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December 28, 2023

Flooring that Shines

Flooring that Shines

Maintaining clean floors is a crucial aspect of any cleaning routine, with floors facing significant wear and tear from foot traffic, wheeled equipment, and spills. The challenges of floor cleaning and ways to lighten the workload for cleaners are explored in discussions with various companies.

Unlike other surfaces primarily soiled by dust and fingerprints, floors in public spaces endure constant contact with dirty shoes, leaving behind marks, grooves, and potential hazards. This makes floor maintenance a substantial part of cleaning routines, but the time it consumes varies depending on the environment. Christian Mrowka, Kärcher’s floorcare product manager, notes that floor cleaning in spaces like logistics warehouses may take a whole day, while offices might allocate around 50% of a cleaner’s time due to additional tasks like cleaning desks and glass surfaces.

Effective floor cleaning is pivotal for enhancing air quality in dusty environments, thereby ensuring a safer workplace for employees. Studies indicate that bacteria present on the floor can become airborne, posing a risk of contaminating hands, surfaces, or being inhaled or swallowed. Consistent cleaning practices significantly contribute to maintaining a low level of contamination.

A robot is cleaning the floor of a building.

A well-maintained floor not only fosters cleanliness but also positively impacts employee morale and productivity, as emphasised by Mrowka. In settings like warehouses, where forklifts navigate around spills and debris, productivity may suffer. The presence of obstacles, such as rubbish, increases the risk of accidents when machines need to manoeuvre. Therefore, a clean floor plays a vital role in promoting a safe and efficient working environment.

The time needed for floor cleaning varies based on several factors, including the facility’s type and size, the flooring type, the level of traffic, and the cleaning frequency. In areas with high traffic, such as hallways, entrances, reception areas, and washrooms, the task becomes notably time-consuming to ensure both cleanliness and safety.

The advent of user-friendly scrubber dryers has proven beneficial, and the increased prevalence of autonomous floor cleaning robots adds even more flexibility to the cleaning process.

These innovations serve to reduce the time dedicated to floor cleaning, allowing employees to focus on more intricate tasks, notes Mrowka. Furthermore, these automated systems offer the advantage of night-time cleaning without requiring staff presence. Additionally, digital systems contribute by recording and monitoring the quality of cleaning performance.

The post Flooring that Shines appeared first on Spectrum.

New Recycling and Food Waste Regulations Take Effect on 31st March 2025

By Aaron Clark • January 8, 2025
Starting 31st March 2025, businesses across England will face new regulations mandating the separation of dry recycling and food waste from general waste. In line with the UK government’s sustainability goals under the Environment Act 2021 , is a pivotal step toward minimising the environmental impact of commercial waste. Under the new regulations, waste must be separated at the source before it is collected. This means businesses are responsible for ensuring recyclable and food waste is sorted appropriately on-site. Additionally, the use of equipment such as macerators and similar food waste treatment devices will no longer be allowed. Key Waste Streams to Separate Businesses must manage their waste according to the following categories: Food Waste: All food waste should be handled sustainably. Dry Mixed Recyclables: This includes paper, cardboard, plastics, metals, and other recyclable materials. General Waste: Non-recyclable items fall into this category. Businesses that fail to comply with these requirements may face financial penalties, reinforcing the importance of adhering to the new waste management standards. Starting in April 2025, members of the public and other stakeholders will have the ability to report workplaces that fail to comply with these regulations to the Environment Agency. Who Needs to Comply? This legislation applies to businesses, public sector organisations, and third-sector institutions with 10 or more employees. Affected entities include: Restaurants and cafés Offices and co-working spaces Schools and educational institutions Hospitals and healthcare facilities Transport hubs such as train stations and airports Smaller businesses, while not immediately required to comply, are encouraged to adopt these practices early to benefit from cost savings and reduced environmental impact.
Person in hazmat suit cleaning

COSHH Frequently Asked Questions

August 29, 2024
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations are essential for maintaining a safe workplace, especially when dealing with hazardous substances. It is a legal requirement to comply with these regulations to ensure safety. Below, we address some of the most common questions surrounding COSHH to help you understand and comply with these critical safety requirements. COSHH Assessment Does my employer need to provide me with a copy of the COSHH assessment? Yes, employers are required to provide information about the hazards, risks, and control measures related to hazardous substances. If your employer has five or more employees, they must also record the significant findings of the risk assessment, and this record should be accessible for inspection by safety representatives and authorities.
A row of hospital beds are lined up in a hospital hallway.

Are Hospital Surfaces Really Clean?

By Aaron Clark • February 29, 2024
A recent study reveals that despite strict adherence to recommended disinfection protocols in hospitals, microbial contamination persists on high-touch surfaces. Conducted by researchers at the Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, the study involved sampling 400 high-touch surfaces, such as workstations, breakroom tables, bed rails, resuscitation training dummies, and computer keyboards at nurse’s stations. The analysis […] The post Are Hospital Surfaces Really Clean? appeared first on Spectrum.
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