Middlesborough Council chooses Vikan ErgoClean
“The Vikan ErgoClean ‘ultra’ microfibre system gives the best cleaning performance, offers the fastest drying time, as well as being the easiest to use,” says Middlesborough Council’s Resource Officer Colin Smith. This was his verdict after trialling several microfibre cleaning systems in two key sites under the Council’s jurisdiction: one of the City Academies, and the recently opened prestigious Middlesborough Institute of Modern Art (mima).
Colin identified the need for more productive cleaning methods, seeking an upgrade from the traditional mop and bucket in use throughout the Council’s schools, leisure/community centres and office buildings. Flat mopping with microfibre is well known for improving cleaning standards and saving time. However cleaning with Vikan’s ‘ultra’ microfibre and water alone would enable the Council to reduce its carbon footprint by slashing chemical and water consumption, with the added benefit of reduced packaging disposability costs. Plus, super quick drying times makes floors safer. Clearly a real positive for the
environment and the public, but also representing outstanding value for money for the Council.
Identifying several microfibre systems at the 2009 Birmingham Cleaning Show, it was the ErgoClean system Colin selected, among others, for trial. The ‘package’ comprised appropriate ‘ultra’ microfibre mop heads (which sweep as they clean) for floor types ranging from Altro flooring (non slip) to polished wood; the compact trolley, designed to make manoeuvrability effortless and quicker for the cleaning operator, as well as the very popular Vikan ‘Easy Shine Kit’ for cleaning interior windows, tiled areas and stainless steel. Following weeks of stringent evaluation, it was the Ergoclean system which won hands down. Not only did it out-perform the other systems being trialled, but Colin was also impressed with the ongoing support and backup from the Vikan ErgoClean team.
Without chemicals, the Council’s cleaning team quickly discovered surfaces not only stayed clean longer, but actually shone. Colin stated: “Our cleaners think the ErgoClean system is wonderful, they
find great satisfaction in achieving excellent results in such a short time!” The Vikan ‘Easy Shine Kit’ has proved a particular success, ensuring sparkling interior glass, windows, stainless steel, partitions and other hard polished surfaces. Three new schools (one primary, two secondary) opened in September 2010 under the Building Schools for the Future scheme. The cleaning system selected for these new buildings was Vikan ErgoClean. With mops and cloths available in four different colours and guaranteed to last up to 500 washes, Colin Smith has no complaints about the system’s durability, improved productivity and top cleaning performance. Tel: 01793 716760 Email:
sales@vikan.co.uk www.vikan.co.uk
Timing, flexibility and planning key to success of hospital theatre ventilation cleaning project
Flexibility and careful planning were key to the successful cleaning of the ventilation system for 10 operating theatres in a Northern NHS Trust hospital. It was essential that theatre closures were kept to an absolute minimum, while still affording engineers full access, so that a total clean and bacteriological test of the ventilation plant and ductwork could be carried out. The hospital selected Ductbusters, a specialist duct cleaning operator and an
approved supplier for the Trust, to carry out the project. Ductbusters held a series of meetings with hospital management, theatre staff and the Hospital Infection Control Department to devise and agree the most efficient and effective procedures.
Minimising theatre downtime and avoiding the cancellation of operations was a key priority, but so too was the necessity to keep disruption to a minimum and not to compromise the safety of patients and staff in any way.
Ductbusters established an innovative set of working hours for its engineers. In order to reduce the effect on the day to day running of the theatres, Ductbusters adjusted its hours of work to fit in with the amended hospital schedules that had been adapted to accommodate the work. The team began work at five in the morning so as to complete work in the theatres’ clean corridors before the hospital staff arrived. Work was finished by 2pm to
Building & Facilities Management – April 2011
allow the theatres to be readied for their bacteriological tests.
The project took 10 weeks to complete – only one theatre was closed at any one time and no operations were cancelled. Each theatre to be cleaned was closed on Thursday morning and reopened on Monday morning. The first two days involved the cleaning of the ventilation systems and during that time the estates staff took the opportunity to carry out any repair works. The theatres themselves were then cleaned and tested for bacterial growth before reopening. Ian Wall, sales director of Ductbusters, comments: “This was a challenging project, but we were confident we had the experience and expertise to do a very good job, on time and within budget. Proof that detailed planning and flexibility can be the key to success.”
Email:
enquiries@ductbusters.co.uk www.ductbusters.co.uk
feature :: cleaning & hygiene 27
Cleaning & Hygiene
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