Increased cleaning efficiency results in reduced costs while promoting improved health, wellness, and performance for facility occupants.
The Labor-Driven Need for Improved Cleaning Efficiency
Due to labor shortages directly and indirectly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for improved efficiency in environmental cleaning and disinfection services has never been higher.
Many organizations were forced to temporarily lay off their custodial workforce during pandemic-driven business closures.
According to CloroxPro;
More than 4.5 million people voluntarily left their jobs in November 2021 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This mass exodus highlights the struggle many employers are facing retaining workers.
As a consequence, in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, the professional cleaning industry is challenged with not only increased demand for cleaning services but also severe staffing shortages.
Once cleared to reopen, many businesses found that their previous staff had moved on to new opportunities and have since struggled to fill employment gaps resulting in facility hygiene challenges.
According to ISSA;
And then there’s another challenge, and this one applies directly to the professional cleaning industry.
Many workers do not want to return to their old cleaning jobs.
For instance, a chain of gyms in Chicago called back its custodial staff when it was given the green light to open last year.
Of those who came back, some stayed for a while but then decided to leave. Reasons they gave for leaving are:
Concerns about their health.
A desire to take advantage of the government stimulus checks.
Plans to go back to school and learn another skill.
They obtained another job.
To address this challenge, organizations have turned to improvements in operational efficiency in the form of improved technologies--specifically, electrostatic sprayers and disinfectants.
Advantages to Electrostatic Spraying Systems
Electrostatic disinfection appliances increase operational efficiency in several ways, including:
- Disinfecting areas up to 4x faster than manual spraying.
- Using between 65% and 81% less disinfectant than conventional disinfection methods, and;
- Improving operator engagement in their task and job through increased training and growth opportunities.
One area where electrostatic spraying systems outshine all other methods is in classroom disinfection during cold and flu season--one of the most critical times during the school year for facility health and safety staff.
Studies have shown that, when properly implemented, an electrostatic sprayer could disinfect an entire classroom in approximately two minutes.
Real-world evaluations of electrostatic sprayers are just as important as manufacturer testing because they confirm that a product can deliver what it claims in practice.
We recruited eight custodians to determine the time it takes to disinfect five different spaces using cart and handheld electrostatics devices.
From this study we learned that with the right training, a classroom could be disinfected in about 2 minutes using an electrostatic device.
One caveat that contributes to or diminishes the efficacy of electrostatic sprayers, especially when treating facilities for COVID-19 contamination, is the type of disinfectant used in the sprayer.
Using a product not registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency as effective against SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza will result in undesirable outcomes.
Conversely, high-quality electrostatic sprayer disinfectants will not only eliminate common pathogens on surfaces but will further improve outcomes and efficiency through:
- Reduced preparation, re-entry, and drying times, and;
- Improved surface compatibility.
Takeaway
Due to serious, likely prolonged skilled-labor shortages in the custodial services industry, improvements in operational efficiency in the form of modern technologies and ongoing service provider training are now mandatory to ensure high-level cleaning outcomes.
For many organizations struggling with the current state of the economy or trying to recover from prolonged lockdowns, implementing these measures is likely cost-prohibitive.
Outsourcing is a proven method for onboarding highly in-demand cleaning and disinfection services and experience for a fraction of the price of maintaining a similar service in-house.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation on-site assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield, CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno, CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia, CA, or Santa Clarita, CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Palmdale, CA or Lancaster, CA, call (661) 371-4756
