FSM
Features
Keeping clean off the field
Steve Nurdin.
Steve Nurdin, marketing manager at Cannon Hygiene, discusses how stadium managers can implement an effective hygiene strategy to meet customers’ expectations and save money.
Stadiums are ultimately experience destinations but this extends beyond the event on show and stadium operators are expected to maintain the same hygiene standards found in a hotel or restaurant. Most people expect that the
environments they visit will be clean and hygienic. If not, this it is likely to create negative word of mouth. Particularly in the age of social media, complaints can be shared instantly and infinitely with a global audience – permanently damaging a stadium’s reputation. There are also apps allowing consumers to review and rate venues’ washrooms publicly, such as TripAdvisor. But considering the fluctuating number
of visitors on a daily basis, enforcing a top- class and consistent hygiene strategy can present a significant challenge. On event days, washrooms are one of
the most visited areas and are often the first to show a strain from an increase of users. Although it might seem like the easiest cleaning strategy to introduce in such a busy environment, the system of spotting and responding can prove to be a slow and ineffective way to maintain cleanliness in stadiums and relying on already busy staff to upkeep hygiene standards is often not enough. Having solutions in place that
automatically maintain excellent hygiene is a good way to ensure standards don’t slip and facilities can cope with peaks and troughs in visitor numbers. Automatic soap dispenser fitted with
antibacterial soap will limit spillage and ensure the correct amount of soap is distributed. High quality hand driers will reduce the waste of paper towels, make sure washrooms appear well looked after and ensure people effectively dry their
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hands. There are even automatic air filters that can be introduced to kill airborne germs and eliminate bad smells. While you would hope people would
wash their hands, this cannot be guaranteed in such a busy environment. To ensure door handles are clean at all times there are now solutions available that can spray an antibacterial mist on door grips each time they are opened. Yet, there are some exceptions where
personnel responding to ad hoc cleaning tasks is the best option. Staff should regularly check washrooms and makes sure soap and toilet paper is provided. There is nothing worse than empty dispensers. Plus, food waste should be removed as
quickly as possible to avoid pests or parasites infestation – something that is easy to prevent but expensive to recover from. The media is also quick to highlight
stadiums falling below standards, especially if there is a health and safety threat, like when Arsenal hit the headlines with a mice infestation at its Emirates Stadium last year. National newspapers including the Mail
Online, The Independent and The Sun covered the story with captions such as ‘Arsenal fight mouse infestation in VIP box kitchens after damning council hygiene report’. This highlights the need to consistently monitor premises and make sure key areas such as food courts are kept clean at all times. Besides maintaining cleanliness and
providing peace of mind that standards are upheld, an excellent hygiene strategy can also help effectively monitor and reduce the use of resources by making use of intelligent water management systems. Energy prices are on the rise and water will be an increasingly scarce
product in the future – putting pressure on large venues to save where they can. Smart tech can help cut water use and
bills by up to 90 per cent by restricting water loss and increasing efficiency. This includes regulating how much water is used to flush toilets and urinals in washrooms. There are smart water management
products available which can easily be fitted into traditional toilets, converting them into fully variable flush systems. Such fit-for- purpose solutions make sure users can only use the amount of water necessary, which can save up to 10 litres of water every time it is used. Urinals specifically are often flushed
constantly to get rid of uric salts which are the cause of bad smells. This leads to a major waste of water. But there are solutions on the market that can limit water use, while also eliminating bad smells – a win-win situation. These systems can be added to already installed urinals and will not only effectively kill odour-causing bacteria, but also flush at controlled intervals to save water and reduce utility costs. A dedicated hygiene provider will be
able to help stadium operators choose the most suitable and cost-effective water management products. This will be based on an audit of recent bills to gather information on how the site operates and identify areas of overuse. A thorough hygiene strategy can take
time and investment to develop but will pay off in savings over time. Managers should first analyse the stadium and identify key areas such as the washroom and food courts and strategically introduce automatic solutions to consistently enforce top class cleanliness. Excellent hygiene will also help secure positive customer feedback, even when their team loses.
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