CM/Spotlight: Floor Care Case Study Tornado Industries Inc. Increase Safety And Efficiency With Battery-Powered Equipment From Tornado I In February 2009, the New York Times reported that the state of California has a projected deficit of $41 billion. And even smaller states are “in the hole;” Illinois, for example, has a deficit of about $10 billion. States are examining strategies to help cut costs to make it through this tough peri-od. This includes cleaning. Some states are now considering or have already imple-mented Day Cleaning systems because they allow state buildings to be shut down entirely each evening — saving substan-tially on lighting, heating and other energy-related costs — and cleaning workers do not have to be paid an evening differential for working at night. However, the process of switching from Night Cleaning to Day Cleaning poses some problems. One of the biggest con-cerns is noise. Some studies have found that vacuum cleaners and floor care equip-ment can be distracting to building occu-pants when used during the day. Further, the electrical cords to power these machines can pose serious safety con-cerns. Some government locations have reported accidents with staff members trip-ping over cords. To meet these Day Cleaning challenges, one Midwest government office turned to battery-powered cleaning equipment. At least with battery-powered machines, there are no cords to trip over, eliminating the safety issue. However, battery-powered cleaning equipment is still in its infancy. Some machines have proved to be under-powered and bulky to use. They have short run times — negatively impacting worker productivity — and charging the equipment can take several hours. In addition, the batteries used on some clean-ing machines are not considered eco-friendly. However, this government office found many of these problems were eliminated with the Tornado Industries® Battery Glazer 17, a key component of Tornadoʼs Essentials Line of products. This is a sur-prisingly small, easy-to-use floor machine with a substantial two-hour run time — enough time to clean 15,000 square feet. The Battery Glazer 17 uses a mainte-nance-free gel battery that is safer for the user and the environment. As to performance, the Battery Glazer 17 is rated at 1,500 revolutions per minute (RPMs), fast enough to produce a “glass top” shine on most floors. And the machine is whisper quiet at just 59 decibels. In fact, when the Battery Glazer 17 was introduced at last yearʼs ISSA tradeshow, many atten-dees said it was so quiet, they did not even know it was running. And there is an added benefit to the Battery Glazer 17. Like most government facilities, the location that used it was trans-ferring not only to Day Cleaning but to green cleaning as well. The Battery Glazer 17 has an integrated dust-control system that collects floor dust and soils while the machine is being used. This protects indoor air quality, making the machine a key com-ponent in green cleaning. Day Cleaning systems can help cut costs, but they have not worked in every setting. The equipment noise and cords have been challenges. However, using equipment such as the Battery Glazer 17, which is quiet, effective and cordless, is making Day Cleaning more acceptable. CM Circle Product Information no. 155 This information was provided by Tornado Industries Inc. as part of a paid advertisement. For more information, please contact Tornado directly at 1-800-VACUUMS or www.tornadovac.com. 30 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • April 2009
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