FC&M December 2020

SERVING THE FACILIT Y CLE ANING & MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY

DECEMBER 2020

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF ISSA CANADA

� GBAC STAR IS A SIGN OF A CLEANER WORLD � BSCS MOVE WITH THE TIMES DURING THE PANDEMIC � PROTECTING WORKPLACES FROM A “TWINDEMIC”

HIGH-OCTANE HOUSEKEEPING

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Running the cleaning and maintenance show at Toronto’s Granite Club is no easy feat

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� CONTENTS DECEMBER 2020

SPOTLIGHT 30 Cleaning within the NHL bubble Scandinavian Building Services rises to the challenge of keeping the NHL Western Conference bubble clean, safe, and healthy

by Tanja Nowotny

FACILITIES 36 How will campuses change because of COVID-19?

Colleges and universities are on the way to becoming more adaptable, equitable, and sustainable

by Elliot Felix, Kelly Sanford, David Herd, and Stuart Brumpton

BEST PRACTICES

COVER STORY 26 High-Octane Housekeeping

Running the cleaning and maintenance show at Toronto’s prestigious Granite Club is no easy feat but Yamire McDowell is pulling it off during a pandemic

by Tom Nightingale

IN EVERY ISSUE 3

Editor’s Letter Looking ahead, together

6

ISSA News

10 Expert Q&A

BSCS during the pandemic 50 Clean Matters

Simple the best

INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL 16 Protecting workplaces form a “twindemic”

In the second wave of the pandemic, business owners and facility managers must be unprecedentedly vigilant about protecting workplaces

by Gavin Bajin 20 Future-proofing cleaning for the new normal The present is painful for property and facility managers, but we must keep looking ahead

by Rob Scott 24 Measuring the lifespan of coronavirus on surfaces Understanding COVID-19’s potency is key to battling it

by Drew Bunn

Facility managers are learning risk mitigation on the fly, and the solutions being developed today will become the new normal against the next infectious contagion

39 COVID-19 is bringing common sense back to cleaning The importance of education, communication, and getting the basics right has never been clearer

by Tom Nightingale 42 Don’t use a whole arsenal to kill a fly When the repercussions and side effects have more impact than the underlying problem, we move away from the goal of effectiveness

by Derek Oliveira 47 How facility managers can secure a new standard of hygiene Reduce the risk of infection, ensure heightened safety, and meet enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols

by Rachel Olsavicky

TECHNOLOGY 49 Brushing up on floor pads Assessing the true cost of these cleaning discs

by David L. Smith

/ editor’s letter /

LOOKING AHEAD, TOGETHER

T

he end of 2020 is on the horizon and as we move into winter, it’s a good time to reflect on what we have learned in the cleaning and maintenance industry during 2020, the year of the pandemic.

There’s not a corner of society that hasn’t been affected by COVID-19 over the last nine months or so and, in many ways, it’s changed the game of cleaning and maintenance. With every industry impacted, facilities of all kinds have had to reevaluate their procedures, their processes, and their tools and press on forward into a world of enhanced cleaning and communication.

There are lessons to be learned and stories to be told, and, as always, within this issue we have tried to help teach them and tell them. We provide our regular update on what ISSA Canada has been up to since the summer, complete with an in-depth look at the thriving GBAC STAR facility accreditation program, which has seen huge uptake in North America and around the world.

We look at a number of BSC companies and how they have navigated the pandemic and are looking to move forward. As we brace for winter, we chatted with a number of experts on timely topics such as how COVID-19 is Bringing Common Sense Back to Cleaning, looking forwards in Protecting Workplaces From a “Twindemic”, and how to make sure cleaning processes and products are suitable for a new world where infection control is top of mind.

Our cover story is again one of positivity as we chat to Yamire McDowell and the housekeeping team of The Granite Club in Toronto about how to manage a leisure facility in these trying times, an issue further explored in Cleaning Within the NHL Bubble.

All in all, the cleaning and maintenance industry has arguably never been more important or a greater focus for everyone from specialists to facility owners and operators to the general public.

Here, amid the backdrop of difficulty and tragedy, we look to celebrate that.

Positivity is a focus we must not lose as 2020 becomes 2021.

COVID-19 will not just go away, but with progress being made on vaccines and so much already having been learned about how to appropriately control and battle the virus, we will find a way through this together.

TOM NIGHTINGALE tomn@mediaedge.ca

Editor Tom Nightingale tomn@mediaedge.ca Publisher

Chuck Nervick chuckn@mediaedge.ca

Senior Designer

Production Manager

Annette Carlucci Rachel Selbie rachels@mediaedge.ca

Sales Chuck Nervick chuckn@mediaedge.ca

Contributing Writers

David Herd David L. Smith Derek Oliveira Drew Bunn Elliot Felix Gavin Bajin Kelly Sanford Rachel Olsavicky Rob Scott Stuart Brumpton Tanja Nowotny

Circulation Rob Osiecki

circulation@mediaedge.ca

Facility Cleaning & Maintenance is published five times a year by:

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President

Kevin Brown kevinb@mediaedge.ca

Senior Vice-President

Chuck Nervick

chuckn@mediaedge.ca

Director and Group Publisher

Sean Foley

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GBAC STAR ACCREDITATION SUCCESS IS A SIGN OF A CLEANER WORLD

By Tom Nightingale It sounds strange to say it during an ongoing pandemic, but we’re arguably already living in a cleaner world. COVID-19 has brought a renewed focus on cleaning, disinfecting, and infection control and one quantifiable way to show that is through the GBAC STAR accreditation program. Launched by ISSA’s Global Biorisk Advisory Council in the spring, just weeks after the virus’ spread was defined as a full-blown pandemic in North America, the program is creating a new standard for facilities in how they clean and disinfect and, just as pertinently, how that is communicated to the public. It was born under the vast shadow of COVID-19 but combats all infectious disease.

THE INS AND OUTS

The program exists in three forms. Facility accreditation is intended for everything from stadiums to restaurants, from hotels to transportation hubs, from malls to grocery stores – in short, any public-facing arena in need of thorough sanitization. Meanwhile, individual training is being taken up by supervisors and managers across all walks of life, from distributor salespeople to plumbing industry personnel. A third branch, a services program, has begun in December for use by building service or restoration contractors.

GBAC STAR is designed by specialists who are well-versed in biohazardous situations and is built on 20 elements encompassing five stages – facility leadership and planning, goals and strategies, supplies and inventory management, training and prevention, and constant vigilance.

Little more than six months on from its implementation, it’s revamping the way cleanliness is practised and communicated by public-facing facilities.

REFLECTING SOCIETY’S NEW NEEDS

ISSA did not set out to create such a seminal shift, Executive Director John Barrett says. He believes the huge uptake is simply a reflection of the needs of a pandemic world.

As ISSA Canada’s Executive Director Mike Nosko adds, it’s also recognition of the fact that the janitorial cleaning and maintenance industry is now acknowledged as a “frontline fighter” when it comes to infection prevention. “Since the pandemic started, the world has come to realize the significance and sheer importance of cleaning for health,” Nosko says.

“A career that was once under-valued has now risen to the forefront and professional cleaners are finally receiving the recognition they truly deserve.

To date since the facility program’s May launch, more than 3,500 organizations in 81 countries have committed to GBAC accreditation and several hundred have already been through the process. In fact, as of the end of November, nearly 800 facilities have already achieved accreditation around the world. The vast majority of these are in the United States, with nearly 20 in Canada, and 240 outside of North America. New organizations register on virtually a daily basis, says ISSA. For the individual program, meanwhile, which was launched a month earlier, over 15,000 people have committed in around 70 countries. Truly, it is a global phenomenon.

CLEAR BENEFITS

At the heart of its appeal is that it ensures facilities can remain operating in full confidence and that confidence can be passed on to consumers – patrons, tenants, travellers – who can be assured they are entering a safe 6 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

and clean space. After all, particularly during COVID-19, a space just looking clean is often not enough, with the general public often hesitant to venture back into high-density public spaces.

“Cleaning has always been viewed as an expense and with COVID-19 and programs like GBAC, it became a risk mitigation strategy really in two important ways,” explains Barrett. “It’s the pivot from pretty and nice-smelling to the removal of powerful pathogens, but it’s also real risk mitigation.” He notes that insurers are looking at GBAC STAR accreditation as one of the ways facilities and operators can demonstrate they haven’t been negligent. “We’re very close to having the link established where it will actually influence premiums,” Barrett says.

Then there’s the effect the enhanced consumer confidence has on facilities being able to maintain revenues. Barrett calls it a revenue generator and a differentiator for organizations like never before. He cites ISSA’s GBAC store as a key example of that. The store allows accredited people and facilities to buy a door decal of the GBAC shield denoting their achievement in cleanliness and infection control. With GBAC STAR accreditation becoming more renowned, that’s a simple way to inspire visitor confidence. “If anyone gets on an American Airlines plane, they’ll see the seal,” Barrett says. “Every Hyatt hotel in the world. As time goes on and they increasingly see this seal, they’ll want to see it on the door of the beauty parlour, the restaurant, the bowling alley.”

BIG-NAME ADOPTERS

A facility directory tool launched by ISSA this fall allows users to search for and locate any facility worldwide which has either achieved the accreditation or has committed to achieving it. In North America, these run the gamut across numerous industries. But a visible trend, particularly in Canada, has been that large venues like convention centres and stadiums have been the first to take it up.

Nosko stresses that the importance of any facility achieving GBAC STAR accreditation is “immense” regardless of size. In Canada, the early adopters were largely high-capacity venues in major cities, such as Toronto’s Exhibition Place convention centre, Vancouver’s BC Place stadium, and Montreal’s Montreal-Trudeau Airport. Things gathered pace in the fall, with facilities in Calgary, Edmonton, and Saskatoon all also achieving or committing to the program. In recent weeks, Manulife has become the first real estate management company to pursue accreditation for its properties, and a casino in Calgary is the first gaming venue to make the move towards GBAC STAR. Barrett explains that in the U.S., due likely in no small part to the higher case counts and rates of infection, things have gone even further. Entire cities are even starting to commit to becoming GBAC cities. He cites Dallas, Baltimore, and Columbus as examples and notes that up to around 20 cities are proclaiming that the majority of their facilities – hotels, bars, restaurants, museums, transportation hubs, stadiums, convention centres – will be GBAC-certified.

In many cases, they’re going as far as to fund the certifications. “I think those cities are trying to use ‘GBAC destination’ as a differentiator,” says

ISSA NEWS Barrett. “And I think it’s growing because of who is signing up. In New York, you’ve got the major transportation venues that have committed – LaGuardia, Kennedy – and the number one commercial office complex in New York, Hudson Yards.”

A “NO-BRAINER”

While large public-facing venues were the first to adopt the accreditation, it’s actually hotels that are the most numerous in the program because they’re so public-facing. The cost of accreditation varies notably by size – from $15,000 for huge facilities like airports

to just a few hundred dollars for restaurants and other smaller facilities – but the program is a “no-brainer” regardless, says Barrett.

“The cost of certification is so diminished compared to the benefits they receive. I think if people really understood the trade-off between the cost and the benefit, they’d go for it. It’ll just take time.”

For now, though, it’s certainly not a bad start in the push for a cleaner world.

For additional program details and information, please email Chuck Nervick at chuckn@mediaedge.ca or contact him at (416) 803-4653.

SETTING THE STAGE FOR INCREASED INDUSTRY RECOGNITION

By Tanja Nowotny ISSA Canada, has always been committed to the mandate of “changing the way the world views cleaning.” And, if there’s one positive to come out of this historic COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a new respect for the important role professional cleaners play not only in the health and safety of buildings, but also the people who are housed within them.

“The pandemic has certainly buried the needle when it comes to a raised awareness of facility cleanliness,” says ISSA Canada Executive Director Mike Nosko. “It has been a long time coming for professional cleaners to be placed in the spotlight for the important role they play in protecting human health. Whether it’s a hospital, commercial, industrial or institutional facility, a recreational complex, or any other facility where people work and visit, the cleaning profession has certainly proved just how essential it really is.”

Long before the pandemic took hold, ISSA had always been an advocate for the cleaning and maintenance industry, establishing top-notch educational programming and cleaning standards to help build a strong foundation and elevate the professionalism within the industry.

That has not changed today. In fact, when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, through its Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) Division, ISSA took immediate steps to once again arm the industry with the tools needed to combat this unseen enemy.

“It quickly became quite clear early on that disinfection was a key in the new fabric of standard cleaning practice,” Nosko explained. “That’s where the GBAC Fundamentals course came into play. The industry needed new cleaning protocols and training to deal with biohazards, and the GBAC Fundamentals course filled that need. It also provided front-line staff with the knowledge to deal with not only COVID-19, but other infectious diseases as well.”

With frontline teams readily becoming GBAC-Trained Technicians, ISSA set its sights on assisting facility owners and their in-house staff to establish a safe method of reopening by introducing the GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation program.

“It doesn’t matter what size or type of facility it is, GBAC STAR facility accreditation covers all the bases,” Nosko said. “By completing the program, facility owners are equipped with the tools they need to confidently establish and maintain a cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention program to minimize not only the current risks, but future ones as well.

We’re also so proud to be able to offer this outstanding program in all regions across Canada, as the program is available in both English and French.”

And the programming doesn’t stop there. Released in early December was the new GBAC STAR Services accreditation. Based on demand from the facility services sector, the Services program will assist building service contractors distinguish their cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention measures.

“With all the misinformation about cleaning and disinfection circulating all over the world, it is so important for BSCs to demonstrate their credibility,” Nosko said. “The GBAC STAR Services program provides this critical third-party validation, and differentiates these contractors from the others when it comes to implementing industryrecognized cleaning and disinfection practices.”

Although the focus in 2020 has understandably revolved around the pandemic and providing the industry with relevant tools to combat it, ISSA Canada has also remained focused on another one of its priority items – uniting all industry facets and providing a voice for the Canadian cleaning industry as a whole.

In addition to its Building Service Contractor (BSC) Council, ISSA Canada also established a Residential Cleaning Committee to better understand the needs of residential cleaners and support that sector through increased member programming and educational offerings.

In October, the healthcare housekeepers/environmental services sector also gained representation as the Ontario Healthcare Housekeepers Association (OHHA) merged with ISSA. With all the new programming and mergers announced over the past year, and many more to follow in the new year, it’s easy to see the impact ISSA has had when it comes increasing industry awareness. So has the association actually changed the way the world views cleaning?

“We may not have entirely changed the way the world views cleaning, but we certainly made a dent when it comes to industry recognition and respect,” Nosko says. “As many industries have experienced lay-offs and furloughs, our industry has managed to place renewed emphasis on cleaning as a viable and stable career option. I firmly believe the momentum we have generated in 2020 will definitely carry over into 2021, and probably continue to gain traction in years to come. That is the most exciting thing of all.”

Tanja Nowotny is Director of Marketing and Communications for ISSA Canada. www.REMInetwork.com / 7

SPONSORED CONTENT

BRUSHING UP ON BEST CLEANING PRACTICES Learning never ends for cleaning professionals. Whether new to the job or a veteran in the field, there are always benefits to brushing up on best practices or considering different techniques. This is especially true in a time when clean and disinfected environments are critical to public health and business continuity.

“It never hurts to take a step back and think ‘how can I do this more efficiently,’” agrees Melissa Balinsky, Manager with A.M.G. Medical. “Even after many years in the industry, I am constantly learning new techniques and approaches to cleaning. It’s what keeps me flexible, disciplined, and focused.”

Moreover, Balinsky adds, being open to new insights and advice helps individuals become stronger mentors or trainers: “When you’re in any job for a long time, tasks have a tendency to become automatic. Because of this, you may forget to pass along key pieces of wisdom to whoever you’re teaching.”

“Overall, when you keep an open mind and make an effort to stay sharp, everyone benefits.”

FIVE TIPS FOR ANY PROFESSIONALS Whether you’re a rookie to the team or a cleaning crew leader, here are tips and tactics that never get old. Ahead are five considerations for any cleaning professional.

1

Review your product: You may have

worked with the same cleaner or disinfectant for years, but it pays to re-visit your products and ensure you’re handling them right.

Product requirements can (and do) change or there may be new and improved ways to use them.

For example, Balinsky offers, “If you aren’t changing out your gloves, masks, or other personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by the product, you may be cross-contaminating

or putting yourself in harm's way. That’s why it never hurts to review the product's application instructions, check for factors like contact time, and double-check that you have the right materials in your cart to use it.”

2

Create a function chart. Function char ts outline all the cleaning/ maintenance tasks that need to be tackled in an environment, the reason they need to be done, and the products and tools required to do it.

“The goal of a function chart is to get everyone on the same page so nothing gets missed,” says Balinsky, “More importantly, though, it helps

cleaning professionals understand the importance of each task and why it deserves their full attention.”

For example, she adds, a function chart may include: Emptying: In any environment, it’s important to know what needs to be removed or temporarily taken out of the space while cleaning activities are taking place (e.g., garbage, bedpans, filters, drip trays, etc.).

Cleaning: This is the process of removing the dirt you can see, smell, and touch (e.g., dirt, spills, stains, etc.).

Disinfection: Cleaning only addresses what you can see. The next step is using disinfectants to get rid of the harmful germs (e.g., viruses, bacteria, etc.) you can't see. In a function chart, this step would include directions for what disinfectants to use, their required contact time (aka “dwell time”), required PPE, and the chemical interactions to avoid.

Replacement: What needs to be replaced, refilled, or topped up? This can include hand sanitizer stations, toilet paper, hand towels, hand soap dispensers, curtains, or plants that were removed at the beginning of the cleaning. When you know what needs to be replaced, you can equip your cart accordingly.

Closing. How will you leave the environment without undoing your good work? The goal of closing is to leave the space completely

SPONSORED CONTENT

“We all need to be helping each other learn and grow as professionals in this industry, which is why A.M.G. Medical prefers to take a more personal and consultative approach with our partners.”

A.M.G. Medical's Nocospray System provides a compact, portable, and easy-to-use disinfection system that prevents the spread of disease and deadly pathogens.

A map enables a quicker, more efficient clean.

A function chart will help teams remember easyto-miss tasks.

decontaminated and ready to be used again. It’s helpful to know how you will exit the space, how (or when) to discard your PPE, and what needs to be returned/reset.

the room in a way that reduces things that are missed or forgotten even when you are tired and/or stressed” There’s no need to make a sequence map overly-detailed or confusing; instead, make sure everyone in the space has a simple and easy-toread document they can refer to while on the job.

Most impor tant, keeping cleaning professionals at the top of their game means providing them the training, tools, and support they need to perform an increasingly critical role.

“This is the time for building expertise and collaboration,” agrees Balinsky. “We all need to be helping each other learn and grow as professionals in this industry, which is why A.M.G. Medical prefers to take a more personal and consultative approach with our partners. Sure, our role is to provide the right products, but we also want to be an ongoing partner when it comes to training and guiding our clients to achieve the best results.”

3

Think through your sequence. A

function chart will tell you what, why, and how to tackle an environment, but an effective sequence will ensure it's done right. Take a moment to consider how you’re moving through the environment, the order in which you’re cleaning items, how long you’re spending on each, and your closing steps. It’s important that any cleaning sequence is natural and easy to remember.

As Balinsky notes: “The goal is not to make your sequence dizzying, but create a flow that makes sense and builds momentum.”

4

Make a map: Going into a space with a pre-made sequence map/chart goes a long way towards promoting quick and efficient cleans. The goal of a map is not to control cleaning professionals, but to provide a tool that makes it easier to do their job successfully, and within the limited time they have.

“For example, it is a lot easier to know going into a space that if you continually walk clockwise, you will hit most – if not all – of the things you need to clean,” says Balinsky. “That map can also include visual cues that help you move through

5

Take a step back: The function chart and sequence map may look good on paper, but does it work in reality? It’s important to make sure plans are doable and easy-tofollow, either by testing them beforehand and/ or getting input from multiple stakeholders.

Some of these tips may sound like common sense, but it always pays to review the basics.

A.M.G. Medical Inc. is a Canadian-owned company focusing on the health of our valued customers. For more about A.M.G. products and services, please feel free to visit www.amgmedical.com or call 1-800-361-2210.

/ expert Q+A /

BUILDING SERVICE CONTRACTORS MOVE WITH THE TIMES DURING THE YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC Q+A: FC&M spoke to several members of ISSA Canada’s BSC Council about what it’s been like to provide vital services during 2020

by Tom Nightingale

B

uilding service contractors are a cornerstone of the cleaning and maintenance industry, offering a wide range of facilities vital cleaning, maintenance, expertise, and the assurance that they’re in good hands.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, that expertise has become even more vital at a time when the virus has placed a greater emphasis than perhaps ever before on cleaning, disinfection, and infection control.

The perception has shifted. No longer are commercial cleaning companies and janito-

rial services an “invisible force”; now, they are recognized as “guardians” of the industry and, to some extent, of public health.

The way that cleaning and maintenance precautions are communicated has changed, too. These days, everyone from a facility owner to a one-time visitor wants to know how they are being kept safe. It’s a key reason why programs like ISSA’s GBAC STAR accreditation have gained such renown in recent months: customer and public confidence is more integral than ever.

10 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

In 2020, BSCs have had to roll with the punches, adapt on the fly, and push their limits to keep up with the industry’s pace of change. With that in mind, we spoke to four members of ISSA Canada’s BSC Council about how 2020 has mapped out for their companies.

This article was written with the support and cooperation of ISSA Canada’s BSC Council. These responses from Council members have been edited for clarity and length.

/ expert Q+A /

Gavin Bajin

Michael Kroupa

Philippe Mack

What have been the main challenges faced by BSCs throughout 2020?

Michael Kroupa, United Services Group: The key challenge for BSCs has been making sense of the evolving government and public health guidelines and regulations. We’ve needed to procure Health Canada-approved products, sometimes at very short notice, and with the knowledge that there have been certain pivots to what is required. Finding labour at short notice to continue and step up the service we provide with respect to sanitization has also been a big test. The food and general merchandise retailers that United works with increased their janitorial hours for disinfecting stores, resulting in 800,000 additional hours spent year-to-date on disinfecting, and about 2,000 disinfection interventions when a facility has seen a positive COVID-19 case.

Another thing that shouldn’t be overlooked is that, particularly in the early months with the rush to provide

Tony Raposo

solutions, there was a growing number of companies that had not secured the proper training or knowledge of effective procedures.

Philippe Mack, Bee-Clean: If cleaning staff are not properly trained in safe disinfection procedures, they can easily use the wrong chemistry, causing unsafe chemical reactions (e.g., harmful vapours) and surface damage to fixtures and finishes.

With COVID-19’s spread, disinfecting surfaces were added to virtually all buildings regardless of their pre-pandemic need. Overnight traditional cleaning of buildings morphed into cleaning for the health and safety of occupants. With increased disinfection, clients saw cleaning costs and demand for chemistry, equipment, and PPE increase to levels unseen in our time. This, in turn, led to disruptions/delays in supply chains.

Gavin Bajin, ServiceMaster Clean: Time is certainly a variable in that re-

gard. In the beginning of the pandemic, the industry was all hands-on deck to just deliver some level of clean. There wasn’t necessarily a high level of understanding of how to mitigate the virus.

Then, with more people working from home, there was more time to reflect on how to respond when people returned to buildings.

Now, we’re in a more considered scenario. It’s really been about fostering a culture of education for our marketplace.

There’s been interesting cycles of panic and introspection, and ServiceMaster Clean has looked to try to help to bring a better level of understanding how to respond in times like these.

Tony Raposo, GDI Services Canada: It’s been tough to get scheduling right. As the different levels of restrictions changed, so did clients’ needs. Thankfully, GDI was able to stay stocked up on supplies and PPE thanks to our strong supply chain with our sister company, Superior Sany Solutions, which has proven to www.REMInetwork.com / 11

/ expert Q+A /

“It became a case of making sure we’re using our products in the right way to deliver the results that our customers expect. How do you empirically deliver a result that inspires confidence?”

be a big benefit to our internal team and our clients. The climate is getting easier to navigate now and the additional training we have been providing has really increased our pool of resources, for which we’re grateful.

How has your service pivoted because of the pandemic?

Kroupa: United has been working with Health Canada-approved disinfectants like ES15, and a major industry focus has been electrostatic sprayers and foggers.

We also created “Beyond Clean”, a sanitization and disinfecting program within Health Canada regulations, and an audit process to ensure compliance with regards to both public health and customers’ required protocols. Our new training programs ensure cleaners are working safely and following health and product usage guidelines, and all marketing materials’ wording had to be vetted by legal counsel. We also now require more documentation from our cleaners.

An interesting note has been that some of our contractual agreements had to be changed to protect United’s liabilities due to the sheer unknown factor the pandemic brings. These amendments focused on product, service, and process liabilities.

Bajin: For ServiceMaster Clean, it wasn’t so much a pivot as an expansion of our “right” cleaning activities. It became a case of making sure we’re using our products in the right way to deliver the results that our customers expect. How do you empirically deliver a result that inspires confidence?

We expanded to include disinfection and focus more on long-lasting fortification at the customer level. Many of these things were already a point of discussion but not taken so seriously. Now, we’re essentially delivering more on the same budget. We’ve also created a new program called the “Protect3 Advance Cleaning System” with an aim of bringing more understanding to cleaning, educating on the science behind our methods.

Mack: The increased risks required a risk prevention program. For example, if cleaning staff are not properly trained in safe disinfection procedures, they can easily cause unsafe chemical reactions like harmful vapours, as well as surface damage to fixtures and finishes.

It became apparent early that mitigating the speed of transmission was paramount if Bee-Clean wanted to continue to assist clients in keeping buildings safe. We rapidly developed an in-house custom online Health Check System designed to track daily health attestations from staff members

12 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

across the county to screen for any exposure risks.

In terms of client agreements, many migrated from fixed-fee contracts to fixed-fee/variable cost models, with the objective of continuing to build on the trust we have established with clients over the years and customizing our agreements and service plans.

Raposo: As well as procuring a wide variety of electrostatic sprayers to facilitate efficiency for larger jobs, GDI has continued to provide complimentary services to clients to support evolving needs.

We’ve also created a free, all-access online resource to help people understand the “new normal” for cleaning, “the New Era of Clean”.

Both our protocols and contracts have changed to some extent. Some buildings remain closed during the pandemic waves and as a result, contracts have had to be amended to meet the needs of facilities in their specific circumstances.

There has also, naturally, been increases to services with provisions for more frequent cleaning and sanitizing.

What trends have you noticed in the industry over the last eight months?

Kroupa: A core concern is that many products and services being offered in

/ expert Q+A /

the market are not necessarily within government and Health Canada guidelines. The rush to provide solutions meant testing has been lacking in some areas. Some best practices, certainly at first, were being overlooked, such as adhering to the necessary dwell time for a disinfectant.

Customers’ attitudes have also changed. They have understandably become extremely particular regarding cleaning protocols and they’re asking for more documentation like audits and more stringent liability clauses.

Mack: One of the major significant trends we are seeing is the increase in building vacancy rates due to working remotely. Many new service plans now include electrostatic and dry fogging and, in some situations, autonomous disinfection fogging robots.

Bajin: The flood of disinfectant products is notable; how many people are bringing out disinfectants. There’s also been an increased focus on the grade of disinfectant – how fast does it deliberately kill?

How long is the dwell time? That point alone is a massive focus of education.

Other trends have included, of course, electrostatic cleaning becoming much more prominent.

In terms of long term, this level of cleaning which has taken, say, 10 steps

forward is not likely to take much more than three or four steps back. This higher level of cleaning and disinfection should last in the long-term because so will the expectations of customers and the public.

Raposo: GDI has been thrilled to see that there has been a general increase in respect, acknowledgement, and support for the industry as whole. Additionally, we are seeing many clients understand and demand a “clean for health” philosophy, as opposed to pre-pandemic, when most programs were centered around cleaning “for appearance”.

What are you working towards in the immediate future in terms of a continued pandemic response?

Kroupa: In addition to continuing to strengthen audit and documentation processes, United is looking at developing new products and equipment which are technologically more advanced. We’re also further customizing services for a variety of sectors including long-term care, schools and educational institutions, and restaurants and hospitality. We will also focus on continual education for customers and training of employees and partners.

Mack: Property and facility managers are now the frontline to prevent contagion from shutting down their facilities — and cleaning for occupants’ health is their new charter. Now more than ever, we are being asked to anticipate client needs instead of being told. Bee-Clean’s National Pandemic Management Team (NPMT), activated in January 2020 on the advice of our operations team in China, will continue to foster strong relationships with clients and monitor situations worldwide to anticipate how to best support our clients in the future.

Raposo: We’re constantly staying on top of the latest regulations and the GDI team is focused on helping raise awareness of the importance of proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures and techniques, which is critical for health and wellbeing even beyond a pandemic. We’ll continue to try to best show the importance of communicating these efforts to tenants to provide them with reassurance and peace of mind, which is invaluable during these stressful times.

Bajin: Our focus will remain on education, both for our customers and the general public. Delivering peace of mind is a massive priority in 2020. People want to know they’re getting a higher level of protection for their space. That’s what BSCs are here to do. / www.REMInetwork.com / 13

SPONSORED CONTENT

The truth about Healthcare-associated infections.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients get while receiving treatment for medical or surgical conditions. Many HAIs are preventable.1 Where do they happen?

In the news.

Some infectious diseases that start in the community such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and COVID-19, the cause of the current pandemic, may also spread in healthcare facilities. 2

HAIs occur in all types of care settings, including acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgical centres, dialysis facilities, outpatient care facilities (e.g., physicians’ offices and healthcare clinics), and long-term care facilities (e.g., nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities).1 According to the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP), one in 217 patients acquired an infection while in hospital in 2017. While some HAIs were reduced over time, such as Clostridium difficile infections which were reduced by 25% from 2013 to 2017, other HAIs such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections increased by 25%. 3 Device-associated infections, such as ventilator-associated pneumonia, catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), surgical site infections (SSIs) associated with a prosthetic implant and central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSIs), accounted for 35.6% of all health care-associated infections in 2017.4

Common types of HAIs.

Prevention is critical.

Common types of HAIs include: 2

Environmental cleaning and disinfection is a critical strategy for HAI prevention. According to the Provincial Infectious Disease Advisory Committee (PIDAC), environmental cleaning in the healthcare setting must be performed on a routine and consistent basis to provide for a safe and sanitary environment.7

• Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) • Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) • Surgical site infections (SSI) • Clostridium difficile infections • Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections • Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections • Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections

The burden of HAIs. HAIs constitute a significant burden to society, as they cause significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients.

More than 200,000 patients are infected every year while receiving healthcare in Canada and estimates suggest that HAIs are linked to between 8,500 and 12,000 deaths per year, making these infections the fourth leading cause of death for Canadians (behind cancer, heart disease, and stroke). 5 Treatment costs for HAIs are high as the cost of containment and control of these outbreaks can really add up. 6 Additionally, after discharge, patients with HAIs have significantly higher personal medical costs than uninfected patients. They require more visits from community nurses, greater reliance on hospital outpatient and emergency services, and more visits to their family doctor. 2

Cleaning and disinfecting products must be approved by environmental services, infection prevention and control and occupational health and safety.7 Disinfectants must have Health Canada approval and should be compatible with surfaces, finishes, furnishings, items and equipment to be cleaned and disinfected.7 Additionally, they must be used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and be effective against the microorganisms encountered in the healthcare setting.7

Researchers estimated that about 70% of some types of HAIs could reasonably be prevented if infection prevention and control strategies are followed. 8 Make CloroxPro™ part of the process.

CloroxPro™ offers multiple Health Canada–registered disinfectants based on three categories of active disinfectant ingredients – quaternary ammonium compounds (or “quats”), chlorine releasing compounds (such as bleach), and peroxygen compounds (such as hydrogen peroxide), to help meet your healthcare facility’s unique needs.

Learn more, or request a product demo at CloroxPro.ca | healthcare@clorox.com References: 1. Healthcare-associated infections. Healthy People 2020. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/healthcare-associated-infections Accessed March 10, 2020. 2. Evaluation of healthcareassociated infection activities at the Public Health Agency of Canada 2012-13 to 2016-17. March 2018. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/corporate/transparency/corporate-management-reporting/ evaluation/HAI_evaluation-eng.pdf Accessed March 12, 2020. 3. Healthcare-associated infection rates in Canadian hospitals. Public Health Agency of Canada. Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP). https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/canada/public-health/services/publications/science-research-data/healthcare-associated-infection-rates-canadian-hospitals-infographic/CNISP-2013-2017-infographic-eng.pdf Accessed March 13, 2020. 4. Mitchell R, et al. Trends in healthcare-associated infections in acute care hospitals in Canada: An analysis of repeated point-prevalence surveys. CMAJ 2019;191(36):E981-8. 5. Health care associated infections: A backgrounder. Canadian Union of Public Employees, 2009. https://cupe.ca/sites/cupe/files/healthcare-associated-infections-cupe-backgrounder.pdf Accessed March 9, 2020. 6. Dik J-W H, et al. Cost-analysis of seven nosocomial outbreaks in an academic hospital. PLoS ONE 2016;11(2):e0149226. 7. Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario), Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee. Best practices for environmental cleaning for prevention and control of infections in all health care settings. 3rd ed. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2018. 8. The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the state of public health in Canada 2013: Infectious Disease – The Never-ending Threat. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/migration/phac-aspc/cphorsphc-respcacsp/2013/assets/pdf/2013-eng.pdf Accessed March 16, 2020.

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PROTECTING WORKPLACES FROM A “TWINDEMIC” In the second wave of the pandemic, business owners and facility managers must be unprecedentedly vigilant about protecting workplaces

by Gavin Bajin

16 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

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T

he flu season has always been a concern for businesses. Workplaces are overtaken by illness that seems to hit one or more team members at a time, leaving them short-staffed and under-productive. With flu season fast approaching, there is growing concern among health professionals of a “twindemic” — an overlap of the annual f lu season and a resurgence of COVID-19 cases this fall and winter.

Now, with the second wave of the pandemic seemingly in full swing in certain areas of the country, business owners and facility managers need to be more vigilant than ever before about protecting workplace occupants.

While both influenza and COVID-19 cause respiratory disease, knowing more about their similarities and differences and how each can spread will help to implement the necessary measures to protect against virus outbreaks and transmission in commercial facilities.

SIMILARITIES

• Both viruses are predominantly spread via respiratory droplets or contaminated surfaces, so physical distancing policies designed to limit COVID-19 transmission are also effective against inf luenza.

• The same public health measures, such as hand hygiene and good respiratory etiquette, are important actions that everyone must follow to prevent the outbreak and transmission of either virus.

• From a scientific perspective, both the inf luenza and COVID-19 viruses are categorized as enveloped viruses, meaning that the individual viral cell has an outer wrapping or envelope.

DIFFERENCES

• Inf luenza has a shorter incubation period (the time from infection to appearance of symptoms) and a shorter serial interval (the time between successive cases).

• Most people with inf luenza are contagious for about 1 day before they

show symptoms and during the initial 3-4 days of illness (but many remain contagious for about 7 days).

With COVID-19, however, it is possible for people to be infectious about 2 days before symptoms appear and to remain contagious for at least 10 days after. Also, with COVID-19, if someone is asymptomatic or their symptoms go away, it is still possible for them to remain contagious for at least 10 days after testing positive.

• COVID-19 is more contagious than

f lu and can quickly and easily spread to a lot of people and result in continuous spreading as time progresses.

• While the range of symptoms for the two viruses is similar, the fraction resulting in severe disease is higher with COVID-19 than with flu infection.

• There are multiple vaccines produced annually to protect against the 3 or 4 f lu virus strains that scientists anticipate will circulate each year, but currently, there is no approved vaccine to prevent COVID-19. www.REMInetwork.com / 17

/ infection prevention & control /

from a few hours to potentially days.

As enveloped viruses, both the f lu virus and the COVID-19 virus are relatively fragile, so standard cleaning and disinfecting practices should be sufficient to remove or kill them. The key is to clean and disinfect regularly.

Clean, disinfect, and fortify hightouch surfaces Professional commercial cleaning and disinfecting of “high-touch” surfaces and objects is essential. Germs and viruses are spread by human touch, so any surfaces and objects in the work environment that are often interacted with require frequent cleaning and sanitizing.

These areas include computer keyboards, phones, door handles, faucet taps, banisters, desks, countertops — anywhere that frequent human contact occurs that can contribute to the spread of infectious disease. Depending on the traffic in your workplace, high-touch areas should be cleaned and disinfected 3-4 times a day, if possible.

This cleaning frequency may not be achievable for some, so it is highly recommended that the application of an antimicrobial surface protectant by a professional commercial cleaning company be considered. These antimicrobial protectants create an inhospitable environment for microbes and protect surfaces between routine cleaning and disinfection. Evidence-based studies conducted by independent laboratories, including peer-reviewed studies in the American Journal of Infection Control, support the protection claims of residual antimicrobial products. Once application and drying are complete, residual antimicrobials add a layer of protection to help prevent contaminants from adhering to the surface.

SOME TIPS FOR PROTECTING YOUR WORKPLACE

There is no doubt that there is heightened concern regarding the infection risk for both COVID-19 and the f lu as businesses continue to return to work.

The following outlines some simple but effective guidelines that will help protect workplaces:

Routine cleaning and disinfecting The key to preventing the spread of infectious disease in commercial spaces is to maintain a thorough and consistent daily cleaning and disinfecting routine. It is not yet known how long COVID-19 lives on surfaces, but early evidence suggests that like the f lu virus, it can live on objects and surfaces

18 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

Remove waste regularly It’s important to empty and sanitize wastebaskets daily because personal items such as tissues and paper towels can harbour bacteria, germs, and viruses.

Vacuum and clean carpets Regular vacuuming and deep cleaning of carpets helps reduce the spread of germs,

/ infection prevention & control /

viruses, and pathogens, and improves the indoor air quality in your facility — especially important when dealing with airborne respiratory infections.

Keep office chairs and upholstered furniture clean Ensure that office chairs and upholstered furniture are regularly cleaned and disinfected. Upholstered furniture can also hold bacteria and viruses and therefore requires deep cleaning and anti-bacterial fabric protection on a regular basis.

ADDITIONAL WORKPLACE PROTOCOLS

Heightened cleaning and disinfection schedules will only work if additional workplace protocols are followed: • Remind employees of the importance of staying home if they are sick; send home employees who show symptoms of illness.

• Emphasize that washing hands often with soap and water is one of the best ways to avoid transmission of emerg-

ing pathogens. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60% alcohol.

• Implement work-from-home protocols for your employees whenever possible.

• Encourage respiratory etiquette (e.g., coughing into one’s elbow, immediately disposing of used tissues) and hand hygiene by all employees.

• Provide disposable alcohol-based wipes for employees to clean and disinfect commonly used or hightouch surfaces between uses.

• Advise employees to follow safe travel protocols.

• Mandate that employees who are not ill but who have family members with COVID-19 must notify their

supervisor and other employees in the workplace.

A FINAL WORD

Remember that infection control in the workplace begins with thorough cleaning followed by disinfecting with products approved by Health Canada. It is imperative that label directions and Health Canada guidelines are followed carefully. Facility management teams with questions about cleaning and infection control are advised to seek advice from a professional commercial cleaning service.

A professional office cleaning company can help business owners and facility managers develop a healthy workplace program that will keep their facility clean, safe, and healthy during this flu and COVID-19 “twindemic”. /

Gavin Bajin is the national director for ServiceMaster Clean, Canada. He and his team support 70 franchises, delivering janitorial, commercial carpet cleaning, disinfection services and specialty cleaning services from coast to coast.

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FUTURE-PROOFING CLEANING FOR THE NEW NORMAL The present is painful for property and facility managers, but we must keep looking ahead

by Rob Scott

20 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

/ infection prevention & control /

C

OVID-19 is a health tragedy that is likely to become even more tragic than the 1.6 million global deaths so far.

Businesses must find ways to safely re-engage during the pandemic or economic disaster will exacerbate the pain of illness and loss of life. Property and facility managers are at the forefront of that push as they operate the buildings businesses live in.

This operational burden brings even more concern as unknown legal liabilities may fall onto property and facility managers in the future, leaving them to ask, “how much and what should be done to protect occupants from COVID-19 inside buildings?”

THE INEVITABLE FUTURE

No one can predict the next pandemic, when it will arrive, or in what form, yet it is certain there will be another one in the future. While property and facility managers are learning risk mitigation on the fly, the solutions being developed today will become the new normal against the next infectious contagion.

COVID-19 has been and will continue to be unequal and unfair in its economic impacts. The financial costs of pandemic protection may be exceedingly high for non-essential businesses who suffer through lockdowns and lost customers — while essential businesses ride an unexpected wave of high demand, revenue, and profits.

This financial bias will impact property and facility managers’ budgets and their range of affordable solutions. Combine this with uncertain legal liability, and property and facility managers are between the proverbial rock and hard place.

THE PURPOSE OF CLEANING HAS CHANGED

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. Almost immediately, lockdowns and stay-at-home orders began everywhere. From that point in time, the world changed for property and facility managers: Traditional cleaning of buildings metamorphosed into cleaning for the health and safety of occupants.

FIGHTING THIS BATTLE IN PREPARATION FOR THE WAR

It has been a colossal challenge to slow infections because the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 spreads more easily than the flu. And while everyone awaits vaccinations and new therapeutics, behaviours have not modified enough to completely flatten the curve of infections. The virus rapidly spreads.

Property and facility managers are now the frontline to prevent contagion from shutting down their buildings — and cleaning for occupants’ health is their new charter.

Killing COVID-19, from a cleaning perspective, is relatively simple to do. Not easy, but simple. Simple because the chemistry to kill this virus has been around for years, if not decades.

And the CDC’s process for “Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility” is straightforward using EPA certified disinfectants from its List N: Disinfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19). The EPA expects all List N products to kill the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) when used according to the label directions.

Despite the ease of killing COVID-19, property and facility managers have been inundated with evolving guidance and www.REMInetwork.com / 21

/ infection prevention & control /

“The opportunity of the moment, born out of tragedy, is to future-proof cleaning against the next pandemic.”

direction since the outbreak became a pandemic. Throughout these changes, cleaning for health and safety has been and remains the way forward to full and safe building occupancy.

OPPORTUNITIES TO FUTURE-PROOF CLEANING

The cleaning requirement of the moment is to fight COVID-19. The opportunity of the moment, born out of tragedy, is to futureproof cleaning against the next pandemic.

Now is the time to do both.

For property and facility managers, there are several key areas to focus on, such as reconfiguring cleaning specifications for health and safety and validating competencies with respect to technical expertise and individual skills.

RECONFIGURE CLEANING SPECIFICATIONS FOR HEALTH & SAFETY

Future-proofing cleaning against pandemics means altering specifications in a number of ways, some subtle and some with potential for unintended, negative consequences.

The following, though not an exhaustive list, outlines considerations where cleaning specifications can be better used to fight this and future pandemics.

RECOGNIZING DISINFECTION IS A 2ND STEP AFTER CLEANING

Prior to this pandemic, disinfecting surfaces was a standard specification when cleaning sensitive spaces, such as healthcare facilities, food production, cleanrooms, etc. Now, with COVID-19’s spread, disinfecting surfaces have been added to virtually all buildings regardless of their pre-pandemic need. Office properties, retail buildings, public transit, arenas, convention centres, etc. are now including disinfecting in their cleaning specifications.

This new disinfection reality adds a second step to the cleaning process. And this brings challenges that can be overcome but only by addressing them with cleaning contractors/inhouse teams before revising cleaning specifications.

For example, if cleaning staff are not properly trained in safe disinfection procedures, they can easily use the wrong chemistry causing unsafe chemical reactions (e.g. harmful vapours), and surface damage to fixtures and finishes (e.g. bleach used on leather furniture). Also, when adding disinfection tasks, cleaning costs rise, demand for PPE skyrockets, and disruptions/delays can occur in disinfectant and equipment supply chains.

INCREASING DISINFECTION FREQUENCIES & VISIBILITY

The most common cleaning response to the pandemic is to increase the frequency of disinfecting common areas (e.g., lobbies, restrooms, elevators, etc.). Typically, this is done during business hours by cleaners wiping touchpoints (door handles, elevator buttons, handrails, etc.) with disinfectant, and moving disinfecting from a weekly to a daily cadence, often several times a day, to become an almost continuous activity.

Besides reducing surface contamination and the potential spread of illnesses, daytime disinfection provides a visual signal to building occupants that property and facility managers are making their workplace safer.

Other frequency adjustments can include increased nighttime fogging and/ or electrostatic application of disinfectant.

This high-volume application can cover larger areas faster, reach further into spaces, and coat multiple sides of touchpoints, objects, and fixtures.

This disinfection must be done at night or non-business hours to avoid the risk of occupants inhaling disinfectant. Cleaners

22 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

are protected during this disinfectant application by wearing the appropriate PPE that includes face masks.

RECONFIGURING NON-DAILY, IN-SCOPE TASKS TO “AS NEEDED”

Cleaning budgets need to be reconfigured to make room for disinfection and decontamination, while hoping to stay near overall pre-pandemic levels. The goal of shrinking normal cleaning and adding disinfection will still likely increase spending, but today it is a worthwhile exercise, regardless of the outcome.

Reconfiguration can be done by moving less frequent tasks (formerly in-scope) to “on-demand” at the request of property and facility managers.

First, review all annual, semi-annual, and quarterly cleaning tasks in the annual budget or contract, such as sweeping stairwells, high vent cleaning, dusting blinds, stripping, and refinishing hard surface floors, interior and exterior window cleaning, etc.

These are any and all tasks not done daily or weekly.

Then, identify a group of tasks and remove them from the budgeted scope, placing them outside the fixed spend. Where using building service contractors (BSCs), this means amending cleaning contracts and getting individual pricing for “on-demand” tasks. With inhouse departments, budgets may have to be reforecast.

And there are potential negatives to consider with reconfiguration (a.k.a. deferred cleaning), such as impairing building aesthetics and the image of cleanliness and requiring more time for property and facility managers to oversee cleanliness, frequently revisit budgets, and request “on-demand” cleaning tasks.

Lastly, it is important for property and facility managers to note that reconfiguration doesn’t entirely remove costs. It merely provides f lexibility for

/ infection prevention & control /

when to incur the expense of an individual cleaning task. “On-demand” tasks that are requested will add costs back into the total overall spend.

“The immediacy of cleaning workplaces raised questions for facility managers.”

VALIDATE COMPETENCIES: TECHNICAL EXPERTISE & INDIVIDUAL SKILLS

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, BSCs and inhouse departments were instantly tasked with becoming disinfection experts of an unknown pathogen. They scrambled to acquire enough supplies and equipment to fulfill new disinfection services. Success varied wildly — with some hitting stride immediately, some starting slowly and then coming up to speed, and others consistent failures. Not every disinfection service provider delivered as hoped.

The “newness” and immediacy of cleaning workplaces against COVID-19 raised questions for property and facility managers, such as “is this cleaning making my space safe?” and “do these cleaners know how to disinfect correctly?”

To answer these questions requires validation of competencies. This is where third-party and/or industry certifications help provide a level of confidence. Consider, for example, ISSA’s GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation in outbreak prevention, response, and recovery for staff and buildings, or the GBAC Fundamentals Online Course: Cleaning & Disinfection Principles.

FUTURE-PROOFING PRESENT

IS

DONE

IN

THE

The time to future-proof cleaning, fight the current pandemic, and prepare for the next pandemic is now. There is a lot to accomplish at one time, but that is the challenge for property and facility managers, and counter-intuitively, it is also opportunity of the moment. /

Rob Scott holds a Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Alberta. He is the Executive Vice President for Bee-Clean Building Maintenance in Western Canada and co-chairs its National Pandemic Management Team.

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MEASURING THE LIFESPAN OF CORONAVIRUS ON SURFACES Understanding COVID-19’s potency is key to battling it

by Drew Bunn 24 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

/ infection prevention & control /

A

s we continue to make our way through this pandemic, we are learning more and more about it.

For instance, we are learning how to treat people who have come down with COVID-19, and we’re also finding out more about the lifespan of coronavirus.

What may be good news, especially for those of us in the professional cleaning industry as well as facility management, is that we are learning that the virus may not live on surfaces as long as we first believed.

LIFESPAN OF CORONAVIRUS

Back in May 2020, Canada’s CTV News reported that “based on existing research from the New England Journal of Medicine and government agencies,” the lifespan of the virus on various surfaces is as follows: Cardboard: one day Copper: about four hours, as copper is a natural antimicrobial surface Plastic: three days Stainless steel: more than three days.

Other studies have found that the coronavirus can live on glass for as much as four days; on wood for two days; and even as long as four days on paper.

However, these numbers are being called into question. This is because a recent study, published in the medical journal, The Lancet, suggests these early studies were conducted in laboratories using large samples of the virus on test surfaces, but “none of these studies present scenarios akin to real-life situations.”

Based on his own testing, using what would be more typical, real-life situations, the author of the report, Emanuel Goldman, PhD, a professor of microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular genetics at the New Jersey Medical School of Rutgers University, stated that, in his opinion, the chance of transmission through inanimate surfaces is very small, and only occurs in instances when an infected person has coughed or sneezed on the surface and someone else touches that surface within one or two hours of the cough or sneeze.

Further, according to Dean Blumberg, MD, chief of pediatric infectious diseases

at UC Davis Children’s Hospital (California), “You’d need a unique sequence of events. First, someone would need to get a large enough amount of the virus on a surface to cause infection. Then, the virus would need to survive long enough for you to touch that surface and get some on your hands. Then, without washing your hands, you’d have to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.”

OTHER LIFESPAN FACTORS TO CONSIDER

Measuring how long coronavirus lives on surfaces and how long it can still spread the disease can get complicated. For instance, it can live longer on indoor surfaces than outdoor surfaces. Sunlight can impact the lifespan, as can moisture, heat, and cold, all of which make measuring the virus’s lifespan—and gauging its potential to spread COVID-19—difficult to answer precisely.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR CLEANING PROFESSIONALS AND BUILDING MANAGERS

After the 2003 SARS epidemic in Hong Kong, many people said you could smell bleach throughout the city. This was because bleach was used on just about everything and anything, to help stop the spread of the disease.

There was panic, which caused a kneejerk reaction, resulting in the overuse of bleach. Later, it was found that SARS, as we are learning now with COVID-19, is most frequently spread from inhalation, not by touching contaminated surfaces.

However, that knee-jerk reaction was repeated today with COVID-19. As soon as the pandemic hit our shores, there was a rush by both consumers and cleaning professionals to purchase as many disinfectants as possible.

Shortages were common.

Soon, different types of disinfecting systems, including electrostatic sprayers and UV lights, were selected to kill the virus in facilities.

While these systems are not new, they have never been used so extensively on surfaces before the arrival of the pandemic.

However, what we are finding now, several months into the pandemic, is two particularly important things.

First, in all too many cases, there has been an overuse of disinfectants, which, while they have proved their value in protecting health, can also be harmful to the user as well as building users when used in such large quantities. In fact, in the U.S., disinfectants are categorized as “pesticides.” Their purpose is to kill living things, which means they must be used with considerable care.

Second, disinfectants simply may not be necessary. If these doctors are correct and the virus only lives for a very brief time on surfaces and would require a ” unique sequence of events” to contract the virus from a surface, then all that may be necessary is effective cleaning of surfaces.

Backing this up is a statement from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control which notes that normal cleaning with soap and water will decrease how much of the virus is on surfaces and objects, which reduces the risk of exposure.

However, we must be careful. If “normal” cleaning refers to mops and cleaning cloths, we may be asking for trouble.

We know these cleaning tools quickly become saturated with pathogens as they are used and can spread disease. What ISSA, the worldwide cleaning association, calls “spray and vac,” or “no-touch” cleaning, gently but effectively pressure washes surfaces and fixtures without the use of mops or cleaning cloths, to help eliminate this danger.

Does our discussion mean we should stop using disinfectants? Not necessarily. What we should do is use them more responsibly, realizing that effective cleaning may be all that is required. /

Drew Bunn is Canadian Director of Sales for Kaivac Canada, manufacturers of professional cleaning tools and equipment engineered to help protect health and stop the spread of infection.

www.REMInetwork.com / 25

/ cover story /

HIGH-OCTANE HOUSEKEEPING Running the cleaning and maintenance show at Toronto’s prestigious Granite Club is no mean feat

by Tom Nightingale

N

estled on the edge of the Bridle Path district of north Toronto is a sprawling, 40,000 sq. ft. complex that is – in normal years, at least – home to a veritable hive of activity.

The Granite Club boasts a long-established reputation as one of North America’s leading family, athletic, social, and recreational clubs. The prestige has been reflected in its growing membership over its multitude of decades of existence since its formation in 1875, just eight years after Canada became the country we know it today. The Club moved to its current home on Bayview Avenue near the Don Valley in 1972 on a purpose-built 22-acre site. As one would expect for a venue rooted at its current home for the last half-century, various amendments and additions have been made since.

These days, the Club offers a range of high-class amenities to its members.

There’s a variety of state-of-the-art athletics, recreation, and fitness facilities and programs. Schools of both music and dance are hosted on-site. Language, art, and photography classes are available to study.

26 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

Events, including weddings, corporate events, seminars, and social occasions are regularly held within the walls, and there are myriad dining options.

All in all, the Club describes itself as “a home away from home” for its members.

That extensive set-up as a premier, all-inone facility naturally requires a great deal of maintenance to retain its own high standards. These days, McDowell’s 52-person housekeeping team (made up of 47 staff members and five supervisors) is responsible for everything from janitorial to laundry and locker room services. Some of the numbers involved are pretty huge. In its laundry duties, for instance, the department processes an average of over 6,400 lb. of linens every day and looks after some 4750 lockers. It’s truly a gargantuan effort.

As housekeeping manager, Yamire McDowell is the person charged with overseeing that mammoth operation.

AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD

McDowell’s own history is a fascinating one. She moved to Canada from Cuba in 1980 with her parents and brother in

www.REMInetwork.com / 27

/ cover story /

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YAMIRE MCDOWELL (BACK ROW, FAR LEFT) AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT AT TORONTO’S GRANITE CLUB

search, as she puts it, of a better life. She attended the Toronto School of Business to complete the accounting degree she had started at university back home. She was soon diverted onto another path due to the necessity for the whole family to work to make their relocation successful.

McDowell took a job doing janitorial work after school hours. “One night became another night, that became a week, and so forth,” she tells FC&M. She decided to focus her career on the housekeeping industry as she could see a world of long-term opportunities. She was right, as since then, she has gone on to become a four-decade veteran of the cleaning and maintenance operations industry.

The founder of a building services provider, McDowell has been responsible for designing programs and services for buildings in all markets, including many renowned Canadian addresses. One of them was the Granite Club, which used to contract its housekeeping services. Along with her colleagues, McDowell moved in-house at the Club in the year 2000 and she has been there ever since, becoming a critically valued member of the staff and the chief of housekeeping.

“EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED”

As with so many facilities, things have

changed dramatically in the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Granite Club has not seen normal operations since initially closing on March 15. Some members still come and go, though McDowell notes it depends on directives and advice from the provincial and municipal governments and sport governing bodies. It has required her department to be able to adapt on the fly and think on its feet.

“Everything has changed,” McDowell says. “It’s completely different to what we used to do.”

As has been seen in numerous facilities, from gyms to multi-tenant offices and many in between, airtight scheduling is key.

“There used to be open doors – members could come in and use whatever area of the Club they wanted to use,” McDowell explains. “Now, when we are allowed to open an area, members must pre-book their activity, anything from using a machine in the gym to a haircut.”

Once a member’s activity comes to an end, McDowell’s team steps in. A quick and – far more importantly – thorough turnover is needed. It didn’t used to be the case even 10 months ago but now, of course, it’s society’s new normal, and it doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.

An expert industry veteran like McDowell is far from fazed, though. “It all comes

28 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

down to finding better ways of doing whatever we have to do,” she notes effervescently.

Things, thankfully, have become a little easier as the months have gone on, McDowell says. But she emphasizes it wasn’t exactly stress-free in the early months. Her team had to be trained efficiently and thoroughly in small groups in the new processes and protocols and meet new standards.

“That was a chore and was quite stressful at first with the pace at which everything was changing,” she concedes.

“100% SUPPORT”

A common element throughout McDowell’s discussions and recounting of the year that has gone by is her emphasis on how supportive her manager and the top of the Granite Club’s hierarchy were right from the outset. Without that, she notes graciously, things may have been different.

But while she sings the praises of the Club’s management, it’s no exaggeration to say that her own professional expertise and experience also played an extremely significant role.

“I’ve been in the industry for quite some time, so I had experience of SARS some years ago,” she explains. SARS, of course, was another respiratory virus that travelled from China to Canada – incidentally, at almost exactly the same time of year back in

/ cover story / 2003. Canada was hit worse than any other nation outside of Asia and the crisis sparked review of various healthcare measures and best practices.

Before COVID-19, SARS was the modern-day archetype of how bad things can get when an infection spreads. The new strain, though, SARS-CoV-2, has blown that epidemic out of the water around the world to an extent that has far surpassed all but the most pessimistic predictions.

Without McDowell’s foresight, things at the Granite Club may have been very different.

“With SARS,” she explains unassumingly, “I had experienced how difficult it was to get hold of anything like hand sanitizers, disinfectants, masks and wipes and all of those essential supplies.” Come February 2020, McDowell notes that things were looking serious with the burgeoning COVID-19 outbreak in Asia. She did not delay, asking her manager Joanne Hogg, the Club’s assistant general manager, for an increase to the housekeeping budget and the go-ahead to push for extra supplies to be brought to the Club. Those requests were granted, as was another budget expansion to allow for increased staffing when Canada’s first presumptive positive case was announced. “We are lucky that here at the Granite Club, they were in a position to support us in that.”

The Club bought generous supplies of those aforementioned essentials and “all the equipment we needed then or reasonably thought we might need.” That set them up nicely when, in mid-March, the first shutdown came to Toronto. McDowell notes, somewhat reflectively, that those measures took a lot of the stress out of her team’s dayto-day operation. Once again, she hammers home that they were fortunate. “We received 100% support from the membership and senior management to do whatever we thought we needed to do to prepare. That made it easier on the housekeeping department and myself. We were lucky.” She repeats that final sentiment.

A RENEWED FOCUS

Good fortune notwithstanding, all in all it was a situation well-managed by the Club, McDowell, and her team, and that stands them in good stead going forward.

“We feel we are very well set up to face whatever is coming next,” suggests McDowell, although she pauses to note the near-impossibility of predicting what hap-

“With SARS, I had experienced how difficult it was to get hold of anything like hand sanitizers, disinfectants, masks and wipes and all of those essential supplies.” pens down the line. “Every day is something different. But we know what we’re doing, particularly by this stage.”

She adds that, hearteningly, the strides in awareness of proper cleaning and infection control practices that have come since spring only served to highlight that the products her team uses are effective. She cites a long and healthy relationship with her suppliers, including Swish Maintenance and GT French, and the quality of their solutions.

The Club has been working in partnership with those companies, McDowell estimates, for 15 or 20 years. The close relationship paid dividends during the pandemic.

“We have an excellent relationship with them, they’re good companies,” she says approvingly. “They always provide help, support, and guidance on the right practices, products, and protocols and they had the proper supplies and support when the pandemic arrived.”

One thing that has changed, she admits, is that her team has become more aware of the pitfalls of infection. Like many companies – indeed, like most of us altogether – there was a certain tendency to take some things for granted before 2020, because it was so easy to do so. Now, McDowell notes,

every time they buy a cleaner or a disinfectant, they double down on the research and the testing. “That’s definitely the core change that has come out of this.”

It has been an industry-wide change, but one McDowell and the Granite Club are not taking lightly. /

ISSA BSC COUNCIL BENEFITS McDowell says the importance of the Granite Club’s membership to ISSA Canada’s BSC Council is best summed up with one word: knowledge.

“That’s the main benefit for us. As a private club, we don’t necessarily know what’s going on out there in the “real world” – what the wider industry has to go through in dealing with property management.

We don’t face all the same issues that lots of companies face. So ISSA and the Council offers us the chance to learn and gain knowledge that otherwise we wouldn’t get. It’s very valuable.” www.REMInetwork.com / 29

CLEANING WITHIN THE NHL BUBBLE Scandinavian Building Services rises to the challenge of keeping the NHL Western Conference bubble clean, safe, and healthy

by Tanja Nowotny

T

he coronavirus pandemic swept into Canada in early 2020 with a ferocity that brought the country to a grinding halt. With many individuals out of work and hope of a return to normalcy quickly diminishing, hockey fans across the country

rejoiced with news that the National Hockey League (NHL) would resume play, and a Stanley Cup champion would be awarded.

And all this on Canadian soil.

Thanks to an effective plan unrolled by the NHL, and the expertise of the team at

30 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

Scandinavian Building Services to bring this plan to fruition, hockey within the Edmonton, AB, bubble was set for success.

“The NHL created a world-class standard and wanted a world-class facility, and that’s what they had with Rogers Place,” said

Scandinavian President and CEO, Russell Hay. “It wasn’t just about the look and feel of the centre, but cleanliness was obviously one of the major points. We were certainly prepared to rise to the challenge and ensure that world-class standards were not only met, but surpassed.”

The cleaning and sanitization of sports and entertainment complexes wasn’t anything new for Scandinavian. In fact, after Hay’s father, Terry, purchased the company in 1982, he won the bid to clean Edmonton’s Northlands Coliseum, a complex he serviced for 20 years.

“Over the past 30 years, we took that 20-year experience from Northlands Coliseum and developed our proprietary quality assurance program,” Hay said.

“That’s how we were selected by Rog-

ers Place. They knew we were an Edmonton-based company with extensive experience in similar facilities across the country, and they were passionate about revitalizing downtown Edmonton. We were behind that revitalization 100 per cent, so there was a great synergy there.”

But it wasn’t just Rogers Place that Scandinavian was responsible for. In fact, the bubble comprised of not only the arena but the neighbouring hotels and outside recreational facilities as well.

“The bubble encompassed a threeblock radius around Rogers Place, and included three hotels and a large plaza area where players and support staff could lounge and relax on their offtime,” said Scandinavian Northern Alberta Regional Director, Dino Dinicola.

“These three blocks were cordoned off to the public and were patrolled by 24-hour security.”

In addition to Rogers Place arena and the surrounding area, Scandinavian was also responsible for the nearby Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre, which provided a practice facility for the teams housed in the bubble. Although it was 20 minutes away from the downtown venue, the Terwillegar complex was treated as its own separate bubble.

According to Scandinavian Operations Manager, Alex Aguilar, there were four phases of the NHL protocol to successfully unroll the 2020 playoff schedule. “There were strict rules developed by the NHL, and we had to develop our protocols to be in line with theirs,” Aguilar said. www.REMInetwork.com / 31

/ spotlight /

The first phase was to develop an understanding of the requirements and adapt them to company protocols. The second phase was the introduction of the players, support staff, technicians, and Scandinavian’s cleaning team into the bubble. Phase three was when the players started utilizing the facilities and consisted of strict protocols that had to be followed. The final phase occurred when the play-offs actually began.

“Phase four saw games and practices occurring daily,” said Dinicola. “There were a lot of moving parts as far as people moving from space to space, as well as all the activity that was happening day-to-day.”

With the responsibility of cleaning a world-class facility, Scandinavian was well prepared and selected a world-class cleaning crew well before the start of

32 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

phase one. The credentials of each staff member were provided to the NHL, and it was only those team members who were allowed entry once play resumed.

“When we realized the bubble was coming to Edmonton and we were going to be cleaning it, we took the pandemic cleaning protocols we had already established and adapted them to the NHL’s requirements,” Hay explained. “We then trained not only our professional cleaners who were directly involved within the bubble but the entire Scandinavian team across the country. We have 6000+ staff, and it was all hands on deck.”

Not only was training provided in person, with participants wearing masks and practicing social distancing, but the company also provided extensive online video training and video conference calls to prepare and educate the entire team.

The Scandinavian crew within the main bubble comprised of 20 cleaners during the day and 50 at night. The Terwillegar site was a smaller venue and comprised of four cleaners during the day and 10 at night. Although the team of 84 was not mandated to remain on-site at all times, there were strict rules which had to be followed, including not being able to work at any other site outside of the bubble.

Additionally, in an effort to protect against potential contamination, all-day team members — due to their proximity to the players and support staff — were required to undergo daily testing, while the night crew were tested on alternate days.

When it came to the physical cleaning of the facilities, the Scandinavian team was prepared to tackle the monumental task at hand. According to Dinicola, at one point, there were 12 NHL teams (and approximately 700 people) within the bubble, as well as five active practice rinks in operation, so time management became a critical priority.

According to Aguilar, once a team vacated a dressing room, the day crew were given 20 minutes to go in and manually clean the dressing rooms, offices, and bathrooms before the next team was scheduled to arrive. Day cleaning consisted of manually sanitizing all areas and high-touch points, while the deep cleaning and disinfection processes were conducted during the night.

/ spotlight /

“It meant so much to the industry and all of our frontline workers when the Prime Minister thanked them on national television.”

When it came to products and equipment, Scandinavian opted for Oxivir TB for manual disinfection procedures, and Oxivir Plus for electrostatic fogging using Victory backpack sprayers. Additionally, the company also utilized the Clorox 360 system of chemicals and sprayers.

All of the systems utilized had to be inline with NHL protocols.

“The equipment and chemicals we utilized weren’t used every day, and trying to get Oxivir TB during COVID-19 was no easy feat. Clorox 360 products were also difficult to procure,” Hay said. “Fortunately, we were very pro-active from the start, and ordered electrostatic sprayers for use across the country, not to mention a stockpile of 50-gallon drums of Oxivir. We were able to work with our suppliers and manufacturers and obtain enough stock to last the entire length of the bubble.”

Manufactured by Diversey, Oxivir TB was the disinfectant of choice because of its exceptional one-minute dwell/ kill time, which is currently the industry’s top standard. In conjunction with a microfibre system, this Oxivir TB was used to disinfect all high-touch areas and surfaces. The Clorox 360 electrostatic sprayers provided further deep cleaning and disinfection to all surfaces.

“When you only have 20 minutes to clean, you’ve got to get in and out very quickly,” Hay said. “You can electrostatic spray everything, but you also have to make sure you’re cleaning all the toilets and sinks. The beauty of the electrostatic spray is that it doesn’t leave a residue so everything in the dressing room could be sprayed. Obviously, when we sprayed the mirrors, we would have to go back and ensure they were spot-free. Together, these two processes allowed us to effec-

tively ensure that everything was clean and disinfected for the next team coming in.”

When it came to challenges during the bubble experience, Hay said there were many. “I didn’t understand the definition of “pivot” but now I do, and I can really appreciate the word itself,” he said. “It wasn’t just with Rogers Place, but things were changing so rapidly every day.

In addition to keeping up with the protocols, there was the matter of optics.

People wanted to see high-touch points being disinfected and surfaces being sprayed with the electrostatic system.”

According to Dinicola, “with the NHL really taking their time to properly plan the entire process, what we witnessed as a cleaning company — and being responsible for the actual cleaning of these facilities — was that the NHL protocols, along with the procedures Scandinavian had previously developed, really helped keep COVID-19 out of that bubble.”

“Things were changing by the minute at Rogers Place, and we had to adapt very quickly,” he said. “Everyone collaborating and coming together and following protocol to a tee ensured that everyone within that bubble remained safe.”

And safe the bubble was. In fact, at no time during the entire NHL playoff series was there a confirmed case of COVID-19. That speaks volumes but it also brightens the spotlight placed on the professional cleaning industry as a whole.

“The janitorial industry has never really been recognized,” Hay said. “In

the past, it’s always been a ‘no news is good news’ type of business. But, through this entire COVID-19 experience, I know it meant so much to the industry and all of our frontline workers when the Prime Minister thanked them on national television. That’s probably the first time custodial staff have been recognized and applauded by a country leader, and it meant so much.

There is a lot of hard work that goes into cleaning day in and day out, seven days a week, so it was so nice to see that hard work finally being appreciated.”

When it came to ensuring the safety of the players and staff within the Edmonton bubble, the Scandinavian team was confident in its ability to tackle this memorable task. “We are an incredibly blessed company with our incredible cleaners,” Hay said. “They are our everything, and they keep our company going. Every one of them was so proud of their efforts to protect Canadians. We provided them with the tools and education to be safe, and they confidently went to work each and every day, and put those skills to action.”

When the Tampa Bay Lightning won the NHL Finals on September 28 and were awarded the 2020 Stanley Cup, not only did the Canadian public celebrate the return of sport, but the team at Scandinavian also celebrated their outstanding success. “Throughout this entire process, it was always service with a smile,” Hay said. “I know all of our valued cleaning staff will remember this experience for the rest of their lives.” /

Tanja Nowotny is Director of Marketing and Communications for ISSA Canada. This article was originally published in ISSA Canada’s Contractor’s Corner.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

t e g r o F t ’ n o D the Soap EFFECTIVE HANDWASHING IN THE AGE OF COVID-19

T

he 2020 pandemic has turned a focus on hand hygiene – and for a good reason. Yet while using hand sanitizer is important for preventing the spread of SARS-COV-2, the virus which can cause COVID-19, it’s critical to keep regular handwashing with soap in the mix.

Certainly, as October’s Global Hand Washing Day [https://globalhandwashing.org/] makes clear, the power of washing with soap and water cannot be understated.

Using soap and water physically removes germs from the hands; soap contains ingredients known as surfactants, which break down contaminants on the skin.

Friction created by rubbing the hands helps the surfactants to encapsulate the dirt and hold it away from the skin – water then rinses this away.

At the molecular level, soap breaks things apart. The soap takes care of things such as viruses like it takes care of the oil in the water. Much like a crowbar; one side of the soap molecule buries its way into a virus’s fat and protein shell. The chemical bonds holding the virus together aren’t very strong, so this is enough to break the virus’s coat, making it soluble in water, and it disintegrates.

Sanitizers, on the other hand, kill germs present on the skin.

SPONSORED CONTENT

In short: soap simply works. This an important factor in the fight against the spread of SARS-COV-2, an “enveloped virus” with lipid membranes that are particularly vulnerable to soap.

Still, while hand soap is an effective weapon against the likes of SARS-COV-2, it only works when applied using effective handwashing techniques. Quick rinses and haphazard techniques won’t do much to mitigate the spread of germs, especially in public areas such as offices, commercial settings, and facilities where coming into contact with surfaces that may be frequently touched by other people, such as door handles, tables, shopping carts, or electronic cashier registers/screens, etc., is more common.

Hand hygiene best practices come down to common sense: wash often and wash thoroughly.

Sealed cartridge vs. bulk

Proper handwashing techniques are critical, but so is ensuring that soap is stored and distributed in a clean environment, with the highest considerations for hygiene.

Here’s where the advantages of sealed cartridge systems over bulk dispensers in high-traffic areas (e.g., offices and commercial settings) makes a difference.

The differences between bulk and sealed soap come down to how the material is stocked. In bulk dispensers, soap is kept in an unsealed environment that can be exposed to bacterial contamination during refills or everyday usage. Additionally, there is the risk of “new soap” being contaminated by older soap that has been sitting within the dispenser’s reservoir.

In contrast, sealed dispenser systems are refilled by inserting sealed cartridges into the dispenser. This method eliminates contact between the product and the environment and minimizes the risk of contamination of the soap.

Sealing the deal

Ultimately, any soap is better than none. In a time where public safety relies on effective and consistent handwashing, however, there is value in providing Canadians access to clean, gentle, and user-friendly hygiene products.

This is something SC Johnson Professional has taken to heart during its 80-plus years of developing skincare programs for institutional, industrial and healthcare environments. It’s also the philosophy behind its Refresh Foam Soap line, which utilizes the world’s first hygienically sealed inverted foaming soap pump and cartridge system.

Developed using input from facility owners, cleaning professionals, fragrance experts, and users, Refresh Foam Soap was designed to elevate the handwashing experience. One pump eliminates over 99% of dirt when combined with proper handwashing techniques, and the soap is formulated with mild preservatives, skin conditioners, and signature fragrances to promote comfortable, consistent handwashing in public places.

In the fight against the spread of SARS-COV-2, the benefit of proper hand hygiene cannot be understated.

Herein, facility owners and occupants alike have a role in making clean, reliable handwashing a daily priority.

SC Johnson Professional® has 80-plus years expertise in developing skin care programs for institutional, industrial, and healthcare environments. Learn more about its Refresh Foam Hand Soap line at www.debgroup.com/ ca/refreshing-foam-soap-experience.

HOW WILL CAMPUSES CHANGE BECAUSE OF COVID-19?

Colleges and universities are on the way to becoming more adaptable, equitable, and sustainable

by Elliot Felix, Kelly Sanford, David Herd, and Stuart Brumpton

H

igher education experienced 10 years of change in about 10 days.

Learning moved online. Staff moved to remote work. Research went largely digital. Student life and support services became virtual. This has left colleges and universities questioning how much space will be needed in the future campus, how it will be operated, and how to make our built environment more healthy, sustainable, and resilient.

Facilities planners and managers are faced with short- and long-term challenges simultaneously. In the short-term, they are assessing systems and spaces for health, density for social distancing, and new operations such as frequent cleaning and expanded hours. In the long-term, they are taking a fresh look at the balance of spaces on campus. If 30 per cent of our workforce plans to stay remote, what does this

mean for our office spaces? If a 300-person course can be taught more effectively in an online module, can we repurpose some of our lecture halls? Are learning and working online the new swing space?

Planners and managers are working to determine how to get the most value out of their spaces and seeking to strengthen that value. Rather than default to expansion, this also means working with what’s already in the portfolio, monetizing excess space, and putting speculative construction on hold (except projects already funded or in the works, particularly those that are donor-funded). This reflection on how to improve experiences and efficiency together can also be an important part of staving off a campus closing all together. In the U.S., many estimates foresee about a quarter of institutions at risk.

36 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

THINKING ABOUT SPACE, SERVICES, STAFFING, AND SYSTEMS TOGETHER

As people return to the campus or workplace, facilities teams will play an important role in developing and maintaining socially vibrant, healthy, and technologically-enabled environments whose performance enables the positive experience for people and resilience for the future.

To play this role, facilities teams will have to monitor and act on both hard and soft data. Hard data will consider air quality, energy/water consumption, space utilization, and people flow. Softer data will include comfort and experience, gathered by taking the pulse of students, faculty, and staff. Using a mixed suite of analytical data and dashboards to make sense of them, facilities teams can make data-driven, evidence-based decisions that empower the institution to maximize both efficiency

/ facilities / and experience of their campus assets through real-time insights. From these data come strategic updates, in both the short and longer term, that can be made and continually analyzed and optimized as the environment changes. This need for an agile and responsive approach will allow confidence to grow, adapt, and test future resilience and implications of achieving carbon, water, waste, and other sustainability goals.

COVID-19 increased the adoption of technologies used to monitor, manage, and use spaces: a campus app with push notifications as you approach a closed building, daily temperature checks and symptom reporting, booking a seat in the library, ordering a meal before picking it up, monitoring utilization and occupancy in real-time. Going forward, technology will be more and more of an interface between people and the spaces we inhabit. We’ll all be living a hybrid, “phygital” experience that is part physical and part digital.

HOW WILL CAMPUSES OPERATIONS CHANGE?

AND

THEIR

Different types of space will be impacted in different ways. Ultimately, space is built around use, and some activities will change more than others. In workplaces, some assigned desks will shift to hot desks, with more space designed for people to drop in one to two days a week in lieu of permanent desk assignments. Wet-lab researchers are outsourcing components of their experiments to off-site labs while dry labs have transitioned smoothly to remote work.

Will this open up more space for wet labs in the long term? Libraries are also expanding virtual access to both services and collections — stack space will be replaced by collaborative hubs and new services. Housing has been de-densified and will likely stay that way, with more singles going forward. Dining is shifting to more pre-ordered or grab-and-go meals at smaller tables.

Colleges and universities will continue to move functions off campus that don’t need to be there, whether it’s the rarely used library books or back-office administrative functions. Many campuses are looking for ways to better utilize their outdoor spaces, not just for recreation but for meetings, study, and classes as well. With more PPE and pre-packaged meals, more stockpiling,

and less sharing of everything from spaces to utensils, campuses will also need to review their storage, distribution, and waste strategies. Operationally, institutions must also balance two countervailing forces: their desire to centralize control to better manage assets more efficiently (i.e., centrallyscheduled classrooms) versus their desire to distribute functions that minimize contact and therefore risk (i.e., to create campus “neighbourhoods” with small cafes).

In terms of this “phygital” relationship between people and the built space around them, public health will be the main driver in the short-term. This will mean more focus on air quality, which has benefits beyond basic health, including enhancing wellbeing, productivity, and the positive perceptions of the space.

Current industry guidance suggests one of the primary ways to minimize transmission of COVID-19 inside a space is an increase in both the ventilation rate and the amount of predominantly clean outside air. Institutions can look to optimize the existing systems along these lines and further increase quality with the addition of HEPA or UV filters. This may be challenging depending on the configuration of the systems.

Buildings that are designed around natural ventilation or mixed-mode ventilation will have an advantage here over sealed environments. Over the long term, building design will embrace historic architectural solutions employed before the advent of elevators and air conditioning, such as higher volume spaces, displacement ventilation, more daylight, operable windows, and wide stairs.

In addition to controlling any air-borne transmission, the physical contact that stu-

dents and staff have with the environment can be minimized, with the added benefit of reduced cleaning costs.

The addition, or upgrade, of occupancy sensors for lighting and AV systems can reduce the need for switches, and card readers can also be linked to automatically opening doors. Data can be used to track and monitor performance of the systems and they can be optimized over time to reflect popular usage and occupancies.

BECOMING MORE ADAPTABLE, EQUITABLE, AND SUSTAINABLE INSTITUTIONS

College and universities have been defined by their traditions, but their success now depends on their ability to change, especially to address structural issues like access, affordability, and equity.

Institutions are becoming more adaptable. Staff are not only working remotely; they are also doing new things with new technologies and leaner processes that remove layers of approvals.

The near universal adoption of remoteenabled technology has turned skeptics into advocates when it comes to things like providing remote student services, collaborating with colleagues across disciplines and departments through online tools, and even teaching online courses in a more engaging and intimate way. It also includes more outreach and partnerships with companies and communities who can fuel innovation, share space, and create economic opportunity.

A crisis is a terrible thing. It’s also a terrible thing to waste, and so as the initial fog of COVID-19 lifts, colleges and universities can become more adaptable, equitable, and sustainable. /

Elliot Felix is founder and CEO of brightspot strategy, a strategy consultancy on a mission to transform the higher education experience by making it more engaging and equitable.

Kelly Sanford is senior strategist at brightspot strategy. Kelly ignites dialog between college university stakeholders and leaders to co-create practical and innovative strategies for institutions.

David Herd is managing partner of Buro Happold’s California region and has significant experience in high performance building design and sustainable master planning.

Stuart Brumpton is a principal at Buro Happold and has over 25 years of experience delivering large, multidisciplinary integrated projects, including business schools at Carnegie Mellon University and Arizona State University.

www.REMInetwork.com / 37

38 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

/ best practices /

COVID-19 IS BRINGING COMMON SENSE BACK TO CLEANING The importance of education, communication, and getting the basics right has never been clearer

by Tom Nightingale

P

ut simply, proper facility cleaning is vital. We are often advised on the importance of keeping our own homes clean, and when talking about public settings with multiple residents or visitors or an abundance of foot traffic, that importance is multiplied.

In some ways, though, COVID-19 has changed the language around hygiene and disinfecting. Now, we’re hearing about “hotspots” and “touchpoints” in a way that we arguably never have before. This terminology may have crept onto the radar for, say janitorial services, but as a wider industry and particular for those not well-versed in cleaning and maintenance policies, these words had likely not been used or heard that much on a day-to-day basis until relatively recently.

STEPPING UP THE RESPONSE

While these things may by now seem obvious in the context of 2020, Brian Sansoni suggests basic cleanliness and hygiene may have been somewhat lacking before the pandemic, or at least under-appreciated. “It was taken for granted, certainly in North America,” says Sansoni, a senior VP at the American Cleaning Institute (ACI). “You’d think and you’d hope that any business is paying attention to that but clearly what COVID-19 has proven is the essential nature of hygiene, cleaning, and disinfecting to public health and infection control. It’s now front and centre”.

Back in March, when the full effects of COVID-19 were just starting to become apparent, he notes that surveys showed some relatively basic knowledge was lacking among the general public, as significant

percentages of respondents weren’t using disinfectants to full effect. “Many people didn’t realize that you need the surface to air dry,” he explains. Once a disinfectant spray or other cleaner is used, pretty much the worst thing you can do in terms of killing germs and viruses is to wipe it up straight away. Sansoni notes the ACI and its ally the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSPA) have been trying to emphasize basic messages like that. “That’s one area where there’s more education needed.”

Applying the germ multiplier effect felt in public, multi-touch environments makes that even more important. Public restrooms are often a key focus but the likes of light switches, handrails, keyboards, telephones, shared desks and apwww.REMInetwork.com / 39

/ best practices /

COVID-19 is the flashlight being shone into the gloom. For the first time in a while, we can really see clearly.

pliances, touch screens, faucets and sinks are all hives of potential exposure.

“Those hotspots, pre-pandemic, you might not have ever thought about cleaning and disinfecting so thoroughly,” Sansoni acknowledges. Now, though, progress is being made with focusing on those areas and highlighting the risks inherent in not paying enough attention. He cites regularly cleaning elevator buttons as another example of key actions that are happening more now compared to before.

COMMUNICATION IS CRUCIAL

When it comes to inspiring confidence in facility residents, workers, and visitors, the importance of clear communication must not be underestimated. That is, in part, why ISSA’s GBAC STAR facility accreditation program has had so much success over the last six months; facility operators want to convey the message that it’s safe to return, that there’s nothing to fear.

The chances are that, unless they’re a stranger to the typical 9-5 job and are used to being in the office until late in the evening, many workers have rarely, if ever, encountered their employers’ janitorial teams.

Most regular facility cleaning is done outside of what we may call “normal” office hours for various reasons including limiting the disruption of a business’ working day.

This may not have been an issue before, notes Sansoni, but now, people want to know what’s up.

“What facilities — no matter what type of facility — have found themselves needing

to do is to showcase how seriously they’re enacting enhanced cleaning and disinfecting hygiene protocols,” he says. “It’s really about communicating what you’re doing or what you will do. You need to reassure your employees that their health and safety is paramount, to be able to reinforce that.”

RE-LEARNING BEHAVIOURS

In terms of the effect on the cleaning and maintenance industry in general, it’s perhaps most apt to think of COVID-19 as the flashlight being shone into the gloom.

For possibly the first time in a long while, we can really see clearly. Cleaning and disinfecting have always been important and specialist services, of course, know what they’re doing.

For the general public and non-experts, though, it may be a case of re-education.

Sansoni notes that the ACI has seen a slip in handwashing with soap and hot water in recent months — this basic measure should be “the gold standard,” as he calls it. The pandemic has certainly seen a reinforcement of the importance of getting the basics right, and a stepping up of standards, particularly at a professional level. The hope is that beyond COVID-19, whenever that stage may come, we don’t take our eyes off the ball.

Sansoni adds that COVID-19 has also been an unexpected opportunity to ensure adequate training and nous is there. Not every company or facility manager can afford to employ a janitorial crew or contract a cleaning company. For those doing it inhouse instead, proper education has never

40 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

been more important and the raft of online resources made available in recent months is perhaps the best proof of that AVOIDING THE “TWINDEMIC”

Right now, we’re coming into the regular cold and flu season and, again, that flashlight is shining. With businesses, facility managers, and public health and government officials all preaching the importance of cleaning and infection control, hygiene messages and practices are being reinforced like never before and Sansoni hopes that will help stem the onset of any “twindemic” of influenza and coronavirus. With vigilance and diligence, we may see lower cold and flu rates than in years past.

Another thing that might help that, and infection control in general beyond COVID-19 and 2020, is technological shifts.

Sansoni notes a trend that has been gathering pace this year is an increasing move to touchless technology — hand soap machines that dispense in response to movement rather than touch, as one example.

That has existed before this year but could well become a renewed focus for facility managers and cleaners, reducing opportunities for germ and virus transfer.

Overall, though, the message is that common sense goes a long way towards instilling and ingraining bolstered hygiene practices. Keep up the improvements that have been shown over recent months, maintain the messaging and communication, keep the flashlight burning bright, and we’re on the way to a cleaner world. /

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Costa advised that he no longer wished to occupy his role as president. The emergency meeting took place at the defendant’s (MTCC 1292’s) premises.

At the emergency meeting, the plaintiff and Mr. Da Costa entered into a heated argument, which led Mr. Da Costa to “lose it” and strike the plaintiff on the head with a chair. Mr. Da Costa was charged by the police and received a conditional discharge for assault with a weapon. iff commen The plaintiff commenced a civil action against Mr. Da Costa fo for his use of force as well as MTCC TCC 1292 for fo failing to ensure her safety and nd failing to employ security meet measures at board meetings.

MTCC 1292 brought a motion summary judgment otion for su to dismiss the plaintiff’s plaintiff’ claim against it nly opposed by Mr. Da Costa which was only given his crossclaim MTCC 1292 ossclaim against ag on and indemnity. inde for contribution

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their premises reasonably safe for those who enter it. But what about when an individual commits assault while at one of these meetings? Should the occupier or organizer of the

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In Omotayo v. Da Costa, 2018, the defendant occupier, Metro Toronto Condominium Corporation 1292 (MTCC 1292), was successful in dismissing the plaintiff’s claim and the assailant’s crossclaim when a member in attendance at a condominium board meeting struck another meeting attendee with a chair.

Justice Nishikawa found that the duty the condominium corporation owed to the plaintiff did not include preventing an assault that occurred during their condominium board meeting.

Facts of the case T he plaintif f, J ac queline O mot ayo, was a resident and former chair of the condominium corporation. The defendant, Jose Da Costa, was also a resident and former president of the condominium corporation. An emergency board meeting was held on Oct. 4, 2011, to discuss the future organization of the board as Ms. Omotayo had recently been removed from her position as chair and Mr. Da

By Steven Chester

SERVING THE FACILIT Y CLE ANING & MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY

Let’s face it, we all want our businesses to be social media rock stars, and we know it ain’t easy.

It’s becoming more prevalent that some of the most popular social media platforms have been infiltrated by those who game the system.

This includes those that buy fake followers and “likes” in order to create the illusion that their social media profile is more popular than it is.

These fake followers are predominantly bots – accounts run by software designed to look and act like real people.

APRIL/MAY 2017

New services are also popping up that allow authentic social media accounts to become part of the bot game. By signing up for the service, the user authorizes their account to automatically like, follow and randomly comment on other users’ posts, and in turn they trade that fake engagement with other users. Sound harmless enough? The thing is you have no say in in the message your account is spreading or where it ends up.

CARING FOR FRAGILE FLOORS

Summary judgment motion udgment m positi MTCC took the position that its duty w is confined confine to the physical under the law condition of the premises premise and foreseeable e unforese risks, not the unforeseeable conduct of individuals in attendan attendance. Meanwhile, Mr. Da Costa that MTCC 1292’s a argued th s to having rules of conduct duty extends s, policies re for meetings, relating to abusive l an gu a g e, thre at s aan d intimid atin g d a duty to h behavior, and hire and supervise competent professional professionals to oversee its luding, if appropriate, ap business (including, security Cos further argued personnel). Mr. Da Costa ult was foreseeable fore that the assault given the M quarrelsome nature of MTCC 1292’s board nd a prior unrelated u meetings and incident involving the plaintiff and another member of MTCC 1292 wherein the police was 292 wherei called. ng her dec In reaching decision, Justice Nishikawa looked Coleiro v. Premier ooked to C s where summary sum Fitness Clubs judgment d in favour of the defendant was granted

MALL GERMS: TOP FIVE HOT SPOTS

Ask yourself this: What’s more important, having 50,000 cosmetic followers, or having

500 followers who are in your target market REMEDYING FOUR that actually want to hear from you?

COMMON CARPET As a consumer, it’s even simpler, as PROBLEMS deceptive tactics are easy to spot. If you’re using underhanded methods to promote your business, this can be viewed as a reflection of your product or service. Your integrity is at stake.

This is one of the more complex topics that can’t be fully covered in this space. As always, I invite you to stay social and continue the conversation on Twitter at @Chestergosocial where I’ll share a link to the full article.

SCENT OF

SUCCESS Steven Chester is the Digital Media Director of MediaEdge Communications. With 15 years’ experience in cross-platform communications, Steven helps companies expand their reach through social media and other digital initiatives. To contact him directly, email gosocial@mediaedge.ca.

www.REMInetwork.com | June 2018 15

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/ best practices /

DON’T USE A WHOLE ARSENAL TO KILL A FLY When the repercussions and side effects have more impact than the underlying problem, we move away from the goal of effectiveness

by Derek Oliveira

T

he metaphor of using an entire arsenal of weapons to kill a fly illustrates the overuse of disinfectants in an emergency in attempts to minimize the risks of contamination and the spread of COVID-19.

Several manufacturers are taking advantage of the situation to praise the performance and benefits of their disinfectant dispensing devices: electrostatic sprayers or foggers. In return, some health experts are sounding the alarm and warning about the risks of disinfectants and the precautions to be taken during their application. The

purpose of spraying is not to apply more disinfectant but rather to allow more effective application only if all conditions are favourable.

In some situations, using such devices involves more risks than benefits.

What is the difference between spraying, electrostatic spraying, fogging, and other methods? The effectiveness of each depends on the type of disinfectant, the pathogen targeted, the surfaces, the size of the interior space, the location of the device, pre-cleaning practices, organic load, air movement, relative humidity, disinfectant volume, and contact time. www.REMInetwork.com / 43

/ best practices /

The purpose of spraying is not to apply more disinfectant but to allow more effective application.

ELECTROSTATIC VS. TRADITIONAL SPRAYING

The guns in electrostatic spray disinfection systems have a nozzle that contains an electrode to apply an electrical charge (positive or negative) to the disinfectant solution as it is expelled from the device.

This charge increases the force of attraction and allows the droplets to completely coat and thus adhere to the entire surface to which they are directed, even if they are irregular in shape.

In comparison, traditional spraying is a form of passive application that is not recommended for combating COVID-19. With traditional systems, the expelled disinfectant droplets are not charged and their adhesion to surfaces is not guaranteed. Therefore, traditional spraying does not provide such uniform coverage of the surface and may even cause more harm. With the splash produced, germs can be carried away from the target area, potentially spreading and contaminating other surfaces.

MISTING

Misting also consists of dispersing a disinfectant solution in the form of droplets.

The droplets produced here are so fine that they stay suspended longer, allowing them to disperse in the air and provide uniform coverage when they land on a surface. But, due to the size of the particles, misting poses an even greater inhalation hazard to the worker or people in the environment.

The National Collaborating Center for Environmental Health (CCNSE) recommends that only technicians or trained

personnel should use misting or spraying devices. In addition, in the case of misting, protocols must be applied to ensure the safety of people, in particular: • Evacuating the space to be treated.

• Sealing the doors, windows, and ventilation ducts of the room if people remain present elsewhere in the building.

• Condemning for a few hours the room that has been treated and, preferably, putting up a poster indicating the time when the treatment was done and the time when it will be possible to return to the room.

• Before entering, ventilating well to minimize negative allergic reactions.

The main advantages of electrostatic spraying.

• The attraction charge provides optimum coverage of droplets on surfaces.

• The marketing of electrostatic sprayers generally emphasizes the speed and the time savings provided by these devices. Studies show that the application speed can be up to 10 times faster than that of traditional tools (up to 14,000 square feet of office space per hour).

• The electrostatic sprayer also saves material by using 60% less chemical per square foot.

RISK OF ELECTROCUTION

Few manufacturers would put forward the risk of electrocution that can occur when handling electrostatic devices but, while the discharge is obviously low, the fact remains that it happens frequently.

The step of grounding the device and following manufacturers’ recommenda-

44 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

tions is vital to prevent the user from receiving electric shocks.

MISLEADING ADVERTISING ADS

Beware of false promises when it comes to sprayers. Here are some frequently encountered examples: • Faster drying. In disinfection, we do not necessarily want a surface to dry quickly; we want to respect the contact time prescribed by the manufacturer.

• Disinfectant protection that lasts hours or days after a single application. This is not a benefit of the electrostatic sprayer, but rather of the disinfectant used. This statement is only true when using a chemical with persistent disinfectant properties, meaning it is able to provide protection for a certain period after application. Remember that disinfection is a temporary solution, while contamination is a permanent risk. Most of the time, as soon as a surface is touched or soiled, it is no longer disinfected!

• A disinfectant spray that kills COVID-19 and other germs quickly with extraordinarily little effort. It is not the device that kills pathogens, but the product used according to its properties (viral, bacterial, sporicidal ...). Contact time varies depending on the product; some can be one minute, others 10 minutes. There may be little effort for the application of the disinfectant product but the first step of cleaning the surfaces with a detergent and a mechanical

/ best practices /

action to dislodge debris and microorganisms should not be neglected.

HEALTH RISKS OF OVEREXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS

It is recognized that spraying can cause allergic reactions of varying severity depending on the product that is sprayed and the sensitivity of each.

Although symptoms are most felt after prolonged or repetitive exposure over time, experts agree that unnecessary overexposure to disinfectants should be avoided. Ontario Public Health notes that it is essential to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, in particular by wearing the appropriate PPE, and specifies that employees responsible for disinfection by electrostatic spray must ensure that all other people have left the premises.

It is important to remember that when an environment does not involve too many infectious risks for the health of users, there is no point in exposing them to chemicals dangerous to their health!

PRODUCT CHOICE

Although Health Canada has a list of approved disinfectants for COVID-19, the products are not necessarily compatible with spraying or misting. It is the same scenario in the United States. Moreover, the Center for Disease Control does not recommend the use of electrostatic sprayer or fogger for the application of disinfectant solution, deeming the risks too high for users.

“The aerosolization risks of many ‘Nlist’ disinfectants have not been investigated,” said Ian Cull, president of Indoor Sciences, an environmental consultancy.

“And there are very few that are approved for aerosolizing, misting or fogging.” The EPA is continuing its research to find out whether sprayers and misters are effective against COVID-19.

The compatibility of the disinfectant solutions with the target surface, the infectious agent in question, and the environment must be considered.

And, above all, you cannot disinfect without first cleaning. It is true that spraying saves time, but it does not eliminate the step of cleaning surfaces which must always be done beforehand to remove dirt and grime.

SPRAY RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Train personnel in the use of the device and aware of the risks associated with operation.

• Develop a standardized process as clear and streamlined as possible so that it can be easily reproduced and adapted by staff for safe and compliant use.

• Always wear gloves and eye protection when spraying chemicals, wear long clothing to cover the skin, and look into antistatic gloves to avoid electric shock.

• Never spray when people are in the room, especially children, who are more sensitive to the negative effects of chemicals than adults. Indeed, children must eat, drink, and breathe more per pound of body weight than adults due to their growth and development.

Children are also less aware of dangers and ways to avoid them, making them more vulnerable.

• Since electrostatic spray systems occasionally produce sparks, special attention should be paid to nearby sources of flammable gases, liquids, and dust.

Avoid turning the sprayer into a flamethrower!

• Do not adapt a paint or fertilizer sprayer to spray disinfectant. Any device must be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

• Due to the increased risk of inhalation, a product in its concentrated form should never be sprayed. Dilution may differ depending on the method of application. The dilution recommendations must be followed to the letter and ensure the compatibility of the product with the device.

• Get advice! Consult professionals for any questions concerning the validation of the disinfection method, the choice of device, the choice of product, or application frequencies. /

Derek Oliveira is a Senior Director for Gestion HB, a Canadian consulting firm that guides, supports, and advises its clients on ways to optimize the operational performance of their organizations in terms of building hygiene and sanitation.

www.REMInetwork.com / 45

46 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

/ best practices /

HOW FACILITY MANAGERS CAN SECURE A NEW STANDARD OF HYGIENE

Reduce the risk of infection, ensure heightened safety, and meet enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols

by Rachel Olsavicky

I

t’s time to get back to business safely and responsibly. Part of this responsibility is practicing good hygiene, which has never been more critical. The pandemic has had a significant impact across various industries, introducing challenges and opportunities for businesses operating in a new environment where hygiene standards are being scrutinized more than ever before.

Heightened levels of hygienic awareness require new ways of working. Facilities can create a safer workplace by implementing new methods of cleaning to reduce the risk of infection, ensure employees and visitors feel safer, and meet enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols.

HELP YOUR GUESTS FEEL SAFER

COVID-19 is shaping behaviours and attitudes toward public spaces and creating increased awareness of hygiene. In a recent survey, 77% of survey respondents said they feel more unsafe going to facilities with unhygienic public washrooms due to COVID-19 and 70% wish that more facilities offered paper hand towels as an alternative to air dryers.

For facility managers, this change in perception presents an opportunity to rethink hand drying solutions. While facilities may have considered air dryers before the pandemic, a change in consumer perceptions has led many facility

managers to make the switch to paper hand towels.

According to CDC guidelines, facility managers can contribute to a healthy public space by ensuring their washrooms are fully stocked with hand hygiene products, including paper hand towels. Products such as Tork’s PeakServe® Continuous™ Hand Towel System help improve visitor hygiene thanks to high-capacity, one-at-a-time hand towel dispensing that ensures guests only touch the towel they use.

SUPPLYING HYGIENE RESOURCES

It’s important to clearly communicate hygiene protocols across facilities so visitors and staff can do their part to minimize contagion. Facility managers can integrate good hygiene practices into their reopening plans by instituting washroom cleaning checklists to ensure hygiene compliance, creating posters to encourage handwashing, and using floor decals to space out guests and emphasize social distancing.

Hygiene can also be improved by rethinking washroom design. In hygienecritical environments, paper towels have long been the recommended alternative for hand drying. Facility managers

should consider installing paper hand towel dispensers by the entrance of rooms, near sinks, and in breakrooms to help prevent the spread of bacteria that can cause illness.

UPGRADING CLEANING SOLUTIONS

In order to create clean and hygienic spaces while abiding by safety protocols, facility managers must be equipped with proper cleaning solutions.

Digital cleaning solutions can transform cleaning operations thanks to real-time data. Tork EasyCube is a datadriven cleaning solution that improves cleaning operations via connected devices. The system allows cleaners to track visitor numbers and measure refill levels, optimize resources for greater efficiency, and send messages to coworkers in realtime to alert them of cleaning needs. As a result, staff members can focus their time and attention on where and when it’s needed most.

As society returns to work and facility managers seek ways to secure a new standard of hygiene, creating safer spaces, supplying checklists and signage to promote hygiene practices, and modernizing cleaning solutions can help transform business operations. /

Rachel Olsavicky is the Regional Marketing Manager – Commercial and Public Interest at Essity Professional Hygiene, a leading global hygiene and health company.

www.REMInetwork.com / 47

48 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

/ technology /

BRUSHING UP ON FLOOR PADS Assessing the true cost of these cleaning discs

by David L. Smith

B

udget planning time comes annually and along with it, the question: where can costs be reduced?

‘Padding’ the budget usually is not recommended but investing in the right floor pads can deliver long-term cost savings. It can also reduce wear and tear on flooring and the labour required to keep a facility looking its best.

AN EDUCATED SELECTION

A floor pad affixes to a floor scrubber or polisher and through mechanical action breaks up soil. Used with a neutral floor detergent, the pad agitates soil and keeps it in suspension so that it is not redeposited on the floor.

Floor pads are made from synthetic fibre impregnated with resin and abrasive minerals that work with the agitation of the machine to loosen and remove dirt and debris.

They are also used to remove floor finishes when required.

The pads come in different thicknesses and colours, including white, red, blue, and brown. The colours, in that order, indicate the degree of softness. White is best for light cleaning and spray buffing, while the others are used for progressively tougher jobs.

White and red floor pads should be used on an auto scrubber for day-to-day cleaning. Because white pads are the softest, they will not burnish the high points on the floor if the finish has become uneven.

As a result, soil may be left in the lower areas of the finish, leaving a dingy overall appearance even after the floor has been cleaned. In this instance, a more abrasive red pad should be selected.

Blue pads are more aggressive. They can be utilized for heavy-duty cleaning but are generally used for scrub and recoat rather than complete stripping and refinishing. They should be employed with a deep-scrub chemical (a high-alkaline cleaning solution) diluted to manufacturers’ specifications for that explicit task.

Burnishing pads are soft pads designed to make f loors shiny. They are used on either a propane or electric burnisher and spin at between 375 and 2,000 revolutions per minute. These pads micro abrade high points off the f loor finish through a combination of mechanical action and heat, making the f loor gleam. It is critical that they be perfectly round, otherwise they can cause vibration that affects machine and pad performance. This can cause undue wear on the machine and is also uncomfortable for the operator.

THE COST OF QUALITY

Floor pads are available at a variety of price points providing consumers with great choice. But are they created equal?

The less expensive products typically have a topical resin and mineral application that wears off more quickly than the resin and mineral that has

been impregnated into higher-priced pads. As a result, they do not last as long as the more expensive alternative.

This does not mean a less expensive floor pad is never an option. Rather, it depends on the application. Smaller floor areas that are cleaned less frequently can offer the perfect opportunity to use a less expensive floor pad. Larger floor areas cleaned with greater frequency require a more durable pad, so in these applications, a less expensive pad can be a false economy in that considerably more will need to be used.

CHOICE AND CONSEQUENCE

To reduce floor pad costs, be sure to select the proper type and quality of pad for the cleaning application. This will ensure only the appropriate number of pads are used to get great quality results. Operators should be encouraged to remove the pad holder and place it on top of the machine after each use. This allows the next operator to see the thickness of the pad to determine if it needs to be changed and to inspect the pad to ensure no debris has been caught in it that could damage the floor. Floor finish damaged by a wornout floor pad is expensive, both in facility downtime and lost productivity. The right-quality pad matched to the task is the best way to avoid this costly (and alltoo-frequent) situation. /

David L. Smith is the director of cleaning, hygiene, and sanitation at Bunzl Canada.

With more than 30 years’ experience in the cleaning and hygiene industry, David is a recognized expert in facility maintenance for both aesthetics and health.

www.REMInetwork.com / 49

/ clean matters /

1

2

SIMPLY THE BEST The 2020 ISSA Show North America took place November 16-19, 2020 and once again honoured leaders in the field of cleaning and innovation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s show took place as a Virtual Experience which connected influential leaders throughout the worldwide commercial, residential, and institutional cleaning industry. The week-long experience attracted 13,500 unique platform visitors from 79 countries, a truly global affair.

At the Show, ISSA handed out the 2020 Star Awards, recognizing industry legacy companies who consistently exhibit at the ISSA Show North America while maintaining ISSA Membership. This year’s awards honoured three companies who have each reached at least 60 years of membership. National Chemical Laboratories, Inc. and Tork, an Essity brand, were both celebrating 60 years, while Rubbermaid Commercial Products has racked up 70 years.

Meanwhile, its 11th year, the 2020 edition of the Show’s Innovation Program featured 18 groundbreaking products and service solutions from all areas of the industries. As always, the entries consisted of new products and services from top manufacturers and suppliers throughout the cleaning industry.

The Innovation Category Awards were organized into five categories: Cleaning Agents; Dispensers; Equipment; Services and Technology; and Supplies and Accessories.

Following online voting from September 1 to November 18, the 2020 Innovation of the Year Award went to the Equipment Category Award winner: TASKI® IntelliSpray for swingo® by Diversey. The company and the product were honoured during the Virtual Experience Closing Ceremony.

The five category award winners announced during the ISSA Show Virtual Experience were:

1

Cleaning Agents. Botanical Disinfectants by Seventh Generation Professional, a Unilever Brand

2

Dispensers. Tork PeakServe® Recessed Cabinet Adapters by Tork, an Essity brand

3

Equipment. TASKI® IntelliSpray for swingo® by Diversey

4

Services & Technology. Antimicrobial Protected Films by Silver Defender

5

Supplies & Accessories. OmniClean by Unger Enterprises, LLC

50 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / DECEMBER 2020

3

4

5

GLOBAL BIORISK ADVISORY COUNCIL INTRODUCES GBAC STAR™ FACILITY ACCREDITATION PROGRAM The Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC), a division of ISSA, introduced its GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation program.

It’s the industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation. This program is performance-based and designed to help facilities establish a comprehensive system of cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention for their staff and their building. The program relies on GBAC’s comprehensive training, which teaches the proper protocols, correct disinfection techniques, and cleaning best practices for biohazard situations like the novel coronavirus.

Successful GBAC STAR facilities are able to demonstrate that correct work practices, procedures and systems are in place to prepare, respond, and recover from outbreaks and pandemics.

WHAT DOES THE GBAC STAR FACILITY ACCREDITATION MEAN FOR MY FACILITY?

It means that your facility staff or service provider is implementing the industry’s highest standards for cleaning and disinfection of infectious agents like the novel coronavirus.

GBAC STAR™ is the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation for facilities.

GBAC STAR is the gold standard of prepared facilities. This accreditation means that a facility has: Established and maintained a cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention program to minimize risks associated with infectious agents like the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

The proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices in place to combat biohazards and infectious disease.

Highly informed cleaning professionals who are trained for outbreak and infectious disease preparation and response.

GBAC STAR IS DESIGNED FOR ANY SIZE FACILITY OR ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING:

     

Stadiums and Arenas Convention Centers Retail Spaces Commercial Offices Daycares Athletic and Fitness Clubs

     

Schools Assisted Care Facilities Veterinary Clinics Restaurants Hotels Spas

   

Trains, Planes, Automobiles Church & Religious Buildings Grocery Stores Doctor’s Offices

“GBAC STAR is the gold standard of safe facilities, providing third-party validation that ensures facilities implement strict protocols for biorisk situations.”

Patricia Olinger

Executive Director, Global Biorisk Advisory Council

“In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the GBAC STAR accreditation program is exactly what facilities need to confidently reopen and keep staff, customers, and communities safe.”

John Barrett

Executive Director, ISSA

For more information, please visit the webpage www.mediaedge360.ca/gbac

and contact CHUCK NERVICK at chuckn@mediaedge.ca | 416-803-4653

Still using air dryers?

Today, 77% of users surveyed in North America feel unsafe entering facilities with unhygienic restrooms, and 33% say they feel unsafe entering restrooms with air dryers*.

Now more than ever, it’s important to provide safe hygiene solutions in public spaces.

In hygiene-critical areas like hospitals, paper hand towels are the only recommended drying solution** since jet air dryers produce more airborne droplets***, increasing the risk of bacteria spread.

Make the safer choice – change to Tork paper hand towels today.

Visit torkusa.com/saferchoice to learn more *Survey conducted by United Minds in cooperation with CINT April 8–13, 2020.

The survey covered the US market. In total, 1012 answered the survey. **Huang, C Mayo Clinic, 2011 ***Margas E. et al, J Applied Microbiol, 2013

Tork, an Essity brand