Executive Housekeeping Today - September 2008 - (Page 5)

Step into almost any laundry plant and you’ll notice a variety of bright yellow, red, and black signs alerting workers to beware of the hazards involved in processing massive volumes of sheets, towels, napkins, and other linens. Despite the sincere efforts to design washers, dryers, ironers, and other laundry equipment with safety as a key consideration, and despite the commitment among many plant managers to train their workers in their safe operation, accidents still occur. Recently, several accidents at well-known, highly-respected companies have garnered headlines in the national, mainstream media, bringing important attention to the issue, while also triggering OSHA investigations and hefty fines. Costing the company thousands in safety violations is no way to secure a larger housekeeping budget for adding language and customer service training programs, or for boosting hourly wages. And even a single workplace injury is one too many. Whether an accident is preventable and who bears the brunt of the blame for each occurrence has been a subject of great debate for centuries. Today, safety professionals recognize a shared responsibility between employers establishing safe workplace conditions and workers acting in a safe manner according to their training, safe operating procedures, and common sense. For example, consider the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911—the disaster which ultimately gave rise to what became OSHA. Workers routinely lit matches and smoked while surrounded by flammable textiles. While there were few safety regulations in place as we know them s Strengthening Worker Safety in a High Throughput Laundry by Ty Acton today, the workplace was a fire trap and management was unconcerned with what to us seems an obviously risky situation. This seeming lack of concern for safety may have been as responsible for the fire as the mixture of smoking and textiles. To safeguard your employees and your facility, it is critical to instill a commitment to safety as a culture within the housekeeping department. It is a mindset, an understanding that throughput is important, but not at the risk of an accident. As executive housekeepers with the responsibility for safe laundry operations, there are a number of safety checks you can Laundry workers feed this Kleeno Cylinder Pad from Tingue, Brown & Co. into an ironer to clean its rolls of dirt, grime, and chemical buildup. In the past, workers often cleaned the ironer rolls manually with sandpaper. implement today to promote a safe environment in your workplace. Reducing Contact with Equipment While equipment manufacturers often include a host of safety (continued on page 12) “I’m sick of being grilled about replacing my carts.” MOD carts still deliver after 20 years of punishing service. And our newest 90PSL bulk linen truck works triple-duty — round trip, one-way and as a guest supply cart. It features: • Ferocious disposition – withstands over-the-road abuses • Stunning, luxurious design – smooth in the lobby and on the floor • Built-in security – lockable doors stop thieves • Hinged split top – opens for access, seals for clean transport • Repositionable shelves for soiled return • 100% polyethylene base and body – strong, wipes clean • Rainbow of color choices – coordinates with your facility’s decor Call now for a quote or free brochure. Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. 8 0 0 . 8 2 9 . 4 5 3 5 • w w w. M O D L a u n d r y. c o m September 2008/Executive Housekeeping Today 5 http://www.modlaundry.com http://www.modlaundry.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - September 2008

Executive Housekeeping Today - September 2008 Contents Executive Corner 2008 Salary Survey Results Strengthening Worker Safety in a High Throughput Laundry Frugal Housekeeper How CIMS Relates to You Feature Article The Green Scene The Un-Comfort Zone: What's Pushing Your Buttons? Inside the Industry Product Highlights New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members Advertisers’ Index Calendar of Events Inside I.E.H.A. What I.E.H.A. Has Done For Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - September 2008

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