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Prevent the Spread of Foodborne Illness with Food Safety

By: Caitlin Dimalanta  |  September 14, 2022

Food is one of the most important things on the planet. It provides nutrients for our body, brings us together, and accounts for the livelihood of 19.7 million Americans. How we handle our food, and the surrounding prep space is integral to our health and safety.

Whether you are prepping food at home, cooking in a restaurant, or using the office fridge to store leftovers from last night, food safety is an absolute must.

In fact, the CDC estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases. Illness caused by foodborne pathogens can be prevented through proper hand hygiene, and surface sanitation that comes in contact with food.

September is National Food Safety Education Month (FSEM) and what better time to update and refresh your knowledge of two simple yet effective food safety cleaning practices?

Topics: Hand Hygiene, virus, Foodservice, facility maintenance

Promoting Quality & Safety in the Workplace with Healthy Hand Hygiene

By: Caitlin Dimalanta  |  May 3, 2022 

The past few years have presented the world with harrowing opportunities for improvement. One of the main areas we have collectively strived to get better at deals with hand hygiene. Thursday May 5th, 2022 is recognized as World Hand Hygiene Day. This year’s theme, “Unite for safety: clean your hands” is a short and sweet reminder to work together to create a safer and healthier environment for our community with good hand hygiene.

While typically this day focuses on those in the healthcare industry, the value of practicing good hand hygiene applies to all of us.

Facility managers continue to play an integral role that directly affects the well-being of their building occupants and ultimately the general public. The combination of the appropriate tools, proper training and processes contribute to healthy hand hygiene. 

Topics: Hand Hygiene, Restroom Care, Infection Prevention

2022 Trends for the Cleaning Industry: Help Wanted

By: Briana Smith & Caitlin Dimalanta | January 21, 2022

The last couple years have been a roller coaster ride for everyone, complete with steep inclines, unexpected dips, sharp curves, and upside-down loop de loops, but the cleaning industry, in particular, has felt the impact on the pandemic keenly.

Janitors, custodial crews, housekeeping and environmental services staff have been on the frontline the entire time, keeping everyone as healthy as possible through cleaning.

And like many industries, we’re being affected by all sorts of shortages—from labor to supplies—that affect day-to-day capabilities and operations.

These issues have accelerated many of the trends that we’ve been seeing the last few years to maximize a facility maintenance program’s productivity through more effective and efficient processes and innovations.

Topics: Hand Hygiene, machines & equipment, IoT, industry news

More Trends in the Cleaning Industry in 2021: Cleaning for Health

By: Briana Smith & Caitlin Dimalanta  |  January 22, 2021

Part two-of-two series examining what topics will drive the cleaning industry in 2021 and the impact of the pandemic.

• Part One: 5 Trends in the Cleaning Industry in 2021
• Part Two: More Trends in the Cleaning Industry in 2021: Cleaning for Health

The pandemic has left an indelible mark on the world and the cleaning industry. It has also brought about a renewed focus on the overall value of cleaning. 

In part one of our two part series we reviewed the continued strain on our supply chain and the challenges of reopening businesses while managing outbreak risks. 

The other trends on the horizon highlight an emphasis on getting back to the basics with cleaning best practices, up and coming technology and furthering the momentum towards developing and sustaining healthy buildings and indoor spaces to improve the health and wellness of people within them.

Topics: Hand Hygiene, workplace wellness, Sustainability, IoT, industry news, COVID-19, Supply Chain

5 Trends in the Cleaning Industry in 2021

By: Briana Smith & Caitlin Dimalanta  |   January 19, 2021

Part one-of-two series examining what topics will drive the cleaning industry in 2021 and the impact of the pandemic.

• Part One: 5 Trends in the Cleaning Industry in 2021
• Part Two: More Trends in the Cleaning Industry in 2021: Cleaning for Health

Who would’ve thought this time last year that 2020 was going to change the world the way it has?

Managing outbreaks was on the radar after the 2009 H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic and 2018 the Hepatitis A multi-state outbreak, but no one was quite prepared for the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic when it started spreading across the globe.

Supply chains were immediately strained, toilet paper became scarce, and stay-at-home orders were announced in various states causing businesses and consumers to scramble for essential supplies. The cleaning industry was thrown into the spotlight overnight as custodial and environmental services (EVS) teams were at the forefront in combatting the spread as essential workers.

Topics: Hand Hygiene, workplace wellness, Sustainability, IoT, industry news, COVID-19, Supply Chain

When to Use Soap vs. Hand Sanitizer

Guest Post By: Jim Arbogast, Ph.D., Vice President of Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements, GOJO  |  August 27, 2020

Hand hygiene has been a primary tool in keeping the public healthy during this pandemic. Americans are washing their hands more frequently and for longer.¹

Keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to remove germs from your hands, but the overuse of some soaps and water can lead to dry and damaged skin. It’s important to not only keep your skin clean, but also healthy.

So, when should you wash your hands and when should you sanitize them?

Topics: Hand Hygiene

6 Steps to Occupant Wellness and Pathogen Control

By: WAXIE Editorial Staff  |  May 28, 2020

As areas across the country begin to stabilize from the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations are starting to welcome building occupants back into their facilities. When considering the complexity and sensitivity of this endeavor, there are many aspects to consider – governmental guidance to incorporate, protocols to be reviewed and implemented, and final preparations to be made to ensure your facilities are as safe and ready as possible for people to return.

WAXIE delivers hand hygiene programs, comprehensive cleaning solutions, surface disinfecting technology and facility maintenance supplies, combined with industry-specific expertise and consultation to assist with implementation and ongoing support. We stand ready to partner with you to welcome building occupants back to facilities which will be cleaner, healthier, greener, and safer.

Topics: Hand Hygiene, workplace wellness, cleaning tips, COVID-19

Can Bulk Soap Be Contaminated?

How Does it Happen? Bacteria from fecal matter & other sources can grow inside the dispenser.

By: Keith Schneringer  |  July 3, 2019

The sad truth is that soap from bulk soap dispensers is prone to becoming contaminated.

According to recent studies, contaminated soap may actually do the opposite of what they're supposed to do. Instead of removing germs, they may be adding some!

Think about it – in order to refill a bulk soap dispenser, the dispenser and the left over soap remaining inside of it are exposed to the environment. Airborne germs, foreign objects, and potential inadvertent hand contact from a janitor who may have just cleaned the toilets can all mix in to the bulk soap dispenser and contribute to possible contamination. Not to mention the more sinister prospect of contamination through intentional vandalism to the bulk soap as it sits in an “open” bulk soap dispenser.

Topics: Hand Hygiene, Health, Infection Prevention

Food Safety: Your Health (& Others) is in Your Hand Hygiene

By: Chris Meyer  |  May 3, 2019

Each year on World Hand Hygiene Day (May 5), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) campaign to spread awareness about the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare environments.

While the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare can’t be understated, it’s not just healthcare workers whose hand hygiene practices could potentially pose a serious health issue for others. Foodservice workers’ hand hygiene, or lack thereof, also has a significant impact on the health of the public. 

So, just as the CDC and the WHO have done for healthcare workers, WAXIE is aiming to bring awareness of the need for hand hygiene improvement in the foodservice industry too on this year’s World Hand Hygiene Day. 

Towards that end, this post will illustrate the importance of hand hygiene in the foodservice industry and demonstrate how your organization can start implementing best practices for improving hand hygiene immediately.

Topics: Hand Hygiene, Foodservice, Infection Prevention