| By Martin Escalante and Severin Rizzo Five instructors at the City College of San Francisco, CA,
have been training Bay area cleaning workers for over 30 years. The students include
trainees and experienced cleaning workers pursuing other industry opportunities. Unionized
custodians in the Bay area can earn up to $17 an hour.
The course emphasizes cleaning procedures, chemical
use, tools, equipment, workplace safety, building security and professional conduct. The
study of economics also is part of the curriculum.
Based on student input, the instructors compiled a
list of 10 issues or concerns they believe will be of growing concern into the next decade
and how to handle them.
Bloodborne pathogens:
Cleaning and facility managers and their employees should be aware of the potential risks
of blood and human waste cleanups. The issue led the US Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) to draft its Bloodborne Pathogen Standard.
Some custodians still clean restrooms without
wearing gloves or other protective equipment, and they have various methods for cleaning
potentially hazardous spills instead of one approved policy.
Concern about bloodborne diseases seems to be
fading in some areas, yet the risks are still too great to ignore. Managers who don’t
properly train their cleaning workers are open to liability. Insurance carriers and OSHA
will not tolerate lax standards.
Ergonomics:
Back injuries in the cleaning maintenance industry are common, so managers should review
proper lifting methods with their workers. There are new cleaning tools and products that
can minimize back strains or pulls water buckets that drain without lifting, trash
containers that empty more easily, mop wringers that minimize strain when wringing a mop.
Cleaning workers increasingly suffer from carpal
tunnel syndrome caused by repetitive motions. Workers’ wrists, arms and elbows can
suffer from the stress of repetitive use of cleaning equipment and methods.
An effective preventive program depends on using
ergonomically designed tools and equipment, and providing proper training in their use.
Hazardous equipment:
As the pressure increases to do more cleaning with fewer workers, more efficient
equipment must be used. Self-propelled automatic scrubbers and propane-powered floor-care
equipment, for example, can slash labor needs.
But the technology may carry with it some adverse
effects from use of equipment powered by propane, battery or some other fuel. Storage and
operation safety must be addressed. The goal is to save time and labor, but it’s
important not to ignore potential dangers to operators and the public.
Specialty cleaning:
There are two theories on specialty cleaning. One is that every cleaning operator should
be a generalist because customers don’t want to contract out specialty cleaning work.
The other contends that operators should avoid being generalists and emphasize a cleaning
specialty to attract clients and improve their expertise.
Managers will pay more attention to areas that once
were delegated to higher priced specialty companies. Economics don’t allow for
exorbitant profits on specialty cleaning items. The client will eventually find a cleaning
service that performs quality specialty work at reasonable prices.
Professionalism:
The cleaning maintenance industry has made strides in promoting a professional image. As
the wage gap widens between the unskilled worker and the trained custodian, customers will
expect a professional cleaning technician to service their buildings. Cleaning workers
will have to be neat and clean, be expert at their job and be able to interact
professionally with customers, occupants and the public.
The cost of carrying out cleaning services has
traditionally taken precedence to worker demeanor, appearance and training for customers
and facility owners. But a competitive cleaning industry requires workers to be skilled,
courteous and personable. Managers will have to take into consideration these desired
worker characteristics when interviewing potential employees.
Lead paint:
Old
lead paint poses health and litigious hazards to humans. Cleaning workers don’t have
to be lead paint removal specialists, but their managers should determine lead hazards
that may exist in the cleaning workplace.
Dry dusting of lead-based paint is a way to create
health hazards for employees, visitors or tenants. Cleaning and facility managers must not
let their workers remodel or paint over lead-paint surfaces unless proper safety
procedures are implemented.
Asbestos:
Asbestos dust is a carcinogenic hazard requiring immediate attention and notification to
anyone exposed to it. Custodians working around asbestos must take every precaution to
protect themselves while cleaning. The building owner or manager must take steps to
protect all occupants.
Integrated pest
management:
An integrated pest management (IPM) program is designed to reduce
the use of toxic sprays and chemicals yet maintain an effective pest control operation.
Cleaning workers should be a vital part of any IPM
program because they’re often asked to eliminate the pest problem. They’re often
told by their managers to monitor potential infestations and to apply the chemicals to
eradicate pests.
Hazardous chemicals:
Training in the use of potentially hazardous cleaning chemicals can reduce injuries and
ensure the correct product is used. There will be little tolerance for poor training or
lack of training in this area over the next decade. Failure to train will increase the
risk for liability.
Sick building syndrome:
Complaints from customers and tenants about dust, odors, pests, poor ventilation,
irritating cleaning chemicals, allergic reactions and faulty cleaning methods add up to
what has become known as sick building syndrome.
It forces managers to become more experienced in
analyzing complaints and to provide training for custodians to clean critical areas where
disease or chemical reactions may spread.
Martin Escalante is director of the Custodial
Services Department, San Francisco, CA, Unified School District, and Severin Rizzo is
facilities services manager for the Custodial Services Department, San Francisco
International Airport.
For more information on the topic of this article,
please go to www.facility-maintenance.com and use the following keywords in an
article search: cleaning concerns, professionalism, custodial training. |
