ON THE COVER: Flies: More than a
nuisance
Using IPM
techniques to keep flies out of commercial facilities
By ZIA SIDDIQI,
Ph.D., BCE, Director of Quality Assurance, Orkin Inc.
Flies are elusive
little creatures – they’re quick and seem to buzz off just when you think you’ve
got them cornered. What most people don’t realize, though, is that flies are
more than an unsightly nuisance – they also rank among the filthiest pests in
the world. Flies are known to carry more than 100 known pathogens, including E.
coli, salmonella and staphylococcus. With that in mind, keeping flies out is
vital to keeping a facility clean. Read more...
Effective Supply Purchasing
n this article we will look at some of the factors to consider when purchasing supplies for an efficient housekeeping operation. Previous articles have discussed the importance of quality products and service by the product supplier in the form of training and assistance in the cleaning program. If using a weighting scale in the evaluation process these two factors alone account for 20 points out of 100. Read more...
Trust Through Clarification
By Scott McDougall
A survey taken in November 2003 found that many building owners, facility managers and others involved with building design, operation and maintenance were confused about the term Green when used in an environmental context. According to the report, 81 per cent of those surveyed believed Green is not clearly defined; 47 per cent indicated they did not understand what Green is; and more than a third said they were never certain if a product was really Green or if they could trust labels making this claim. Read more...
First Do No Harm
By PROFESSOR ROBERT J. PRATT, CBE FRCN, Institute for Research in Health & Human Sciences, Thames Valley University, London, England
Clinging to the edge of life, a young wife and mother of three fights to survive life-threatening injuries sustained as a result of a ‘hit and run’ road traffic accident. Intensive Care Unit staff support her through one crisis after another and finally stabilize her condition. The relief of family and staff is palpable as, during the next four days, she slowly improves.
And then, a fever develops. As her condition rapidly worsens, a catheter-related bloodstream infection is suspected (and later confirmed) and aggressive anti-microbial treatment initiated. But it’s too late, the treatment is ineffective, everything is moving too fast and suddenly she’s gone. Read more...
Times sure have changed
Labour shortage hits the cleaning industry
By Colin Butterfield, Group B Services
Remember the good old days? Not so long ago, a few years but not many, unemployment was higher and the job market was quite different. Public sector vacancies for well paying unionized employment resulted in dozens, sometimes over one hundred applications for a single position. Employers had the pick of many qualified experienced applicants and could select from those with positive attitudes and potential. Existing employees and their unions were generally more concerned about layoffs rather than higher wages and turnover was generally low. Read more...
Hot Tub Lung
A persistent cough, chronic weariness, and lack of muscle strength might be diagnosed as many things. However, if the patient pays regular visits to a hot tub at home or at a fitness club, or if they work around hot tubs (long term care facility, rehab clinic), the problem might very well be what researchers are calling “Hot Tub Lung.”
At the American Thoracic Society meeting in 2005, Dr. Viktor Hanak of the renown Mayo Clinic issued a warning to people who regularly use or are exposed to hot tubs, “drain the tub and never go in it again.” Read more..
Jim Darling
My friend Jim,
The sudden death of Jim Darling, president of Hunnisett Chemicals Ltd. has caught everyone by surprise and leaves a very large empty space, but the spirit and the way Jim conducted his personal and business affairs will remain with us.
Jim was a devoted and caring parent and friend. He loved, cared and made sure that everyone within range was O.K. One did not work “for” Jim but rather worked “with” Jim, as he left a lot of space to make sure that everyone was comfortable in developing a personal way of doing what had to be done. Personally, for more than 25 years, I was in daily contact – except when travelling or during holidays – chatting, joking and discussing business over the telephone or the Internet. Jim loved to laugh and joking was always the best way to bring the pressure down. I never considered Jim as a boss, but rather as a friend from the start. Read more...
Avmor Ltd. Donates Another $1,000 to Scouts Canada
As Part of Continued Commitment to the Scoutrees Program
Avmor Ltd. has made a donation of $1,000 to Scouts Canada in British Columbia, shortly after having made a similar donation in Nova Scotia. These donations form part of Avmor Ltd.’s ongoing commitment to the Scoutrees Program.
Since the Scoutrees Program’s inception in 1972, over 70 million trees have been planted by Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and Rovers in parks, recreation and conservation areas, and other public venues. Youth receive training in planting, conservation and forestry before they begin to plant. Read more...
