Storage locations are marked for every item in inventory in (OS1).

A custodial office that is a combination office, warehouse, storage room, and junk yard is prevalent in the non-(OS1) custodial world. Sometimes these areas couldn’t have been more disorganized if someone had taken a hand grenade and exploded it in the center of the room. Desks piled high with papers six inches deep. Bulletin boards with antique notices from another era. The moment a closet is opened everything tumbles out. An old mop stick collection in an ancient bucket with hundreds of coats of dirty solutions. Bottles lay helter-skelter and mostly unlabeled. What we have here is an unrestrained janitorial hoarder. Get me out of here!

Six Sigma Means Look and Learn

We’ve all heard the old saying “A place for everything and everything in its place.” For safety’s sake we need to go beyond that idea. The way we set up our workplace can actually teach people about our cleaning philosophy and process. This is the essence of a Six Sigma program. Without speaking (OS1), employees can see visual instructions about how we clean.

Creating a Visually Instructive Environment

A visually instructive workplace teaches workers the moment they walk through the door. In other words, what they see is what you expect. There are big advantages to creating this type of work environment. A visually instructive workplace lets you tell at a glance if workers are following instructions. Are they returning tools and supplies to specified areas and has space been allocated correctly? It helps you spot unsafe situations immediately. Finally, this type of workplace makes it easy for people to tell, just by looking, if stocking levels are being properly maintained.

Creating this kind of environment is based on simple concepts. It requires consistency. Three of the elements of a “look and learn” operation is color-coding, signage, and good old-fashioned organization. Color is a universal language. There are four focal colors that people are used to distinguishing: red (or pink), yellow, green and blue. Even the most color blind person can, generally, distinguish the four shades from each other.

Over the years we’ve learned that sticking with those four basic colors is best. It’s harder for people to distinguish and remember other colors or shades.

Color-coding

ManageMen started color-coding in the early 1990′s. PortionPac taught us color-coding chemicals and MSDS’s. Next, we added our Scouting Reports, training materials, and job cards. It was a big help when we began workloading to teams. The original color-coded chemicals matched the labels on the bottles and the MSDS sheets eventually ended up in our training videos and training exams.

Later, we found we could color-code cleaning tools easily by painting them or applying colored tape. Unger assisted us in this, when they added stickers to their cleaning tools. They adapted their new restroom product roll-out to include a color-coding system that corresponds with systems we’ve put in place. One of those was the red restroom cleaning tools.Color-coding makes a cleaning task visually instructive. People know the red/pink chemical, with the pink MSDS, goes into a red bucket. Segregate tools like mops, mop handles and accessories with color-coding and it’s easier for a worker to assemble their materials.

A typical (OS1) Control Cabinet with Visually Instructive Signage.

Look for a Sign

Signage also plays an important role. When we investigate facilities on an (OS1) Baseline Audit, we find numerous doors labeled “Janitor”. Behind these doors are various room arrangements. Some are closets, some pantries where cleaning supplies were stored, others hold equipment, some are wet closets with sinks and some are simply hoarding catch-alls. Yet, all of these closets have the same name. Think how confusing that must be for the cleaning workers – regardless of their language.This situation isn’t uncommon. In fact it’s nearly universal. In most non-(OS1) operations, there are no janitorial operations that have a functional signage program. Shelves are never labeled. Wall mounted instructions are typically inaccurate and hostile. Storage areas are seldom labeled at all.Signs should accurately name things. They should indicate exactly what it supposed to be in a room or on a shelf. I once had a friend who went so far as to label the floor of his equipment room. He had an outline of each machine painted on the floor to show where it was supposed to be stored. Over kill, you say? Not at all. My friend, and his employees, could tell at a glance if tools had been stored properly and if anything was missing.Instead of calling everything a janitor’s closet, properly identify an equipment room, a pantry, or a storage room. You may choose to use color-coding or icons or both. Think how much easier facilities like that would be for Spanish speaking employees (or Polish, Korean, Bosnian, Vietnamese, Chinese, etc.) to identify.

Custodial hoarding. What's still in use and what isn't? It's hard to know.

Get Organized

Finally, get organized. Let go of tools and chemicals you do not use.  It sounds simple, but so many organizations and individuals struggle with this concept. When I cleaned my own basement recently it nearly killed me to give away an old sleeping bag, even though I hadn’t used it in eleven years.In a school I visited recently, I opened a closet door and found 25 broken upright vacuums stacked to the ceiling. Some had been there for over four years. Most of the equipment was broken, and only some of it was still being used. When I asked the staff why they hung onto obsolete or non-working equipment they said, “I can’t get rid if it.”In another corner of this same room, there were 40 different brooms in various stages of decay. On most of the brooms, the paint had peeled and the straw was worn two or three inches down on one side. They reminded me of the witch’s broom in the “Wizard of Oz”, after it caught on fire. I immediately began throwing them away. At first, my guide was horrified. Then she joined in. We filled a trash container full of useless, broken, filthy brooms and eliminated a significant fire hazard in the process. When we were finished she turned to me and said “now I know how to get rid of my own trash.”We need to train cleaning workers to take out their own trash. I have a rule that has worked wonderfully. If you haven’t used an item in 18 months, it’s garbage or giveaway. Don’t store it, send it on its way. We do this at the beginning of all (OS1) transitions. It is always amazing at how it reduces stress and increases storage space. It’s therapeutic.

The prevailing philosophy in the Jan/San polluting industry is to put everything, that anyone needs, at any time, in every conceivable place in a building. When we started (OS1) at Sandia National Labs, they had 1,100 storage closets and cabinets. Every closet was stuffed with refill supplies, tools, chemicals, materials and even food. The problem with this kind of thinking is it creates chaos and produces dangerous situations. While the motive may have been to save time, the result was wasted time, while employees hunt around the building for equipment , consumables and cleaning chemicals. Today, they have less than 15 storage closets.

Simplify, simplify

Several years ago we did an interesting study on how a janitorial contractor could improve restroom cleaning. We began by videotaping cleaning workers as they went about their assigned tasks. What we found was astonishing. When the workers had more than one chemical or tool on their cart they used them indiscriminately. For instance, if they were carrying glass cleaner and were near the toilets, they used glass cleaner to clean toilets. It didn’t matter that disinfectant was on their carts. Whatever was close in hand was the tool of choice. The same was true with cloths, pads and sponges. If an abrasive sponge was in hand it was used – regardless of the cleaning surface.This example raises some powerful questions for contractors. Why would you want to buy, stock, and distribute products that your employees will use incorrectly – which may result in accidents or improper cleaning that will have to be redone?The answer: Simplify, simplify. Take anything out of your operation that is not being used or used incorrectly. In a visually instructive workplace, cleaning workers would have used a the proper disinfectant that was also a glass cleaner and a red microfiber cloth. No guess work.

Topophilia

People either love or hate their environment. Love of a place is called topophilia. Dislike or hatred for a place is called “topophobia”. People like to work in a place that visually makes sense and is properly organized. A visually instructive workplace provides that environment while showing your employees exactly what you expect. Setting up a visually instructive workplace can enhance communications. It’s a universal language.

Dr. Berry delivering his presentation at the 2006 (OS1) Users Symposium in Midway, UT.

Over years of professional practice, teaching and scientific research Dr. Michael Berry is a true pioneer in identifying the foundational principles of what cleaning really means. His book, Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health, was ahead its time. Unfortunately those in the industry that should have taken hold of Berry’s principles have continued business-as-usual.

Most cleaners and janitorial operations are still cleaning the way they did 80 years ago. They are driven by equipment manufacturers and chemical companies that dictate the direction of the industry. There is no evidence based research. There is no common language or standards. The only focus of cleaning is appearance based with no thought about contaminants and indoor environmental problems.

Below is a link to the complete transcript of the presentation that  was delivered by  Michael Berry, PhD, at the 2006 Simon Institute Symposium.   In this presentation, Berry discusses the value of cleaning science; the effect of sick and mismanaged buildings; remediating the Frank Porter Graham building with a deep cleaning protocol and the findings from his 2006 publicly funded study of traditional housekeeping vs. the (OS1) cleaning process.  That study evaluated traditional housekeeping methods vs. a high performance cleaning program over the span of three months at The University of North Carolina.  It is also important to note that Berry also discusses key components of a high performance cleaning program in this presentation.

To read full transcript, please click here. 

A control cabinet at The University of Texas of Austin holds approximately three months of chemicals used to clean the buildings on campus.

By Bobby Moddrell – Custodial Services Division
The University of Texas at Austin

For the past decade, the Custodial Services Division of The University of Texas at Austin has maintained over 12 million square feet of the campus using our (OS1) process. (OS1) promotes the standardization of the custodial operation through the use of environmentally friendly products, ergonomic tools, worker safety, strategically assigned workloads for each Full Time Equivalent Employee (FTE), and a robust training program. With this process, Custodial Services has maintained a consistent cleaning program across campus despite the size of the operation and the varying demands of each building.

The (OS1) process has also ushered in a sustainable approach to cleaning, that is easily reflected in our chemical program, water usage, paper and plastic products inventory, team cleaning system and indoor air quality. Prior to (OS1), UT Austin’s Custodial Services’ chemical program consisted of over 200 different chemicals which is fairly standard for most cleaning operations of this size. Since the implementation of (OS1), that number has been reduced almost 88%, a grand total of 25 chemicals. This reduction is due in large part to PortionPac, a company that provides environmentally responsible chemical concentrates which are packaged in individual pacs that are pre-measured for a specific container. By using one pac per bucket, bottle or tank of water [known in (OS1) as "the rule of one"], we realize a safer, more accurate use of chemicals, thus eliminating unnecessary waste and environmental pollution. Of our four daily use chemicals, three are Green Seal Certified and the daily germicide used to reduce pathogenic microorganisms is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Subscribing to the (OS1) process has also decreased Custodial Services’ annual water usage by roughly 70%. While the effective measurement and use of chemicals contributes to this figure, it is the use of two-sided mop buckets and microfiber cloths that has had the greatest impact on water usage. Traditional mop buckets hold five gallons of water, but the two-side restroom and utility buckets used in our program hold 1.25 and 2 gallons of water respectively. Additionally, a two-sided mop bucket system keeps clean solution and contaminated water separate, thus ensuring the longevity of the cleaning solution and reducing cross contamination. The coordinated use of microfiber flat mops also helps conserve water.

Traditional string mops transfer more water than necessary to hard floor surfaces, making it difficult to clean and absorb the dirtied water effectively. Moreover, the fibers of a traditional string mop are incapable of trapping the microorganisms targeted in common cleaning procedures. Microfiber mops, however, absorb up to six times their own weight in liquid pick up and retention and their unique fibers have been shown to reduce bacteria up to 96%. The use of two-side mop buckets and microfiber mops have been instrumental in our decreased water usage. The switch alone has brought our estimated water usage from 863,340 gallons annually to 262,302 gallons for a savings of 601,038 gallons of water each year.

Custodial Services’ commitment to sustainability is reflected in the choice of paper and plastic products used across campus. Both our toilet paper and hand towels contain high percentages of recycled fiber and post-consumer content. Custodial Services has also made the switch to a more sustainable trash liner. These new liners are made from linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and meet the EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement guidelines. This means the liners’ post-consumer content can range from 10%-100%. All liners contain 100% post-consumer recycled resin. The liners have reduced our annual liner waste to landfills by an estimated 36%. Our previous liners contributed 220,459 pounds of waste annually, but the new liners will only contribute an estimated 141,847 pounds for a reduction of 78,612 pounds per year.

Through the daily maintenance of campus buildings, Custodial Services is doing its part to sustain the built environment. This effort not only prolongs the life of buildings and materials therein, but also improves the quality of life inside these buildings by all occupants. The Environmental Protect Agency (EPA) posits that individuals spend nearly 90% of their time indoors, whether at work, home or in transit. As such, it has become increasingly important to maintain an indoor environment free of pollutants. A recent study measured the indoor air quality of a building maintained with an average upright vacuum and found the level of pollutants equal to roughly twenty times what the EPA allows Americans to pollute from their cars. This is not surprising considering cloth filter bags on traditional upright vacuums only remove 30% of pollutants from the air. In an effort to improve indoor air quality, Custodial Services elected to use Super CoachVac backpack vacuums manufactured by ProTeam. These vacuums provide four-level filtration, removing 99.9% of lung-damaging particles.

Additionally, these vacuums help protect carpet, extending the life of carpet and reducing the need for replacement. It is this high level of carpet care and air purification that has earned the Pro Team Vacuum the Carpet Research Institute’s (CRI) green label certification.

During Class 65 of Janitor University in Salt Lake City, the new (OS1) Career Map was introduced. The map details the educational odyssey for a cleaning worker. Specifically, this new visual aid details the road of becoming a cleaning professional.

It highlights career learning milestones such as: (OS1) Boot Camp, Certification, Floor/Carpet Certification, Janitor University, Workloading, Benchmarking, Awards and Recognition.

The Career Map is now available for purchase in the ManageMen online store.

Custodians listen to Luis Alvarado, an (OS1) Certified Coach, as he instructs them on safe cleaning techniques during their three-week custodial training program. Photo by Melissa Macaya.

By Melissa Macaya
For Reporting Texas

While many educational institutions across Texas have outsourced their custodial services as a result of drastic budget cuts, UT-Austin continues to hire and train its own custodial staff under their state-funded program called (OS1). The university only outsources about 10 percent of its custodial services for specialized cases…

Read Full Article

Article from the March 2012 Issue of The Cleaning Gazette

There is a conflict in the professional cleaning industry. The green cleaning movement has pushed for cleaning products and practices that are free of toxins, poisons, endocrine disrupters and known carcinogens. Yet, recent outbreaks of infectious diseases and drug-resistant bacteria demand that pathogens be eliminated from the indoor built environment utilizing “kill” agents (read poisons).

In (OS1), we meet both requirements by utilizing an engineered cleaning process and a scientifically validated process for reducing pathogenic microorganisms. (OS1) strikes the right balance between being environmentally sustainable and controlling pathogenic microorganisms.

Benchmarking Best Practices

For twenty years, we have educated organizations about cleaning processes and products that ensure their worker’s health and safety. Aerosols and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were first reduced, then eliminated from the (OS1) program. They were replaced by Green Seal Certified chemicals that also provided a source reduction of landfill waste. Mixing chemicals was eliminated. All daily-use (OS1) cleaning chemicals come in pre measured packs so the worker just adds water. This eliminates the danger of chemical overexposure. Although to (OS1) users it is just common sense and education, this is an uncommon practice in the jan/san industry. In addition to safer chemical formulations and packaging, our (OS1) trained Coaches teach their employees chemistry basics including the pH scale, the “4 S’s of cleaning” and cleaning physics. They also train their employees on the correct application of cleaning tools and time. New, neutral pH disinfectants were introduced by PortionPac that effectively kill pathogens, but are safer on surfaces.

John Walker, President of ManageMen says:

“It’s all about knowing the surface and using the right chemical solvent on the soil that is present at the right time. Do it right the first time and you won’t damage surfaces and you won’t have to do it over.”

Disinfection requires not only the right solution, but friction as well, according the the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The tool of choice to provide that friction is the (OS1) specified Unger microfiber cloth. Microfiber razor-scrapes the surface. It actually cuts the bacteria away from the surface. The use of color-coded microfiber cloths helps prevent cross-contamination and communicates to the cleaning team who is following instructions. Microfiber is also easier to launder because the weave is so tight, pathogens are washed off the surface quite simply.

Maintaining Indoor Air Quality

Even with the presence of toxic cleaning chemicals reduced, indoor air quality can suffer without proper cleaning techniques and subsequently affect the health of cleaning workers and building occupants. It’s vital that contaminants in the air are captured at their source, before they enter our breathing zones. High efficiency vacuum filters and HEPA filters remove those invisible particulates that carry bacteria and mold spores.

Filters on vacuums clog frequently. When filters are dirty, clogged, and not changed often enough, they lose efficiency. Air quality is almost entirely a function of a custodian’s cleaning or polluting functions indoors, according to Dr. Berry’s UNC study. It is fundamental that the practices of indoor environmental management include tracking vacuum filter changes and cleaning.
Catch Dirt at the Door

“Something as simple as floor mats can also make a huge difference”, according to Dr. Michael Berry in the University of North Carolina -Chapel Hill, publicly funded study comparing “Traditional Housekeeping” with the (OS1) cleaning process in 2006.

In (OS1), we specify that the building must have at least a 15-20 foot walk-off mat. That’s at least five steps on a mat to clean your shoes. If you don’t use mats, dirt tracks into the building. Mats are designed to scrape soil from shoes, and carpets have a tendency to hide the dirt. We want to scrape and remove, not conceal dirt.

Cleaning Professionalism

The establishment of professionalism among (OS1) cleaning workers follows their training and certification. They are the true environmentalists of the indoor environment. (OS1) Users must establish themselves as the  ”EnvironMentors” to the  building occupants in the indoor environments that we all share.

With these certifications,  (OS1) programs at Boeing facilities and Sandia National Labs have become the first U.S. In-house cleaning organizations to certify their entire system—more than 1,000 facilities in several states—achieving one of the largest ever volume certifications of commercial buildings. “ManageMen has built both quality and sustainability into our overall (OS1) performance standards and operational procedures,” said Renae Walker, CEO of ManageMen, Inc. “While our commitment has continuously been recognized by our users, team members and business owners, obtaining ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications in two separate companies further validates that commitment and recognizes the company’s drive to meet globally recognized standards.”

ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 are international standards that provide a set of standardized requirements for quality and environmental management systems, respectively. Companies gain certification by implementing policies, procedures and systems that follow and meet ISO standards, which are assessed by a third-party certification body. As part of the ManageMen engineered quality process, (OS1) inspectors annually perform a series of audits and will continue ongoing assessments to monitor compliance.

Since its founding, ManageMen has made quality assurance and customer service core to its engineered cleaning system, both of which are key differentiators for the company’s performance advantage. In addition to third party certifications, the company implements a wide range of quality control tracking programs to maintain the integrity of its process and to ensure an appropriately consistent experience across all (OS1) programs in the U.S.

As a partner and service provider to numerous global companies, ManageMen will now be able to provide these stakeholders with the assurance that it has the systems in place to ensure their properties are meeting the high level of standards that only an ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification can provide.

About ISO

ISO is the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standards. ISO is a network of the national standards institutes of some 163 countries. More than 100 of ISO’s members are from developing countries. ISO has more than 18 600 International Standards in its currents portfolio and ISO’s work program ranges from standards for traditional activities, such as agriculture and construction, through mechanical engineering, manufacturing and distribution, to transport, medical devices, the environment, safety, information and communication technologies, and to standards for good practices and for services.

From the February 2012 issue of The Cleaning Gazette

What is mankind’s greatest invention? Is it our built environment?

Man’s oldest invention and one that every human enjoys to some extent is the protective built environment. Humans liberate themselves from the unfavorable effects of the natural environment by an ability to construct and maintain a protective environment. We maintain shelter against enemies including weather, extreme climate, storms, predators, disease, and exposure by the habitats we build, maintain, and clean.

The primary human habitat is a built environment and a sub-compartment of the natural environment. This built environment is the environment most humans occupy more than 90 percent of their time. It dominates the quality of human life and health. It is the environment over which we have the most control. The most important control is primarily through the process of cleaning.

Cleaning is a Science

To understand the important role of cleaning and the contributions it makes to human existence, we need to know three things:

•  What is cleaning?

• How does it it work?

• Why it is important?

Cleaning science includes several subjects . They must be properly understood if we are to understand the field of cleaning and its impact on health? To properly discuss “cleaning,” we must emphasize the objectives and reasons for cleaning. We must also understand and emphasize their importance and value. The science of cleaning includes the following topics:

To nominate an Outstanding Cleaning Worker from your organization, please click here.

The time is fast approaching when we will be recognizing outstanding cleaning workers. Approximately two-and-a-half million people earn their living in the U.S. as janitors, custodians and housekeepers. Most toil through their shift, day after day with little notice of their contribution to the orderly operation of every business.

In 2009, The SIMON INSTITUTE decided to honor outstanding cleaning workers during the Simon Institute Symposium each year. They commissioned a beautiful medal to be designed for the occasion. George Dansie and Shu Yamamoto created a special medal that is a work of art to honor the best of our best cleaners.

John Walker, ManageMen, Inc., presents an Outstanding Cleaning Worker Award at the 2011 (OS1) Users Symposium.

At the symposium in New Orleans this year, we will honor the Outstanding Cleaning Workers in America for the fourth year in a row. Now is the time for your organization to fill out the application form for the recipient your organization wants to recognize. Organizations are invited to honor more than one medal recipient.

Medals will be presented during the Cleaning Industry Awards Banquet, Monday, August 6th at the historic Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, Louisiana. Cleaning workers who attend the banquet will be presented the award in a special medal ceremony following the Pinnacle Award for Lifetime Achievement.

The cleaning worker’s “bio” will be read to the group, their photo will be displayed on the screen and Renae and John Walker of ManageMen will present the awards. KBM Facility Solutions, headquartered in San Diego, California is the first (OS1) organization to announce that they will be honoring a cleaning worker this year. Carnell Stewart has been selected as their Outstanding Cleaning Worker of the Year for 2011. Carnell is a member of the staff that provides services at The Boeing Company’s 787, Dreamliner, Final Assembly Facility, in North Charleston, South Carolina. He was the first front line worker hired at the site when it opened in May of 2011 and has been recognized on several previous occasions by both KBM and the Boeing Team for his outstanding dedication and professionalism.

His manager Maria Rivers, reports:

We are proud to have him on our team. He has covered every position as the facility has come on line and performed every one of them to the highest level. Carnell is currently a Utility Specialist, which here requires you to operate very large ride-on scrubbers, forklifts and other utility vehicles in the modern manufacturing environment that has a zero waste to landfill program.

Among the criteria for selection employees must display a commitment to professional pride and care; be self motivated and accountable; demonstrate a positive; conscientious and considerate attitude toward customers, fellow employees and others; provide continual outstanding performance of any kind within the campus of facilities that build and support the assembly process; and excellence in the performance of job duties.

“WOW,” a Boeing Facility Manager stated. “I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more.” Carnell has been involved in providing services at a unique facility—not everyone gets to see the most efficient aircraft in the world being manufactured in their work area each day. The effects of proper cleaning impact everyone in the built environment. It is important to understand the relationship between proper, professional cleaning and the health and well being of each worker and visitor to the facility. Carnell commented that he is glad to have a job when so many people are having a hard time finding work. Does he like his job? It’s evident the minute you meet him. Always cheerful with a smile on his face, Carnell is a true cleaning professional.

If you are unable to send outstanding cleaning worker’s that you wish to honor in your organization, you may conduct your own medal ceremony at your location. Many organizations are large, with hundreds, even thousands of cleaning workers, the SIMON INSTITUTE decided not to limit the number of medals for which an organization may apply.

Presented by Robert Moddrell and Corey Wright, The University of Texas at Austin.

For the last decade, UT Austin’s Custodial Services has maintained over 12.5 million square feet of the UT campus using a high-performance cleaning process called (OS1). Developed by ManageMen, (OS1) promotes the standardization of the custodial operation through the use of environmentally friendly products and ergonomic tools. With this process, Custodial Services has maintained a consistent cleaning program across campus despite the size of our operation and varying demands of each building. Moreover, this process has ushered in a sustainable approach to cleaning that is easily reflected in our chemical program, water usage, paper and plastic products inventory, team cleaning system, and indoor air quality.

Two seemingly unrelated events were the subject of news stories in the early weeks of 2012. The first occurred on January 12, when the Vermont Senate gave final approval to Senate bill #92, a bill that requires public schools and “approved independent schools” to ensure that only environmentally preferable cleaning products are used to clean the schools. The bill will now make its way to the Governor’s desk for his signature which will transform the bill into law. Vermont’s state owned and leased buildings have already transitioned to “green” cleaning products as a result of the Clean State Program created by an executive order signed by Governor Douglas in 2004.

Banning Germ Killers in Schools

But the perhaps, unintended consequence of this legislation action goes further. It bans disinfectants and sanitizers in public schools. Is this really the lengths Vermont want to go to be “green”? If so it joins the states like California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Neveda, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington. It is relevant to note that this legislation has been driven not by the medical community and public health experts but by state procurement officers and purchasing agents in league with the janitorial supply industry.

The Vermont bill allows for the use of disinfectants only when:

1. Blood, body fluids or fecal soiling is present on any surface; (ignoring that most diseases are spread by invisible germs called pathogenic microorganisms and not visible accumulations listed in the Vermont legislation).
2.  The State makes a case specific determination that failure to use a disinfectant would create a risk to public health and safety (like MRSA, Avian Flu, SARS, Whooping cough, measles, and the common cold).

Two days later, on Saturday January 14, Dr. Sanjay Gupta CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, aired a report in his series on Toxic America about the sorry, environmental health of schools in the United States. More schools than ever are making kids and school staff sick. While it’s tough to estimate how many toxic schools are in America, most research shows that at least a third or more of U.S. Schools have issues like mold, dust and other indoor air problems serious enough to cause respiratory illnesses like asthma in students and staff. Healthy Schools Network reports that as many as 55 million U.S. children may be attending public and private K-12 schools where poor air quality, hazardous chemicals and other unhealthy conditions can make everyone sick.

The U.S. EPA estimates that at least half of all schools in this country have indoor air quality problems caused by toxic chemical and pesticide use, chemical spills, mold infestations, asbestos, radon, lead in paint and drinking water, heavy metals and persistent toxics, such as mercury, CCA and PCBs.

Other highlights of Dr. Gupta’s story included:

• A story about a woman who claims school air sickened her son for 53 days last school year
• New York study finds correlation between building maintenance and illness
• Studies estimate one-third of U.S. schools have mold, dust and other indoor air problems
• Connecticut school so plagued with mold officials decided to tear it down

Now the Rest of the Story

Missing from both the Vermont and Dr. Gupta’s story was the recognition of the importance of cleaning and sanitation. There was no recognition that a proven process of cleaning and disinfections leads to improved health, comfort and educational performance.

In 2007, Michael Berry, PhD, wrote a booklet Healthy Schools are Clean, Dry and Productive. Largely ignored, this essay provides leadership for both the “school is making my kids sick” and the “green cleaning” groups. Berry points out that the “importance of a healthy school environment in enhancing the learning process is described in many studies. There is a direct connection between environmental quality, comfort, health and well-being, positive attitudes and behavior, and higher levels of education performance. The quality of the school environment shapes attitudes of students, teachers and staff. Attitudes affect teaching and learning behavior. Behavior affects performance. Educational performance determines future outcomes of individuals and society as a whole.”

Berry wrote:

We need to recognize that the main causes of environmentally related illness in schools are water, food sources for the various bio-pollutants, non-existent or ineffective cleaning, and poor ventilation. We should guard against becoming myopic when it comes to assessing environmental risk in school environments. Too often, we spend a large amount of time looking at air quality alone, especially in recent times with regard to mold. This narrow focus is necessary but by no means sufficient to protect the health of our children and their teachers and the quality of our school environments.

Should the states be banning disinfectants and sanitizers?

To protect health in schools, we need to take a close look at total exposure, and not solely focus on the air route of exposure. Bacteria that come from direct contact with other humans and surfaces cause over 80% of environmentally related illness. The main routes of exposure are dermal and ingestion, not air. Even air poses its most serious threats by delivering bacteria and viruses to sensitive receptors. Sufficiently concentrated airborne mold spore and other airborne allergens, such as cockroach antigen, frequently trigger allergic reactions in sensitized individuals, particularly asthmatics.

Disinfectant and sanitizers are by definition toxic. We use them to “kill” pathogens before they make humans sick. The purchasing agents and cleaning chemical supply marketing organizations who promote the complete ban on poisons and toxins in schools don’t understand what Paracelsus, the father of toxicology, declared in the 14th century “The dose makes the poison.” Using sanitizers are fundamental to food preparation, dishwashing and serving meals. Disinfection of potential cross-contamination points in lavatories, and other common touch points in schools are basic to proper cleaning and school hygiene.

Trainers should expect and be prepared to discuss the risk/benefit analysis of proper cleaning and sanitation. (OS1) has an unequalled dedication to environmental issues. But it also values the benefits associated with properly killing pathogenic microorganisms in the public facilities entrusted to us. The State of Vermont and Dr. Gupta should know about the following scientific studies on the importance of cleaning:

• Frank Porter Graham Study

• Alexander Krilov Study

• Healthy School Environment and Enhanced Educational Performance – The Case of Charles Young School Elementary School (Washington, DC)

• (OS1) Cleaning Process vs. Traditional Housekeeping (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

They should also be promoting the benefits and the reported results by workers and patrons in (OS1) facilities like Dixon Middle School and University of Michigan. In 2012, the (OS1) user group will be focusing on three areas to “Protect Yourself” in facilities. They are:

1. The reduction of asthma-type symptoms due to the performance level of (OS1) that provides negligible dust following the UNC cleaning protocol.
2. Focus on proper use and application of germicidal chemicals.
3. The opportunity to dramatically reduce humidity in schools by strategically using portable air drying equipment.

These three strategies are a messaging opportunity for the (OS1) trainers, (OS1) support manufacturers (particularly ProTeam, PortionPac & Dri-Eaz) and the Simon Institute.

This morning, I decided to leaf through ManageMen’s archive of cleaning industry magazines and publications.  For me it’s an important activity – it gives me a little perspective where the cleaning industry is headed compared to a few years ago.  As I was going through the stacks, I stumbled upon an article that John Walker originally wrote in January of 2004.  The article ran in Contracting Profits magazine as a part of Mr. Walker’s monthly Business Builder column. What struck me the most as a consultant in the cleaning industry is that eight years later, the problem in this article is still very relevant.  I decided to share it here.  Enjoy this piece from our archives:

From Contracting Profits magazine.  Click here to see the original article.

Consultant Advice: You Need Help — Now
Okay, from time to time I’ve been known to earn part of my living performing consulting work and you may think this article is totally self serving, but…

The cleaning industry has a problem. Many of your customers are downgrading the importance of cleaning. This causes you to scramble even more to figure out how to deliver clean facilities at lower cost, with less frequent service. The question I’m hearing more and more is, “How do I do more with less — a lot less?”

An independent consultant might be able to help. Consultants have an interesting niche in the cleaning industry because the valuable ones work with troubled organizations everyday. Let’s face it – consultants are not hired when business is going smoothly.

But why not simply convene a meeting of managers and exectives to find out what’s wrong? W. Edwards Deming once observed that you shouldn’t expect the people digging a hole to invent a better method of digging holes — they’re too busy digging. Better digging methods come from people looking in, from outside.

Most organizations have a difficult time initiating long-term change. Change is difficult due to organizational political inbreeding. Political inbreeding is not too different from human inbreeding. When people marry among family members and have children, it gradually weakens the gene pool.

A similar phenomenon takes place within corporations. In most organizational structures, people are connected in invisible ways that don’t show up on the organization chart. Friends, allies, enemies, mentors and family all dramatically influence organizational change. Rarely will an individual’s title reveal who their organizational relatives are, who their champions are and how they got into the organization. Because of this, many organizations are not just politically motivated, but are emotionally driven as well.

The more an operation inbreeds, the more it is resistant to change. Generally, in an organization, even if they don’t agree with it, individuals will follow the status quo.

Humans are creatures of habit and old habits are hard to break, this is especially true from within a corporate setting. This is not good news if your business is starting to slide, or if you simply cannot make it grow. It can be especially frustrating if you are trying to change your organization, but cannot because of the politics and reluctance to change. Managers who are used to a set way of doing things like to stick to what they know and are not usually the best people to institute a change.

That is why it helps to hire someone from the outside. It is important to have someone come into your organization who has done something different, who has obtained results, who knows how transition to new programs and, above all, who knows how to help the existing operation adapt to the new environment.

But not all consultants are created equal. Be careful when bringing someone on board, because the last thing you need is a consultant making things worse.

Hire for results
Good consultants will help your organization grow. They can bring positive changes to the way you hire, workload, train, manage, track and communicate. These are all terms that you should discuss with any consultant before you hire one.

See what they have to say and listen for the word “results.” The No. 1 thing you want to find out before hiring a consultant is the results you can expect. Results are everything in the consulting business. Make sure to research a consultant’s previous results, both in the short and long term, in situations similar to your own. Find out what previous clients have to say about the consultant and what they did when they came in.

But, try to avoid being a guinea pig. It’s one thing to have a good idea, but it’s quite another to be able to put it in place. A lot of people who style themselves as consultants do not have a program that has been successful, and want to try it out on their unuspecting clients.

I have never before seen such massive amounts of budget cuts, layoffs, reduction of staff and reductions of frequencies. I’ve been surprised at the number of organizations over the past 18 months who have been faced with the need for significant organization change to operate effectively in the current business climate.

It may be time for you to face up to the fact that this industry is changing and that you may need help from the outside. An organization that is facing these challenges needs to get help and get it fast. Hiring the right consultant may help you breathe new life into your organization and help it thrive again.

Dixon Middle School (Provo City School District) and University of Michigan were both awarded a Green Cleaning Award for Schools & Universities in the December 2011 Issue of American Schools & Universities Magazine. The Green Cleaning Awards for Schools & Universities recognizes education institutions for exemplary green cleaning programs. Award criteria are modeled on The Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools, published by the Healthy Schools Campaign, a founding member of the Green Cleaning Network.

• Dixon Middle School won the 2011 Best New Program Award in the K-12 Schools category. You can read all about their (OS1) program by clicking here.

• University of Michigan won an Honorable Mention Award in the Colleges & Universities category. You can read all about their (OS1) Program by clicking here.

To download the complete digital edition of the December Issue of American Schools and Universities Magazine, please click here.

Congratulations to these (OS1) Programs and all of their hard work in 2011!

December 12, 2011. Austin, Texas –

LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human environmental health: sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. There are several types of certifications, but two primary ones for commercial facilities – New Construction (NC) and Existing Buildings (EB).

“We are tremendously proud of this achievement,” said Mark Tester, director of the Austin Convention Center Department. “Not only is the Austin Convention Center bringing economic benefits to the city of Austin, it is also a model of sustainability that will continue to set the standard in the industry. Credit certainly goes to the convention center staff’s dedication and commitment over the past four years to obtain the gold level, under the guidance of David Thomas, ACC Operations Manager, LEED-Accredited Professional and Certified Energy Manager.”

“Austin Convention Center’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, U.S. Green Building Council president, CEO and founding chair. “The work of innovative building projects such as the Austin Convention Center is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement.”

Austin Convention Center’s sustainable design features and practices include:

• 66% of all waste diverted from landfill
• Composted 250,000 lbs. of organic waste in 2011
• Reduced our carbon footprint by 93% since 2007
• Facility powered by Wind Energy
• Reduced electric consumption by 20%
• Installed LED lighting in all meeting rooms
• Carpet made from recycled materials, generating zero emissions and installed without using glue
• Reduced indoor water usage by 32%
• Replaced 75% of all toilets to low flow fixtures
• Implemented the (OS1) cleaning program to enhance, standardize green cleaning practices
• Crushed glass, native and adaptive plants is used in landscaping to minimize water consumption
• Installed Electric Car charging stations

“We are proud to have one of the greenest convention centers in the country, said Bob Lander, president and CEO of the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This achievement signifies Austin’s commitment to the environment – and will further Austin’s reputation as a premier destination for meetings and conventions.”

The Austin Convention Center is located in the heart of the capital of Texas, eight miles from the airport and a short distance from 6,000 downtown hotel rooms. The convention center is just down the street from the city’s vibrant nightlife. As the Live Music Capital of the World®, Austin echoes with the sound of country, rock ‘n’ roll, blues, jazz and Tejano in over 200 venues, any night of the week.

A leading destination in Green meetings and one of the country’s most technologically advanced facilities, the convention center stretches over six city blocks and 881,400 gross square feet of space. It offers 370,957 square feet of meeting space including 246,097 square feet of column-free exhibit space divisible into five contiguous halls. Ballrooms of all sizes are included in meeting package options. The 43,300 square foot upper level Grand Ballroom offers space for over 3,000 to dine in style. The Center boasts 54 meetings room and show offices, located on all four levels, with over 58,000 square feet.

Over 7 million people have attended 3,000+ events, including over 700 conventions, at the award-winning Austin Convention Center since it opened in 1992. The convention center expanded in 2002, doubling its size. More information about the Austin Convention Center and its LEED certification can be found on its website at www.austinconventioncenter.com.

www.simoninstitute.org

I’ve donated a significant portion of my time over the past couple of months to work on the redesign and relaunch.

I’m really excited about some of the new functions available on the new website.  Specifically, there is a database of presentation materials and white papers that has accumulated over the past decade.  These materials will be hosted in the Recent Posts section on the front page of this website and archived in the Research section. Presentations will also be search-able by abstract. I’ll be working to get the majority of this information uploaded over the next couple of weeks.

Secondly, Simon Institute is going to start raising funds to sponsor cleaning workers to attend the Cleaning Industry Awards Banquet.  Recognition of the individual cleaning worker has long been a passion of ours. What better way to accomplish this than to sponsor a cleaning worker to attend an awards banquet and receive recognition? I’ll personally be using my twitter account and other social media to help raise funds over the year. The more Simon Institute is able to raise, the more works they can sponsor people to attend. The ChipIn widget on the Donate page has a tab for embedding code onto your website/social networking site. If you are as passionate as I am about this, then please feel free to co-promote by copying the code for the widget.

Head on over and check it out. I hope you enjoy the new site and everything it’s going to be able to offer.

A compact booklet designed to simplify collecting information necessary to workload cleaning operations to Job Cards. Designed to record key facility data including building designations, use, traffic, layout, density, surfaces and room counts. May be used to record building up to 14 stories tall or with multiple buildings in a campus-type setting. Makes it easy to transfer data to (OS1) PinPoint or manual work-loading systems.

(OS1)ian – Advanced Light Duty Terms

Instead of spending a fortune hiring translators and cutting down trees to print training materials in twenty different languages, ManageMen decided to create a curriculum for cleaning workers to learn a new professional vocabuarly. The new language is known as “(OS1)ian”. (OS1) Coaches and Trainers teach everyone on the cleaning team, even those who already speak English, the new language together. This new product provides (OS1) Coaches a method of expanding the terminology for their Light Duty Specialists. It includes 29 additional terms that any (OS1) Light Duty Specialist needs to know in order to perform their job.

ManageMen will be teaching how to use these booklets at the new (OS1) Workloading Workshop, November 2-4, 2011 in Salt Lake City.

The Official (OS1) Mug

Complement your coffee addiction with the Official (OS1) Mug. Great for team recognition gifts or training prizes. Microwave safe and Dishwasher safe. 100% Ceramic.

MSDS Verification of Training Kit

The MSDS Verification of Training pack contains materials that is used to verify that MSDS training has been conducted and the information has been properly transferred to the cleaning worker. This pack includes individual student examinations that require employees to fill in answers to worker safety related information in their own words. In addition, there is also a verification of training form to be signed and dated by both the student and instructor. An MSDS “Beyond Compliance” recognition pin and a personalized ID Card with key safety topic check off boxes is also included.

Protect Yourself Verification of Training Kit

The Protect Yourself Verification of Training pack contains materials that can be used to verify that bloodborne pathogen and bodily substance training has been conducted and that the information has been properly transferred to the cleaning worker. This pack includes individual student examinations that require employees to fill in answers to worker safety related information in their own words. In addition, there is also a verification of training form to be signed and dated by both the student and instructor. A Protect Yourself training recognition pin and a personalized ID Card with key safety topic check off boxes is also included.

Jeff Hawkins teaches (OS1) Boot Camp, August 2011

The second phase of (OS1) start-ups at Provo City School District has officially kicked off today (August 11, 2011). Jeff Hawkins, certified (OS1) Coach for the school district is conducting a two day (OS1) Boot Camp. Jeff was a volunteer head custodian at Dixon Middle School for the (OS1) start-up during the last school year. He now heads up the school district’s custodial training and is responsible for the implementation and start-up of the next two buildings. Independence High School and Provo Peaks Elementary will be starting (OS1) on Monday, August 15th.

Ben Walker and I are currently assisting Jeff with this second phase of start-ups. It is always great to watch someone grow from a position of not knowing (OS1) to, one year later, training and discussing the Janitor University Philosophy with ease. Jeff has done a great job in keeping the (OS1) Boot Camp class engaged and being the expert on the (OS1) Cleaning Processes within the school district. This (OS1) Boot Camp class, has 17 attendees that include head custodians, sweepers (student janitors), and facility administrative personnel.

Best Cleaning Program Award

• The University of Texas at Austin

Best (OS1) Audit Award

• Sandia National Laboratories div. Lockheed Martin

Cleaning Industry Pioneer Award

• KBM Facility Solutions – BSC Scope of Work Implementation: Boeing St. Louis & Dreamliner Factory

Cleaning Industry Innovation Award

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Transitioning (OS1) in Housing and Dorms

Peer Influence Award

• Mt. San Antonio College

Cleaning Industry Trainer of the Year Award

• Chris Romero – Sandia National Labs div. Lockheed Martin

Best Cleaning Industry Carpet Care Program

• Service Point

Best Cleaning Industry Communications Award

• Los Angeles Habilitation House

Best Cleaning Industry Safety and Health Program Award

• The University of Texas at Austin - Watch Your Back – Kinesiology

Best Cleaning Industry Environmental Program Award

• Provo City School District – Dixon Middle School

Best Cleaning Industry Training Program

• Rappahannock Goodwill Industries

Best Cleaning Quality Improvement Program

• University of Michigan

Best Cleaning Industry Floor Care Program

• GMI Building Services, Inc. and Qualcomm – Joint Project

Best Cleaning Industry Certification Program

• Sandia National Laboratories div. Lockheed Martin

(OS1) Rookie of the Year Award

• Michigan State University

As a Head Custodian at a Middle School, I often have teachers approach me with comments and concerns about their classrooms as well as the school in general. I would like to share just such an encounter that happened in April of 2011.

I was walking down the hall at Dixon Middle School when Ms. Giblon, our band teacher, called my name from down the corridor. Ms. Giblon has had a lot of health problems and has been absent from school quite a bit this year. She has been experiencing unexplained migraine headaches and episodes where she “blacks out.” I stopped as she said she needed to talk to me.

To be honest, I expected to hear a concern or complaint about something that required my attention. To my pleasant surprise, she shared the accompanying story with me. I am truly inspired by her story and feel genuinely proud that the (OS1) cleaning program that I have been asked to oversee in Provo City School District is having such a profound impact on one of our teachers’ lives. Stories like these make all of the hard work worth it and are a true testament to the positive results of the (OS1) cleaning program.

Letter to Jeff Hawkins from a Teacher at Dixon Middle School

“I have been recently diagnosed with severe migraine headaches and my neurologist has been trying to help me discover and eliminate
things that may trigger them. She told me to try eliminating household cleaners with heavy chemical smells from my home as they may be one of the possible triggers. I have been cleaning with “natural” cleaners in my house for a few weeks now. I am also taking medication and trying to eliminate a few other things but I have not had a migraine or blackout incident since I switched cleaning routines. I have also had less allergy trouble.

I don’t know if the lack of exposure to heavy chemical cleaners at home and at school are the only reason I feel better but I have noticed that when I go into other schools and businesses and smell the chemicals from cleaners that I sometimes get the nauseous/lightheaded feeling I was getting before I was having my migraine/blackout incidents. I can’t stand to walk down the cleaner aisle at the store any more because it just gags me.

So anyway, I just want to thank you for being willing to pilot this new cleaning program at Dixon and for using safer cleaning products. I appreciate what an awesome job you do keeping our school clean and safe. It does make a difference!”

~Ms. Giblon
Dixon Middle School

More information about (OS1) Expert Trainer

Download the Brochure

Where:

Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah

When:

July 10-12, 2011

What does it cost?

$350.00 per person. This includes all scheduled events and meals, including opening reception, awards banquet and symposium materials. If you are planning on bringing a guest(s) to the Opening Reception and/or the Awards Banquet, please note the additional guest fee(s) as follows :

• Opening Reception Guest Fee: $40.00 per guest

• Awards Banquet Guest Fee: $80.00 per guest

Please make all checks payable to the Simon Institute, a non-profit organization.

How do I register?

Easy. Just click the button below:
Register Now

How do I book my hotel room(s)?

Simple. You can call the Little America Hotel-Salt Lake City reservations desk at 1-800-437-5288. Be sure to ask about the Simon Institute special rate ($119.00 per night. Please note this rate will expire after 06/09/11).

If you prefer to book your accommodations online, you can do it now by clicking on the button below:
Book My Room

We left Salt Lake City on Monday and arrived to Detroit that evening to a wall of water, literally. There is no other way to describe it. It rained from the airport to the hotel. For some reason our taxi driver thought it was best to travel 70 mph in the lake that used to be a freeway. It was….. exciting. For those of you who don’t know, I am sort of a back seat driver. I can get really nervous when my life is in the hands of another (distracted) driver. For that reason, I snapped a few photos with my phone. I just wanted the emergency responders who found us to have photo documentation of the crash.

We arrived safely to the lovely Dahlman Campus Inn in time to have dinner with our friend and gracious host John Lawter.

Tuesday was a long day for us…. (don’t feel bad, its our job). We started auditing around 2pm and finished up around 2am. Although we did have a yummy pizza dinner, that only lasted us a few hours of auditing.

We find it is important to partake of a post audit meal. As you may have guessed there’s not much open in way of restaurants at that hour. So… we sweet talked the front desk into opening their gift shop to feed two hungry, hard working auditors.

We finished up Wednesday afternoon and made our way back to the Detroit airport to fly home. Again, we hit that same wall of water. However, this time our taxi driver wasn’t as much of a race car driver. Here is the storm we nicknamed “The Nothing”.

We had a short (yeah, right!) 3 hour delay. Once we pushed back from the gate, we had a maintenance issue which they fixed but resulted in another maintenance issue. We went back to the gate and I may or may not have seen the maintenance guy get on the plane with a can of WD-40. Anyway the airline was kind enough to walk the aisles serving warm cups of water for anyone who was thirsty and three short hours later, we were on our way.

Minus the airplane mishap and the torrential downpour, we had a fantastic time in Ann Arbor. The University of Michigan has a beautiful campus in a beautiful city.

Thanks to all those who hung out with Ben & I on the audit. We had a great time!

Once again, the Simon Institute is planning on conducting this ceremony during this year’s (OS1) Awards Banquet, July 11, 2011 at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City.

This a a friendly reminder, to all (OS1) organizations, that we are currently accepting your nominations for Outstanding Cleaning Worker of the Year. For you convenience, we are accepting your nominations online. Just click the button below to nominate a cleaning worker from your organization:

Nominate My Cleaning Worker

We encourage all (OS1) organizations that nominate a cleaning worker and bring them along with you to the annual (OS1) Users Symposium. If they are in attendance, they will be presented with their medal of honor at the (OS1) Awards Banquet.

All medals are $50.00 per nominee. Payments should me made to the Simon Institute, a non-profit corporation.

(OS1) Job Board

This job board is for both employers as well as job seekers. The format we have chosen has all the functionality of other Job search websites, but again, this is specific to the (OS1) World. Yay! Employers can post available jobs, browse candidate’s resumes, view and relist jobs once they expire, and so much more. Job seekers can browse for current (OS1) Jobs, build and update their resumes, apply for available (OS1) Jobs and more!

The (OS1) Job Board will be a free service, for now, while we beta test the software. Check out the (OS1) Job Board, set up your own profile and post a new job or just check out it’s functionality. Don’t be afraid to jump in! We really hope that this will be of service to the (OS1) Users and anybody looking to stay working within the (OS1) World .

All constructive feedback is welcome…please respond here or get in touch with me if you have any questions, comments or concerns about this exciting new feature.

These brand new job cards have been re-designed to highlight daily cleaning and detail cleaning in core areas. They are simplified to keep more accurate times per day and include an entire work week rather than just one day.

The NEW Job Cards are now available in two different options:

• (OS1) Job Card – Starter Pack (#200-2003S) which includes a total of 5 job cards, one of each color

• (OS1) Job Card – Work loading Pack (#200-2003W) which includes 25 of each color (125 cards total).

Visit our online store for more details.

Also, we are currently blowing-out the original version of the (OS1) Job Cards at the bargain price of 50% off, while supplies last. Once they are gone, the old version will be discontinued.

I had been on the road for 4 weeks straight when I thought… I have got this traveling down to a science, I use everything in my suitcase and have minimal excess items. I know exactly what I need to make myself comfortable in the airport, on a plane, in a hotel, etc.

I thought I would share some of my traveling tips on our blog. Here are the top ten things I always do when traveling.

1. Airborne
1-2 hours prior to boarding the plane you should drink Airborne (they sell a small travel pack that you mix up in a bottle of water). This is to prevent you catching a cold or cough with that recirculated airplane air. It works! I swear!

2. Water
Drink plenty of water on the road. Plenty. This will save you from dehydration which can cause a nightmare headache.

3. Packing
Always pack the night before you leave. That way if you think of something to pack, you still have time.

4. iPhone
If you have an iPhone, they have made traveling so easy. You can check in online and even bring up your boarding pass. (Which looks super cool when you get to security and everyone else looks very 2007 with their paper boarding pass)

5. Jewels & Precious Metals
Do not wear your jewelry to the airport. Put it in your purse or carry-on. Taking off jewelry and emptying pockets slows down the security line and no one likes a slow poke.

6. Slip on shoes
I bought a specific pair just for airports, they are fashion savvy and also very convenient. Once again, whoever wears the tennis shoes or buckled boots in the security line gets a big fat boo!!!! from us expert travelers.

7. Scarf
I always pack a scarf when traveling. I will wear it to the airport for a couple different reasons. Sometimes smaller planes can be really cold, I use my scarf to keep warm. Sometimes I am super duper tired, I use my scarf for a pillow. It can be a light scarf, so it doesn’t weigh much when you pack it in your carry on. Scarfs rule!

8. Bottle
Buy a bottle of water at the airport. Since you can’t take in any drinks, you will have to buy a bottle at the airport which is somewhat of a rip off but is totally worth it considering the drink cart takes an hour to reach you sometimes and then they give you a little cup with your beverage that I always drink in about two gulps. Water bottle saves my life!

9. iPad & iTunes
I cannot bear a four hour flight without a movie. It makes the plane experience so much more pleasurable. Rent a movie for $4.99 from iTunes. You have 24 hours from the time you start the movie to watch it before it expires. Lifesaver!

10. TV Remote
Research shows the TV remote control in hotels is by far the dirtiest item we come in contact with. If the hotel does clean the remote, it is improperly cleaned and ends up more dirty then before they cleaned it. Save yourself from touching the remote then rubbing your eyes and wondering why you woke up with pink eye. Use the washcloth from your hotel bathroom to handle the remote.

Here’s a list of why you, inquisitive reader, should be interested in what goes on here.

Why it’s rad (yes, I said rad):

1. It’s at Disney World.  I don’t care how old you are, where you’ve come from, what you’ve done.  If you can’t have fun at Disney World, you might be broken and you’ll need to schedule some regular maintenance. It’s the happiest place on Earth and everyone here is bursting with fruit flavor.

2. Joseph Garcia is here.  Joseph is the trainer at one of the largest community colleges in the country, Mt. San Antonio College and he’s also president of the Cleaning Industry Trainers Guild.  He’s taken it on as his personal mission to mobilize the troops to further the craft of professional trainers in the industry.

3. Real issues get tackled here.  No wonder goo.  No miracle pills.  As I type this, there’s a spirited discussion taking place about managing customer expectations and how not to mishandle a customer communication program.  Last year, we had a speech and debate coach come to class and give good constructive criticism on our platform skills and getting messages across clearly.

4.  Two words:  Pool Party.  I don’t really know how to elaborate on this one other than I’ve been informed by a couple of different folks that there’s a pretty serious movement to actually have one tonight.  I hope it’s more serious than last year.  Last year, Jill Melton and I sat around the pool while an unpredictable mutant horde of mosquitoes attacked us.  We could have caught malaria.  Details will be forthcoming.

5.  When we’re not tackling serious issues, We get to play with stuff.  One of my favorite things to do while we’re here is to get our hands on the daily (OS1) tools and really make sure everyone is training the same way.  We go over everything from making sure trainers are delivering the proper training on fitting the backpack vacuum to understanding how to use the two-sided mop bucket.  Sounds simple, but you wouldn’t believe how the smallest things can cause the biggest problems.

6.  Umm. . . running low on things to list here and John Walker is starting to give me the evil eye for clickity-clacking from the back of the room.  I’m going to go with a wild card here – Milkshakes.  I’m not a big sweets guy, but the milkshakes at The Wave restaurant in the Contemporary Resort Hotel are divine.

We’ll be here all week with updates.  I wanted to get this out there before we got too far into class.  Jill takes better pictures than I do so I’ll leave the photos to her.  Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she gets everyone’s good side.

For workshop details and registration, please click here.

It was hard not to focus on the view of the beautiful day they were having in Seattle.

To order your very own copy of ISSA’s 540 Cleaning Times book, please click here.

I think the video speaks for itself.

Often students at school that are in trouble for any number of reasons are brought to me to be “punished” for their bad deeds. Administrators ask if I can put them to work by doing janitorial tasks such as cleaning lunchroom tables, washing entry glass, cleaning lockers, picking up trash, etc. While I do think it is appropriate for a student who draws all over the walls to be given the task of cleaning it off, I am not sure if I see a correlation of having to clean lunchroom tables for being excessively tardy or picking up trash for being disrespectful to a teacher. It seems that more often than not the administrators are unintentionally sending the message to misbehaving students that “if you get out of line we will give you the most awful punishment we can think of ” …janitorial work.

Ever since I have been introduced to (OS1), I am feeling conflicted that “punishing” students to do janitorial tasks goes against the entire JU Philosophy of Cleaning. If we are trying to send the message that the janitorial profession is a first class profession employing first class citizens, should administrators be “sentencing” students to perform cleaning tasks? Isn’t that reinforcing the negative stereotypes that we are working so hard to reverse?

Think about it.

To read the entire article, please click here.

All professional cleaners work in a jungle. An invisible jungle. A jungle of billions of microorganisms. Some are friendly, some are hostile, some are trying to (and eventually will) kill us. We are part of the jungle and home to millions of the micro-creatures who live on us, in us and around us in every nook and cranny we attempt to clean. The invisible jungle resides in the most pristine kitchen, the shiniest restroom and the cleanest smelling hospital or school. In these spotless environments, bad bugs ranging from MRSA to E. coli to coliform to salmonella are actively spreading from surface to surface, like chimpanzees swinging from bough to infected bough.

They are colonizing the plumbing, thriving on shelves and inhabiting the corners of counters. This book is not designed to be a medical manual. It’s is not a hospital reference book. It is not a technical scientific tome. It is a book designed to help cleaning workers. Housekeepers, janitors, custodians, trainers and their management who are concerned with the broad area of dealing with the problems of microorganisms, wherever they are found in the workplace. This book attempts to bridge the gap between science and common sense when it comes to cleaning facilities. Here are the sanitation basics, the vocabulary and the history of cleaning for health. It’s compiled to equip you to deal in a practical way with everyday cleaning and sanitation problems of facility operations. Once you master the basic knowledge, you can act professionally to provide the necessary health service to those who work in these facilities.

You can order your very on copy from the ManageMen online store, by clicking here.