it! What frightened me in that year I had off was the speed at which I slowed down mentally. But now I have a team of people working for me, we can set goals and achieve them and it keeps me young.”

ECJ will start its build-up to the Interclean Amsterdam 2020 exhibition in the Feb/March edition Les “petits nouveaux” sont en train de changer les perceptions de ce qui fait le succès d’un homme d’affaires. Cependant ces étoiles montantes du monde des affaires sont loin d’être des enfants pour ce qui est de leur expérience de la vie et sont rompus à leur métier. Hartley Milner s’entretient avec eux pour connaître leur histoire.

Neulinge ändern, was als erfolgreicher Unternehmer aufgefasst wird. Aber diese aufsteigende Stern in der Geschäftswelt sind längst keine Neulinge mehr, und was die Lebenserfahrung betrifft, sind sie erstaunlich gut bewandert. Hartley Milner trifft die „Älternehmer“ und vermittelt ihre Geschichten.

I giovani nuovi arrivati stanno cambiando la percezione di quello che serve per diventare un imprenditore di successo. Ma gli astri nascenti del mondo degli affari sono ben lungi da essere ragazzini e in termini di esperienza di vita sono gia’ navigati da un po’. Hartley Milner incontra i “vecchi imprenditori” e convidide le loro storie.

November 2019 | ECJ | 43

HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS

A high pressure job What are the risks involved to the operator when carrying out high pressure cleaning? And how much training is needed to ensure that it can be achieved as safely as possible? Ann Laffeaty assesses the role of the operator in any high pressure cleaning task.

High pressure cleaning is a highly effective method of removing hard-to-shift substances from a range of surfaces, often using water alone. It is a versatile, accurate and efficient means of cleaning and one that can greatly facilitate difficult tasks such as removing graffiti from walls and washing away concrete from surfaces.

But high pressure cleaning also poses risks. For example, operators may struggle with the high levels of noise and vibrations that are sometimes associated with this form of cleaning. They could also sustain an injury from an uncontrolled hose striking the body, or suffer from muscular issues from the strain of holding the hose in a fixed position for long periods at a time.

And if the operator’s skin is punctured by a jet of fluid under pressure this could cause a serious hydraulic fluid injection injury. This type of injury is characterised by very small entrance wounds and no exit wounds. This means the water penetrates deep into the tissues, potentially bringing with it debris and bacteria from the cleaning process.

And this could cause serious infections leading to long-term disability and potentially even the loss of limbs or death.

So, how do manufacturers ensure that their equipment is as safe as possible?

Specific training needs to be provided for professional operators according to IPC communications manager Gabriella Bianco. “Domestic high pressure washers

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are so easy to use that the manual included within the package is usually a sufficient means of instruction,” she said. “But professional models on the other hand need to be bigger and more powerful in order to cope with industrial applications. So the user should be given an appropriate introduction to them.”

She says operators need to be informed of the importance of protective clothing when using high pressure cleaning equipment to avoid the risk of injury. “This equipment should include adequate shoes, comfortable clothing and easy-to-use gloves,” says Bianco. “It’s a question of safety first.”

She adds that noise levels emanating from the motor pump plus the sound of the jetting water can often be excessive when a machine is in operation.

“Operators could therefore benefit from some form of hearing protection when using high pressure washers, particularly when carrying out industrial applications,” she said.

IPC offers Multifunction Safety Control technology in some models which automatically shuts down the machine after a period of inactivity. Meanwhile, the company’s Micro Leakage Control system is designed to detect any dangerous leaks in the hydraulic circuit and close the machine down if any such leak occurs.

The fact high pressure cleaners are powerful machines means that there are always risks involved for the operator according to Dibo managing director Arno van den Borne.

Limiting risks “A safe and ergonomically-designed machine made from high quality materials coupled with proper operator training and protective clothing will all help to limit those risks,” he said.

Dibo carries out a risk analysis for all its machines and provides operator training along with manuals featuring clear safety instructions. “We also advise every user to take responsibility for his or her own personal protection and we indicate in our

manuals and courses what the maximum vibration levels should be,” he said.

“However, those maximum levels will rarely be reached. And if there is even the slightest possibility that these values may be exceeded it is clearly stated in our manuals that a recommended number of working hours will be set and respected.”

Easy to operate According to van den Borne it is important to ensure high pressure cleaning equipment is easy and comfortable to operate. “All our high pressure cleaners are user-friendly and have simple and clear operation,” he said. “And in fact even our most complex machines – high pressure cleaners on a trailer - are equipped with intuitive and self-explanatory instructions.”

Operational errors are almost unprecedented, he claims. “This is because a fully automatic safety and control system is always running constantly in the background,” says van den Borne. “In this way the high pressure cleaner is continuously being monitored while in operation. And in the case of any malfunction it will switch itself off and indicate where the malfunction is located.”

Dibo machines feature an emergency switch, an automatic start/stop system and an ergonomic handle, he says. “And our heaviest machines - our high pressure cleaners on a trailer - are equipped with a graphic digital display and can be easily operated by a joystick, even when wearing gloves,” he said.

Kärcher’s high pressure cleaning product manager Benjamin Weiss says it is crucial to have a skilled and committed labour force in place when carrying out high pressure applications. “Cleaning performance will depend on various parameters such as pressure, water flow, temperature and detergents,” he said.

“Carrying out the task correctly requires experience because the operator needs to choose the right nozzle for the task – whether it is a flat or rotary jet nozzle, for example - and then clean from the

HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS correct distance to avoid any damage to the surface.”

He says all training should take the form of practical experience. “Operators can learn the theory and basics of high pressure cleaning virtually, but it is very different when one actually comes to clean,” he said. “There is always a ‘wow effect’ for inexperienced users when working with a high pressure cleaner for the first time.”

One of the most common risks to high pressure cleaning operators is that of muscle stress to the fingers and arm when holding a trigger gun open, says Weiss. Kärcher machines offer an Easy!Force trigger gun to reduce the level of muscle stress.

Vibration levels are a risk factor but are heavily regulated these days, says Weiss. “Vibration levels will depend on the machine’s performance, the type of nozzle used and the intensity of usage but the target is below 2.5 m/s² hand-arm vibrations,” he said. “Over that value there are limitations as to how long the operator should work with the system.”

And he adds that it is important to ensure all high pressure cleaning equipment is easy and comfortable to operate. “Labour protection laws are in place to protect users during physically demanding activities such as high pressure

Quel rôle doivent jouer les compétences des opérateurs dans le nettoyage sous pression ? Une formation conséquente s’impose-t-elle, ou ce travail peut-il se faire par n’importe qui ? Quelle importance attacher à l’ergonomie et aux risques que de fortes vibrations pourraient causer pour la sécurité et la santé ? Constate-t-on un mouvement vers l’automatisation des systèmes ? Nous jetons un regard sur les facteurs humains qui interviennent dans le nettoyage haute pression et sur les démarches en cours pour faciliter ce travail.

cleaning,” he said. “And in the future, companies must disclose the workload required and offer compensation to employees whether this is in the form of money, breaks or early retirement.”

Kärcher machines are said to be easy to operate and require the use of just one main switch for on/off and temperature adjustment.

Serious accidents Despite the best efforts of manufacturers, serious accidents do sometimes occur in the high pressure cleaning industry. In August 2017 a drainage operative was killed in Canada when he was struck on the neck by a water jet. The system had not been fitted with an automatic shut-off device and the contractor was fined the equivalent of €99,000.

Some countries promote recommended safety guidelines that are published by professional bodies in an effort to keep high pressure cleaning operators safe. For example, the SIR organisation In Belgium and the Netherlands offers training courses for working with high pressure cleaners of less than 250 bar. And medical research commissioned by the UK’s Water Jetting Association led to the publication in July this year of a comprehensive set of guidelines aimed at avoiding high pressure

Wie wichtig sind die Arbeitskräfte bei der Hochdruckreinigung? Ist viel Schulung erforderlich, oder kann es jeder machen? Wie ergonomisch ist es, und wirken sich die damit einhergehenden starken Vibrationen auf die Gesundheit und Sicherheit aus? Gibt es Bewegungen hin zu automatisierten Systemen? Wir werfen einen Blick auf den Faktor Mensch bei der Hochdruckreinigung und was unternommen wird, um die Arbeit zu erleichtern.

fluid injection injuries.

The guidance aims to transform the current emergency medical response to water jet injuries and greatly reduce the risk of death, long-term disability or prolonged periods of recovery.

But in order to make high pressure cleaning safer still, could it ever be automated? Some degree of automation already exists according to Dibo’s Arno van den Borne. “However, this is only found in specific production processes where the same cleaning tasks are constantly being repeated,” he said.

“And we do build custom-made cleaning installations for the food and pharmaceutical industries. However, other cleaning applications are too diverse to be automated and they all require their own special approach.”

The nature of the task in hand makes automation a major challenge for the high pressure industry, adds Kärcher’s Benjamin Weiss. “High pressure cleaning applications are more complex than vacuums or scrubber dryers because you are cleaning 3D objects rather than a 2D floor,” he said.

“Having said that, automated high pressure cleaning is already being used in gantry car washes. But for mobile, functional and affordable high pressure cleaning, robots are still a long way off.”

Che rilevanza ha la forza lavoro nelle pulizie ad alta pressione? E’ necessario molto training oppure chiunque può eseguire questo tipo di lavoro? Fino a che punto è ergonomico e che impatto hanno le relative alte vibrazioni su salute e sicurezza? Ci sono dei tentativi per adottare dei sistemi automatizzati?

Una panoramica sul fattore umano delle pulizie ad alta pressione e cosa si sta facendo per rendere il lavoro più facile.

November 2019 | ECJ | 45

PRODUCTS: HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS Self-sufficient Karcher’s HD 4/11 C Bp batterypowered high pressure cleaner is claimed to offer a new level of self-sufficiency.

The cold-water machine is particularly suitable for use in the building services and construction sectors. Two 36-volt lithium ion batteries inserted at the top of the machine provide the energy while an LCD display shows the remaining runtime and charging time.

The machine may be operated

the Easy Force high pressure gun which reduces operator strain. www.karcher.com

for 30 minutes on one battery charge when in energy-saving eco!efficiency mode. With a working pressure of 110 bar and a flow rate of up to 400 litres per hour, the cleaning performance of the machine is said to be equal to that of a mains-powered high pressure model of a similar size.

The HD 4/11 C Bp comes with

Boiling point Designed to remove graffiti and chewing gum from public buildings and monuments using water alone is the Hot Aqua Blaster from Waterkracht.

This uses the company’s patented Boiling Hot Water Technique to separate the dirt from the substrate, allowing the

operator to easily remove graffiti and other forms of soiling.

The system involves water droplets heated to boiling point which explode under pressure on the cleaning surface. The temperature of the water droplets as they come into contact with the dirt creates the cleaning effect and the impact of these droplets can be varied by setting the pressure from 45-500 bar. www.waterkracht.nl

Double power The AR Blue Clean 4.0 Twinflow high pressure cleaner from Annovi Reverberi is equipped with the company’s patented DTS Dualtech system which is said to provide the washing power of two motor pumps.

The combined flow rate triggered by the machine’s Fast Cleaning mode is said to double the distance that can be reached by the water jet, enhancing results and reducing the amount of time required for cleaning.

A twin nozzle lance accessory boosts cleaning performance on wide surfaces while also saving up to 70 per cent of the operator’s time. www.annovireverberi.it • Kärcher a introduit une machine professionnelle de nettoyage haute pression à batterie, la HD 4/11 C Bp. • Le nettoyeur haut pression Hot Aqua Blaster proposé par Waterkracht ne fonctionne qu’à l’eau et élimine les graffiti.

• Les produits Annovi Reverberi les plus récents comprennent le nettoyeur haute pression AR Blue Clean 4.0.

• Neu von Kärcher ist der akkubetriebene Hochdruckreiniger HD 4/11 C Bp. • Der Hot Aqua Blaster von Waterkracht reinigt unter alleiniger Verwendung von Wasser, einschließlich Graffiti.

• Unter den neuesten Markteinführungen von Annovi Reverberi befindet sich der Hochdruckreiniger AR Blue Clean 4.0.

• Il nuovo prodotto della Kärcher è HD 4/11 C Bp, una idropulitrice professionale ad alta pressione alimentata a batteria.

• La idropulitrice Hot Aqua Blaster della Waterkracht pulisce persino i graffiti utilizzando soltanto acqua.

• Fra i nuovi prodotti lanciati dalla Annovi Reverberi c’è la idropulitrice ad alta pressione AR Blue Clean 4.0.

PRODUCTS: HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS

Easy operation The latest Dibo hot water high pressure trailers feature the energy-saving Dibo GreenBoiler in which water is pre-heated through a heat exchanger.

The machines can be intuitively operated by means of a joystick.

The user is given a step-by-step guide through the programme at the controls while a continuous display reveals the ongoing status of the machine.

The new trailers are available in a standard and a + version, the latter incorporating the new Dibo track and trace system; electronic level monitoring of the fuel and water tank; electronic gas control with automatic idling, and a Real-Time Moni-

toring System. This allows the owner to monitor the status of the machine on a smartphone, computer or tablet. www.dibo.com

180 bar, a delivery rate of 540 litres per hour and a Total Stop System for enhanced operator safety. www.lavor.com

Easy transport

Gas-driven

New from Lavor is the Maine 1409 XP cold water high pressure cleaner, whose practical handle and on-board accessory storage facility is said to make it highly transportable.

The Maine 1409 XP model has a brass axial pump-head with a built-in bypass valve, while the integral detergent tank allows for indirect suction. Other features are 2800 W motor power, pressures ranging from 140-

Aquila claims to have launched the world’s first gas-driven high pressure hot water recycling machine. The full-sized Aquila Recycling model operates at 37 litres per minute and at pressures of 400 bar. It features two gas burners, a silent vacuum pump and a full wastewater recycling facility. www.aquila-triventek.com

• La remorque à eau chaude haute pression DiBO comporte la chaudière GreenBoiler à forte économie énergétique.

• Lavor a introduit un appareil de nettoyage haute pression à l’eau froide, le Maine 1409 XP. • Aquila a lancé une machine de nettoyage haute pression à l’eau chaude, à gaz et à recyclage de l’eau.

• Die anhängermontierten Heißwasser-Hochdruckreiniger von DiBO sind mit dem energiesparenden GreenBoiler ausgestattet.

• Neu von Lavor ist der Kaltwasser-Hochdruckreiniger Maine 1409 XP. • Aquila hat eine neue gasbetriebene HochdruckHeißwassermaschine, die Wasser recyclt, vorgestellt.

• I carrelli idropulitrici ad acqua calda della DiBO sono dotati del GreenBoiler per il risparmio di energia.

• Il nuovo prodotto della Lavor è la idropulitrice ad alta pressione e acqua fredda Maine 1409 XP. • La Aquila ha lanciato una macchina ad alta pressione alimentata a metano che ricicla l’acqua.

November 2019 | ECJ | 47

SWEEPERS

Easy rider How do manufacturers ensure that their sweepers are easy to use and comfortable to ride for the operator? And how important are ergonomics in a sweeper anyway? ECJ asks manufacturers how far they consider the enduser’s experience when designing their machines.

will not be carried out properly and if an operator becomes particularly frustrated, he or she might go as far as wilfully damaging the machine,” said Serfezi.

Ride-on models in particular need to maximise operator comfort, he said. “Fuelpowered machines or vacuum sweepers equipped with large battery packs are basically mobile workplaces on which the operator has to sit for several hours,” he said. “This requires good ergonomics in order to ensure fatigue-free working.”

Comfortable seats Cost, efficiency, productivity and suitability for the task in question – these are all key factors that any customer needs to bear in mind when choosing a sweeper.

Whether they are purchasing or leasing the machine, a facilities services or cleaning company needs to be certain that their sweeper will be able to cope with the specified task with optimum speed and effectiveness. But the operator’s role is also pivotal in determining how efficiently the job will be carried out.

For example, there could be a huge knock-on effect on productivity if the user finds a sweeper too uncomfortable to ride or excessively difficult to operate. But manufacturers are on top of this according to Hako application technology trainer and consultant Klaus Serfezi.

“With our walk-behind machines you simply need to turn a key switch, pull a lever, then off you go,” he said. “And with many of our ride-on machines you just lower the sweeping cylinder and the side broom and then you can start working.”

Ergonomics are a key focus area for Hako when developing its machines particularly with its ride-on models. “This is not only important as far as the driver’s seating position is concerned, but also in terms of overall operating comfort which includes ease of operation, economic efficiency and durability,” said Serfezi.

The biggest problem with overcomplicated machines is that operators have no motivation to work with them, he said. “The result is that the cleaning task

48 | November 2019 | ECJ

Hako sweepers are claimed to be operated by a maximum of two levers whereas large vacuum sweepers require only the push of a button. All Hako’s ride-on machines are said to offer adjustable seats for a comfortable ride, with suspended seats an option on larger machines. And all operating elements are within easy reach of the driver’s seat, says Serfezi.

Diversey’s principal global application specialist for robotic machines Paul Martorano agrees that ease of operation is important in the design of any sweeper.

“All processes must be efficient and if the operation is too complex, more time could be spent on setting up the machine than on completing the actual cleaning task,” he said. “It could also result in people not wanting to carry out the task in the first place or taking longer to complete it than they should. ”And if a sweeper is too complicated to use it might tempt the operator to look for more appealing options, or even to take dangerous short cuts.”

Customers and end-users are always at the forefront of product design at Diversey, he says. “These are the people who will be spending the most time operating the machine and if they are unwilling to use a sweeper, its design will have failed in its most important function,” he said.

“We always seek feedback from users to improve design and reduce user stress through improved ergonomics, which is at the heart of all our product development.”

According to Martorano an increasing number of customers are switching from pedestrian machines to ride-on models as part of a growing shift towards mechanisation. “Comfort is important in any situation where an operator might have to remain in one position for long periods at a time,” he said. “And if the operator is uncomfortable this could lead to time off work due to injury as a result of being in a non-ergonomic position.”

A hydraulic high-dumping system will eliminate the need for the manual disposal of waste, he says. “This can help to reduce the risk of injury and improve productivity,” says Martorano. “And contoured surfaces coupled with adequate leg protection will help to reduce the risk of slipping in outdoor areas or wet conditions.”

Diversey sweepers are said to offer intuitive operating controls within easy reach of the rider so that all functions are accessible whilst driving.

IPC communications manager Gabriella Bianco believes a ride-on sweeper should actually be a pleasure to use.

“If the operator is not provided with a comfortable driving seat, they may have to assume an awkward position for which their back will pay the price,” she said. “They will then run the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and shoulder and neck pains which are a common consequence at work.

“For this reason, providing a comfortable and convenient working position during daily cleaning tasks is a must.”

Simple controls She says it is also essential that sweepers are easy to use and equipped with straightforward control panels.

“The end-user’s experience plays a key role,” she said. “Besides a comfortable seat for ride-ons there should be adjustable handles for walk-behinds because these ergonomic features will guarantee ease of use and even pleasure when using the sweeper.”

If it is not immediately obvious how to operate a sweeper, the end-user might

SWEEPERS use it incorrectly – and this could lead to breakdowns, she says. IPC Group’s latest ride-on sweepers feature a front-loading filtering system which is said to offer a high degree of dust and debris control. They are also ergonomic, sturdy and comfortable to use according to Bianco.

“The easier the application, the easier it will be to achieve good results,” she said. “And the simpler it is to use the control panel, the higher the operator’s satisfaction will be.”

The cleaning industry has a typically high turnover of employees who may be assigned different tasks on a daily basis – and this needs to be kept in mind when designing a sweeper, says Kärcher product manager Marian Anton.

Intuitive in use “Very often there will be a different person using the machine from one day to the next which makes it absolutely mandatory that the sweeper should have an intuitive operation and an easily understandable concept,” he said. “This will guarantee the best cleaning results and prevent any damage to the machine or to the cleaning environment.”

The fact that less training is required for an easy-to-use machine will save both time and costs, he says, while a complex sweeper could result in negative effects.

“Operating errors can easily occur

Que font les fabricants pour alléger la manipulation et améliorer le confort de marche de leurs balayeuses ?

Le maniement de ces engins exige-t-il une formation conséquente ou se borne-t-on à en rendre la conduite aussi intuitive que possible ? Nous interrogeons des fabricants sur la place qu’ils accordent aux utilisateurs quand ils conçoivent leurs balayeuses.

in situations where there is a rapidlychanging cleaning personnel,” he said.

“This could not only lead to damage to the machine, but in a worst-case scenario it could also cause damage to the floor.

“And when a sweeper is too difficult to operate, the user will fail to identify with the machine and this may cause him or her to take less care of the sweeper which could lead to further breakdowns.”

A hard-to-operate machine could be detrimental to productivity and to the ultimate cleaning result, he said. “Only when a machine is adjusted and used correctly will high quality cleaning results and a high degree of productivity be a given,” said Anton.

He adds that ride-on models – particularly small, compact machines – have been gaining in popularity in recent years. “The productivity of a small ride-on sweeper is around a third higher than that of a large walk-behind model, so there is a trend towards ride-on solutions that provide a more comfortable and productive sweeping experience,” he said.

“This type of machine is also highly agile which makes it more suitable for use in narrow turns and restricted areas. And a ride-on model provides the operator with a high level of motivation to complete the sweeping job due to the ‘fun factor’ which comes with using the machine.”

He says ride-ons are particularly suitable

Welche Maßnahmen ergreifen Hersteller, um die Handhabung und den Betrieb ihrer Kehrmaschinen zu erleichtern und die Fahrt komfortabel zu machen?

Erfordert die Bedienung einer Kehrmaschine viel Schulung, oder werden sie von Herstellern möglichst intuitiv konzipiert? Wir fragen die Hersteller von Kehrmaschinen, in welchem Maße sie die Endbenutzererfahrung bei der Konstruktion der Kehrmaschinen berücksichtigen.

for extended use. “For example, Industrial sweepers tend to be used for complete shifts and operated for many hours in the day,” he said.

Treat with care According to Anton, factors that can make a sweeper easier to operate and more user-friendly include an adjustable steering wheel, safety lights, warning beacons, litter-pickers and vacuum cleaners for cleaning corners and shelves directly from the operator’s seat. Kärcher’s own KM 150/500 R Industrial models offer seat suspension, comfortable arm rests, a one-switch operation, colour-coding, automatic filter-cleaning and symbols for all operating instructions in order to bridge language barriers.

The end-user is always a highly considered stakeholder when Kärcher designs a new machine, says Anton.

“Before releasing any model we create prototypes and put these through several testing phases,” he said. “We are a customer-centric company and we are keen to ensure that every machine is as customer-orientated and as user-friendly as possible.

“Only when there is a high degree of identification on the part of the end-user with the machine can we be sure that a sweeper will be used properly, serviced properly and treated with care.”

Come fanno i produttori a rendere le loro spazzatrici facili da maneggiare, facili da utilizzare e comode da guidare? E’ necessario molto training per utilizzare una spazzatrice oppure le imprese le producono in modo più intuitivo possibile? Chiediamo ai produttori di spazzatrici fino a che punto tengono in considerazione l’esperienza dell’utente quando progettano le loro macchine.

November 2019 | ECJ | 49

PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS

• IPC a introduit une gamme de quatre balayeuses autoportées de grande taille et durables, les 155, 165, 175 et 195.

• La gamme entière de Johnston Sweepers peut maintenant fonctionner, à titre d’alternative, sur différents types de combustibles.

• La HP6000 de la société Comac, qui fait partie de la gamme de balayeuses Street Line, répond à des exigences légères et intensives.

• Comme nouvelle machine de niveau d’entrée de ses balayeuses, Kärcher propose la KM 85/50 R à batterie.

• Neu von IPC ist eine Produktfamilie mit vier großen und robusten Aufsitz-Kehrmaschinen – die 155, 165, 175 und 195.

• Das gesamte Produktangebot von Johnston Sweepers ist jetzt in Ausführungen für AlternativTreibstoffe mit einer Auswahl an Treibstoffen erhältlich.

• Die HP6000 aus der Kehrmaschinenreihe Street Line von Comac ist sowohl für leichte als auch stark beanspruchende Anwendungen geeignet.

• Bei der akkubetriebenen KM 85/50 R handelt es sich um das neue Einsteigermodell in der Produktreihe der AufsitzKehrmaschinen von Kärcher.

• La novità della IPC è una linea di quattro spazzatrici di grandi dimensioni e durature con operatore a bordo, i modelli 155, 165, 175 e 195.

• L’intera gamma della Johnston Sweepers è ora predisposta per funzionare con i carburanti alternativi e ha una gamma di scelta di carburanti.

• Il modello HP6000 della Comac, che fa parte della gamma di spazzatrici Street Line, può essere utilizzato sia per lavori leggeri che per applicazioni pesanti.

• La Isal fa parte del gruppo Kärcher e propone spazzatrici municipali e veicoli di manutenzione urbana per tutte le stazioni.

50 | November 2019 | ECJ

Front-loading

New from IPC are four sturdy ride-on sweepers - the 155, the 165, the 175 and the 195.

These are said to offer a high degree of dust and debris control due to a front-loading filtering system coupled with a fabric filter and powerful suction fan. This is supplemented by a filter shaker which has been designed to ensure that the layers are optimally stretched during cleaning for a thorough debris collection. The accurate pick-up of both light and heavy debris is ensured by the low-speed brush rotation and the short distance between the hopper and sweeper brush.

The machines may be operated for extended periods even in hot climates thanks to a hydraulic circuit and liquid cooling system, according to IPC. www.ipcworldwide.com

Alternative fuels Johnston Sweepers’ entire product portfolio is now available in a range of alternative fuel choices.

The range includes what it claims to be Europe’s first fully electrically-powered truckmounted sweeper. The VE652 known as Evie (EV) - is described

as a zero-emissions, low-noise full-size sweeper with a sixtonne payload. Similar in power to a diesel twin-engine machine, it is capable of carrying out a full sweeping shift.

Customers can also power their sweepers using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil which is said to produce 27 per cent fewer hydrocarbons and 28 per cent less NOx than diesel. This can be added to existing fuel tanks without modifications. www.johnstonsweepers.com

Shredder Combining a high-performing vacuum system with high mechanical strength is the Comac Street Line of sweepers.

This combination allows the machines to collect both large items of waste and lightweight dust without the need for water.

The latest model in the range is the HP6000 which has a capacity of six cubic metres and can be used for both heavy and light operations. The fact it uses no water means that refilling downtime is reduced along with

air pollution.

The sweeper incorporates a shredder which reduces the volume of waste and increases the machine’s load capacity. www.comac.it

Fast and agile The new battery-powered KM 85/50 R entry-level ride-on sweeper from Kärcher has been designed for operators seeking a compact machine without compromising on convenience or speed.

Suitable for indoor and outdoor operation, the machine can be equipped with a second additional side brush and the operator can adjust the rotational speed while cleaning to suit the type and quantity of dirt.

The floating main sweeper roller requires no manual or wear adjustment because the contact pressure is automatical-

ly adjusted and the roller reacts flexibly to uneven surfaces.

A slim construction plus a working width of 85 cm with one side brush makes the machine suitable for cleaning in narrow corridors or between shelves. It has a turning circle of less than two metres and it fits easily through standard door frames.

Seat position and steering column height are adjustable and operation is via clear controls. www.karcher.com

PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS

Reducing dust

Good for rental

All seasons

It is almost impossible to avoid generating dust when sweeping heavily soiled and dusty floors, according to Hako. So it has developed a jacket for disc brushes to address this problem.

Particularly suitable for the rental market are the Boxer Plus and Superboxer Plus sweepers from RCM. This is due to their reliability, ease of maintenance and low running costs, says the company. The Boxer Plus comes in battery-powered, diesel and LPG versions while the Superboxer Plus is diesel-powered.

This has a stronger engine and a more powerful suction system.

Other features include a large

Isal offers sweepers from compact industrial machines to all-season urban maintenance vehicles plus the MCM600 series of municipal machines.

Features include four-wheel drive, certified ergonomic solutions plus hydraulic systems for extreme situations. All models boast comfort, multi-functionality and technologies for reducing environmental impact. www.isalsweepers.com

Hako’s Dust Stop jacket reduces the development of fine dust during dry sweeping by up to 90 per cent compared with conventional disc brushes.

It is easy to install and can be retrofitted on any sweeper equipped with disc brushes. No water is required which means the risk of streaky floors is eliminated. And there is no risk of damaging the floor when using the disc brush jacket - even when working close to walls.

The dust jacket is said to improve cleaning performance, ensure a quieter operation and reduce fine dust pollution which creates a more pleasant environment both for the operator and the general public. www.hako.com

filtering surface which may be cleaned in situ with a vacuum cleaner and the bespoke tube provided. The machines also offer sack filters; a comfortable seat; adjustable steering wheel, a good level of visibility and easy access to all components. www.rcm.it

• Le Dust Stop proposé par Hako est un carter de disque de brossage rotatif réduisant l’émission de poussières lors d’interventions sur sols secs.

• Les balayeuses les plus récentes de RCM sont les Boxer Plus et Superboxer Plus.

• Isal propose des balayeuses municipales et des engins d’entretien urbain toute saison.

• Bei Dust Stop von Hako handelt es sich um eine Ummantelung für Tellerbesen, die die Staubentwicklung beim trockenen Kehrvorgang reduziert.

• Bei den neuesten Kehrmaschinenmodellen von RCM handelt es sich um die Boxer Plus und Superboxer Plus.

• Isal bietet kommunale Saugkehrmaschinen und ganzjährig einsetzbare kommunale Straßenkehrmaschine.

• Dust Stop della Hako è una mascherina di protezione per le spazzole che riduce l’incidenza della polvere durante lo spazzamento a secco.

• I nuovi modelli di spazzatrici della RCM sono Boxer Plus e Superboxer Plus.

• La Isal propone spazzatrici municipali e veicoli di manutenzione urbana per tutte le stazioni.

November 2019 | ECJ | 51

WASTE MANAGEMENT

The recycling solution Total Recycling Services, waste management provider, believes in the important role recycling companies play in the worldwide plastics pollution problem.

Operations director Andy Dobson writes for ECJ. Nobody wants our seas and oceans polluted with plastics. From the giant ocean garbage patches down to the tiny particles penetrating the food chain – each news article brings home the message that there is a serious global issue that requires immediate action.

For recycling companies, each recyclable item floating in the sea is a missed opportunity and this is a problem that has been ignored for too long. The increased awareness of plastics in the environment has to be a positive. Consumers are identifying with the global issue of plastic pollution and demanding change.

Governments and campaigners are talking about incentives, initiatives, taxes and penalties to reduce non-recyclable waste and increase recycling rates.

But there is no doubt huge change is required in the way individuals think about and use plastics in our day to day lives - and the recycling industry is part of that solution.

We have been reiterating for some time to our customers that quality of recyclables is a key issue. For some clean, well segregated grades there is generally a route and a market. For some other grades - less well sorted or lower grade there are fewer options, or the rebates are much lower or nonexistent.

Rebates on plastics are a great incentive to businesses - and when these disECJ examine l’impact des matières plastiques sur notre milieu et le rôle qui incombe aux entreprises de recyclage dans ce domaine. À leurs yeux, tout objet recyclable flottant dans l’océan représente une opportunité manquée, ainsi qu’un problème d’envergure mondiale appelant à des mesures immédiates.

54 | November 2019 | ECJ

appear it inevitably causes the producer to question the efforts undertaken to recycle.

The recycling industry is used to responding to changes in legislation and to being pulled by ever changing market demands. Customers seeking recycling providers are looking for consistent rebates and guaranteed routes which can be difficult.

China has traditionally been the ‘easy option’ for many materials and the impact of China’s National Sword program has sent a ripple around the globe. Switching to disposal as opposed to recovery clearly isn’t the option, so the world has been looking to new, alternative and emerging markets for genuine options.

Transport links, container availability and, of course, capacity all play a huge role in the ease of trading and the sustainability of some of these options hasn’t been fully explored yet.

Landfill figures Some figures on plastic waste indicate that up to 25 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated by Europeans each year, which is a colossal amount. Some estimates indicate that less than 30 per cent is collected for recycling.

Figures from 2014 also indicate countries such as Austria, Germany, Belgium and some others are landfilling virtually no municipal waste – whereas others including Latvia, Croatia and Greece still landfill more than three quarters of such waste.

Investment in infrastructure, sensible taxation and incentives and support for the recycling industry is key to creating a more unified approach.

Last year the European Commission announced a European strategy for plastics aimed at improving design, increasing recycling rates and improving quality, with the overall aim being more sustainable Das ECJ betrachtet, welche Auswirkungen Plastik auf unsere Umwelt hat und welche Rolle RecyclingUnternehmen spielen können. Für sie ist jeder recycelbarer Gegenstand, der im Meer treibt, eine verpasste Gelegenheit, und dieses ernste weltweite Problem bedarf sofortiger Maßnahmen.

consumption of plastics with a move towards a circular economy.

The EU circular economy package looks at the whole picture from design through to production and use, all with a view to reducing the overall impact of such materials.

All of that is great, but the Basel Convention has discussed classifying some plastic wastes as a hazardous material.

Assuming the existing complex controls on exporting such materials apply, this could create a complex market situation that wouldn’t benefit the environment.

Logically each country should have the infrastructure to manage its own waste but how long would this take?

Opportunities are arising all the time and the recycling industry is challenging traditional views on what is waste and bringing about changes through ‘end of waste’ criteria and the demand for quality protocols.

New equipment Month on month we are seeing innovation in the sector, with new equipment designed to facilitate improved recycling rates appearing regularly. People will invest and develop further and a more stable market and regularised policies will give confidence to do this.

The issue of plastics is not just an end of pipe problem and it isn’t about minimising what we use and making sure those items are segregated and arrive at effective recycling facilities.

Recycled packaging and products must be attractive to the retailer and consumer.

If a consumer has the choice of the same product in recycled or new packaging - will they select the recycled option?

They are more likely to if there is a financial incentive for selecting the recycled option over the one made of new materials.

ECJ esamina gli effetti che la plastica sta avendo sull’ambiente e il ruolo che le imprese di riciclo possono avere. Per loro, ogni oggetto riciclabile che fluttua nell’oceano è un’opportunità persa e questo serio problema globale necessita di azione immediata.

PRODUCTS: WASTE MANAGEMENT

Modular system BonTon is a modular system of components that can be easily clicked together to form a complete waste separation unit, says manufacturer Vepa Bins.

The units are made from 100 per cent recycled polypropylene that originates from construction, demolition and other bulky waste streams. They are designed to accommodate products such as paper, plastic, organic waste, cups and residual waste so that they can be recycled separately. The recycled waste can then be reused for building or production purposes or alternatively, made into fuel.

The receptacles have a plastic

inner bin and an aluminium cupholder is optional. www.vepabins.nl

Indoor use

New from Rossignol are Cubatri recycled steel waste-streaming bins for indoor use. These are available in 40 and 65 litre sizes with an inner bucket, and in 75 and 90 litre versions with an internal bag clamp.

The four different top apertures come in a range of sizes and can be used for recycling cups, bottles and paper. The bins are available in various colours and the waste type may be screen-printed on the door. www.rossignol.fr

Street smart Designed to allow people to recycle their waste more easily when in the street is the new Square Heritage Recycling bin range from Leafield Environmental. It has a 110 litre capacity and features colour-coded inserts with propeller apertures.

Passers-by are able to easily identify the types of waste that may be deposited in each slot with the help of clear colourcoded graphics. The apertures can be adapted to collect various recyclate streams and can also be blanked off where required, if the bins are used against a wall for example.

A double-wall construction throughout the bin makes it particularly durable while the outer walls have ridges to prevent flyposting. Other features include a diagonal-hinged, slam-shut door which provides easy access for the operator when emptying. leafieldrecycle.com

• BonTon, le système de tri de déchets proposé par Vepa Bins, est fabriqué en matière plastique recyclée.

• Rossignol a lancé la gamme Cubatri de catégorisation de déchets pour usage en intérieur.

• Leafield Environmental a développé la poubelle de recyclage Square Heritage pour faciliter le tri de détritus de rue.

• BonTon, das Abfalltrennungssystem von Vepa Bins, wird aus recyceltem Plastik hergestellt.

• Rossignol bietet Cubatri, das Sammelsystem für die Mülltrennung in Innenräumen.

• Leafield Environmental hat die Produktreihe Square Heritage mit Recyclingbehältern entwickelt, um die Abfalltrennung auf der Straße zu fördern.

• BonTon, le pattumiere del sistema per la separazione dei rifiuti della Vepa Bins, sono prodotte con plastica riciclata.

• La Rossignol propone la linea di contenitori per rifiuti differenziati Cubatri per esterni.

• La Leafield Environmental ha sviluppato la gamma di contenitori per i prodotti da riciclare Square Heritage per favorire la separazione dei rifiuti nelle strade.

November 2019 | ECJ | 55

PRODUCT REVIEW

• P-Wave a mis au point la gamme de diffuseurs d’ambiance Scentaura, qui se posent sur des parois ou des surfaces plates.

• InnuScience, un spécialiste des produits de nettoyage biotechnologique, a lancé un système de surveillance, basé sur Internet, pour ses distributeurs.

• Proposé par la société iVO, le RovaVac est un aspirateur-balai à autonomie de deux heures.

• First Mats a lancé une gamme de paillassons antisalissures de qualité commerciale.

• La plateforme SQ ONE de Kärcher est une solution numérique permettant l’organisation transparente, et axée sur les besoins, de programmes de nettoyage.

• EarthSafe a introduit le PUR:ONE, un nettoyant/désinfectant universel, dans le cadre de son système de prévention EvaClean.

Aroma diffuser P-Wave has launched a new fragrance diffuser range under its recently created PW-Aroma brand - Scentaura.

Scentaura and Scentaura BT units have three scent diffusion levels, delivering coverage up to 200 cubic metres. The standard Scentaura unit is controlled via a panel below the front cover, while the Scentaura BT adds bluetooth control and advanced programming via a smartphone or tablet.

cleaning solutions based on biotechnology - fermentation extracts, enzymes and microbes - that achieve the same results as chemical alternatives.

With Connected Cleaning, a router integrated into the dispensing equipment communicates product usage data back to the company via Wi-Fi or 4G. InnuScience can then issue simple customer reports in a traffic light format, indicating if product usage is in line with budget. The system can also flag up other metrics such as usage diagnostics and empty product warnings. innuscience.com

Two hours • P-Wave hat die Produktreihe Scentaura mit BeduftungsDiffusern entwickelt, die sowohl an Wänden als auch auf flachen Oberflächen eingesetzt werden können.

• InnuScience, Spezialist für biotechnologische Reinigungsprodukte, hat ein webbasiertes Überwachungssystem für seine Spender vorgestellt.

• Bei RovaVac von iVO handelt es sich um einen akkubetriebenen Handstaubsauger mit zwei Stunden Betriebsdauer.

• Neu von First Mats ist eine Produktreihe mit handelsüblichen Schmutzfangmatten.

• La plateforme SQ ONE de Kärcher est une solution numérique permettant l’organisation transparente, et axée sur les besoins, de programmes de nettoyage.

• Als Teil des Infektionsverhütungssystems EvaClean hat EarthSafe PUR:ONE, ein Universal-Reinigungs- und Desinfektionsmittel, vorgestellt.

• La P-Wave ha sviluppato il diffusore di fragranze Scentaura per pareti o per superfici piane.

• La InnuScience, specializzata in prodotti di pulizia biotecnologici, ha lanciato un sistema di monitoraggio dei suoi dispenser basato sul web.

• RovaVac della iVO è un aspirapolvere verticale a batteria che vanta due ore di autonomia di lavoro • La novità della First Mats è una gamma di zerbini per ingressi per il mercato commerciale.

• La nuova piattaforma SQ ONE della Kärcher è una soluzione digitale che permette l’organizzazione trasparente e basata sulle necessità dei programmi di pulizia.

• La EarthSafe ha introdotto PUR:ONE, un detergente/ disinfettante universale che fa parte del suo sistema di prevenzione delle infezioni EvaClean

November 2019 | ECJ | 56

Available in black or white, the Scentaura and Scentaura BT fragrance diffusers can be mounted on walls or flat surfaces. The 50 ml Aroma cartridges are effective for up to 90 days.

Completing the range is the Scentaura Max 1200 which has coverage of up to 1200 cubic metres. Available in three colours (white, claret and black) and two sizes, 630 mm tall and 420 mm tall, this unit features a digital display with 24-hour operation. It includes fully adjustable start/stop, diffusion and stand-by intervals as well as a weekend on/off function. p-wave.co.uk

IoT monitoring New from InnuScience is an Internet of Things (IoT) based product monitoring system.

Called Connected Cleaning, the systems works by monitoring cleaning agent usage which is then reported monthly against the budget per site.

InnuScience specialises in

The new battery upright vacuum cleaner RovaVac, says manufacturer iVo Group, offers two hours of cordless cleaning capability while also boasting high-level suction, enhanced edge cleaning and full HEPA filtration.

The company says this model is also simple to use, quick to charge and easy to store. www.ivo-group.com

Digital control

Service Partner ONE, an independent subsidiary of Kärcher, has developed the SQ ONE platform to digitise all building service contractors’ tasks.

Using artificial intelligence it enables needs-oriented, efficient and transparent organisation of daily cleaning schedules and higher level management processes: from customer acquisition to material planning and the actual provision of the service through to invoicing.

SQ ONE can process information from completely different sources – for example, data of cleaning machines from all manufacturers, building usage data or weather data. Existing digital solutions from Kärcher can be integrated into the platform.

It can be installed on any smartphone, is language-neutral and can be operated intuitively like What’s App or Facebook. www.one-ifm.com

Bridging the gap

Indoor mats Matting specialist First Mats is expanding its line of indoor mats for commercial entrances. This includes wider choice for individual loose laid floor mats as well as larger commercial grade barrier matting.

Among the options are DDA compliant brush matting, rubber backed entrance mats and needle punch matting rolls. Featuring rubber backing, mats will remain firmly rooted in position whilst the specially designed surfaces have been created to offer maximum absorption from wet and muddy shoes.

The company’s range encompasses anti-fatigue, rubber, leisure and anti-static solutions. www.firstmats.co.uk

With the launch of its PUR:ONE universal cleaner/disinfectant EarthSafe says its EvaClean Infection Prevention System is eliminating the need for multiple chemicals.

The EvaClean Infection Prevention System, the company says, uses electrostatic sprayer technologies to cover three times the area in 80 per cent less time, a “drop and go” sanitising/disinfection chemistry.

PUR:ONE is a one-step cleaning and disinfection solution for high-touch surfaces and floors.

It comes as a pre-measured tablet concentrate and is designed to work with existing microfibre cleaning methods, as well as dry wipes and spray bottles. It can also be mixed on-the-go at a cleaning trolley for floor disinfection using microfibre mop heads. www.evaclean.com

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