Executive Housekeeping Today - March 2009 - (Page 10)

CEu artIClE (continued from page 5) removal outcomes; the lack of performance data does little to dispel the notion held by some experts that Green cleaning (ironically) does not effectively remove pathogens or other potentially-harmful matter. Removing indoor pollution should be—and is—an integral part of Green cleaning. End-users should—and likely will in this infectious fiscally-constrained era—increasingly require proof of performance benchmarks and measurable results to validate, promote, and justify the implementation of Green cleaning processes. One system working to provide such data, Integrated Cleaning and Measurement™ (ICM™), is a holistic approach in which best practices are defined by the scientific measurement of cleaning. The ultimate goal of ICM is to provide the cleaning industry with the connection between measured cleaning outcomes and measured health outcomes and quantifiable bottom-line impacts. Once established, it is believed that connection will redefine the conditions surrounding the service purchase, moving from a primary focus on appearance and price to one of health and business impacts. At its core, ICM is a four-step model: measure, compare, experiment, and implement. An opensource system, ICM is not restricted by a single method or product; the system accepts best-practice equipment and approaches no matter the source, provided they are accompanied by measurement data confirming their effectiveness compared to other methods. ICM-based “hygienic Green cleaning” adds the quantification of organic (germ promoting or containing) and other matter removal to the overall cleaning process, allowing for objective correlations between cleaning efficacy and various outcomes. ICM works to unify various elements, rather than Measure Implement The ICM Model Experiment Compare keeping them separate or isolated; as more information is gathered and more studies performed, this progressive system will provide a clearer picture of these correlations. In 2004, Dr. Charles P. Gerba, PhD., conducted a blind study titled “Cleaning Desktops and Other Classroom Surfaces Reduces Absenteeism,” in which quaternary ammonium disinfecting wipes were used on various surfaces to determine if the regular use of wipes reduced bacterial levels. Six elementary school classrooms comprising of 148 students were selected in a school in the Seattle area. Half were part of the intervention study, while the other half comprised the control group. Interestingly, the study found that classrooms undergoing daily intervention with disinfectant wipes were found to have a statistically significant reduction in student absenteeism due to illness. Except for a single week in which no students were absent from any of the classrooms in the study, a total of at least two students were absent from the intervention classrooms and a total of at least four students were absent from the control classrooms in each week of the study. Similarly, a study conducted at the Association for Children with Down’s Syndrome School in Bellmore, NY, by Dr. Leonard Krilov, examined the health implications associated with improved cleaning. Dr. Krilov tracked the health and attendance impacts after the program was implemented and found that the improved cleaning reduced total illnesses by 24 percent, doctor visits by 34 percent, courses of antibiotics by 24 percent, and days absent from school by 46 percent. Healthcare facilities, like schools, face significant cleaning challenges. Infections being transmitted via contaminated surfaces deserve particular scrutiny, as antibiotic-resistant pathogens circulate in these facilities at a disproportionate rate. (continued on page 22) 0 Executive Housekeeping Today/March 2009

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - March 2009

Executive Housekeeping Today - March 2009 Contents Executive Corner Why Integrated Cleaning and Measurement is Good for the Cleaning Industry Hygienic Green Cleaning - The Next Wave Frugal Housekeeper Integrated Cleaning and Measurement: A New Approach to Housekeeping and Sanitation Feature Article What's in YOUR Janitor Closet? The Green Scene 2009 Convention Information Product Highlights New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members Advertisers' Index Calendar of Events Inside IEHA What IEHA Has Done For Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - March 2009

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