High-rise cleaning the benefits of the exoskeleton

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This technology was successfully tested as part of cleaning operations carried out at the Cia-Conad headquarters in Forli, Italy. We asked those involved in the operation how it went and what benefits emerged

The most advanced technology and robotics, for the benefit of the safety and the quality of work and performance of cleaning workers: this is the innovative experience gained at the Cia-Conad headquarters in Forlì, by the Cooperativa Formula Servizi, which from Emilia Romagna has seen its presence grow considerably over time, with important FM services also in other regions of central and northern Italy. We refer to the introduction of exo - skeletons, special equipment that has been successfully tested in the modern Romagna facility to support cleaning activities at height. We asked Marco Sanchi, head of Central-Northern Italy Cleaning Area of Formula Servizi, to talk us about the inclusion of exoskeletons in professional cleaning activities, not only from an organizational point of view, but also in terms of the support offered to workers engaged in such delicate operations, at motivational, productive and profitability levels.

How did this experiment come about, allowing you to employ the exoskeleton for cleaning operations at height?

"For years now, Formula Servizi has been collaborating with the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, which is a public university with special status that conducts research and training in the field of applied sciences. We have accredited ourselves as the first testers of some of their innovative technological solutions for use in the field of cleaning and security. Four years ago, in 2019, we were proposed by COMAU, an Italian company specialized in automation processes, production services and robots, to which some collaborators from the Normal University of Pisa, who developed and engineered the exoskeleton, gave birth, to test this technology at some of our construction sites for some repetitive cleaning activities at height. This spe- cial equipment was created mainly for the automotive industry because COMAU actively cooperates with the De Santis Group and other major brands in the industry. Exoskeletons are basically wearable equipment that have the specific purpose of relieving the strain on the worker wearing them, easing his or her fatigue especially in repetitive work. Their first use is recorded in the context of the automobile assembly line, to support the arms of car chassis workers so that they could be well raised to direct the water jets of pumps, achieving excellent results in terms of decreasing workers' fatigue. So when it was proposed to us to experiment with this technological solution in cleaning as well, we accepted the invitation with enthusiasm, stimulated by the idea of being able to go and concretely monitor the potential positive impact in their use, especially in terms of reducing occupational injuries and illnesses."

What models of exoskeletons were used at the site?

"We chose wearable robots that function, without the input of batteries, through a system of weighted springs/ counterweights capable of providing support to the operator, who, acting for work at height, is not so much aided in pushing up, but supported in the phase that involves maintaining arm tension for the cleaning operations."

In what cleaning operations were exoskeletons used in the Cia-Conad headquarters?

"In the overhead window cleaning and the removal of cobwebs from high ceilings: all interventions carried out by the worker on the ground, with rods seven to eleven meters long at the top of which are placed, respectively, a toll for the removal of cobwebs or a cloth soaked in cleaning solution. Obvious- ly, all the work has seen an adequate preparation phase with meetings involving the Prevention and Protection Service and the competent doctor of our Cooperative in order to fully evaluate whether the use of this technological solution could really give the desired results. In addition, a series of preventive examinations were carried out on the site workers to take stock of their health status through targeted analyses, electromyography and other targeted evaluations to identify any previous pathologies that might interfere with the outcome of the investigation. All so that we could then go and verify in objective terms the commitment and workload of the groups involved in the activities at height. All this effort has produced truly amazing results in terms of easing the perfor- mance commitment required to our site workers."

What findings emerged from the medical examinations conducted on workers after the exoskeleton trial?

"Definitely positive ones: they did not show any kind of aggravation or performance fatigue compared to the starting situation. On the contrary, all the workers who were involved in this stimulating journey expressed a particular liking for the technological solution adopted because they considered it truly effective, so much so that

Technology Moves Forward

Not only the exoskeletons are part of the future of cleaning operations. New prospects concern the use of drones in window cleaning. Using a drone, the window cleaner can stay safely on the ground and let the drone do all the work. A fleet of drones capable of cleaning the floors of a building, one at a time and in full, has several advantages for operators who can remain on the ground or inside the building, coordinating and supervising the work of the machines.

Currently, research is working to increasingly optimize the characteristics of drones to make them optimal for performing this type of operation by developing increasingly efficient charging processes and larger water and detergent tanks. In fact, the main obstacles to the use of drones in cleaning are the numerous recharging cycles that the robots must perform, often interrupting cleaning operations, and the limited capacity of the tanks. Another solution is ultrasonic cleaning. This cleaning technology, mainly used in industrial and medical fields, uses ultrasound (usually from 20 to 40 kHz) to agitate a fluid, with a cleaning effect. The principle of the ultrasonic cleaning machine is to convert the sound energy of the ultrasonic frequency source into mechanical vibration through the transducer. The vibration generated by the ultrasonic wave is transmitted to the cleaning liquid through the cleaning tank wall, so that the microbubbles in the liquid in the tank can keep vibrating under the action of the sound wave, destroying and separating the dirty adsorption on the surface of the object. In some circumstances ultrasonic cleaners can be used with plain water, but in most cases a cleaning solution is used. This solution is designed to maximize the effectiveness of ultrasonic cleaning. The application of this system is particularly attractive in hard-to-reach areas, such as corners and crevices, where contaminants can easily accumulate. they benevolently contended for the possibility of using this tool. In terms of hourly yield/productivity, on the part of the workers we estimated an increase of about 20 percent. The accurate electromyography performed on every cleaning worker at the site also communicated to us the generalized finding of a reduction in effort that in some cases reached as much as 4 percent, for the same number of hours of work provided. What emerged, above all, was a significant coincidence, in terms of well-being and prevention, between these elements and the reduction in accidents."

What are the prospects for the development of this experience?

"Our collaboration with the Scuola Superiore S. Anna in Pisa is set to continue into 2023, employing even more high-performance exoskeleton models. We will therefore also implement our collaboration with COMAU. We are also gratified by the positive feedback we have received on several occasions from our customer Conad, an influen- tial partner with whom we have been collaborating for several years now. We had the distinct perception of a qualitative leap in the way we consider our work: already the SARS CoV-2 pandemic had made the public realize how important cleaning activities were, too often considered only a cost item. Well, through this experience I had the distinct feeling that the customer also had a valid perception of the research work we are doing to offer more and more technologically advanced solutions for a work that was once considered of little added value, not to say trivial. When you come to a client with a project that has green solutions or that involves robotics, I think things inevitably change. Because cleaning that part of the warehouse that was once considered inaccessible, because you couldn't fit a scaffold or employ a platform there, is no small matter. The same is true for the cleaning of a stained glass window, which, accomplished with the help of these tools can now be done in three to four days, where it used to take up to a week of work. Not to mention, finally, the scenic aspect: seeing an attendant employing the exoskeleton is a bit like watching the performance of some character wearing armor in Marvel comics."

Does the exoskeleton therefore open up new scenarios in the field of professional cleaning as well?

"I would definitely say yes, because this innovation best balances the needs for improvement in terms of safety standards, allowing the worker to perform more, for the same amount of time spent. It balances strong protection of the worker, his workload and safety, with increased performance. Not to mention one last, very important aspect: the worker feels motivated because he perceives that he is taken care of by the cleaning company that cares about his well-being, trying to concretely put him in the best possible condition to perform well."