tools that are friendlier to their back, knees and shoulders. Specifically, it is important to look for clean-ing carts, mops and floor care machines with ergonomic features. Cleaning carts offer staffs a convenient way to carry numerous cleaning products and tools from room to room. Look for models allowing multiple configu-rations that provide employees with the best cart to fit the task they are performing. Keeping commonly used supplies near the top of the cart can help reduce ergonomic risk factors by eliminating the need for fre-quent reaching. Other enhancements like adjustable han-dles and 360-degree rotating wheels provide easy maneuverability and limit unnecessary bending and twisting. A major aspect of every cleaning program is floor maintenance. For facilities that use mops, a current trend is to move from using traditional string mops to microfiber mops in certain areas. These microfiber mops are lightweight and easy to handle and eliminate the need to wring a mop, which can lead to back and shoulder pain. Additionally, using microfiber mops in a pre-wetted process reduces the amount of weight employees have to move. Pre-wetting uses the exact amount of cleaning solution to get the job done, reduc-ing repetitive motions and intense scrub-bing that is sometimes required for problem areas. Using microfiber cloths to clean other surfaces such as countertops and mirrors is also recommended because they effectively and quickly trap dirt in their fibers. Floor care machines are another common method for preserving floors. These allow staffs to quickly clean and dry floors in one pass with minimal effort. With a multitude of walk-behind, ride-on and stand-on autoscrubbers available, it is important to understand features, such as weight, that best support a user’s health. Lightweight machines are easier to trans-port and allow staffs to exert less force while pushing and pulling the units. Handles with height adjustment and more comfortable grips are also emerging to enhance user comfort. Look for vacuums and autoscrubbers that position employees’ hands in a more neutral position and offer protection from vibration. Over time, these vibrations can cause dis-comfort in fingers, hands and wrists. The Final Push Once your facility has implemented user-friendly, ergonomic solutions, it is crucial that cleaning staffs are properly trained. Incorrect use of ergonomically-designed equipment can be just as detrimental as using products that lack ergonomic fea-tures. Demonstrate to workers how to efficiently and safely operate new tools and equipment so that they do not fall back into old and potentially harmful habits. This also ensures that employees obtain the desired results and leave facilities in pris-tine condition after each cleaning. CM force d is coming… armed. ready. protect. destroy. The mission will be revealed at Booth #4445 during ISSA InterClean 2012 www.coreproductsco.com • 800-825-2673 • Formulating for a clean future Product Information no. 217 on page 24 www.cmmonline.com 35
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