Local business is awarded with an accolade that names them ‘clean’ in every possible way…

Newlife Cleaning Systems is a nationally operating cleaning organisation, located on Beach Road in South Shields.  The company has provided a high quality, cost-effective service across the cleaning industry for over 30 years.  Taught by years of experience and intent on providing a package that is both modern and relevant, Newlife have worked hard to obtain a prestigious award, which will allow them to clean up more than just their contract work.

Newlife Cleaning Systems have been granted an ISO 14001: 2004 certificate, acknowledged worldwide for being the highest environmental award that an organisation can attain.  To obtain the award, Newlife Cleaning Systems had to operate an Environmental Management System that adhered to the strict guidelines set in place by the ISO award.

Managing Director of Newlife, Phil Dixon, explains why it was important for the company to obtain the certificate:

“We live in a time where the preservation of the environment is more important than ever, so it became essential for us to update our service to include this.  Having researched many avenues, we decided that the ISO 14001: 2004 was the most relevant and esteemed certificate we could find, and we set our sights on earning it.”

ISO is the International Organisation for Standardization and is responsible for developing and publishing standards on an extensive variety of topics.  ISO is the largest organisation of its kind in the world; affiliated with 162 countries it has a Central Secretariat based in Geneva.  The standards and regulations they set are completely inclusive; applicable to both the public and private sectors, they are without any governmental influence.  ISO ensure that both the requirements of the business and the needs of wider society are met.

To be awarded with the ISO 14001:2004, Newlife had to learn how to become environmentally friendly; reducing the waste produced in their cleaning process, learning how to recycle and to make environmentally sound decisions.  They also had to prove that they strictly followed the official environmental legislations expected of them.  The certificate was only awarded when Newlife provided evidence that their Environmental Management System’s policies, plans and actions were made using the ISO 14001:2004 certificate’s framework; including their organisation’s activities, services and choice of products.

Phil Dixon looks forward to the future of his company with this award is in place:

“We are extremely proud to be working in accordance with the award.  We are now subject to annual reviews to ensure these standards are being maintained, and we will endeavour to continually improve and update our Environmental Management Systems as time progresses.

“We can now guarantee that every process we execute, piece of equipment we operate or product we use, is in compliance with the standards set by this certificate.  As a client of this company, the ISO 14001:2004 gives you the guarantee that you are working with an environmentally conscious organisation that conforms to the legal standards and obligations expected from them.

To know more about the services Newlife Cleaning Systems provide, visit www.newlifecleaning.com or telephone 0800 018 9099 with your enquiry.

Ends: 14.06.11

Notes to editor:

• Interviews with anyone from Newlife Cleaning Systems can be made by contacting Shaun Causer on 0800 018 9099.
• Newlife Cleaning System? can be found at 7 Beach Road, South Shields, NE33 2QA.
• Information on ISO, and the ISO 14001: 2004 can be found at http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_14000_essentials.

While the streets of London are definitely not paved with gold the pavements the streetscape of most of Britain’s towns and cities including Borisland appear to be suffering from a virulent attack of measles or chicken pox.

Next time you’re in a queue or simply ambling along window shopping cast your eyes downwards and play the game of counting the number of bits of trodden in chewing gum that you can see. Yes all those black or white stains are simply trodden in gum, spat out by Joe Public and there are millions of them out there.

This scourge is increasing exponentially as anti-smoking initiatives drive people to change their habits but older habits die hard and just like ciggie butts used to be discarded without a thought so it is with gum despite the exhortations’ on the packaging.

It has been estimated that the ongoing clean up war against gum costs local authorities – that is you and me the taxpayer, between £150 – £200m a year to remove. Even then the effectiveness of the removal is only visible for a matter of days.

Also this cost doesn’t take into account the disruption caused by the use of steam cleaners, pressure washers and the esoteric range of chemicals used to dissolve the offending staining. There is also the initially unseen damage caused to block paving and the de rigueur expensive pavoirs s by the ‘blowing out’ of the sand between the blocks. This causes the loss of the integral strength of the walkway leading to slumping and movement of the actual blocks themselves which in turn is further exacerbated by the weight and torque of mechanical street cleaning sweepers leading to ruts and potentially expensive ‘slips and trips’ claims.

The answer may be at hand though with the development of a new form of chewing gum polymer which it is claimed does not effect the chewability or ‘mouth texture’ of the gum and which doesn’t require any changes in the actual production process of making the ‘chewie’ This last point is crucial if there is to be any form of take-up by the major international manufacturers who are governed by the bottom line and the need for affordability with such a spur-of-the-moment purchase.

These new polymers, if adopted, will lead to gums which are either easier to remove using simply water and abrasive action or which will degrade within 6 months to a fine powder. These benefits are not restricted solely to hard surfaces but are also effective on clothes, shoes and hair which will delight any mother who has children.

Approved by U.S. food safety authorities and currently going through the final stages of European approval it is hoped that the product could soon be adopted by the big names in the gum world such as Wrigley or Kraft. Alternatively, if the take up requires extra momentum, we could take a leaf out of the 10 year old, successful Singaporean method of addressing the problem and simply make the import and sale of non-medicinal gum illegal and backed up with heavy fines.

Columbus Dixon Jan 2011

Joe Grundy of The Archers was 88 years old this year and for as long as I’ve listened to that melodic dum,di-dum,di-dum,di-da tune, (it’s actually a Maypole dance called Barwick Green) he has moaned and groaned about his Farmers Lung usually through fits of chesty coughing.

Joe may use Farmer’s Lung for the sympathy angle with Clarrie and the rest of the folk in Borsetshire but extrinsic allergic alveolitis as the medical condition is known can strike the susceptible at home work and play.

Just look at its common names: Bird-fancier’s lung, Hot tub lung, Mushroom worker’s lung, Chemical worker’s lung and Malt worker’s lung.

It strikes the air sacks and passageways of the lungs which become inflamed when sensitised by repeatedly breathing in organic antigens (protein molecules) in a carrier such as dust or steam usually associated with a process. This is the common denominator in all those colloquial names, the process source, – dairy or grain dust, animal dander (think of it as animal dandruff) and water reservoir vapours. And it’s not just an adult disease; pigeon-fanciers lung is occasionally present in children.

It shows itself in many forms. In its acute state symptoms can start within hours of exposure and can be recognised by headaches, chills, flu like feelings with aches and pains. Usually the symptoms, depending on the length of exposure, diminish within the day but can lead to respiratory distress and a high fever.

Its intermittent form can be present as recurring pneumonia with repeated acute attacks (Joe Grundy’s version). With the chronic form even removing the source of the antigens by, and this is an extreme example, giving up work, there may only be partial improvement of the symptoms and permanent lung damage can occur leading to pulmonary hypertension and ultimately even a heart attack.

As always prevention is better than cure. Safety procedures are simple to adopt in themselves. The main difficulty arises in the education and raising awareness of the potential dangers with staff and clients. They simply do not realise the dangers inherent in carrying out certain apparently simple cleaning tasks such as guano removal, water tower cleaning, mill high level works, swimming pools and sites with air conditioning equipment.

Prevention techniques include:

H&S measures at work, including wearing appropriate PPE and adequate air filters and ventilation.

Choosing your hobby carefully and if you are going to keep birds and suchlike consider the use of filtered facemasks whenever handling livestock.

Proper care and maintenance programmes for swimming pools, hot tubs, humidifiers and air-conditioning equipment.

First published 5 years ago Crisis in Cleaning by Scott Young is an invaluable tool for any cleaning contractor or manager with responsibility for premises cleaning especially where hard floors are involved.

In it he willingly shares 56 years experience in the industry with a career spanning window cleaning to building cleaning contractor then on into manufacturing of cleaning equipment based and designed on his many years of practice in the field.

What this book is about is one mans quest to explain the importance of professional cleaning.

It is mandatory reading for all Newlife Cleaning Systems Area Managers which is the highest endorsement we can give.

It doesn’t matter whether you have just started your first commercial contract or you’re a facility manager with a ‘slip and trip’ problem in your client’s kitchens. The answer is in this personal journey to excellence.

A limited number of copies are available, P+P free, to the first 50 readers who register their interest.

please email sales.national@newlifecleaning.com with your postage and contact details

Columbus Dixon Aug 2010

It was hard to read under the shadowy gloom of the energy saving bulbs we recently had to fit but apparently the EU is now turning its all powerful, usually unwanted, gaze on the possibility of saving energy by proposing restrictions on the power usage of vacuum cleaners.

The consultation document in circulation to member states is suggesting power reductions to 0.5kW within four years, taking us back to the world of the Hoover Junior of the 1960’s.

Many models on the market today operate with power ratings which could boil a kettle so is this a case of straight bananas or is there merit in the proposals?

In the UK the manufacturer of the ubiquitous Henry range of tub vacuums already has lower powered machines on the market such as the James JVP 180A.

In this case the VP stands for variable power which allows the user to switch from a 800 watt sucking mode down to 500 watts depending on the texture of the surface being cleaned.

Slickly styled in true marketing speak as an AutoSave energy conservation system this rings bells with anyone wanting to prove their green credentials especially with the addition of Hepa filters

But it hasn’t always been the case that the bigger the motor the more ‘suck’ it has. Remember the Kirby? Sold by a direct sales force of hyped up, commission led disciples who started the day chanting their company mantra in the ‘80’s.

According to James Brown, curator of the Mr Vacuum Cleaner museum in Nottingham, this was the Rolls Royce of vacs in its day yet only operated on 580W. And as anyone subjected to an onsite mattress cleaning demonstration by a Kirby salesman can attest, it was certainly effective.

But the Kirby and originally the Hoover were of USA origin whereas the Numatic is solidly British. Could this be the perfect opportunity for both Numatic and the British designed Dyson to showcase cutting edge British design and engineering skills and further reinforce their positions in the global market place?

Columbus Dixon June 2010

Guano removal isn’t exactly the most glamorous job out there, however the public health risk posed by guano means that its safe removal is extremely important. The term ‘guano’ was coined in Peru where for hundreds of years farmers had collected the white piles of guano from the shoreline and caves where it had been deposited by seals and bats respectively. They realised the nutrient rich compound was ideal to support their agriculture. This is primarily due to the large amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen contained within the guano. Even today the export of guano provides a key resource to the organic farming industry throughout the world. Alongside this it is also a key ingredient in the manufacture of gunpowder, again due to the large presence of phosphorus and nitrogen.

Despite its numerous positive uses guano is almost universally detested within the UK, and rightly so. The main sources of guano in Britain are bats and pigeons. Guano from these animals carries an assortment of diseases which present a danger to humans. Pigeon droppings alone can lead to psittacosis, a flu like condition that can lead to comas and even death in vulnerable individuals. Pigeons are also associated with bacterial infections such as salmonella, E.coli, meningitis and toxoplasmosis. In addition to these illnesses guano poses a danger on walkways where the slippery droppings can lead to accidents. If that wasn’t enough the faecal matter of the birds can cause acidic damage to the buildings that they occupy. All of these health risks make guano removal an important task.

Guano removal has the potential to be highly dangerous if it is not carried out by professionals. The guano must be dampened before it is removed otherwise toxic particles will be released into the air and could be inhaled during the guano removal process. Even when the guano has been dampened operatives are still required to wear face masks while removing the guano in order to prevent the dangers outlined above. This is especially important when operating in confined spaces without good ventilation. After the guano removal process has been completed precautions should be taken in order to try and prevent the return of the birds so that the problem does not simply repeat itself.

Despite what you might think sharps removal and disposal is a very dangerous and specialised process. A ‘dirty’ needle could be harbouring a whole host of blood-borne viruses. These could range from HIV to hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV). Although the risk of HIV infection from a single exposure is fairly low the consequences of such an infection would be life changing, as such it is never recommended for an amateur to partake in sharps removal, no matter how good their intention.

It should also be noted that HCV, unlike HIV, is frequently contracted from a single exposure. What makes this even more alarming is the prevalence of HCV among drug users, a group who are not renowned for their responsible disposal of used sharps. In fact a recent American study revealed that the HCV infection rate was around 86% among intravenous drug users in Tacoma, Washington. (Pollack, H. Can we Protect Drug Users from Hepatitis C? 2001). It is safe to assume that the infection rate is likely to be at a similar level in British cities with a similar demographic. In light of these factors it seems irresponsible not to leave sharps removal to trained professionals armed with the correct safety equipment.

One of the consequences of increased drug use in Britain is a growth in the areas where used sharps can be found. In the past drug use was usually kept out of the public domain, it occurred behind the closed doors of squats and other such locations but this is no longer the case. Sharps removal teams are regularly called to areas such as public parks, toilets, playgrounds and a whole host of other public areas where sharps are present. With the public coming into contact with used sharps on an ever increasing basis it is important that people are aware of how to treat a used needle and arrange for sharp removal. It should never under any circumstances be handled in any way, even with protective gloves. Upon discovering a used needle members of the public should contact the owner of the land where the sharp is situated.

Sharps removal should be left to professionals with industry approved equipment and the relevant expertise. It is only if sharps removal is performed in this way that we can work to neutralise the dangers that these objects pose to the general public.

Yet again it appears health scares are being used to drive the sale of specialist vacuum cleaners and mattress protectors to asthma suffers desperately searching for a “silver-bullet”, magical cure to breathing problems thought to be caused by the common house mites found in their bedding and soft furnishings.

A review by experts concluded that they failed to curb the allergens commonly held to be the trigger to asthma attacks.

Ordinary house dust contains innumerable allergens but the major cause for concern is considered to be the mites and their waste products.

Many asthmatics are allergic to these mites that live in the dust around the house, such as in bedding, carpets and soft furnishings.

Heavily promoted methods of tackling the mites include mattress and pillow protectors, washing soft furnishings at high temperatures (60C+), special cleaning agents, encapsulation in dry-ice baths and high powered vacuum cleaners fitted with very fine exhaust filters.

However a review of over 50 previous studies – including a survey of over 3000 asthmatics has found no evidence that such methods are effective. Even after such esoteric treatments it was found that the level of allergens were still high enough to trigger asthmatic attacks for the 8% of the British population who are sufferers.

The review, published by Cochrane Collaboration, involved analysing 36 trials involving physical interventions such as mattress protectors designed to block mites out to a further 10 studies using chemical methodology and a further 8 trials combining both chemical and physical interventions.

With Acknowledgement to Daily Telegraph

The UK Cochrane Centre was established at the end of 1992, by the National Health Service Research and Development Programme, ‘to facilitate and co-ordinate the preparation and maintenance of systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials of health care’. During its initial period of funding (1992-1995), the Centre’s objectives included a number of activities intended to promote international collaboration in this work. Centre staff worked with others to help establish The Cochrane Collaboration, which was launched at the first Cochrane Colloquium in Oxford in October 1993. The UK Cochrane Centre is now one of twelve Cochrane Centres around the world, which provide the infrastructure for co-ordinating The Cochrane Collaboration. The Centre supports contributors to The Cochrane Collaboration in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey and countries in the Middle East.

Astute individuals, businesses and government agencies know that clean plus green equals good. More than just a trend, implementing a green cleaning programme is now recognised as a wise business move. The much touted benefits of creating a healthier workplace include increased productivity and reduced costs. Green cleaning has also become a key component in obtaining certification against the environmental standard ISO14001.

If you understand the advantages of green cleaning and have decided to implement a programme, how do you go about choosing the right one? What elements separate superior green cleaning plans from the rest? Below are some features to carefully consider when evaluating a programme prior to implementation.

1. A Holistic Approach

When it comes to maintaining a healthy facility, all areas – from entranceways to toilet areas to HVAC systems – affect the indoor environment. In choosing a green cleaning programme, make sure that the provider looks at your building holistically, considering the building’s purpose and uses.

Because entranceways serve as gateways for pollutants entering the building, a good programme will begin there. While traditional cleaning methods attempt to control this dirt after it enters and spreads throughout the building, effective green cleaning focuses on trapping and removing contaminants at this point of entry. Cleaning chemicals, processes and equipment, ventilation systems, waste removal, and even occupant habits are other areas that a holistic green cleaning programme will address.

2. A Beyond-the-Surface Focus

The primary intent of most cleaning programs is to leave surfaces looking spotless and dirt free. Green cleaning programs should go far beyond this, however. Dirt, bacteria, mould and other pollutants may not be seen, but they can certainly affect the indoor air quality. Green cleaning programmes aim to remove harmful particles from the air, not add to the problem by using harsh chemicals.

Although it may be difficult to judge how well a green cleaning programme has removed unseen particles, you can ask about equipment used to make sure that it is efficient and well maintained. Steps that facility maintenance providers can take to demonstrate a beyond-the-surface focus include emptying vacuum bags when half full and the use of Hepa filters to reduce particulate emissions into the work atmosphere. Even something as simple as a dusting cloth can make a difference: A microfibre cloth captures dust, rather than just moving it around. These small measures ensure that the equipment and processes contribute to, rather than counteract, the effectiveness of your programme.

3. Products and Services Offered

The products used in green cleaning play a vital role in the programme’s success. Products should qualify for third-party certification by organisations such as Green Seal. Unlike traditional cleaning products, these certified chemicals and equipment are designed to work effectively, while minimising environmental impact and decreasing risks to health and safety.  Here at Newlife HQ we both minimise water usage and avoid the use of harsh acidic products when cleaning urinals by the use of microbiological toilet blocks. (Refer to earlier Blogs to determine the water and financial savings possible which are most attract to heavy users such as hotels, schools and colleges)

4. Knowledgeable Employees

Employees who will be designing and implementing your green cleaning programme must understand the objectives of green cleaning, as well as their own role in the process. Cleaning staff should know each product’s designated use, green cleaning processes and equipment maintenance procedures. Regular inspections and quality control programs ensure that employees’ work meets high standards. The best facilities maintenance providers also continually train their employees on the best practices in green cleaning.

5. Educational and Communication Programmes

A truly professional green cleaning provider goes beyond the tactical implementation of cleaning strategies to become your partner in creating a healthier environment. Most successful programmes include regular communications so that building occupants and facility stakeholders understand the importance of green cleaning and what they can do to make a difference. For example, improper care of live plants can increase contamination levels and require strong pesticides that counteract the green cleaning programme. When occupants know of such risks, they can become a true part of the green cleaning process.

Small actions, including minimising clutter and eating only in designated areas, can go a long way in ensuring a healthy environment. Facility users and tenants should also know whom to contact and how to react to a spill or contamination. The faster such situations are dealt with, the less harm they do to your facility.

Communicating your green programme to the community and building occupants helps you reap the benefits of being a socially conscience facility or business. You will attract the growing numbers of people who care about protecting the earth’s resources and improving indoor air quality.

These five features of effective green cleaning programs may apply to your facility in different ways. Each facility has unique goals, and each maintenance provider will bring its own set of expertise to a project. The provider you choose should recognise your goals and offer customised services and products that ensure your programme’s success.

In our earlier posts we discussed how even in this day and age of high tech cleanliness it was possible for men to give an instant judgement on the cleanliness or not of urinals simply by their smell.

We suggested the benefits of a microbiological led approach to dealing with the bacteria that are the source of urinal smells.

Since then we have carried out the first of a number of trials using these products on our own facilities. This three-month trial will be repeated over the coming months using a variety of competing though similar biologically based cleaning and maintenance products.

Our first test product was Eco-Cubes available from www.eco-works.co.uk and was tested 25/02/09 – 25/05/09

For a charge of £60+vat for a trial pack we received 50 Eco-cubes, 1 litre of biological cleaner, a normal trigger spray and clear, simply understood laminated instructions for use by our cleaner.

The facilities being cleaned consisted of two urinals currently being used 50+ times per day with 70% of users favouring one particular urinal. We had only occupied the premises for a short period of 5 months and previously the facilities were subject to two or three times this level of usage by the original workforce.

Prior to the trial the urinal bottle traps were removed and thoroughly cleaned to remove scale build up. The waste pipes leading to the drainage system were not de-scaled immediately as this involved removing pipework that had been hidden behind fitted sinks. The water supply to the header tank was turned off.

Following the easy to use instructions 1 cube was placed in each urinal and the diluted washroom cleaner was used to clean the urinal, wall and floor surfaces around the immediate area. The urinal was then flushed with 3 litres of water.

Within days a noticeable difference to the smell of the whole facility was apparent. In addition the cleaner sprayed on the wall and floor surfaces thoroughly cleaned the area and lightened the grouting (especially the horizontal areas due to the longer dwell time) and also an area of Altro flooring underneath the more heavily used urinal which previously was stained / burnt by urine.

Normal daily cleaning took place till 17/04/09 when it became apparent that the urinals were not draining properly. On removing the traps and pipework it became apparent that there was a massive build up of loose scale within the drainage pipework. This was manually cleaned away and the water flow returned to normal and remained so throughout the balance of the trial period.

We believe that we may have compromised the trial by not descaling all the drainage pipework from the start as it was apparent that the blockage was caused by scale being sloughed off the inside of the pipework in large pieces as the biological cleaner attacked this build-up daily.

On completion of the trial we had 20 cubes remaining and 250mm of Washroom Cleaner.

SUMMARY

The product was clearly capable of performing the cleaning task and produced a pleasant fragrance. By not adequately descaling the complete length of the drainage pipework we compromised the initial trail. It is intended to maintain the test programme till the end of August 2009 at which point all the pipework will be opened up to see if the build up has returned. No water was added to the urinals other than the 3 litres used daily in the cleaning programme.

The only negative observation made was that the appearance of the cubes in the urinal soon changed from a dark green/blue cube to a washed out irregular shape as it broke down in the urinal which was not aesthetically attractive.

The trial will continue till all the product is used at which point it will be possible to give an exact idea of the cost per urinal per day.

Columbus Dixon