Using Team Cleaning at Rescue Missions
By Michael Liimatta, IUGM Director of Education
For Course 302, Operations I
Using Team Cleaning at Rescue Missions
Every day, work crews sweep through rescue missions facilities across the
nations. They cleaning floors, restrooms, dining rooms and dormitories.
Depending on how those crews clean, a lot of time may be wasted, and the
final result may not be up to standard. For many rescue missions, team
cleaning may be a way to streamline and improve custodial operations.
The team cleaning approach was originally developed by private industry
for such areas as office buildings and commercial outlets. It is also
gaining wide-spread acceptance in the maintenance of educational
facilities. Because they may extensive use of program participants,
rescue missions can benefit from implementing this approach to their
housekeeping tasks.
In traditional zone cleaning, workers are responsible for all cleaning in
a particular area, such as an entire floor. Workers fan out over an area,
and each does the whole variety of cleaning tasks. In this approach,
each person or cleaning crew is assigned to a certain geographic area.
There, they do all the cleaning functions, essentially cleaning rooms
from ceiling to floor.
In most cases, rescue missions rely on this traditional of "zone"
cleaning approach. Time studies, however, have demonstrated that is not
the most efficient and organized way to get the job done.
Additionally,
using this approach, when turnover occurs, it takes quite a bit of effort
to retrain new people for these jobs.
Team cleaning using a very different approach. Team cleaning turns each
worker into a specialist. Instead of a long list of cleaning tasks, each
specialist has, in most cases, maybe two or three functions. As part of a
team, each member is responsible for a specific duty. The size of the
team is determined by the building size and needs; however, there are
four primary specialists: Here are the essentials:
Individuals are specialists, having only a few cleaning duties.
The program uses efficiency of movement, instead of areas.
Less equipment is used, resulting in cost savings.
Supervision is a planned activity.
Training is less costly and complicated.
Individuals have a thorough knowledge of their functions.
A double-check system ensure work quality.
Inspection procedures are simplified.
Progress of the program is measurable and accountable.
This approach to cleaning can save a facility time and money. For
example, consider if you have eight people cleaning a building, with each
employee responsible for every aspect of cleaning a section of the
facility. For this approach, you would need eight workers, eight vacuums,
eight trash barrels and eight restroom carts to do the job effectively.
By using a team-cleaning approach, you can cut back to six workers, each
with specific responsibilities. The idea is to have two teams made up of
a light-duty specialist and vacuum specialist, having each of them
concentrate on one area of the building, taking care of all the floors.
Another team - made up of a restroom specialist and a utility specialist
- work throughout the entire building. This approach requires six people,
two vacuums, two trash barrels and one restroom cart, which results in
more productivity, less equipment and lower costs.
The benefits of this approach are lower labor costs, better cleaning
results and improved worker safety. Instead of focusing on “zones”, the
team cleaning method requires each worker to specialize in one or two
specific tasks. The main focus team cleaning is the use of four
specialists. Each role involves different tools and tasks, and
performance standards. These individuals, then. Function in cooperation
with others on the work crew.
They are:
Light-duty Specialist – who empties the trash and recycling bins, dusts
all horizontal surfaces, cleans telephones and spot cleans horizontal and
vertical surfaces as needed.
Vacuum Specialist – who vacuums all areas, checks to see the trash was
emptied, turns out the lights and secures the area.
Restroom Specialist – who fills the dispensers in the restroom, empties
the garbage, and cleans and sanitizes fixtures, floors and drinking
fountains.
Utility Specialist – who hauls the trash out of the building that has
been accumulated by the other specialists, cleans the brass, blinds and
carpet where needed, does any damp or wet mopping needed, and handles
light maintenance and other specialty services. In addition, this person
is usually the team leader, directing operations and handling problems on
the spot.
Each specialist role involves specific tools and tasks, as well as
performance standards that are known and measurable, using a checklist
system (see sidebar, Team-Cleaning Equipment and Techniques). By focusing
primarily on one type of work, each team member becomes more skilled,
more effective at the job, and more knowledgeable about proper safety
procedures for that job. This translates to increased speed, less wasted
motion, fewer accidents, less cleaning equipment, and improved cleaning.
Reduced personnel, of course, means big savings for managers in a
competitive industry.
There are also hidden benefits. Team specialists are consistent. For
example, supervising a team is less time-consuming because the supervisor
can spot check given tasks to assess total quality instead of having to
check every floor or zone. Additionally, it is quicker and easier to
train a substitute employee for an absent team member because the
supervisor needs to demonstrate only one set of tasks.
One of the primary benefits of this approach is that each person knows
his/her duties. Additionally, since he/she knows others are following
who will complete the task of cleaning the areas, careless workers are
monitored by the activities of others on the team. Slow workers are
driven to move with the flow. Since tasks are being accomplished rather
than areas, individuals can be evaluated on specifics rather than general
appearances. Inspections are also much more objective, which leads to
better morale among workers. And if disciplinary action is warranted, the
documentation is much more clear and definitive.
The supervisor who oversees the team can tell you on a daily basis what
he/she will be doing, how and with what he/she is managing, and how
he/she can measure and be accountable for operations activities.
All of this makes inspections a lot simpler and reduces paperwork needed
by supervisors.
Team cleaning is not only more satisfying for workers as they operate in
a cooperative style; it also improves productivity measurably. For
instance, with a vacuuming program using carefully selected equipment,
productivity may increase from 4,500 square feet per hour to 10,000
square feet per hour.
For the property manager, this kind of performance produces a significant
competitive edge in the marketplace. If your facility can do the job
better for less, you'll keep overall costs in line. And with team
cleaning, you will have happier employees with lower turnover - an added
bonus and another measurable annual contribution to your company's
expanded bottom line. Team cleaning yields a "triple win" situation in
which tenants, employees, and property managers/owners can all claim a
valuable gain.
Benefits of Team Cleaning
In addition to saving money and time, team cleaning promotes a higher
level of cleaning. One reason for this is better training. Instead of
having to know how to clean every part of the building, the employee can
specialize in one or two jobs, if properly trained.
Another important aspect to making team cleaning work is having the
proper equipment. For many facilities, a backpack vacuum can be a key
element of team cleaning. Newer vacuums put almost no dust back into the
room, resulting in a cleaner environment. Also, you can move faster with
a backpack. However, don't rush out and purchase new equipment
immediately. Transitioning your employees into a team-cleaning structure
will take time.
Example: The Team Cleaning Approach in the Syracuse School District
Team cleaning, implemented in each of the district's pilot schools, plays
an important role in the program's success. John Melfi, the custodial
trainer/coordinator in charge of Cleaning for Health, explains, "Four
technicians, or specialists, are assigned to each school. A primary
technician goes into the classroom first. That person sanitizes the
doorknobs and glass, empties the pencil sharpeners; dusts everything;
disinfects the sinks, counters and desks; and picks up any large papers
or trash.
"Next, the floor technician vacuums all the classrooms, using a backpack
vacuum that helps to purify the air. The sanitizing technician cleans and
disinfects water fountains, and sanitizes all the doorknobs, handles,
mirrors, fixtures, lavatories, seats and floors in restrooms.
"At the end of the night, we have
everybody comes together to clean
gym. And all of this is done on a
it takes to do a certain task and
what we call multi-purpose time, when
common areas such as the hallways and
daily basis. We know precisely how long
exactly how much it costs." 1
Team-Cleaning Equipment and Techniques
Team cleaning is a new way of working together independently, yet
cooperatively. These tenets are summed up in one word: simplicity. Here
are examples of simple, effective systems integrated in team cleaning by
four basic specialists.
A.
Light-Duty Specialist
Primary Duties: Dedicated to dusting, spot-cleaning and emptying trash.
Suggestions: Use a mobile waste-collection system such as a resinmolded, polyethylene refuse barrel equipped with wheels and fitted with a
wrap-around apron or caddy with pockets for holding spot-cleaning spray
solution, dusting cloths, and poly liners of various sizes.
Application: The light-duty specialist rolls the waste collector and
tools directly to the location where needed, dusts, spot cleans, empties
trash, and replaces liners in fluid motions, then rolls to the next
location.
B.
Vacuum Specialist
Primary Duties: Dedicated to vacuuming carpeting, hard floors,
upholstery, other surfaces.
Suggestions: Use a lightweight backpack vacuuming system with four-stage
filtration, ergonomic design and harness for distributing weight across
hips, and strap-mounted attachments.
Application: The vacuum specialist works systematically throughout the
facility, using a side-to-side fanning technique with a lightweight
vacuuming wand to clean carpeted and hard floor areas with minimal
fatigue. Multi-tasking - performing several tasks in one trip with the
same equipment - streamlines vacuuming throughout the building. With
simple tool changes, this worker can clean upholstery, carpet edges,
corners, stairwells, A/C vents, etc., according to the building's
cleaning specifications.
C.
Restroom Specialist
Primary Duties:
Dedicated to cleaning and sanitizing restroom fixtures
and floors, and drinking fountains.
Suggestions: Use a restroom cart holding a plastic mop bucket with fillline markings, mop, other tools, restroom supplies, color-coded portioncontrol packets for point-of-use mixing, color-coded spray bottles for
glass cleaner, and disinfectant.
Application: The restroom specialist uses pre-measured pouches of
concentrate to make additional glass cleaner, disinfectant, and mopping
solution on location as needed with-out having to make trips to the
supply closet. Color-coding of all products eliminates mistakes. Premeasured packets create ideal dilutions and facilitate point-of-use
mixing, encourage prescribed mop-water changes, and enable better quality
monitoring and inventory control (workers return empty packets to
supervisors at shift completion).
D. Utility Specialist
Primary Duties: Dedicated to cleaning entrance glass, lobbies, other
flooring, etc.
Suggestions: Since the utility specialist is a "cleanup hitter" focusing on miscellaneous tasks according to the building's
specifications - equipment is contingent on duties. For entrance glass
spot cleaning, use a plastic spray bottle containing glass cleaner, lintfree cloths, a holster or apron to hold sprayer and extra trigger/head,
and pre-measured glass cleaner concentrate packets for point-of-use
mixing. For floor cleaning, use a mop bucket and mop, with prescribed
number of concentrate packets carried in holster or apron to facilitate
solution changes.
Application: Perform various tasks throughout a facility, including glass
cleaning, floor care, peripheral vacuuming, etc., and pick up trash
bagged by the light-duty specialist at scheduled times for each floor,
depositing it in an outside dumpster.
FIGURE 1: SAMPLE CLEANING TIME STANDARDS
Task Square Feet Minutes
Damp mop with 24-oz. mop head using double bucket and wringer
1,000
10.8
Damp mop with 32-oz. mop head using single bucket and wringer
1,000
9.6
Sweep with 8-inch corn/synthetic broom
1,000
25.2
Sweep with 18-inch push broom
1,000
10.8
Sweep with 24-inch push broom
1,000
8.4
Source: International Sanitary Supply Association
Implementing a Team Cleaning System
To adapt team cleaning in your facility, you need more than just the
right tools. When you first set up team-cleaning operations, consider
scheduling cleaning workers within 5-and 10-minute segments. Many times,
it can take employees 10 to 15 minutes to enter the building, clock in,
put on a smock, say hello, get their materials, and get to their work
assignments. If you can cut that time, you will save time, thus saving
money. Most people can get ready to work in less than three minutes.
Consider a district with 160 employees. Getting them to work a few
minutes faster can result in a significant monthly savings.
While the makeup of each facility is different, the problems
administrators face in terms of cleaning are usually the same. Team
cleaning works to solve these problems because the key - the employees is already in place.
With team cleaning, your custodian is no longer just a cleaning worker,
he or she is now a specialist. The employee has the tools, the training,
and a fair way of measuring job performance. Confusion about job
responsibility is eliminated because the cleaning specialist has specific
expectations that are clearly defined. He or she knows exactly how long
it will take to get to the work area, precisely how many solution changes
are needed each shift, and just how to use the equipment. Each specialist
has his or her own set of tools, eliminating wasted time borrowing from
another worker.
To work well, the system must be set up and introduced properly. Team
cleaning is a process that must be learned and practiced. Don't expect
overnight success, and be sure to include the following crucial elements
in setting the stage for a successful team cleaning program. When
implementing such groups, management has to define the jobs, conduct onthe-job training, introduced standardized tools and operations, measure
performance, and keep communications open.
Important Steps For Implementing A Team Cleaning Program
Define the job(s). To make job assignments clear, managers who use team
cleaning often create color-coded cards for each specialty. These list
each cleaning task and designate a specific amount of time it should
require.
Initiate on-the-job training. Training was the key to helping custodians
learn the new system. Start with your best workers - the ones who get
their jobs done without becoming exhausted and irritated. Watch what they
do and how they do it. From observation, develop a "right way" (a laborsav-ing way) to do each job, and have the best worker in each specialist
category teach these "best practice" skills to others in that category.
By carefully defining the job and describing exactly how it is to be
done, you lay the perfect basis for all future training and improvement.
Develop standardized tools and operations. With the help of your most
experienced workers, determine the right tools for each job - what type
of vacuum, which size broom, what type of mop, what capacity trash
hauler, etc. Make these key items uniform so that no one is substituting
inferior equipment and thereby performing substandard cleaning.
Standardized tools that work well and allow maximum mobility for each
specialist optimize the quality and speed of work.
Similarly, develop uniform procedures and work patterns. Simplify
processes wherever possible. It has been said that there is always one
best way to do the job. Your workers need to know it; so show it, expect
it, and measure it.
The Cleaning for Health program led to the standardization of training,
cleaning products, equipment and methods. Staff were turned into trained
technicians: They were taught the "best way" to complete specific tasks,
including disinfecting surfaces, dusting, restroom sanitizing, floor care
and vacuuming.
Standardization is the key. Standardized equipment included compact
backpack vacuums with four-stage filtration systems that contain 96 to 99
percent of dust particulates vacuumed. In addition to promoting cleaner
air, the vacuums offer greater maneuverability than traditional uprights
and minimize operator fatigue.
The many cleaning products used by the department were replaced with
three standardized liquid products in pre-measured packets: a bowl
cleaning solution, a disinfectant and a general purpose cleaner. These
products are now used throughout the Clean for Health schools, along with
three standardized floor care products
Measure performance. Use itemized checklists to evaluate work. Let
workers know what the standards are and that they will be spot-checked by
supervisors. This tangible feedback system reinforces high achievers and
pinpoints weaknesses in other members so that supervisors can coach them
on finer points. Remember to use checklists as teaching/training
mechanisms, not as punishment. This objective method of evaluating work
is fair, and it encourages team members to self-correct without penalty.
Keep communications open. Team cleaning is a process involving a flow of
work and workers. Although each specialist has a specific job, the
specialists follow each other in a systematic order that automatically
double-checks most functions. For example, as the vacuum specialist
follows the light-duty specialist, this worker can quickly spot if trash
has not been emptied. As part of a team, workers are conditioned to
notice oversights and talk to each other. There are fewer slip-ups with
cooperative cleaning teams.
Additional Tips for Implementing the Change to Team Cleaning
Of course, it's no easy task to transform a custodial department from old
ways to modern, efficient methods - even when employees' livelihoods are
at stake. Human nature rarely embraces change eagerly. People need to be
led, convinced and involved.
Dr. Cappa recognizes these keys to successful change.
Make sure that your custodial staff believes in the concept you plan to
introduce. Get representative members involved in the "researching ideas"
phase and in demonstrating what is possible among alternatives.
Get the union involved in the change process from the beginning to ensure
their support.
Engage the informal power structure. Be sure to line up support at highlevel district positions so nobody can undermine the program.
Don't be afraid of change, especially when it involves adopting tested
and proven techniques.
Take time to examine methods and implement change slowly. This gives
people time to adjust to change while learning new techniques.
Keep learning. Continue searching for better products and methods.
There's always something easier or better coming online, so watch for new
developments. 2
Endnotes
Information for this article was taken from the following:
All For One,
John P. Walker, American School & University, April 1996
Slash Custodial Costs With Team Cleaning, Barry Moore, School Planning
and Management, August 1997
Team Cleaning Mops Up. John Walker. Journal of Property Management, MayJune 1997
Team Cleaning Raises Productivity, Richard Shaw, American School &
University, May 1994
1
Slash custodial costs with team cleaning, Barry Moore, School
Planning and Management, August 1997
2
Ibid.