Use Disinfectants Wisely

The Great Clean Up by zepfanman.com via flickr.com

An extended winter season means concerns about spreading cold and flu in your buildings are higher than ever. This excerpt below is from an article on cleanlink.com about using disinfectants wisely, and with less risk. 

Cold winter weather, now gripping most of North America, usually means cold and flu season is here and likely sticking around for a few months.

Many cleaning professionals may be asked to use disinfectants this time of year more frequently than at other times. While disinfectants can be helpful because of their ability to kill germs and bacteria, they also can pose a risk to cleaning workers, building users, and the environment.

Charlotte Products/Enviro-Solutions, a manufacturer of traditional and green cleaning products, has offered the following tips on how to use disinfectants wisely:

-- Use only disinfectants that have been registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the EPA registration will be clearly printed on the label.

To read the full article, visit cleanlink.com

Cost Cuts and Profit Growth with Automated Cleaning

Along with the primary safety benefits of automated window cleaning solutions, it's also worth addressing the cost cutting and profit-growth potential.

In many cleaning applications, the highest cost percentages arise from labor expenses. Manual cleaning operations are time-consuming and labor- intensive, ultimately translating into higher labor costs. Replacing these methods with an automated system can result in as much as 70 to 80 percent in labor savings. Implementing automated window cleaning systems can also cut equipment costs, as companies can avoid purchasing safety equipment, such as guardrails and harnesses, as well as squeegees, buckets and other cleaning supplies. Plus, some automated systems offer water-only cleaning, which also eliminates the additional cost of detergents.

Improving safety has a direct impact on a company’s bottom line, not only by reducing the actual pay-out for work-related injuries, but also from an insurance standpoint. By reducing the risk of window cleaning operations, companies can decrease the cost of required insurance coverage. Typically, insurance rates are directly correlated with how risky or potentially dangerous the specified task is. Therefore, by utilizing technology that eliminates the risk to employees, companies may be eligible to lower their premiums for the mandated liability insurance.

The Life of a Window Cleaner

This article was originally posted in Blogger News.

According to those who did it, window cleaners have “adventurous jobs.” Others would call it dangerous. These people hang out over the sides of buildings on wooden platforms and safety ropes, keeping clean the numerous windows found on everything from skyscrapers to low-rise office buildings and shops. The people who undertake this task must not only have to know how to clean windows well but be up to the challenge of getting to these windows.

Window cleaners are in high demand. This is because architects keep trying to outdo each other by creating complex and admired buildings, making window cleaning a more difficult and more needed job. There are also risks involved in the job. About five to 10 window cleaners die each year in the United States. Despite this, window cleaners don’t worry much about falling or getting killed on the job. They take necessary safety precautions. Plus they are protected by the International Window Cleaning Association, a non-profit trade association that works to maintain the safety and quality of window washers among all kinds of window washing jobs.

Despite the risks, window washers generally enjoy their jobs. They like the freedom of not having a boss looking over them throughout the day. They enjoy the adventure of hanging from large heights. They also like the pay. Window cleaners can make between $10 to $12 to start. This can increase to $25 for more experienced workers, making it an ideal profession for young people and immigrants. In saying this, their services are expensive. A 25-story building can cost $100,000 a year for two or three cleanings. Smaller buildings cost about $4,000. Because of this, window washers must maintain a professional attitude in their work. At the end of each work day, they line up their gear like firefighters, organized and prepared for the next day of wherever a window may need washed.