If you look close enough you see us everywhere, at schools, at hospitals, at gyms, at airports, at malls, at hotels, at stadiums, at churches. Janitorial teams are not only essential, we are priceless. Having the responsibility to keep businesses, their employees and customers in a safe, healthy, and clean environment impacts the well being of so many people. 

Imagine how many people would have slipped and fell had you not mopped up those numerous spills. Imagine how many customers those businesses would have lost as repeat customers if the bathroom wasn't as clean as it was when they used it. Imagine how many more people would have gotten sick had we not disinfected all of those areas. Imagine how much more trash and litter would have been on the ground had we not consistently emptied those trash cans.

If we look close enough and reflect long enough, it should not take long to be reminded of the true worth of a janitorial team. Evidence of our dominant impact is all around us and those that we serve are living healthier, safer, and cleaner lives because of it. Everyone, these are just a few simple reminders as to just how valuable you are. If you ever forget, just click on this link https://www.ijcsa.org/Janitorial-Service-Directory-Find-A-Janitorial-Service-JanitorialServicesand look at the list of names in our directory who have joined the mission to get better at pursuing greatness. Keep up the great work!

They say that knowledge is power and what you don't know can certainly hurt you. Such is the case regarding bloodborne pathogens. In the cleaning business it is so natural to prioritize customer service, obtaining new contracts, finding the best employees, however, there is another priority that tops all of them, safety. The safety of our employees, the clients' staff, and their customers is the single most important obligation of every cleaning business. We have an obligation to promote awareness, protective measures, and accident procedures in the handling of the threat and occurrences of bloodborne pathogens.

Employees should maintain a daily awareness that the threat of bloodborne pathogens exist and should be mindful of the symptoms that they bring about. At least bi-annual or maybe even quarterly trainings may have to be implemented to establish a business culture that takes the OSHA requirements seriously. Proactively reminding the team periodically of what bloodborne pathogens are and the impact they have on one's health and safety is an industry best practice.

Protective measures can be communicated in a manner that is easy to remember and easy to execute. Some ideas include: Dos and Don'ts List, "What If Scenarios",etc. In addition, that all employees are educated on the contents of the company's OSHA Exposure Control Plan aimed at addressing accidents involving employees coming in contact with bloodborne pathogens. In closing, factoring in all of these steps can position any cleaning business to function with the power of proactively handling both the prevention and accidents with bloodborne pathogens.

  

Customer service , at the highest level, is the continuous process of consistently doing three things: obtaining, cultivating, then protecting the satisfaction of each customer. Statistics show that across all industries, over 90% of customers are loss due to dissatisfaction with customer service. In the commercial cleaning industry specifically, a little less than 60% of customers say they switched to another commercial cleaning company due to lack of being satisfied. These facts help make it very clear as to why the proactive members of IJCSA embrace the value of keeping its customers happy by pursuing certifications that drive excellent outcomes.https://www.ijcsa.org/Find-A-Cleaning-Service-Janitorial-Service

First, to obtain the privilege of providing customer service, every cleaning business should ensure that it hires employees that truly value customer service themselves as individuals. Customer service always starts with the people that will be providing it. Yes, it's critical to hire experienced cleaning professionals, but it's even more important to hire employees who naturally desire to serve the customer with excellence. We cannot "sell" customer service capabilities to new and existing customers until we first have the "right people onboard" to help us execute properly. We should never hire an employee (to do a customer service oriented job) if he/she does not value customer service.

Second, in "cultivating" customer service, it's important that we empower our employees by having processes and an operations manual that gives a clear understanding of what customer service should look like through all phases of interactions with the customer (conducting the estimate, sales, cleaning, auditing the cleaning performance, listening to employees' ideas on improving the customer experience, reporting problems/issues, etc.). This will ensure that the customer receives the same quality of service EVERY time (or at least almost every time). Whether we have 5 employees or 100 employees it is critical that every cleaning business has someone internally who consistently audits (evaluates) the team's cleanings. It's best to catch an issue while conducting your own assessment rather than to have the customer find it first (if your resources allow it).

Finally, the aspect off customer service that "protects" or ensures customer happiness consists of us (as owners) checking in with the customer at a frequency that is mutually agreed upon (i.e. weekly, monthly, etc.). Showing a proactive, consistent dialogue with the customer makes it much easier to address mistakes/dissatisfaction (by us or our employees) because a true relationship and partnership with the customer would truly exist. Speaking of which, the way mistakes/issues are handled with the customer will define the ultimate memory the customer will have of us. Taking ownership of the issue, retraining the team (on corrective actions needed to address the issue), then putting an audit measure in place to review future inspections (that the issue is truly resolved) are all necessary for the "protecting" of a quality customer service experience that we desire to provide.   

The daily activity of most cleaning companies is tasked with keeping a space clean and infection free, in this regard it is important for anyone who undertakes this task to be conversant with the importance of  maintaining safety especially when it involves Bloodborne Pathogens or body fluids.

it  is particularly essential to have properly trained and certified IJCSA Bloodborne Pathogen Certification staff when they have an higher exposure to  blood and or body fluids in places such as medical facilities, Dental offices and others. An employer needs to have trained staff  who can handle  potentially  infectious blood or body fluid pathogens and the correct protocol after an exposure. This will also go a long way to convince your clients that you know what you are about and can be trusted.

Since exposure to bloodborne pathogens are very fatal in most instances, it is imperative for an employer and its staff to be properly trained and equipped themselves with the knowledge of its management, treatment and disposal of contaminated materials.

Bloodborne Pathogens are one of the most important hazards in the cleaning business.  It is important for both the client and business side as it provides both an issue and a solution-opportunity.  Any successful cleaning business knows protecting and educating employees are two of the most important factors in owning a business. Protecting employees involves providing appropriate PPE, safety and precaution measures as well as ensuring all employees are educated on job safety and hazard precautions.  Education is the second most important factor.  Utilizing a monthly education series for all employees, whether virtually or in-person, can save the employee from exposure to a potentially life-altering disease and can save the employer from losing an excellent employee due to that exposure.  Not only does education keep your employees and your client safe, it can also save you time and money by potentially saving you from insurance claims due to improper training and employee exposure. A win-win all around!

Many cleaning companies will face bloodborne pathogens in their day-to-day business.  Having properly educated and trained employees will help to ensure your clients gain and keep trust in your business. Showing knowledgeable employees are able to prevent initial contamination as well as cross-contamination is very important in both residential and commercial cleaning.  In residential cleaning, homeowners trust their cleaning professionals to provide a safe and clean environment that both individuals and families can entrust.  Minimizing exposure and cross-contamination in cleaning homes by understanding the dangers of bloodborne pathogens is imperative for success.  In commercial cleaning, especially in schools, medical offices and hospitals, a client is going to want to have confidence in the abilities of their cleaning company.  For commercial companies, there is also a level of compliance with industry standards that must be enforced by not only their company but any contracted companies that are utilized such as cleaners.  

In summary, bloodborne pathogens precautions affect all areas of the cleaning industry.  Well educated employees, a culture of compliance and taking proper precautions are the winning combination for a successful business. It is the duty of every cleaning business owner to encourage employees to stay compliant and provide the resources needed to empower your employees for the safety of them, the company and the client, every time.

Bloodborne Pathogens are infectious micro-organisms found in human blood that can infect other humans. It is extremely important to educate cleaning staff about bloodborne pathogens. The purpose of providing education is to raise your employees’ awareness about assessing their environment for potential risks, how to reduce risk, how to handle risk, and procedures to follow if one has been exposed. Being vigilant about the potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens is essential to employee safety practices.

Therefore, cleaning, and janitorial business owners, managers/supervisors, and employees are considered as frontline professionals who are exposed to these risks. But it is key to operate in such a fashion that all employees and other lay people are considered as infectious to maintain health and protection standards. The two main, but not limited to, bloodborne pathogens are HBV and HIV.

As such, the IJCSA Bloodborne Pathogens Certification Training ensures that employees are adequately trained based on updated standards stipulated by OSHA. Training employees is important for protecting the safety and health of not only the employee but also other persons who the employee may encounter. Having standards to operate by to reduce risks; to perform assessments; and a control plan is paramount for employee and community safety.

The IJCSA has the best possible training program for bio-hazard certification. Their program makes you train not only in one topic. before you can even take the biohazard course you have to have a foundation of knowing other topics like bloodborne pathogens and chemicals. This means that companies that are IJCSA certified have the most knowledge and training when it comes to cleaning up biohazrds. You want a provider who knows that they are doing. Cleaning up biohazards can be a dangerous situation for not only workers but the clients. When you use an IJCSA member you can rest assure that the service is going to be the best in the industry because they have taken more time than others to learn their trade. If you just hire a fly by night company you could get a crappy service. This impacts you because you may be liable for health hazards to untrained workers at your scene. The last thing you need to also worry about is that if the job isnt done by an IJCSA member you may have to rehire someone else to complete it. You dont want to go through the process of getting a biohazard cleaned up only to realize that you need to bring another company out to do it again. Get your biohazard scene cleaned up the proper way, the way of experience and with the most knowledge by using an IJCSA member to do the service.

One of the main benefits of having a green cleaning program is it minimizes human health risk by reducing human exposure to harmful chemicals. Traditional cleaning products contain toxins that decrease air quality indoors. These toxins can cause issues such as eye, respiratory and skin burns or irritations, allergies, headaches, nausea, and even reproductive hazards. Only using green cleaning products reduce risk to both employee and client health from chemicals while working.

There are also several environmental benefits from implementing a green cleaning program. Most of the packaging is made from biodegradable and recyclable materials. This cuts back on the use of raw materials which helps save resources, and also means less waste. Green cleaning products also reduce the VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) that are put in to the environment. 

Carpets and rugs can harbor not only dirt, but also bacteria, mold, dust mites, allergens, odors, and contaminants from the outdoors.  IJCSA certified carpet cleaners can assist in removing these particles, protecting the carpets, and extending the life of your carpets and rugs. IJCSA members can be found nationwide - visit https://www.ijcsa.org/Carpet-Cleaning-Directory to find an IJCSA member in your area.

It is important for employees to know how to properly handle bloodborne pathogens. Understanding the risk in dealing with any bodily fluid is the first step in keeping safe.

Ensuring the proper offense is being taken when dealing with any potential bloodborne pathogen is key in helping prevent exposures. Making sure to utilize appropriate gloves and disinfectants is also another part in keeping safe. Taking time to remove soiled blankets or clothing. Properly disposing of any exposed item or items in the proper waste containers or bags.

Lastly the employee should continue their education with all of the current OSHA standards of operation. The employee should have a good understanding of what to do when an exposure happens and how to mitigate any further risk to their health and safety.