CM/Spotlight: Restroom Care Invest Wisely In Restroom Technology F For too many years, cleaners simply answered the call by satisfying customer demands for “shiny” surface appearances. Custodians would take to the job with mop and bucket in hand and be armed with the latest chemical innovations of the day. In the restroom, for example, workers would go back and forth, side to side and wipe and clean, which were the common cleaning procedures of the day. At the end of the work, restrooms were clear of debris, dirt, wasted paper goods, trash, gunk, wads, overflows and so on. And, often for minimum wage, the worker con-tinued on to complete the rest of the dayʼs work — many times using the same contaminated equipment. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) continues to rank the cleaning worker among the top careers where most workplace injuries occur. With new product breakthroughs entering the market, where should your focus be? By: Richard DiPaolo, Senior editor Go Figure Today, we have the ability, through scientific research, industry papers, case studies and expert analysis, to conclude that old cleaning practices were ineffective, unsanitary and did not adequately protect user and occupant health. Cleaning practices, such as back and forth and side to side, repeated over an extended period of time, such as five days a week for eight or more hours a day, can result in a musculoskeletal dis-order (MSD). MSDs can affect the bodyʼs muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Most work-related MSDs develop over time and are caused either by the work itself or by the employeesʼ working environment. It should come as no surprise then that recent workersʼ compensation data from the state of Washington shows that six out of every 100 jani-tors report lost-time injuries every year. for more info Visit www.cmmonline.com and type in search keyword: Restroom Care . For more information on related products, visit www.cmmonline.com , select SUPPLIER SEARCH from the main navigation bar, and enter keyword: Restroom . The days of bending, slouching and repetitive motions are being slowly washed away. 18 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • November 2009
CMM – Archives Nov 2009: 18
