Sanitation Canada  September/October  2008
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ON THE COVER:   Plus II Sanitation Supplies Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Plus II Sanitation Supplies celebrated its 25th Anniversary in sterling style on Aug. 14, 2008. Over 240 individuals attended a special anniversary party which included employees, suppliers and friends. The main event was held at the company’s head office in Montreal, where a Mechoui (roast) was served along with drinks and fine Mexican music. The special anniversary event was simultaneously held in the other three Plus II branches – Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver – where over 200 attendees enjoyed a wine and cheese event.   Read more...

To Seek Or Not To Seek Consulting?
By Roger Gobbo, Past President, Ontario Healthcare Housekeepers’ Association, Consulting and Management, Healthcare Housekeeping
As the director/manager of the environmental services/housekeeping (ESH) department you usually face a myriad of daily issues during the course of your work. There are times when the same issues re-surface on a regular basis no matter what remedial actions are taken.    Read more...

CSSA Appoints New Management Team
The Board of Directors of the  Canadian Sanitation Supply Association (CSSA) has appointed a new management team to assume the day-to-day operations of the association.

Long-time CSSA member and publisher of Canada’s leading jansan magazines, Mike Nosko and his team will be responsible for leading the association into the next phase of its ongoing evolution.   Read more...

Canada Night 2008 An Outstanding Success
Canada Night 2008 was held Tues. Sep. 9 at the Las Vegas Hilton (pool deck) in Las Vegas, Nev.  Held in conjunction with the ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America trade show, Canada Night continues to be the highlight of the CSSA social calendar.

Canadian Sanitation Supply Association President Bruce O'Neill, JohnsonDiversey, along with Vice-President Kim Murtha, Unisource Canada; Lorne Spraque, secretary-treasurer, Wood-Wyant; Ron Underwood, Advantage Maintenance Products, Canada Night chairman; and Mike Nosko, CSSA interim executive director, welcomed over 900 industry members and their guests.   Read more...

Let The Sunshine In
By W. S. Garland, Senior Partner, Daniels Associates Inc.
It’s time to let the sunshine in. And, by that I am not referring to a set of CDs we produced in the late 1990s on why and how to implement a day cleaning program.

For the past two years our firm has been performing certifications for both the ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) program and Green Seal’s GS-42 certification. The need for both certifications is strong in our industry as both strive to bring a level of professionalism that is badly needed – but more on that a little later.    Read more...

The Canadian Association of Environmental Management
Growing, Growing, Growing
The Canadian Association of Environmental Management (CAEM) is a national association of managers, supervisors, self-employed individuals, and corporate and associate members involved in the environmental services field.

The association encourages all environmental services professionals across the nation, to join the group in becoming the largest Canadian association representing the hospitality industry, health care, hotels, school boards, contract management, independent owners and operators of all facets of the environmental services industry.   Read more...

The Business Aspects Of Going Green
In previous articles we have touched on the green of going Green. But many of you (building service contractors – BSCs) wonder if there is any money in going Green? Will it help you market your company and services? Will it cost you more to go Green and will the customer pay for it?

If you are concerned about these issues and others that relate to the financial aspects of going Green, you are not alone. Nor should you feel any guilt about asking these questions. We are all business-people, and whenever a business changes course or implements new systems or products, financial issues are very much a part of the process.   Read more.. .

I-P-M: Spelling Out Roles and Responsibilities
By BillL Melville, Quality Assurance Director, Orkin PCO Services
Partnership – a critical link in the most successful Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs – requires that facility managers, staff and pest management experts all hold responsibility for a facility’s pest management program. Since IPM is a comprehensive approach to pest management involving sanitation, facility maintenance and pest control treatments, it can be challenging to determine the roles each party plays and the level of service facility managers should expect from their professionals. A lack of defined roles and miscommunication most often result in a neglect of important responsibilities – leaving a facility vulnerable to infestations.   Read more...

EPA To Focus On Green Claims For Disinfectants, Sanitizers
ISSA has been appointed to serve on a pesticide work group that will focus on the possibility of establishing a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy that would allow claims of environmental preferability, including the possible use of eco-labels, in conjunction with the marketing of disinfectants, sanitizers and other pesticide products.   Read more...

ISSA Expands Facility Service Provider Department
ISSA has announced the expansion of its facility service provider (FSP) department to be led by Dan Wagner as director of facility service programs.

As part of the expansion, Annie Balonick has been promoted to the new position of market development manager-facility service programs. In her new position, Balonick will be responsible for sales and expansion of the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) and certification program, membership and services on behalf of the FSP segment of the industry. Balonick will also serve as a conduit with other segments of the ISSA membership to the FSP market.   Read more...

ISSA Joins U.S. Green Building Council
ISSA has been accepted as a member in good standing of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the non-profit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices and operations.

ISSA joined the USGBC to give the cleaning industry a higher profile within the rapidly growing “green” building community. One of ISSA’s objectives as a member is to ensure that green cleaning maintains a significant presence in the USGBC Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB).    Read more...

2009 ISSA Board Election Results
The elections for open positions on the 2009 ISSA Board of Directors closed Jul. 30, 2008, and the results are in:   Read more...

Your Health Is In Your Hands:  Infection Control in the Workplace
Did you know that every 60 seconds, a working adult touches as many as 30 objects which may be contaminated by bacteria or viruses causing infectious disease? According to one recent workplace microbial survey “…desk top surfaces, computer keyboards, mouse and telephone receivers are more contaminated than restroom toilet seats.”   Read more...

Infection Control For Dummies® Provides Simple Cleaning And Disinfection Strategies
According to Infection Control for Dummies, washing hands for 20 seconds, and paying special attention to fingertips and nails will help prevent and control infections. Infection Control For Dummies (Wiley 2008) is a free, 48-page, pocket-size handbook that helps environmental service professionals and consumers identify basic micro-organisms, understand infection transmission, use cleaning techniques to keep infection at bay, as well as understand labels and product claims.   Read more...

The Windsor™ Has Commercial Appeal
Crown Mats and Matting’s new Windsor™ wiper/scraper matting system is said to be ideal for high-traffic areas in restaurants, office buildings, hotels, museums, malls and other public facilities.  Read more. ..

Tennant Introduces Family Of Compact, Cord-Electric Floor Care Prodcuts
Tennant Company has introduced the Tennant R3 Carpet Cleaner, the Tennant T1 Cylindrical Scrubber and the Tennant E5 Carpet Extractor, a platform-based family of compact, manoeuvrable, cord-electric floor care machines designed specifically to quickly and effectively clean small, congested spaces.   Read more...

SOAPOPULAR Alcohol-Free Foaming Hand Sanitizer Kills 99.9 Per Cent Of Harmful Germs Within Seconds
Recognizing the expanding category for consumer and institutional awareness of good hygiene and with a notable increase of malicious viruses in society from domestic and international sources, SOAPOPULAR was introduced to world hygiene markets in 2005.   Read more...

Quiet  ProTeam Backpack Vacuum Now Comes With HEPA Filtration
Superior filtration and ultra-quiet operation is now available in one backpack vacuum – the new QuietPro®BP HEPA by ProTeam. Now with HEPA Level Filtration and equipped with patented QuietPower® technology that results in a sound output rated below typical conversational level.   Read more...

Medland Sales Announces Key Appointments
Medland Sales Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Penny to territory manager for southwestern Ontario to Niagara, and Claude Bouchard, territory manager, for the Quebec region.   Read more...

Advantage Maintenance Products Acquires Geo-Source
Morris Downey and Ron Underwood are pleased to announce completion of the sale of Geo-Source Ltd. to Advantage Maintenance Products Ltd.

Geo-Source, a long-standing master distributor of Avmor products in Alberta and western Canada, grew over the last decade into a full-line “master distributor” with many well-known industry brands available for re-distribution. Advantage Maintenance Products is a national and international manufacturer, master distributor importer and exporter of worldwide sourced jansan cleaning equipment and tools. The company can trace its roots back for some 12 years through the White Mop Wringer Company, Hardy Wholesale, Michael’s Equipment, Cobourg Matting and Wheels Maintenance Products, to name just a few of the numerous acquisitions over the last decade.   Read more...

ProTeam Promotes Long-Time Employee To VP Of Operations
ProTeam the Vacuum Company has promoted Kyle Mackey to the position of vice president of operations. Throughout his 14 years at ProTeam, Mackey has been a key contributor to the company’s growth and success. He is responsible for implementing and expanding all facets of operations, from supply chain management and manufacturing to warehousing and information technology.  Read more....

Unisource Canada Holds Top 40 Cruiser Contest
Unisource Canada Inc., Supply Division of southwestern Ontario, held a Cruise in the Toronto Harbour to recognize customers who participated in the company’s ‘Top 40 Cruiser’ contest held during the first six months of 2008.

Vendors who participated included 3M, Berry Plastics, CKF, Cascades, Georgia-Pacific, Kimberly Clark, Kruger Products, Papersource, Polar Plastic and Ronco.

According to a Unisource spokesperson, “the weather was perfect and the scenery was amazing.”   Read more...

Final Version Of GS-37 Released By Green Seal
Green Seal has released the revision of GS-37 – its environmental standard for institutional and industrial cleaning products – after more than a year and one half of stakeholder involvement, rigorous discussion, enhancements and updates reflecting advances in cleaning technology, toxicology, health science and awareness of health concerns (e.g. air emissions, endocrine disruptors and asthmagens, etc.). A key focus of the revised GS-37 is protecting sensitive and vulnerable populations such as children.   Read more...