Briefing encounter
Jim Melvin, Deputy Chairman of the British Cleaning Council, on how the cleaning and hygiene sector briefed the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on key industry issues.
The APPG for the UK Cleaning and Hygiene Industry held its first major event since its inauguration last month, discussing the sector’s role in restoring the public’s confidence post-COVID in the use of work and public spaces.
It highlighted the important role sector personnel have played in fighting COVID-19 and gave the industry’s expert advice on what steps need to be taken in terms of
cleaning and hygiene as the country recovers.
This was the first opportunity the sector as a whole has had to speak directly to MPs and Peers in detail on issues important to both the Government and our industry, resulting in a fascinating, thoughtful and well-informed discussion with an expectation to influence Government policy.
I was on the panel, along with BCC directors Delia Cannings, of the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals, and Kim Phillips, of the Association of Building Cleaning Direct Service Providers. We were joined by senior industry figures including Deborah Bland of Diversey, Dave Fuller of Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene, Dr John Hines of SC Johnson Professional, Darren Marston of Industrial Cleaning Equipment Ltd and Jason Towse of Mitie.
A number of MPs took part, which along with guests brought the total number of attendees to over 60.
On the importance of communication in restoring the public’s confidence, Jason Towse spoke about using signage and visible cleaning operatives to reassure visitors. He said: “There is nothing better than seeing things done.”
The need for improved labelling so the public can differentiate between effective hand gels and those being produced by unscrupulous pop-up companies that don’t protect from pathogens, was discussed.
One topic mentioned by a number of speakers was the need for the public to continue to behave responsibly with regards to personal hygiene and social distancing, as they have an important part to play in reassuring people that
32 | REGULAR hospitals and supermarkets, for example, are safe to visit.
I was involved in advising how cleaning continues to be vital in preventing the spread of the virus, despite claims to the contrary. Expert reports continue to say that transmission from surfaces is a ‘distinct possibility’, particularly if an infected person has coughed or sneezes before touching surfaces. Official advice both in the UK and the US continues to be that cleaning is essential. As John Hines said, targeted cleaning is at the heart of the fight against COVID-19.
The panel agreed that we must ensure the public continues to practise good personal hygiene as lockdown eases, if we don’t want another spike. The growth in wearing masks and improved hand washing has also helped reduce illnesses such as colds and flu. As APPG Chairman Nigel Mills MP said, an important message going forward is that being clean and hygienic is good for yours, your family’s and the community’s health.
Towards the end of the discussion, I was asked about some of the key things we had learnt during the pandemic. One is the importance of the role played by the cleaning and hygiene sector and its workforce. Cleaning operatives have been bravely going to work throughout the pandemic and now’s the time for them to be fully recognised and thanked.
A major theme was further education and training for cleaning and hygiene personnel. Delia Cannings called for the Government to support and recognise our ‘environmental ninjas’ through education and training.
Darren Marston finished off by highlighting the role of innovation in developing products that enable the demand for higher standards of cleaning to be met.
We will now regroup and look at actions and next steps. I would take this opportunity to thank the MPs and panel, guests who attended virtually and Stephen Kerr, who both facilitated and controlled the flow of the meeting in an excellent and professional manner.
www.britishcleaningcouncil.org twitter.com/TomoCleaning
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