2023 Trends In The Cleaning Industry

By: Caitlin Dimalanta  |  January 11, 2023

The road ahead in 2023 for the cleaning industry is full of progress and rich with opportunities. This three-part blog series will be covering what is to be expected for facility management this upcoming year. The evergreen goal of keeping our buildings and their occupants healthy and happy is the baseline for this year’s predictions. This first article of the 2023 trend series will go in depth addressing heavily circulated topics such as labor attraction/retention and the evolution of cleaning and health.

Looking for more predicted 2023 cleaning industry trends? Be sure to check out our final two articles that complete this 2023 trend series:

Part II: 2023 Trends in The Cleaning Industry: Our Buildings, Our People, Our Planet

Part III: 2023 Trends in the Cleaning Industry: Supply Chain, Digital Transformation & Security Assessments

Topics: Healthy Workplace, workplace wellness, facility maintenance

Staying Healthy During the Season of RSV, Flu & Norovirus

By: Caitlin Dimalanta  |  November 8, 2022

It’s common to catch a cold or a nasty flu during the Fall and Winter months. This year there are two additional viruses to be on the lookout for. Outbreaks of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) and Norovirus have recently made headlines across the nation. Although the flu and norovirus are typically prevalent starting in Autumn spilling into Spring. This year RSV has stuck around past its season that usually peaks in July for the United States, leading to an estimated 58,000-80,000 hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years old and 60,000-120,000 hospitalizations among adults 65 and older.

What is the impact these outbreaks have on health of our building occupants and communities? Based on nationwide data provided by the CDC, there are roughly 430,000 hospitalizations per year between these three highly contagious viruses. Putting the health of our students, employees, and customers first is top priority. Facility management is heavily relied on by so many to provide a safe and healthy environment to work, learn and continue our established daily routines. With proper cleaning strategies and supplies combined with expert training and education tools you can help protect your building occupants against the viral trifecta of the season.

Topics: virus, workplace wellness, facility maintenance

What We Know About the hMPXV Virus Part III

By: Keith Schneringer |  August 8, 2022

To wrap up this three-part blog series we will be walking you through identifying disinfectants that can inactivate the hMPXV virus and disinfecting best practices to keep your facility safe against the hMPXV virus. In our previous two blogs we provided a hMPXV overview that includes important info relating to infection prevention protocols, history, symptoms, transmission, prevention, and effective infection control strategies. 

• What We Know About the hMPXV Virus (aka "monkeypox") Part I
• What We Know About the hMPXV Virus (aka "monkeypox") Part II

Topics: virus, workplace wellness, Health, Infection Prevention

What We Know About the hMPXV Virus (aka "monkeypox") Part II

By: Keith Schneringer |  July 26, 2022 

In this second article of this three-part blog series, we will be explaining infection prevention protocols, and effective disinfecting criteria you can use to combat the hMPXV virus. Before jumping into this second part, be sure to check out the first article that discussed the history, symptoms and methods of transmission of the virus.

Topics: virus, workplace wellness, Health, Infection Prevention

What We Know About the hMPXV Virus (aka "monkeypox")

By: Keith Schneringer |  July 13, 2022 

In this three part blog series, we will be discussing what we know so far about the hMPXV virus (aka "monkeypox"). The hMPXV virus has emerged in headlines on a global scale and it is important to understand the facts in order to prevent the spread of this virus. The main purpose of this blog is to provide useful information about the virus such as its history, symptoms, transmission, prevention, and effective infection control strategies.

Topics: virus, workplace wellness, Health, Infection Prevention

Healthy Buildings Start with Healthy People

Image courtesy of the World Health Organization

By: Briana Smith & Caitlin Dimalanta  |  April 7, 2022 

As the last couple of years have demonstrated, the importance of healthy buildings is essential to the health of the people who occupy them. Today is World Health Day, a day celebrated around the globe to promote the development of well-being societies that strive to prioritize health for all. This year's theme is “Our Planet, Our Health" which focuses on the steps we can take to protect the planet, and the well-being of all who inhabit it.  

Topics: Green Cleaning, workplace wellness, Sustainability

2022 Trends for the Cleaning Industry: Moving Forward

By: Briana Smith & Caitlin Dimalanta  |  February 15, 2022 

To wrap up our 2022 Trends for the Cleaning Industry blog series, we will be exploring how building occupant wellness, the supply chain, training knowledge and expertise will continue to shape facility maintenance this year.

Before diving into our concluding third part, be sure to check out the previous two blogs for more cleaning trends in store for 2022:

• 2022 Trends for the Cleaning Industry: Help Wanted

• 2022 Trends for the Cleaning Industry: Green, Lean & Clean

Topics: training, Indoor Air Quality, workplace wellness, Supply Chain

The Role of Facility Management in Building Occupant Wellness

By: Caitlin Dimalanta | December 9, 2021

Part seven of an ongoing series guiding you on the path to creating a cleaner, healthier, greener and safer building for re-entry and beyond.

While working towards your sustainability goals, you are bound to encounter the topic of wellness. The challenges we faced these past couple of years have shaped us to prioritize our physical health wellbeing more than ever. The return on investment on facility wellness programs have the potential of increasing employee productivity & retention, decreasing healthcare & disability costs for your business along with reducing student absenteeism. 

Topics: workplace wellness, Sustainability, Education, facility maintenance

Improve ventilation? Improve the air instead.

Guest Blog By: AeraMax Professional from Fellowes Brands  |  February 4, 2021

Understanding Aerosolized Transmission

COVID-19 has changed the way managers think about office facilities; as workers shifted to working from home because of various state mandates, these managers have wrestled with ways of keeping staff safe once employees eventually return to the workplace. Some advocate unrealistic measures, like blocking off huge swaths of an office building, or attempting to create traffic flow patterns by taping off access to areas. Some look to eliminate conference rooms or common areas. But others look to significantly reduce risks by addressing the source of aerosol transmission of pathogens and viruses—indoor air.

Topics: Indoor Air Quality, workplace wellness, COVID-19