HELENA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FRONT STREET LEARNING CENTER CLEANING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT May 2013
HPS FRONT STREET LEARNING CENTER CLEANING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT PURPOSE During the week of May 20th, 2013 BRUCO INC. representatives Adam Uselman, Rich Palm, and Brian Waddell visited Front Street Learning Center with a goal of evaluating the overall cleaning outcomes. The methods used were as follows, Occupant Surveys, Visual Observation, Photographs, and Adenosine Tri-phosphate (ATP) testing. The following report will detail our observations and findings. FINDINGS The overall condition of Front Street Learning Center was average to good. Generally, the corners and edges were all clean without any buildup and horizontal surfaces were dusted and free of soil. This building has several areas that are beginning to show heavy wear but the cleaning looks planned and well executed. Curb Appeal: Overall curb appeal was average. Below average landscaping with the small amount of green area is a lost opportunity. The building structure s appearance was good, including clean windows and freedom from graffiti and vandalism. See Attachment #4, Fig. 1 Entrances: Outside window ledges showed heavy dirt and buildup and one entry door was discolored and very dirty. The parking lot and walk way leading in was clean and debris free. Entry matting was absent outside and inadequate inside. Two small mats in the vestibule were not the most effective type of mats and were not an adequate size. It appeared the entry was well vacuumed and free of excessive dirt and debris buildup. The back entrance was dirty and heavily soiled however, did not appear to be a primary public entrance. The rear entrance had a runner mat to help stop some dirt from entering; however this matting type and composition is not optimal for entrances. Public Areas: The common area in front was clean and well presented. The counters and other horizontal surfaces were free of dust and buildup. The carpet was well vacuumed including all visible corners and edges. A traffic lane was beginning along the initial path into the facility which should be
attended to with proper scheduled interim carpet maintenance. The flooring transition to tile showed adequate finish and was in good condition. Corridors: VCT had a good finish base and appeared well cleaned. At first glance, the floor looks to be in good to very good condition but scratching and marring is visible upon closer inspection. The corridors had miscellaneous items that appeared to clutter several parts of the facility but the permanence of it was questionable. The drinking fountain in the hall was clean without any severe staining or buildup. Transitions from hall VCT to carpet or sheet vinyl rooms showed some visible soil. Classrooms: Technology classroom had some relatively new carpet that is showing early signs of traffic patterns but was vacuumed well, including corners and edges. In general, desks, workstations, and other horizontal surfaces were free of dust and visibly clean. Other classrooms were carpet with heavy wear patterns, multiple stains, and wrinkles. In general, desks, workstations, and other horizontal surfaces were free of dust and visibly clean. Ceiling vents in the classrooms were not easily reached but showed significant dust and dirt. Corners and edges of the floor were clean with little to no dust or dirt buildup. See Attachment #4 Fig. 2 & 3 Offices: The office areas in the front of the building were dusted well and free of dirt buildup on ledges, corners, and edges. Office chairs were directly placed and rolling on the VCT tile without protectors which was causing excessive wear and degradation of the floor finish and floor tiles. Main traffic lane through the office area showed signs of a wear pattern but with proper maintenance will not become problematic. Overall, the appearance of the office area was good. See Attachment #4 Fig. 4 Cafeteria: Room 114 was a kitchen/cafeteria area. This room was half kitchen, half tables for serving food and was entirely sheet vinyl floor covering. The table tops and counter were mostly clean with some signs of soil. Horizontal surfaces and ledges were clean and dust free. Flooring was badly discolored and littered with stains. Baseboards and edges were brown with discoloration and baseboards were peeling away and unsightly. The kitchen sink was cleaned on the surface but showing moderate amounts of mineral buildup around the handle and base of the fixture. See Attachment #4 Fig. 5 & 6 Restrooms / Locker Rooms: Restrooms on SW side of the building had sheet vinyl flooring that had been covered with floor finish. Both men s and women s restroom floors showed a fair amount of dirt embedded in the finish with excessive dirt buildup under the urinal, toilets, and sink. Paper towel and hand soap dispensers appeared well cleaned, free of dust, and functional. Hand rails and partitions were free of visible soil and clean. Restroom fixtures were shiny and clean. The ceiling vents in both restrooms were dirty. Restrooms in the NE section of the building were also sheet vinyl with floor finish applied. The floors were badly discolored around the edges and corners along with under most fixtures. Dispensers were clean and dust free along with the partitions. Waste receptacles and sink fixtures were clean and bright. Ceiling fans were very dusty with one showing significant, unsightly, soil surrounding it. See Attachment #5 Fig. 7 & 8
Support Areas: Support areas were minimal. Custodial closets were well organized with decent order to supplies on the shelves. The deep sink was dirty with mop and mop buckets nearby that were stored properly and in good condition. Backpack vacuum was in good condition and chemical bottle labels were compliant. Overall, the condition and organization of the custodial closet/offices, room 114A and Sprinkler Room, were good. See Attachment #5 Fig. 9 DOCUMENTATION Occupant Survey: Occupant Surveys were not returned at the time of this report preparation. Highly Touched Objects ATP Inspection Report: ATP measurements were taken throughout the building with a focus on Restrooms, Cafeteria, and Classrooms. The results of the measurements were based on the ATP Guideline Scale (Attachment #1). Measurements were taken in nine areas of the school and results with notes are included in the ATP Inspection Report (Attachment #2). Test cleaning was performed by inspection team in applicable areas to show a baseline result of average cleaning. Overall results of this facility were considered Dirty. Photographs: 61 photos were taken throughout the facility to document both above and below average cleaning outcomes. Select photos were chosen for the Photo Documentation Summary (Attachment #3). Any and all photos will be shared with Helena Public Schools upon request. RECOMMENDATIONS Image Enhancement: The custodial department has an instrumental role in affecting the image of schools. Members of any community often base their opinion of the local school on what they see & smell when they are in school facilities. A positive image can improve student and staff participation & performance, as well as the bottom line through a more willing attitude from the community to support their local schools. Steps should be taken throughout this building to improve image. General landscaping with the small amount of green space available would help the overall presentation of this facility. Proper matting at all entrances will improve floor surface condition throughout the building, and reduce the need for restorative cleaning of hard and soft floor surfaces. Custodial tools & equipment are adequate for general cleaning at this level but in order to take the next step in cleanliness, some updating would be helpful, especially with attention to HTO s.
Occupant Productivity: Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is one of the biggest factors in effecting occupant productivity in any building. Air handlers play a major role in both filtration and temperature, but are generally outside the realm of the custodial department. However there are steps that can & should be taken by the custodial department to greatly improve IAQ and thus occupant productivity of both students & staff. Once again, proper matting plays a key role; the more dirt & dust kept out of the built environment, the less it is put into the indoor air, and thus needs to be filtered out (air handlers & vacuums), or wiped away (dusting). Proper vacuuming and vacuum filtration also have an impact on IAQ. Backpack vacuums are recognized as being the most effective way to recover soil in the least amount of time while also properly filtering the vacuum exhaust so as to not put dust back into the indoor air that will eventually need to be re cleaned. Currently backpack vacuums are being utilized in this building and appear in good working condition. The dusting appears under control and well managed with the exception of high dusting that may need a more specialized tool. Absenteeism: The effectiveness of a K-12 custodial operation can be best measured by absenteeism rates (due to illness). Absenteeism below average or trending downward should be the focus of the department. There are many factors in reducing absenteeism rates, including hand washing, HTO cleaning, IAQ, etc. Proper hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of germs & bacteria. Encouraging proper hand washing procedures as well as keeping soap & hand towel dispensers clean and functioning is necessary to improve in this area. However, properly cleaning HTO s is a crucial part in preventing illness. ATP scores in this building showed that there is room for improvement. See Attachment #3. Updated training and changes to the cleaning routine would be necessary for properly addressing HTO s. General surface & HTO cleaning tools were insufficient and need to be updated to a uniform microfiber cleaning system that allows for more effective cleaning & disinfection in a timely manner. Door handles, push plates, restroom dispensers, desktops, etc., should be cleaned daily in order to reduce illness and absenteeism. Infection Prevention: Absenteeism and Infection Prevention go hand-in-hand. The most crucial contributing factor in Infection Prevention is once again, proper hand washing and other topics described in above absenteeism section. However, there are many other areas within a school that can have an impact of the spread of illness. Specifically, nurses office, main office, athletic areas (weight rooms, training rooms, wrestling mats, etc.) can be areas where known infection or illness can be spread. This building is not equipped with any of the above athletic areas but has several common use areas. Improved process and increased frequency of cleaning and disinfection by the custodial department is needed in these areas. Due to the facilities size and shared areas, Infection Prevention is paramount in stopping illness from spreading through the building. The adoption of ATP measurement within the building will allow validation of improvement in infection prevention. Risk Management: There are many areas of risk/liabilities in K-12 schools. Many of which are not impacted by the custodial operation. Within the custodial operation are issues such as, slip and falls,
chemical exposure, misuse of chemicals, heavy lifting, repetitive motion injuries and others. While these risks can be greatly reduced by reduction in chemicals & exposure, proper entrance matting, and more ergonomic cleaning tools & equipment; all risk can never be eliminated. In this building there is risk for slip and falls because of insufficient exterior and interior matting to stop moisture in winter months. Generally custodial chemicals were properly labeled & stored. Mop and buckets are used and pose a risk due to the weight of a full bucket for transfer, dump, and refill. By transitioning into updated mopping tools, some of this risk can be averted. Considering the advancements in cleaning tools and equipment, much of the risk can be reduced by reduction in physical labor and repetitive motion. Asset Preservation: Preserving the life of all cleanable surfaces includes but is not limited to hard and soft floor coverings, countertops, desks, furniture, office equipment, etc. Proper equipment care and maintenance within the custodial department is an effective way to insure an optimum life cycle of equipment. Much of the older carpet is showing heavy wear patterns and multiple stains. Newer areas of carpet should have a scheduled interim maintenance plan in place to avoid premature wear. Proper matting would contribute heavily to extending the life of floor surfaces throughout the building. Adjusting the daily work flow schedule and increased efficiencies would allow for some advanced cleaning time to be scheduled. Above floor, horizontal surfaces were properly cleaned but appeared in good overall condition. Custodial equipment is either new or in good operating condition and appears well cared for. Energy Savings: As the cost of energy continues to rise, more efficient methods of building operations are available. Within a custodial operation, there are many ways to reduce energy, and water consumption. One method of reducing energy use is to reduce the number of hours lighting is used in the building. In most facilities, most cleaning tasks are performed at night making lights necessary for very few custodial staff in the building. By shifting cleaning work schedules and operational procedures facilities may be able to reduce the need for lights at night. While there will still be a need for a building attendant and after hours cleaning, the reduction in the areas cleaned at night may have a positive financial impact.
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Attachment #3 Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig.6
Attachment #5 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9