Clean Atlantic - January-February 2009
(click here for full magazine in Adobe pdf format)
ON THE COVER: Cleaning And Disinfection: Overkill? By Paul Godin, Director of Marketing & Technical Services, Avmor Ltd. Concerned by the constant threat of viruses and superbugs, people are becoming more and more eager to clean and disinfect everything in sight – are they overdoing it? In a word – ‘yes’. It is important to realize that the overzealous use of disinfectants may actually have a harmful effect on our health.Read more...
The Business Aspects of Going Green By Mike Sawchuk, Vice Presdient and General Manager, Enviro-Solutions 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? Read more...
Broadening Responsibilities by Bill Garland, Senior Partner, Daniels & Associates Increasingly, we are finding that the duties of the Environmental Services Manager and their staff involves or is expanding to include mechanical maintenance. This article focuses on the establishment of a preventative maintenance program. The methodology described below is very similar to the methodology that would be used when establishing a housekeeping program. Read more...
Keeping Up Appearances The winter months, just around the corner, can be tough for the professional cleaning industry. Snow, rain and sleet can play havoc on building floors and carpets.
For carpet cleaners, their business can come to a virtual stop during the cold winter months. This is because outdoor conditions, and their impact on the indoor environment, can be so bad that facility managers believe it is simply not worth it to clean carpets or strip and refinish floors. After all, they think, they will just get soiled again quickly and need to be recleaned. Read more...
Surfactants: The truth behind their toxicity, their ability to cause chemical resistance and their use in cleaning products
By Navid Omidbakhsh, Vice President Open Innovation, P.Eng, PhD Candidate, University of Waterloo & Nicole Kenny, Director of Professional and Technical Services, B.Sc, Assoc. Chem.Read more...
Hygiene of the Skin: When is Clean Too Clean? By Prof. Elaine Larson, Columbia University School of Nursing Skin hygiene, particularly of the hands, is a primary mechanism for reducing contact and fecal-oral transmission of infectious agents. Widespread use of antimicrobial products has prompted concern about emergence of resistance to antiseptics and damage to the skin barrier associated with frequent washing. This article reviews evidence for the relationship between skin hygiene and infection, the effects of washing on skin integrity, and recommendations for skin care practices. Read more...
