| A growing area that offers plenty of opportunity | | | | prevent microorganisms from becoming airborne. |
| and potential profit for building service contractors | | | | When cleaning in a medical facility, workers must |
| is cleaning health care facilities. Besides hospitals, | | | | assume that every surface they clean can pose a |
| there are nursing homes, doctor's offices, clinics, | | | | potential risk to themselves, employees, patients, |
| hospices, and dental offices that all need cleaning. | | | | and visitors. Janitorial staff needs to be follow the |
| With the aging baby boomer population, the | | | | regulations established by OSHA (Occupational |
| number of medical facilities will continue to | | | | Safety and Health Administration) about exposure |
| increase in the next few years. Most hospitals | | | | to blood borne pathogens. |
| employ in-house cleaning crews, but there is a | | | | It is essential that cleaning staff have the proper |
| growing trend towards outsourcing cleaning | | | | personal protective equipment (PPE), which |
| services. Even if a hospital or medical facility has | | | | includes gloves and eye protection. Wearing the |
| their own in-house cleaning crew, they will | | | | right PPE helps to assure that your cleaning staff |
| sometimes hire a cleaning service for offices, | | | | will not touch contaminated surfaces and protects |
| public areas or specialty cleaning (carpets, floors, | | | | them from splashes and spills. |
| windows). This presents an opportunity for | | | | One of the challenges of cleaning hospitals is that |
| janitorial cleaning companies who are willing to | | | | they are often open 24 hours a day, so there |
| invest some time and effort into learning the ins | | | | are unique situations you may have to work |
| and outs of cleaning medical facilities. | | | | around. Large projects, such as cleaning hard |
| Begin by realizing that cleaning in the medical world | | | | floors or carpets, may involve blocking off areas |
| is regulated and you must follow specific rules and | | | | until the project is completed. The same holds |
| guidelines. In many instances, you will need to | | | | true for public rest rooms. Another challenge you |
| document your cleaning procedures. There will be | | | | might face in this setting is the noise caused by |
| extra training required for your employees and | | | | vacuum cleaners. You may need to buy "quiet" |
| you must provide close supervision to assure that | | | | vacuum cleaners, which may cost more than |
| everything is cleaned correctly. You may have to | | | | conventional vacuum cleaners. In addition, many |
| invest in more equipment, chemicals, and supplies | | | | facilities are now requiring that you vacuum hard |
| to meet the requirements of a particular facility. | | | | surface floors opposed to dust mopping because |
| In addition, laws in your state may require you, as | | | | vacuuming reduces the amount of dust and other |
| an employer in the health care industry, to | | | | particulates that can become airborne. |
| provide your employees with hazard | | | | There are constant changes and innovations in the |
| communication training, hepatitis shots, and | | | | equipment and supplies that are used or are |
| instructions in the proper disposal of biohazard | | | | required to be used in health care facilities. Some |
| materials. | | | | of the new products in the marketplace include: |
| There are many types of medical facilities, so | | | | * Vapor Cleaning -- These are compact and low |
| take some time to study the market in your area | | | | moisture steam cleaning machines. They can be |
| before deciding to add this niche to your business. | | | | used on various surfaces including hard floors, |
| First decide which type of facility your company is | | | | carpeting, fabric partitions and toilets. These |
| best suited to clean. When you are just starting | | | | machines can sanitize surfaces without the use of |
| out, it's better to begin with smaller clinics and | | | | harsh chemicals. |
| doctor offices. Another choice when just starting | | | | * Electrostatic Sprayer -- This is a new product |
| out is to provide specialized services such as floor | | | | that uses an air assisted electrostatic sprayer to |
| care, carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, and | | | | apply disinfectants, deodorizes, cleaners, sealants, |
| window cleaning. Smaller facilities and specialized | | | | and various coatings. According to the |
| cleaning gives you a chance to learn the ropes | | | | manufacturer, it is much more efficient and |
| and build up a reputation in this area. This is also | | | | effective than traditional sprayers. |
| worthwhile, because owners of janitorial cleaning | | | | * New disinfectants and hydrogen peroxide |
| services say that it's from word of mouth | | | | cleaners -- New non-toxic cleaners are continually |
| referrals that they gain new health care clients. | | | | being introduced. |
| It is important to know there are different | | | | If you want to expand into cleaning health care |
| definitions of "clean" when considering the needs | | | | facilities, you must be willing to spend time learning |
| of medical facilities. When you traditionally think of | | | | about the best ways to keep facilities clean while |
| cleaning, it implies removing all visible soil. However, | | | | using the least toxic chemicals. |
| when it comes to health care buildings, clean can | | | | Breaking into cleaning health care facilities can be |
| also mean disinfecting, sterilizing, and | | | | difficult. Many are hesitant to use outside |
| decontaminating surfaces. If you are thinking of | | | | contractors for their cleaning services. In addition, |
| presenting a proposal to a medical facility, it is | | | | it can be tough to get in touch with the right |
| important to know the difference between these | | | | person at a health care facility. You need to break |
| three terms. You are often dealing with more | | | | the barrier and find the decision maker who |
| than just soil removal -- you are removing soil | | | | realizes that hiring an outside cleaning staff can |
| that can be highly contaminated. It is important | | | | reduce their overall costs. |
| that your employees follow documented | | | | In the health care field there are constant |
| procedures and don't take any shortcuts. | | | | changes and advances. This includes the supplies |
| Sterilization or disinfection is common in most | | | | and equipment that are used in cleaning facilities. If |
| areas of a medical facility. Sterilization refers to | | | | you decide to venture into this area you must be |
| cleaning with powerful chemicals that destroy all | | | | willing to do your homework and keep up with |
| known microbial life. Disinfection is different in that | | | | technological changes and housekeeping practices. |
| it means killing specific types of pathogens and | | | | If you have a thoroughly trained staff and offer |
| microorganisms. If you are involved with either | | | | quality services at a fair price the field will be wide |
| procedure you will be using hospital grade | | | | open. |
| disinfectants. | | | | It is almost a certainty that the medical industry |
| In addition, you must pay special attention to | | | | will grow significantly. This can be a boom and a |
| mops, cleaning cloths, and buckets. These items | | | | profit maker for janitorial cleaning services that |
| should be cleaned every day, and sometimes | | | | have trained their staff to properly clean health |
| after each use. Most medical facilities are now | | | | care facilities. Specializing in cleaning health care |
| using microfiber cleaning cloths and flat mops, as | | | | facilities can help a cleaning service owner stay on |
| there is less chance of cross-contamination. It | | | | top of current trends and equipment in the |
| may also be a requirement to use a true HEPA | | | | industry. Becoming known as a medical facility |
| filtered vacuum. A HEPA vacuum cleaner is | | | | cleaning specialist can open many doors and lead |
| necessary to protect indoor air quality and | | | | to higher profits. |