According to Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist from the University of Arizona who researched office germs, "For bacteria, a desk is really the lap of luxury". The eating habits of the present era and the workplace snacking habits have been very helpful for the present rise in the bacterial population on unexpected platforms of the workplace.
According to the studies done at the University of Arizona, a simple desk used by an employee has a capability to support the lives of around 10 million bacteria. That is almost around 400 times larger than the amount of germs an average lavatory seat of a toilet has! When a typical germ control-freak employee makes all the efforts to keep himself safe from the germs found on the office toilets, he forgets that he is carrying them with himself all of the time. This, in turn, provides a very favorable environment to support the ecosystem for a colony of bacteria.
The places that a janitorial company can take care of, that work as a highway to transfer most of the germs in an office apart from a person's hands, are the following:
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Telephones
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Desktops
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Mouse
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Keyboards
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Photocopy machine
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Fax machine
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Microwave
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Coffee Machine
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Doorknobs
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Elevator buttons, etc.
The above list shows the places that contain most of the germs in an office. The toilet seats, however, come in last in the hierarchy of the filthiest places in an office. Telephones in an office have been helping in the transfer of more than just a few messages. They have been considered the worst affected, with almost 25,127 micro-organisms in a square inch of the receiver. Reason being, is that so many people constantly breathe on the receiver. The second position in the list of most germ contaminated areas, goes to the desktops.
The main reasons for these contaminations could be any one or all of the following:-
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Lack of personal hygiene, like not washing your hands after coming from the restroom.
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People sharing things like a mouse, keyboard, pen, etc.
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Sick employees spreading their germs by coming to office when they should be taking a rest.
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Eating habits, like people taking a snack on their own desks.
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Greasy fingers used to touch the surfaces of desktops, keyboards, switches, phone receivers, etc.
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Lack of clean restrooms.
The efforts that could help the companies save frequent sick leaves are as follows:-
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Proper janitorial and office cleaning services should be taken from some reputable and experienced cleaning companies.
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Clean restrooms create healthy work environments.
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Apart from restroom cleanliness, housekeeping services for proper office cleaning and use of sanitizers should also be utilized.
Stathakis, an ISSA CIMS-GB certified janitorial company, is one such building service contractor that has been there. We have provided janitorial services for 35 years and would therefore have all of the experiences that may be needed to partner with you.
Remember the days when “green” was just a color, a song by Kermit the Frog, or the emerald mineral? Times were so much simpler back then. Today “green” has turned into an entire movement that is setting out to save our environment by making better use of the limited resources on this place we live called earth. As a Janitorial Company in Detroit, “Green” is also the most overused and least understood term today. Everytime the TV is on there is someone else, other than Kermit, claiming to be “green.” Let’s get some things straight about what “green” really is and is not.
“Green” is . . .
- The choice to use less when presented the opportunity to use more.
- An unselfish concern of the future.
- Something you can’t put back by purchasing carbon offsets.
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
- A lifestyle.
- Behavioral change.
- Anti-consumption.
- Sustainability.
“Green” is not . . .
- The choice to use more when presented the opportunity to use less.
- Selfishly living in the moment to make energy resource decisions.
- An electric vehicle to drive more.
- A sticker that certifies a product that we don’t really need.
- Installing energy efficient lighting to illuminate more.
- Recycling cans, bottles, and cardboard boxes from an endless flood of personal consumption.
- Flying less.
When all summed up, green is a choice. The choice to change consumption habits of the past to make a better future. Do we really need to drive a car that gets 100 mpg when we could merely plan our days to drive less? How about drinking tap water from a reused bottle? Is it necessary to have exotic fruits and vegetables flown in from all over the world? What if we all just made one choice each day to improve the environment?
Here are some facts to help you answer those questions:
- Americans spend 4.2 billion hours a year caught up in traffic at a cost of $78.2 billion a year in wasted time and fuel costs--$710 per motorist.
- Let’s look at how much energy goes into bottled water: In 2007, U.S. consumers purchased more than 33 billion liters of bottled water, or 110 liters (30 gallons) per person. The total energy required to produce 33 billion liters is equivalent to 32-54 million barrels of oil (although not all the energy used comes from oil). Energy to produce bottled water accounts for about one-third of one percent of total U.S. energy consumption.
- According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, this distance has been increasing over the last fifty years, and now processed food travels an average of 1,300 miles.
Stathakis remains committed to the preservation of the earth’s natural resources by creating, training, implementing, and sustaining environmentally preferable procedures. Stathakis is a janitorial company that is
ISSA CIMS-GB Certified, which means that we already have everything needed to make your facility clean, green, and healthy. So “green” is really a choice, a choice that can start by contacting Stathakis.
Posted by
Brian Mamo on Fri, Feb 17, 2012 @ 01:19 PM
When it comes to slip and falls the best defense for your facility is to choose a pro-active approach rather than being reactive. When it comes to the safety of staff and visitors in your facility, Benjamin Franklin’s saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" takes its stand. The recent era has seen some very conscious efforts on the part of Facility Managers as far as reducing the incidences of slips and falls. According to estimates shown by the National Safety Council, 8 million people yearly fall prey to the accidental slips and thus end up in emergency rooms. These accidents have been known to cause the businesses more than $60 billion each year. These numbers are nothing to balk at!
It’s a good idea to partner with your cleaning staff to address slip and fall conditions on a daily basis. Whether a Facility Manager hires cleaning companies for their cleaning services or has their own in-house janitorial staff, there is always a risk of slip and fall situations due to wet and slippery floors. However, it is important to partner with that staff to make them the ears and eyes of the building to monitor unsafe slip and fall conditions.
Here are some things that the janitorial staff can watch for:
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Wet floors.
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Uneven carpets.
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Messy, cluttered work areas
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Tools, materials, cords, and other items lying on the floor in places where people walk
Here are some precautionary steps that your janitorial staff can take:
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Place wet floor signs around area to be wet mopped.
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Use floor fans in inclement weather conditions that can bring moisture inside your facility.
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Damp mop instead of wet mop areas with pedestrian traffic.
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Report any hazards such as messy, cluttered work areas.
The precautionary control strategy includes avoiding such a situation from appearing in the first place by taking care of the flooring designs. If such a situation does occur, the strategy that should be followed is reducing the chances of loss by understanding the causes and thus eliminating the causes by taking care of them. The best way to save the employees from such slips and falls is to implement proper pedestrian safety policies and make sure they are followed. The safest way to identify the potential hazards of slips is by working with your janitorial staff. This way slip and fall hazards can be taken care of well in advance to reduce the chances of exaggerated losses.
Stathakis has been partnering with companies to provide clean, safe, and healthy work environments for over 35 years. We delivering Floor Programs to minimize slip and fall accidents.
Coughing and sneezing without using a napkin has always been considered as very bad etiquette and more so, if attempted in full public view without covering your mouth with disposable tissue or napkin. With the season of illness taking its toll on the normal lives of the human society, following simple hygiene habits could easily help the people by saving the trouble of seeing a doctor and would be much more appreciated.
A healthy work environment with proper hygiene etiquettes followed by the employees, would keep the workplace clean and also keep the business in good health. The main reason is the fact that sick employees have been known to cost businesses money. Stathakis, with its many cleaning services, including cleaning restrooms, business cleaning, and office cleaning, has been there to help the companies keep the cleanliness that is necessary to maintain the minimum level of hygiene requirements. The main problem still remains the same, being where the personal hygiene factor, mainly the coughing etiquettes of the employees, needs to be worked upon.
The simple steps of coughing etiquettes to help the people maintain the personal hygiene and thus keep the surrounding clean of germs are as follows:
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Cover - The first and foremost thing that everyone should always keep in mind, is the fact that employees should always cover their mouths and noses with some type of napkin, preferably a disposable napkin or tissue paper. This way when they sneeze, it will keep the germs from being spread to some other person in the room.
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Dispose - After the disposable napkin or a tissue has been used once, always dispose of it properly. This is the main reason why using a disposable napkin is suggested. A napkin that has been previously used, carries many germs. If the tissue is used for a second time, it could turn out bad for that person and if used by someone else, it would carry a good chance of spreading the germ to others.
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Alternative of tissue - Sometimes we are caught in a situation where we might not have a tissue or napkin available and we, despite our all conscious efforts to stop it from happening, sneeze and are stuck in an awkward situation on what to do next. In such situations, we can always use the upper sleeves of our dresses, but in every case should avoid doing so on bare hands. Our bare hands come in contact with many people and thus the chances of spreading the sickness increases.
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Cleanliness - Keep your hands clean for health at regular intervals by washing them with soap and water after every cough and sneeze. If soap isn’t available, it would be a good idea to use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to keep the hands germ free.
Cough and sneeze etiquettes, if followed properly, could save many people from getting infected with germs and getting sick. This, in turn, could save money on doctors and medical store keepers for silly reasons like cough and cold.
Keeping floors clean can be a tough job and can also create many problems. Dust can settle very easily and if spots are left for long time periods, they can be very difficult to clean up. Floors seem to be dirty all of the time, as they do not have the benefit of being left alone for even a moment. There are many brands that offer to provide the best equipment for cleaning services. By being the best in its territory and with its vow to keep your world clean, Stathakis is one of the many Detroit cleaning companies for business or office cleaning. Stathakis uses the best brand's equipment for its floor cleaning services, which is the Clarke Boost System. We understand the need of balancing work of high quality with the desperate need of the era and the truth of tight budgets.
Stathakis has been using the Clarke Boost System for cleaning the floors for many years now. The reason is simple: The Clarke's revolutionary technology has a tendency to clean the floors six times more efficiently and effectively than any other disc scrubber using less water and no chemical usage and having a higher pad life. The benefits that the customers will receive when two brand names such as Stathakis and Clarke unite, can be understood as follows:
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Quality with easy Operable Equipments: The easy operable Clarke Boost System, along with the expertise of the professionals of Stathakis, ends up in a quality work with perfection and ease. The first and foremost reason why Stathakis has its faith in the Clarke Floor Cleaning Products is the fact that Stathakis believes in creating a healthy work environment for everyone and thus the easy operable equipments.
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Creates less Sound: Another reason Stathakis chose the Clarke Boost System for floor cleaning is the fact that comparatively the products create much less noise and sound pollution with its latest technology than any other product. The reduction in the sound is not only beneficial from the customer's point of view but also from the company's point of view, as the professionals are the ones who are dealing with the sound day and night.
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Saves Time and Resources: This advanced technology of the product cleans floors approximately six times better than any other disc scrubber, using less water and chemicals. The efficiency of the crew using the product also increases, thus the product for the company and the customer saves time and resources along with the extra effort.
Therefore, the Clarke Boost System for floor cleaning helps Stathakis not only to create a better and healthy work environment for its office cleaning and business cleaning but also helps them tally with the ISSA CIMS Standards.
As a janitorial service working in multiple building environments every day of the year, here at Stathakis we take the topic of vacuum cleaners very seriously. There are literally hundreds of different brands that we could choose from , but Stathakis has been using Proteam Backpack Vacuums exclusively for more than 15 years. Proteam provides benefits that no other vacuum can match, and helps us to always meet and exceed the expectations of our customers.
One of the main reasons we use Proteam is because they simply do a better job of vacuuming. They capture far more dust than a traditional cleaner, extending the life of the carpet. That in and of itself is a tremendous benefit for both building owners and occupants. Folks in these building soon notice that dirt and dust don’t settle in the corners anymore. But it’s not just about looking better – it’s about feeling better too. At Stathakis we are always cleaning for health. Nothing is worse than for people with asthma or allergies to have to spend their workday miserably breathing in various pollutants and irritants. By using Proteam vacuums, these problems often quickly become a thing of the past. Stathakis is committed to providing their customers with a healthy work environment.
Having a super efficient vacuum system also increases worker productivity. Here at Stathakis, our cleaning crews love the Proteam Backpack Vacuum. They are ergonomically designed to lessen stress on a person’s back, and allows them and allows them to cover maximum square footage. They transition smoothly from hardwood floors to carpets, and glide into corners and under furniture with ease. We’ve found them to be far superior to upright vacuums, and they actually do a far superior job in less than half the time. This remarkable efficiency results in savings that we are then able to gladly pass on to our customers.
Another reason that we like working with Proteam is because, like Stathakis, they are a company with a strong commitment to the environment. We both recognize how important it is to “Go Green.” Proteam’s Super CoachVac HEPA and Super QuarterVac HEPA received a Gold Seal of Approval/Green Label from the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) for high standards of carpet cleaning effectiveness and indoor air quality. It also meets the requirements for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification for green cleaning, which takes into account indoor air quality and energy efficiency to determine whether a cleaning system is truly sustainable. These are all important qualities that has made the Proteam Vacuum an important part of our ISSA CIMS GB Certification.
If you would like to see what a difference it makes to work with a janitorial service that always puts the customer first, using the best available equipment and staffed by competent, well-trained personnel, call Stathakis today. Let us show you how a cleaner, healthier building can improve the working conditions and productivity of all of your employees.
Whenever I am traveling around America and am asked where I am from, my answer is "Detroit." The next sentence almost always starts out in a rather apologetic tone as they look down at the floor and try to think of something nice to say. I then follow with a, "No, we're alright, really!" So when I saw Chrysler's Super Bowl commercial starring Clint Eastwood I was elated to see that someone was able to catch the spirit of what is really going on in Detroit.
Our journey started over 100 years ago in the automobile industry and is not going to end now. We have the infrastructure, the educational support system, the skilled labor, and the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears that went into putting it all together. That’s the spirit of Detroit.
So if it is only halftime, that means we have another 100 years here in Detroit as the automobile capital of the world. Yes times have certainly changed, but so have we. We're a little older and a lot smarter. But as the commercial said, "We all pulled together, now Motor City is fighting again." So as a Detroit Janitorial company, I am proud to be here in the heart of Motown, my town, the Motor City.
It is halftime and Detroit is coming out of the locker room leading America's battle cry. The message of unity, pulling together, and fighting for one common cause is something that we all need to embrace as Americans if we want to be successful in the second half.
So in the words of Clint Eastwood, "Detroit’s showing us it can be done. And, what’s true about them is true about all of us.
This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again and when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines.
Yeah, it’s halftime America. And, our second half is about to begin."
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
Many people don’t see the value of “clean” today. We all know that good cleaning practices promote good health. However, it’s also true that most people consider cleaning to be both a chore and an expense…so at what point are we not willing to tolerate “dirty”? For some businesses it may all come down to dollars and cents. That’s right; it may be that businesses are not willing to tolerate “dirty” when it starts to affect the bottom line. A recent survey by the Cintas Corporation of 1,000 adults found that 94 percent would not return to a business if they walked into dirty restrooms on their first visit.
Dirty restrooms can also be a strong indicator of employee morale. “I have been inspecting restrooms for over 25 years in facilities across Michigan and can’t tell you how many times I have seen low morale in a workforce without ever talking to one employee in that facility,” says Don Simon of Stathakis. He continued by saying, "When we have a good restroom hygiene program in place and the restrooms still look trashed that usually puts up a red flag for low employee morale." Don says that, "Stathakis works closely with our customers’ Management Teams to properly address such concerns and help out wherever we can."
A clean restroom also promotes a healthy work environment. Cleaning for health in restrooms helps minimize the spread of germs and infection that leads to companies paying out sick time. There are a variety of sicknesses that can be contracted from an unsanitary restroom, ranging from the common cold to stomach flu viruses and even H1N1. Touching different restroom surfaces, such as sinks and door handles, can spread these ailments and many others.
Clean restrooms promote good health for both employees and a company's bottom line. To take advantage of these benefits just make sure that your restroom cleaners are cleaning for health and just not appearance. They should be using germicidal cleaners to disinfect ALL surfaces in your restroom. For more information on how you can create a healthy work environment contact Stathakis, an industry leading standout amongst Michigan cleaning services for over 35 years. Visit http://www.stathakis.com/janitorial-services/restrooms.html for more information on Restroom Cleaning.
As part of their on-going effort to promote safety throughout the industry, the BSCAI (Building Service Contractors Association International) grants a Safety Award to companies with the best safety records. In 2011, Stathakis was presented a BSCAI Safety Award for Outstanding Overall Safety.
Safety is a cornerstone of the culture at Stathakis. “The rewards to adhering to rigorous safety standards pay off in healthy, happy employees, low health and insurance costs, low to no downtime on the job and now — recognition from the BSCAI,” said Chris Stathakis, “we are proud to have earn such a meaningful award and we promise we will not rest on our laurels.”
Every division of Stathakis — janitorial, painting, renovation and maintenance — is dedicated to practicing industry-best safety procedures and adherence to federal regulations. Employees attend monthly safety training programs which cover a broad range of topics. “We believe you don’t learn safety by accident,” said Chris Stathakis, “That’s why our training program includes MSDA, blood borne pathogens, job safety analysis, the Haz Com Program and other relevant subjects. Our commitment to safety is comprehensive, entailing education, training and teamwork.”
It was a big job, with big challenges. TWB, a customized steel solutions company in Monroe, needed the interior of their 300,000 sq. ft. industrial plant painted in a short timeline while the factory was still running.
“TWB pulled the trigger fast – we got the go-ahead in early July and had to have the majority of the job done by August,” explained George Stathakis, “To meet the deadline, our crew worked from 6 to 6 for the first 28 days in a row. In total, the job took six weeks to complete.”
The project included painting ceilings, walls beams, columns, cranes and color coding all pipes. We worked closely with Sherwin Williams to choose a product that would have longevity with also being friendly to the environment. Since odors and coverage were a concern as well, we ultimately selected a water-based product. This product allowed TWB employees towork in close proximity to our painters without breathing the normal Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted by more traditional petroleum based paints.
Stathakis worked closely with TWB plant manager Gene Jolly to coordinate a rolling schedule that kept both the project and the factory running on track. Their strategy wasto work an area and then move on, often working around robots and top lines. The job required an excess of 4,000 gallons of paint, four manlifts and about $30,000 in visqueen to protect the robots and workspaces.
Jeff Keaton, TWB Purchasing Agent, explained why they choose Stathakis for the project. “Price was important, and Stathakis was competitively priced. Also, we knew them because they have done our janitorial work for four years. We knew the quality of work they do and the work ethic instilled in their people. They did an excellent job.”
“By painting the plant, there is an increase in morale. Now our employees walk into a brighter plant, it’s a difference between night and day.”