When we think of cleaning industrial facilities we generally envision large heavy industries with big dirty machines and buildings, and this type of account remains a segment of the industrial market. Today an industrial customer can be a small to large, high tech manufacturer or assembler, 3D printer, nano or bio lab or an international aerospace or pharmaceutical giant with hundreds, thousands or even millions of square feet of production, lab, office, warehouse, high tech computer and or cleanroom space.

With over several hundred thousand manufacturing establishments with millions of employees accounting for roughly 8 percent of the U.S. workforce and billions in wages each year, industrial clients are a large and potentially profitable market with special cleaning needs.

Cleaning tasks start with the basics such as office, restroom and floor care and progress to more challenging areas that require the use of specialized chemicals, equipment and procedures found in controlled access and cleanroom environments.

Pricing and Production Rates
There are many factors that should be taken into consideration when bidding industrial locations. Pay and hourly billable and cost per sq. ft. rates will be slightly higher (15% – 30%) than rates charged for commercial office cleaning. It is impossible to give exact numbers as rates depending on the geographic location, industry served, specifications, contract terms, competition and other factors. A study of prevailing wage rates for specific types of cleaning workers in each county will give you an idea as to the high end of the wage rate for the area. (more…)

Filed under: Bidding and Estimating, Safety, Self Employment by William Griffin
Originally Published: CMM June 2016

Introduction

Slips and falls are the leading cause of death and injury in the work place, with 1,500 deaths and 300,000 injuries a year. 80% of employees who fall will lose days from work, and 12% have to be hospitalized. These accidents can cause broken bones, strained muscles, twisted/dislocated joints (knees, hips, ankles, shoulders), head injury and spinal damage. The average compensation from an employee’s fall injury is $4,700 and average medical expenses are $2,000. (more…)

Filed under: Floor Care, Safety by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM September 2000

In the past, customers and travelers have selected a place to stay or eat based on factors such as:

1. Business needs
2. Vacation objectives
3. Atmosphere
4. Convenience
5. Cost
6. Cuisine
7. Location
8. Special services and athletic facilities.

In general, infection control has not been a major factor in the selection of a lodging or eating establishment. However, today’s travelers are more aware of infectious diseases due to media coverage of food poisoning, Legionnaires’ disease, AIDS, and other serious disease outbreaks. (more…)

Filed under: Safety by cbadmin
Originally Published: CBM December 1999

This article is meant to alert lodging and food service personnel to the potential impact of infectious diseases, the risk of cross-contamination, and the need for infection-control programs throughout the hospitality industry. An infection-control program is not only a wise policy from the standpoint of avoiding health risks, but can also be an effective marketing strategy for those individual properties or corporations that seize the initiative.

The food service industry has experienced a phenomenal number of disease-related outbreaks. It is nationally recognized that only five to ten percent of food-related illnesses are reported to local environmental agencies and that the real number of illnesses is at least 25 times that reported. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) feels greater efforts should be made to determine the incidences of all diarrheal and food-borne diarrheal disease. In the hospitality industry, the process of eliminating disease-causing organisms is often taken for granted.

(more…)

Filed under: Food Service, Safety, Training by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM November 1999

Food is big business. According to the National Restaurant Association in Washington DC, there are over 730,000 food service establishments, serving over 50 billion meals and doing 290 billion dollars in business each year. Over nine million people work in the industry, earning over 70 billion dollars annually in wages and benefits.

To protect public health, cleaning duties in food service areas are done according to written procedures and are regulated by federal, state and local laws, with regular inspections required to assure compliance. Food service cleaning is a life and death matter for individuals, families, groups and businesses. (more…)

Filed under: Food Service, Safety by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM September 1999

The Cleaning Process

A systems approach to carpet cleaning is the most cost effective maintenance method. This involves starting with the mildest cleaning chemicals and process and working progressively toward more aggressive cleaning methods. As an example, a systems approach to vacuuming could involve several pieces of equipment. This should include the use of a suction only vacuum on a daily basis in traffic areas, a beater bar vacuum used weekly in traffic areas, and preferably the use of a pile lifter vacuum on a monthly or quarterly basis to lift the pile and remove deep down grit and soil that are difficult to get out during wet cleaning processes. The importance of regular vacuuming for dry soil removal cannot be over emphasized and should be an important part of every carpet maintenance program. (more…)

Filed under: Carpet, Safety by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM May 1999

Using Effective Environmentally Safe Chemicals

Due to technological advances, there are now many products available which are safer for workers and building occupants, and more friendly to the environment, while still providing cleaning effectiveness without a price increase. Many of these products clean better than old stand-bys such as new non-ammoniated strippers.

However, custodians and their supervisors must look beyond chemicals and consider the whole process of cleaning from purchasing and storage to cleaning techniques and practices. (more…)

Filed under: Green Cleaning, Safety by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM December 1998

The use of effective cleaning procedures has a positive impact on improving the indoor air quality in a facility or area. Unfortunately, most cleaning procedures, equipment, and chemicals in use today actually have a negative impact on the indoor environment.

The goal of cleaning is to create and maintain an aesthetically pleasing, cost effective, clean, safe, healthy and comfortable environment for living, working, playing and travel. To accomplish this goal, we must consider, control and monitor as many of the possible variables that impact indoor environmental quality. This is no easy task. There are many factors and variables involved, including such things as lighting, humidity, noise, temperature and ergonomics. (more…)

Filed under: Indoor Air Quality, Safety, Self Employment by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM October 1998

Environment

In January, the Worldwatch Institute presented its report, “The State of the World 1998”, and the Institute’s Director, Lester Brown, says that major corporations and governments may finally be listening to the dire predictions of past reports. The 1998 Report shows advances in renewable energy resources, corporate moves to shift gears in favor of the environment, and increased recognition by governments of the need for sustainable economies. (more…)

Filed under: Safety by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM August 1998

Sometimes slip and fall accidents are caused by slippery surfaces; at other times, by shoes slicked with moisture, grease, soap, etc. No matter what the cause, falls follow only vehicular accidents as the leading cause of work-related deaths.

Work-related accidents create major costs for employers, equipment manufacturers, and construction companies, as well as the employee who is injured. Work-related injuries cost more than $111.9 billion in 1993, including wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, and employer costs. To put this in perspective, a year’s worth of work injuries is equivalent to a $160,155 bonus for each police officer and firefighter in the United States. (more…)

Filed under: Safety by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM April 1997