Monthly Archives: December 2010

Dealing with unsavoury odours

By: Col Nation

I hope you are not intending to read this while eating your lunch. If you are then it might be a good idea to come back to this article a bit later.

Ever hopped into a lift only to be confronted by a stale urine smell? If you haven’t yet, then welcome to your first days in this industry.  In my travels with the WoolSafe Organisation and the Daniels Associates doing training and working in the cleaning industry, I have stayed in a wide variety of accommodation. From luxury hotels in the major capital cities to cheap motels in regional Australia. They all have a similar problem. Urine and vomit odours, plus the occasional prawn shells left in a bin under a sink for a few days.

Footballers make headlines by urinating (or worse) in a public areas. This includes hotel corridors or lifts because they couldn’t make it all the way to their rooms after a night of celebrations after a big win. Sozzled salespeople, tipsy teenagers on binge drinking holidays, gastronomically challenged guests, or even just the poor person with an occasional bladder weakness may be guilty of making a deposit in or on your valuable furnishings. Occasionally it is a pampered pet that has been smuggled into a room.

Fresh urine smells are bad enough, but if we do not find it immediately then we can be faced with an even bigger ongoing problem. Vomit can also pose some real odour issues. It is not just odour that is the problem, because staining and fibre damage can also result from extended exposure to the chemicals in urine and vomit.

Consider for a moment the contents of vomit and urine. Urine is the result of burning fats in the body plus the expulsion of liquid wastes that don’t leave the body by other means. Vomit can contain a wonderful mixture of partially digested food from a few hours before, plus the remainder of beverages that have been consumed, plus some stomach acid, bile and of course the carrot chunks from last Wednesday’s dinner.

It could be an excess of alcohol or a dodgy prawn that has caused the vomiting, or it could be an infectious disease or a stomach virus that has been picked up from another country that has upset someone’s digestive system.

By the way how is your lunch going?

Urine and vomit is a fact of life. It’s now on the carpet or the lounge or in the bed. How do we deal with it? Fresh is best they say, and I would tend to agree. The sooner you can remove it the better.

First things first. Think of the safety aspects. In the healthcare industry they have a policy called “Standard Precautions.” This means they treat every patient as if they are infectious. This includes spills of bodily fluids including vomit and urine. Oh, and did I mention before the occasional blood spill. All of these spills can contain pathogenic organisms that can infect the poor cleaner whose job it is to fix the problem.

Using Standard Precautions means that we will protect ourselves from potential infection by wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, namely thick rubber gloves, eye protection, and a face mask to help prevent infectious material entering our own body and making us sick as well. You just never know what is in that spill.

Cleaning staff who deal with this sort of thing should also be immunised against Hepatitis and Tetanus and the flu virus as well is a good idea.

Cleaning and sanitising equipment after use on potentially infected materials is also a good practice to follow to prevent the spread of germs and odours throughout the facility.

So how do we deal with the odour? Once we have dealt with the safety issues, we then need to find the source of the odour. Vomit is usually fairly easy. There is usually plenty of colours to guide you to the spot, especially if they have been drinking coloured drinks such as red wine or brightly coloured cocktails and drinks. By the way, did you know that the artificial colours used in many beverages are acid dyes? These are the very same dyes that are used to dye both wool and nylon carpets. We use these very same dyes to repair bleached carpets.

This can create yet another problem for the cleaner. We might be able to remove the vomit chunks and other gooey components, but the dyes from the drinks will remain. This can be dealt with only by specialist stain removal operators who can de-colour and re-colour carpets. The WoolSafe Organisation may be able to help you locate operators who can help you fix these dye stains and save you having to replace valuable carpet.

Dealing with odour.

As I said before, to treat an odour we first have to locate the source. Urine is not always easy to see. It is sometimes quite clear, although it will still contain the chemistry that can cause odours and stains later on. Urine contains a number of chemicals such as Urea and Uric Acid produced by the body from the breakdown of protein, plus Urobilin (a brown pigment from oxidised bile, some times called Urochrome).

While they are wet or damp, we can simply use a battery operated moisture probe. When it lights up, we have found the spill.

When they are dry, they can be a bit more difficult to find. We can however use an Ultra Violet light to find the uric acid crystals. Darken the room and switch on the UV torch and simply look around for the yellow patches.

A solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide will also help pinpoint the exact location of older urine spots. The Peroxide reacts with chemicals in the urine and creates a white foam. Don’t worry, 3% Hydrogen Peroxide should not harm a wool or nylon carpet. It will actually help dissolve the urine residues which make them easier to extract. It also help to kill bacteria that cause some of the odour.  Any residual Hydrogen Peroxide will simply revert to normal water in a few hours and at 3 % is not usually strong enough to cause bleaching of carpet dyes.

Now that you have located the urine you can treat it by applying either a specialised urine treatment and extracting, or use more Hydrogen Peroxide and extracting until it stops foaming. We then apply some Acetic acid (white vinegar) or a specialised carpet acid rinse treatment to ensure the carpet dries to a slightly acid state. This helps reduce the probability of staining.

There are quite a few specialised urine treatments available from a number of chemical suppliers.  Don’t buy one that won’t give you the active ingredients. From an OH&S perspective we need to know what safety precautions are required. Some urine treatments use enzymes. These can be quite dangerous if inhaled. Enzymes are produced by living micro-organisms and the less foreign organisms, or their by products, we put in our bodies the better.

I find the Peroxide treatment followed by the acid rinse treatment to be very effective in removing not only the odour, but also the staining, to a degree. This requires some professional skill but is usually fairly effective. If I do have to extend the treatment by heat processes, and it depletes the colour of the carpet, I can simply apply some acid dyes to match the original colour of the carpet.

This is not always effective on older urine spills because of yet another factor. While fresh urine is fairly sterile (unless someone has a bladder infection), and it is slightly acidic most of the time, it will soon pick up bacteria present in the carpet or the air and start to go off. In the process it will oxidise and create alkaline salts which can eventually cause a chemical burn, especially on wool fibres.  This is the reason that older urine stains turn a yellowy-orange colour. These are not always fully removable.

The next variable in all of this is volume.

A small pet spill is easy to deal with. Depending on the absorbency of the fibre, the spill may be on the surface of the carpet or lounge.  The volume of urine from a drunken sailor can be quite a staggering amount. Spills of this volume will penetrate to the backing of the carpet, through the underlay and may even be absorbing into the flooring below.

Larger spills may require the removal of the carpet and underlay, as well as a sanitising treatment to the wood or concrete flooring, followed by a layer of special sealing compound applied to the floor to prevent re-infecting the carpet and underlay. We would normally replace the underlay and clean and treat the carpet from both sides to ensure thorough removal of urine contamination.

Fortunately, vomit and blood will also respond to similar treatments, although the residual staining may not be removable with normal cleaning procedures and chemicals.

Why don’t we just spray on a deodorant?

Spray deodorants are usually very superficial. They just don’t get down to where they are needed, especially with the larger volumes. Some deodorant sprays are just masking agents. These simply cover the malodour with a stronger, less offensive odour. Over use of a pretty perfumed deodorant can be just as offensive to guests as the urine or vomit smell.

An alternative is Ozone. Ozone generators work well for temporary relief. Ozone is a bit like a gas version of Hydrogen Peroxide. Close up the room and switch on the ozone generator and over the next few days the odour will dissipate. There are two problems here. No one can use the room for a few days as it needs to be closed tightly, and ozone is poisonous.  It doesn’t remove the source of the problem so in the next spell of bad weather it will re-moisten from the humidity and will just come back to haunt you.

Sometimes it is just easier to call for some professional help. www.woolsafe.com.au has a search data base for professional carpet cleaners who can help you deal with these problems. Simply click on the map on the front page and then click on the state you are in on the next page. Scroll down the list until you find someone close to you.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I’ll let you enjoy the rest of your lunch now.

About Col Nation:
Col Nation is a 30 year veteran in the carpet maintenance industry. He operates ABBsolve Services, a specialty stain removal service on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Colin is also the Director of WoolSafe Australia, the Australasian arm of the worldwide WoolSafe Organisation that tests and certifies chemicals for use on wool carpet and trains and certifies the leading carpet cleaners around the world. As a Woolsafe registered Inspector, Colin helps carpet owners and manufacturers solve many types of issues relating to carpet. With this experience behind him he passes on this information and experience through the Daniels Associates of Australasia a Registered Training Organisation that specialises in the cleaning, healthcare and hospitality industries. Colin can be contacted through office@woolSafe.com.au or colin@danielsassociates.com.au

Bed Bugs; the problem and the solution

By Stephen Doggett, Department of Medical Entomology, ICPMR, Westmead Hospital, Westmead NSW 2145.

A survey of Australian professional pest managers in 2006 revealed that bed bug numbers had risen by an unprecedented 4,500% since the start of the new millennium. Unfortunately for the commercial accommodation sector, the vast majority of these infestations had occurred within your industry. The big problem is that bed bugs are expensive and these nuisance insects have probably cost the Australian economy well over A$100million during this period. Not only is bed bug control extremely pricey, but these insects bite with the result that guests often suffer considerable physical and mental trauma. In many parts of the world this had lead to an explosion in litigation, with one motel in the US being sued for $20million after a guest was horrendously attacked. Not surprisingly, the motel’s reputation (and balance sheets) will take years to recover.

Fortunately since the survey above was undertaken, bed bug infestations in ustralia have not continued to increase in the exponential fashion that they did between the years 2000 and 2006. The Global Financial Crisis with the downturn in travel and tourism has probably been one contributing factor for this. Bed bugs are largely spread via luggage, and so the higher the guest turnover, the greater the risk of bed bugs. Despite the levelling out of bed bug numbers there has been a major change in patterns of activity over recent years in that infestations have spread into the wider community. Along with the accommodation industries, Doctors’ waiting rooms, hospitals, the transport system, cinema complexes, socially disadvantaged groups and even wheel chairs have not been immune. In other words, where a head lies or a bum sits, bed bugs can be awaiting! Clearly bed bugs have become a societal problem.

The implications of this for the accommodation industry is that there is now a greater reservoir of potential infestations and as the economy bounces back, we may see rates again rising rapidly…time will tell. However bed bugs are still problematic and infestations continue apace, and it is important to be prepared and know how to deal with bed bugs if they make an unwanted appearance, more of this later.

One positive consequence of resurgence, particularly over the last three years, is that research on bed bugs has flourished, particularly in the area of chemical and non-chemical means of control. This period has also seen many management devices coming onto the marketplace including mattress encasements, and a range of traps, monitors and barriers. But do these devices actually work?

There is no doubt that mattress encasements are an effective bed bug management tool and offer several advantages. For an infested bed, encasements can contain the infestation without the need to discard the mattress and the better quality encasements have an inbuilt membrane which bed bugs are unable to bite through. It is considerably cheaper to purchase an encasement than a new mattress! Encasements have no edge beading and so there are few areas for bed bugs to hide compared to the average mattress and ensemble, which make great bed bug motels. Being white, it is much easier to see bed bugs and their signs on an encasement than a mattress. The two better encasements on the market,

which have been scientifically tested and shown to be effective, are the Protect-A-Bed (www.protectabed.com.au) and the mattress Safe (www.thebedprotector.com.au).

Broadly speaking we can define barriers as devices that aim to prevent bed bugs from climbing onto the bed and biting the sleeping victim, whereas traps (and monitors) aim to detect bed bugs and/or to reduce the overall bed bug population. Barriers work on the assumption that the bed has been cleared of any active infestation and the device will then inhibit access onto the bed for any bugs remaining in the room. One barrier, the ‘Climbup Insect Interceptor’ (CII, www.insect-interceptor.com) has been shown to be very effective. This device has several advantages: it is cheap, just a few dollars each; simple technology with little maintenance; and can act as a monitoring tool. However, the CII is quite obvious and almost screams out, “Yes folk, we have bed bugs!”, and is thus unlikely to be used in the commercial accommodation sector.

Bed bug traps are far more diverse in their nature and operation, but all act as monitoring devices mostly via trapping live bed bugs. Most have some sort of a lure to attract the insects, such as heat, carbon dioxide or various other chemicals. Some traps are disposable and only a few dollars each, while others are well over a thousands dollars and require daily replacement of consumables.

A number of traps have attributes that may limit their use either due to their physical size or perceived occupational health and safety issues. Regarding physical limitations, some traps are over 10cm tall, while most beds with casters in motels have a clearance to the floor of around 6-8cm, which makes placement of the trap problematic. The trap can not be placed in an obvious location within a hotel room while in use, as the guest would not want to stay in a facility where there may be a

perceived risk of bed bugs. The hotel certainly does not want to risk their reputation by announcing that they have an infestation. For some hotels whereby the bed frame consists of sheets of timber nailed together, there is no space available at all underneath. In motels with ensembles or solid bed bases, bed bug traps could only be employed while the room is closed during the treatment process.

A number of bed bug traps utilise mains power and power cords may not been seen as being desirable under the bed for risk of fire, or around the room for the tripping risk. Additionally, a few devices have a canister of compressed carbon dioxide and it may be probable that some hotels would not want a high pressure gas cylinder within their rooms. Such devices may even have insurance implications.

Now to the most important question; do bed bug traps work? It is highly probable that all the devices will trap bed bugs to some extent and are likely to assist in the early detection of these insects. How reliable and effective they are however, is presently unknown as to date no traps have been tested and demonstrated efficacious via independent scientific investigation. Thus presently, it is not possible to recommend any of the bed bug traps currently on the market.

Even though bed bug management is clearly the most rapidly evolving area of research for any pest in the world today, the reality is that there is no magical silver bullet on the horizon for bed bug control. So just what is the best way to rid your property of this nuisance pest?

The reality is that most pest managers consider that bed bugs are the most challenging of all insects to eradicate. The reason for this is that the current generation of bed bugs are highly resistance to most of the insecticides used today. This means that treatments must be very thorough and repeated, often on several occasions with heavy infestations. Multiple control methodologies should also be employed encompassing non-chemical means of control such as steam and vacuuming, as well as the use of insecticides. To ensure that ‘best practice’ is

occurring, the ‘Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestations in Australia’ should be consulted. This is a freely available document from www.bedbug.org.au and aims to promote best practice in the eradication of active bed bug infestations and the management of potential infestations. On this site you will also find pest managers who have received specific training in bed bug control.

The Code of Practice is a living document and is updated regularly in order to maintain relevance and to keep up to date with the latest technological innovations in bed bug management. Since its first inception in 2006, there have been six versions; three drafts that have been open for public comment and three final editions. The 3rd Edition is now available for download and has seen many changes, including:

*         The need for Pest Managers to have a Bed Bug Management Plan,
*         The need for those in the accommodation industry to have a Pest Management Policy,
*         Updated information on control via heat,
*         An enhanced section on pest identification,
*         What to look for in a mattress encasement,
*         Information on bed bug traps and barriers,
*         A section on how to choose a Pest Manager for bed bug control,
*         High risk factors in bed bug control,
*         New information on insecticide efficacy and resistance,
*         Bed bugs in rental properties,
*         Control on aircraft
*         Potential insecticides.

In addition, the whole section on bed bug prevention has been totally revised to take in account the four key phases of a bed bug infestation (i.e. the Introduction, Establishment, Growth and eventual Spread of an infestation).

Unfortunately, with the resurgence of bed bugs, the hospitality industry is seen as a potential cash cow by some less scrupulous companies who are keen to make a fast buck. There all sorts of unsubstantiated reports of products claiming to control bed bugs, when often there is little science (or questionable science) to back up the claims. If there is no scientific data produced by an independent body for a product then it will not be endorsed within the Bed Bug Code of Practice. Thus our advice is, if the product is not in the Code, use it at your own risk!

To compliment the recent release of the 3rd Edition of the Bed Bug Code of Practice and to assist the hospitality industry and other accommodation provides in bed bug management, a ‘Bed Bug Management Policy for Accommodation Providers’ has been released. Presently this policy is a draft and can be downloaded from www.bedbug.org.au.

For more information or comments contact:

Westmead Hospital, PO Box 533, Wentworthville NSW 2145, or email: stephen.doggett@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au.

Stephen L. Doggett
Senior Hospital Scientist
Department of Medical Entomology, ICPMR, Westmead Hospital,
WESTMEAD  NSW  2145, Australia.
Ph: +61 2 9845 7265  Fax: +61 2 9893 8659.
Email: Stephen.Doggett@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au or visit www.medent.usyd.edu.au
The Department of Medical Entomology web site. www.arbovirus.health.nsw.gov.au

How green are your cleaning products?

By Bridget Gardner, Director, Fresh Green Clean

In a regulation-free zone, suppliers need to show leadership

What is a green product?
Green products are defined as “those that have less of an impact on the environment or are less detrimental to human health that traditional equivalents”. So is it illegal to call a product green if it isn’t? Absolutely. Making a false or misleading ‘green’ claim contravenes the Trade Practices Act and is commonly called ‘green washing’. By law a manufacturer must be able to demonstrate exactly how their product reduces risk of harm.

But based on the above definition, with a little creative marketing and a lot of wishful thinking, one could argue that a pH neutral product causes less damage than a corrosive pH2 equivalent, and therefore is ‘green’. And this lack of clarity is causing a great deal of confusion.

The Australian Government sets no regulations for cleaning product design, let alone for green products. It is argued that regulation stifles innovation and that the green rulebook is constantly changing anyway as new problems are discovered. But I’m sure a little more leadership from Canberra would be welcomed by manufacturers and consumers alike.

Standards and ecolables
There are, however, government standards for tests that can determine whether a product (or ingredient) reduces specific environmental or heath problems, such as ready biodegradability. Testing against standards provides third party evidence of low environmental risk. But how many of these standards does a product have to meet in order to call it green? Or put another way, what are the characteristics of a green product?

Ecolables are voluntary standards that have compiled a list of criteria, standards and tests for ‘environmentally preferred products’, such as the Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) Standard for Cleaning Products (see inset box). GECA also collaborates with international ecolables such as Green Seal (USA), Blue Angel (Germany) and Environmental Choice New Zealand.

Does that mean that only products certified by an eco label can be called ‘green’? Not necessarily, but it is a more reliable method for the consumer because:

• They do the hard work for us
• A full list of ingredients is required
• All claims must be supported with evidence
• They are comparing apples with apples

An ecolable standard does have limitations:

• It only applies to chemical cleaning products
• No criterion for sustainable production or ingredients
• The ‘in / out’ system does not rate products or encourage innovation
  • It is voluntary (but uptake is growing rapidly)

GECA Standard 17:2007 evaluates the following characteristics:

• Fit for purpose and demonstrated performance
• Prohibited and restricted ingredients
• Fragrances and colours
• Readily biodegradability
• VOC limit for solvents
• Labelling and packaging
• Verification of claims: organic, food safe, phosphorus levels, grey water safe
• Product information for safe and sustainable use
• Compliance to EPA and labour laws

Green characteristics

Let’s explore then, the ten most important characteristics of a green product, the health and environmental impacts they reduce, and how to tell if a product complies or not.

1. Ready biodegradability: ‘Biodegradable’ is a meaningless term unless qualified as ‘readily’ (quickly). The Australian standard for Ready Biodegradability is AS4351 (1996). Be aware that the claim may only apply to the detergent (surfactant) component which may only be 5% of the whole product. Further, not all detergents are biodegradable. APEO and NPEs found in some pH neutral and laundry detergents are persistent and toxic to fish. Whole product testing or ecolabel certification will ensure the product can break-down rapidly and completely.

2. Low Volatile Organic Compounds: VOCs found in solvents, sealants, air-fresheners and stain removers can cause indoor air pollution. The acceptable level by Green Star¹ is less than 50g of VOCs per litre for floor sealants and 5% w/w by GECA for solvents. The level of VOCs can be determined by a laboratory.

3. No ‘chemicals of concern’: Scientists are concerned that some chemicals may cause harm in very low doses; they may accumulate in the body, cause disease years later, or harm unborn babies. Such substances are often called ‘chemicals of concern’ and are either prohibited or restricted (under 0.1%) from ecolables and some cleaning contract procurement guidelines (lists will vary).

Accordingly, many products claim to be ‘free of’ specific chemicals and/or fragrances. To support this claim, the product should either have ecolable certification, declare a full list of ingredients on the MSDS, or provide a signed statement by the manufacturer on request. (Chemicals in concentrations under the NOHSC Hazardous cut-off level do not have to be listed on the MSDS).

4. Renewable: ‘Natural’, ‘organic’, ‘plant-derived’… as these terms have no legal meaning they can be very misleading. The concept is that as many synthetically derived chemicals are associated with disease, plant-based will be safer. But are they? Firstly not all ‘natural’ ingredients are safe – arsenic anyone? Solvents containing high levels of d-limonene (derived from orange oil) can actually be quite hazardous. Another misleading phrase is ‘organic’, which simply means ‘carbon-based’ – an example being benzene – and very different to ‘certified organic’. Finally, palm oil production (commonly used in detergents) is often responsible for de-forestation.

However, green chemistry is an exciting area of science and innovative products made from renewable materials and sustainable production are increasing. The term ‘renewable’ is defined as ‘materials that must be replenished by natural processes at the same rate they are used’. There is no standard for ‘renewable’ so all these claims may be supported with the same evidence as per point 3.

5. Non-hazardous and non-toxic: Does the MSDS state a product is hazardous or not, according to NOHSC criteria? Simple yes or no. However because it is so easy to define it can easily become a red herring. Is a product containing an ingredient 1% lower than the hazardous cut-off level now safe? If wearing gloves could prevent exposure to a hazardous substance stated to be a skin irritant due to being concentrated, and it does not contain ‘chemicals of concern’, I would argue that it is still may be deemed ‘green’.

‘Non-toxic’ is more difficult to define. Technically, T for Toxic is reserved for VERY toxic, lethal substances. By definition then, 99% of chemical cleaning products sold could be called non-toxic. Toxicity testing (LD50) can be conducted on a range of organisms and impacts: dermal toxicity, rat, daphnia, fish etc. We don’t (fortunately) conduct toxicity tests of humans so these tests are used as an indicator for human health. If you are a chemist you may be able to interpret the results – I can’t. But the fact that a company has voluntarily tested their finished products and released the results means they are supporting their non-toxicity claims and being transparent.

6. No phosphorus: If phosphorus (phosphate) enters freshwater it acts like fertiliser, promoting excessive algae growth that suffocates other aquatic life. This is a bigger issue in the country of origin (e.g. China) due to manufacturing run-off, than where it is used and put down the sewers. However it is still best practice to use detergents with no added phosphorus or low levels, especially where sewage farms are not ocean-based. There are simple and inexpensive phosphorus laboratory tests available to support claims.

7. Chemical-free: True chemical-free methods use water or friction instead of, obviously, chemicals. The benefits are an undisputed elimination of VOCs, ‘chemicals of concern’ and fragrances etc. They can also reduce packaging waste and associated transportation costs. However, they are only ‘green products’ if used and maintained correctly so that a) cleaners do not add traditional chemicals to improve performance and b) they last. Saving money up front buying cheaper brands will be neither financially nor environmentally sustainable long-term.

8. Resource and water minimisation: Chemical, water or packaging minimisation through smarter product design or reuse are also legitimate green innovations. The environmental impact of the huge quantity of cleaning supplies used on an annual basis across Australia must be enormous. Some cleaning equipment suppliers provide ‘calculators’ to support claims of resource savings during use. 

9. Recycled content: Other equipment manufacturers have reduced the demand for natural resources by using recycled materials in their design, such as mops, packaging, and paper products. Ensure the content percentage and type of recycled materials is declared on the label. 

10. Environmentally sustainable: As with all green initiatives, environmental claims must be supported with third party evidence. Three key methods are:

o      Life-cycle analysis (LCA) calculates the environmental impact of a product’s entire ‘life’, from materials harvest to waste. LCA is conducted by independent bodies using recognised metrics and is very expensive. EcoSpecifier (Australia) has recently launched the Green Tag^™ tool that uses LCA to rate products, but no cleaning products have yet been rated.

o      Eco foot-printing evaluates how much planet (water, soil, energy etc) a product requires to manufacture and/or use.

o      Carbon foot-printing measures the carbon a product emits throughout its life. The Carbon Reduction Label, recently launched in Australia by Planet Ark, provides a credible label for products that have had their carbon footprint certified to international standards.

Green or sustainable cleaning is still in its infancy in Australia and the cleaning industry still lacks regulations, guidelines and compliance from bodies such as the GBCA¹. Therefore it is up to suppliers to show leadership and users to demand accountability, as many already have. It is always easier to stay ahead of the ball than play catch-up.

Footnotes:
1.     Green Star is the environmental building rating system by the Green Building Council Australia (GBCA)

Reprinted with permission from Bridget Gardner and Inclean Magazine (www.incleanmag.com.au)

About Bridget Gardner

Bridget Gardner is director of Fresh Green Clean, a consulting and training company in sustainable cleaning and hygiene. She is considered by many as Australia’s leading independent expert in the field. For more information contact Bridget at bridget@freshgreenclean.com.au or visit www.freshgreenclean.com.au

Finance for Housekeeping Managers NOW an online course!

Ariane and Liz at the annual elearning conference

Early December, the Hospitalit-e project “Finance for Housekeeping Managers”, a partnership between L&A, Balfour College, PHAN and the Australian Flexible Learning Framework was showcased at the Framework’s annual conference. Over the last year the Framework has provided the funding to develop “Finance for Housekeepers” an online course to empower and up-skill Housekeeping Managers in financial management competencies.

A skills gap has been identified in finance where Housekeepers are held accountable for budgetary issues. To attend face-to-face training is a challenge due to long working hours and geographically dispersed learners.

The Hospitalit-e project, “Finance for Housekeepers” addresses these issues through an online learning program for three units of competency in finance from SIT40307 Certificate IV in Hospitality.

The course has been divided into three modules and the design includes a range of delivery strategies and learning activities. Assessment will be undertaken through online and work-based tasks.

Fifteen participants attended the face-to-face induction on 14th September 2010, all commenced the course and 80% of those participants have since successfully attained all three units of competency.

Comments from some of the participants of the Hospitalit-e pilot course:

“All executive housekeeper and senior supervisors should take this course. It will give new direction to cost management and analyse the department views.”

“Thank you for giving me the chance to be part of the pilot. It was hard but extremely enjoyable”

“You are certainly making a difference for future housekeepers”…

The Hospitalit-e team delivered its final presentation at the December Framework conference. The conference had two main themes, sustaining elearning and new emerging technologies. The Hospitalit-e team had the opportunity to showcase the project to the elearning delegates.

To see the presentation and how Hospitalit-e “Finance for Housekeeping Managers” evolved, go to our wiki

** The course “Finance for Housekeeping Managers” will soon be available to all those who wish to learn on-line!  L&A plans to run the course from 21st February 2011 through till 4th April 2011. The cost for this course is US$450 and  once enrolled, participants will need to complete the 3 module course over an 8 week period. Participants move through the facilitated units together, in their own time; engaging in learning activities, case studies, work based assignments and assessments. There is plenty of opportunity for discussion and sharing information including best practice. A virtual class environment! **

To register your interest please contact: Josephine by email: josephine@lycetteandassociates.com

About the Australian Flexible Learning Framework
The Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework) is the e-learning strategy for the vocational education and training (VET) sector. It provides the VET system with the essential e-learning infrastructure and expertise needed to respond to the challenges of a modern economy and the training needs of Australian businesses and workers. 

The Framework was launched as a strategy in 2000, responding to information and communication technology (ICT) developments in workplaces and society. The Australian Government and all states and territories agreed to work together nationally to advance the use of e-learning in VET. The 2008-2011 Framework Strategy maximises and builds on the national investment to date in essential e-learning infrastructure. It will focus on embedding e-learning in registered training organisations (RTOs), business and industry.

L&A celebrates the festive season supporting the Sala Bai Christmas function

L&A and the lucky winners

To end 2010 with a bang, L&A had their Sydney Christmas gathering in conjunction with an Ecole Hoteliere alumni (AEHL) get-together and joined the Friends of Sala Bai Christmas Wine auction on Thursday 2 December 2010.

Sala Bai (which means rice bowl in Cambodian) is a not-for-profit hotel school based in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Each year, the school trains 100 young disadvantaged Cambodians in four main professions of the hospitality industry: restaurant waiter/waitress, cook, receptionist and housekeeping attendant.

The event raised $20,000 enabling 100 students to complete a full year of studies; a further $5000 was raised so each student can get a $50 bicycle. L&A are delighted to be involved in helping young Cambodians to better their lives through training and careers in hospitality.

Participants at the event included Umesh from Metro, Richard & Sabine Kaldor, Ann Brady; Learning Lines, Liz Lycette, Ariane Lellmann, Chris Judd, Tim, Millett; IPerform, Shaun Taylor and Josephine van Damme. Lucky raffle winners!! Josephine won a trip for 2 to Cairns and Tim won a weekend at the York by Swissbel Hotel. The L&A Lucky table…

The Friends of Sala Bai is administered out of the Mawland Holdings office in Crows Nest, Sydney, Australia.
To join the Friends of Sala Bai contact:
Please contact Suzanne Stanton:
Phone: +61 (0)2 9437 0277
Facsimile: +61 (0)2 9437 0288
Email: sstanton (at) mawlandgroup.com.au

Agnes Zlotek Petit presents at Swiss-Belhotel International GM’s conference

Agnes presenting at SBI GM's conference

L&A continues its Corporate Housekeeping Service for Swiss-Belhotel International’s 40 properties in the Asia Pacific region and the Middle East.  L&A associate, Agnes Zlotek Petit was invited to present her current findings to the 60 General Managers’, VPs and corporate teams at this month’s conference in Jakarta.

As part of the L&A brief, an associate visits each of the Swiss-Belhotel International hotels twice a year.  Agnes, who is covering all the Indonesian properties, has reviewed 13 hotels and resorts and Liz Lycette has visited the Vietnam and Middle Eastern properties.

During her presentation, Agnes explained what was covered during the 3 day initial visit emphasising the importance of ensuring SBI policies and procedures are in place and being followed, including manuals. She also conducted efficiency reviews to look at cost control and cost savings including labour costs and housekeeping scheduling.  Back to basics in terms of correct training practices was also top of the agenda. Agnes and Liz have coached and mentored the Housekeeping teams in developing best practices and performance measurement tools for the future.

Both Liz and Agnes were impressed with the quick response from all the Swiss-Belhotel International Housekeeping teams to resolve issues quickly and professionally. The Housekeepers were always friendly and eager to learn more. Overall a great performance with sometimes limited resources.

Swiss-Belhotel International was founded in 1987. Today, Swiss-Belhotel International with hotels in Asia/Pacific and the Middle East has evolved into a leading hotel management company with 32 hotels and another 25 hotels slated to open in the next 18 months.