Commercial Janitorial Services

As of Tuesday April 28, 2009 there were a total of 13 confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Canada.  This number has increased to 19 in a few short hours, with 7 cases being in Ontario.  There were also 91 confirmed cases in the United States and 160 deaths world-wide.  The CDC (Centre for Disease Control) made an announcement in which they stated that “… a pattern of more severe illness associated with this virus may be emerging in the U.S.” and that “Most people will not have immunity to this new virus and, as it continues to spread, more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths are expected in the coming days and weeks.”

On Wednesday April 29, 2009 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a level 5, the second highest in their scale warning that a pandemic may be imminent.  Though they have increased their efforts to find a vaccine for this virus, it may take up to 6 months to have one readily available.

Jan-Pro has systems in place to help prevent the spread of this virus, and help to limit the amount of infections it causes.  We continue to use Hospital grade germicidal detergents and disinfectants, as well as our colour-coded 4 process MicroFibre cleaning system to aid with prevention.  We focus on the disinfecting of ‘high touch’ areas like door knobs, light switches, keyboards, and telephones.

If you are a current customer and require an additional disinfection of your facility, or you are simply looking for a commercial cleaning company that you can trust, please feel free to contact your local Jan-Pro office.  Our staff will gladly update you on what information we have regarding Swine Flu, answer all your questions, and schedule any cleanings or disinfecting programs you may need.

How does swine flu spread?
Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.  That is where the Jan-Pro difference comes in to play.  Our powerful disinfectants will properly clean all the high touch items in your office.  Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick!

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

Take everyday actions to stay healthy:

·         Stay informed!

·         Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

·         Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.

·         Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

·         Get proper sleep, be physically active, and manage your stress.

·         Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

·         Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.

·         Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water. or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. we recommend that when you wash your hands — with soap and warm water — that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn’t need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

The above listed information comes directly from the CDC and is for information only. (www.cdc.gov/swineflu)

Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems of Central Ontario is located just outside Toronto, in the city of Scarborough.  We are dedicated to the health and safety of you, your employees, and your family.  If you are concerned about the spread of swine flu in the GTA, please contact us and schedule a cleaning of your facility. 

As you may know, there has been a great deal of press given to the Swine flu virus and the possibility of a pandemic outbreak since the virus can mutate to the point of human-to-human transmission.  We, at Jan-Pro, are taking a pro-active step to prepare for any outbreak.  Our franchisees (and their employees) have been given a cleaning protocol to follow so that all facilities we service will be thoroughly cleaned.  However, we can only accomplish so much disinfecting, especially if we clean a facility less than every day your business is in operation.

With that in mind, we have put together some guidelines for your office to follow to further protect you and your employees from not only the Swine flu virus, but also the everyday, run-of-the-mill colds and viruses that strike at the heart of your operations.

·        Post the following notice:

How to stop the spread of germs

-          Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze and cough

-          Wash your hands frequently, for a minimum of 20 seconds

-          Sanitize your hands often, especially when coming into contact with others

-          Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

-          Stay home when you are sick and check with a health care provider when needed

-          Practice other good health habits

·        Post notices on proper hand-washing techniques in restrooms, and provide hand-sanitizing gels for each employee

·        If your office is not cleaned by Jan-Pro every day that you are open for business, you should provide latex gloves, disinfectant wipes, and disinfecting solutions and paper towels for your employees to use daily.  These items should be readily available and used in restrooms, kitchens, and on all areas touched frequently by hands.  This will ensure that maximum disinfecting is provided for your facility between commercial cleaning visits.

With your cooperation in following these guidelines, along with our scheduled cleaning, we hope to keep the spread and/or transmission of the Swine flu virus (or any virus) to a minimum.  We hope this is will not turn into a full scale pandemic, however, we want you to know that we are prepared to handle the task.  Should you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to call our office to discuss your concerns.

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

http://www.jan-pro.ca/janitorialservices/

Your workplace should reflect who you are as a business owner and what you want for your company.  It would be a wise decision to invest in business cleaning services to protect and promote your reputation.  Do you want to be seen as a boss who forces their employees to vacuum their own cubicles, take out the trash and clean out the fridge?  Not only does that say that the health and safety of your employees is not a high priority, but it also demonstrates that you may not be understanding of proper time management and accessing the full potential of your employees.

Cleaning services can take care of the tedious necessities of your business.  Phones must be disinfected, work stations and light switches must be sanitized, and employees should really be working on promoting your business- not the stench of the trash.  Research the cleaning services in the area of your business, and find a reputable company that you can trust to take your company to the next level.

You can drastically change your company’s image by hiring commercial cleaning services.  With the right cleaning service, your office will project a more professional look and feel.  Clients and business partners will therefore be more comfortable doing business with you.  The last thing professionals and customers want to see when they walk into an office is a desk full of clutter and chaos.

Commercial cleaning is very important and requires in-depth training.  The cleaners must be taught how to properly disinfect surfaces and organize visible areas, without misplacing the workers’ belongings.  There is a right way to do things, and the proper commercial cleaning service provider will have a fully trained staff to clean your office to reflect that polished shine.  Don’t you want your business to have an accomplished and productive image?  The best investment you can make in your successful company is hiring someone to take care of the commercial cleaning.

Many companies overlook the cleaning of their office.  In small companies they tend to believe that the wet wipes they use in their home are enough for their office cleaning.  The truth is that an office with less than 5 people can quickly become an incubator for germs.  Think of the germs those employees are exposed to everyday on their way to work.  What is they take public transportation, car-pool, or eat lunch in packed building cafeteria?  Those germs don’t just stay in those public areas.  Employees transport them to your office, and to everything they touch!

Would you want to pick up a ringing phone that has flu bacteria all over it?  What about using the office water cooler and getting infected with some nasty germs?  That is why office cleaning is so important.  You need to make sure your employees and customers have a clean office to do business in.   Let’s face it, no employee thinks they will be doing the office cleaning when they get hired, and they are not going to be properly trained to handle the job anyway.  If you don’t hire professionals to take care of the office cleaning, you risk making your employees unhappy, and wasting their time and your money.

It can be very hard to find affordable commercial cleaning.  Especially when you are looking for a reputable, trustworthy cleaning company you can rely on.  It is all about finding the balance.  I found that when you focus your search on franchised commercial cleaning companies you get the best of both worlds.  Franchised companies offer the support of a reliable head office, with the desire and pride of a small business owner.  This makes it very easy to get affordable commercial cleaning services while not sacrificing employee safety or the quality of work you would expect. 

Most big conglomerate companies do offer affordable commercial cleaning, but at what cost?  Those big companies cost a lot of money to run, and they take that money from their cleaners.  When you look at the cleaner they provide, they are mostly young kids, or people with no work experience or failed careers.  They are getting minimum wage-would you do your best for that?  Finding an affordable commercial cleaning company doesn’t have to be hard work- just look for the balance, hire a franchised company.