Cleaning Services Protocol K-12 Schools | Varsity Facility Services

Post #4 of 10
Protocol for Measuring and Monitoring Cleaning Effectiveness:
Written Plan | Building Audit

This section sets forth a protocol for measuring and monitoring cleaning performance in K-12 school facilities. A standardized protocol of this nature is critical in assessing the effectiveness of a school’s cleaning program, geared toward providing a clean healthy indoor environment for the benefit of students, staff and visitors.

Information collected through this process is critical in improving cleaning effectiveness as well as ensuring that a desired level of cleanliness is maintained.

4.1. Written Plan. A school facility or school system shall develop and implement a comprehensive written plan describing the process to be used to measure and monitor the effectiveness of the cleaning processes used by the facility. The written plan shall include, at a minimum, the elements contained in this section.

4.2. Building Audit. A building audit shall be conducted to establish baseline conditions and otherwise assess the level of cleanliness of a school facility. This audit involves a walk through inspection of the school facility and seeks to simply answer the question: “Does the facility look and smell clean?”

Two sample building audit forms are provided in Appendix A: the first of which is a comprehensive format covering cleaning and maintenance activities; the other is a more concise format covering cleaning activities only. These sample building audit forms should be adapted to meet the particular needs of a facility.

The building audit should be conducted:

Initially upon implementation of the Clean Standard: K-12 to establish baseline conditions;
Two times per year (once per semester) to be scheduled at the convenience of staff and performed consistently each year. The building audit should be performed while school is in session; and
Whenever there is a significant change in conditions or procedure (e.g., new cleaning program, significant construction activity, etc.)

A completed building audit provides a record of the conditions of specific locations within the school facility as well as an overall assessment of the facilities.

Audit records should be maintained for 3 years along with a summary of findings and suggested changes. This summary consolidates the findings of the audit into a concise dated document for implementation and follow-up.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD DISCLAIMERS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ISSA_Member_Logo-RGB(1) Varsity Facility Services, a national janitorial services who uses the highest green cleaning methods, and an award winning member of ISSA, is proud to present a 10-part series of informative and vital blog posts from the “ISSA Clean Standard K-12 Schools 1014-2013 | Measure the Effectiveness of Cleaning”

About ISSA (Varsity is a member of ISSA)

As the leading trade association for the cleaning industry worldwide, ISSA is committed to helping its members change the way the world views cleaning. It promotes the vision that cleaning is an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line.

ISSA’s more than 6,400 members include distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, building service contractors, in-house service providers and associated service members. The association helps increase professionalism and member success by offering business tools, educational products, industry standards, publications, events and legislative and regulatory services that specifically focus on the professional cleaning industry and the value it provides.

For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com or call 800-255-4772.

About
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Bill Balek

In his current role as Director of Environmental Services for ISSA, which he has held since April, 2010, Bill is involved in the development of public policy, programs and initiatives that are designed to facilitate the success of companies in the green cleaning marketplace. Projects in which he is currently or has recently been involved in include:

1. Managing Transpare, a web-based system designed to communicate the environmental, safety and health attributes of cleaning products.

2. Managing the research that will define "clean" from a public health perspective for K-12 schools as well as establishing scientifically the positive connection between cleaning and health, and student performance.

3. Participated on the EPA committee that developed a pilot program for "green" disinfectants and sanitizers.

4. Co-chaired the committee that developed the guidelines and specifications for the Illinois green cleaning for schools act.

5. Manage the alliance between ISSA and the U.S. EPA Design for the Environment which is designed to promote the development and production of environmentally preferable cleaning products.

In his other role as Director of Legislative Affairs for ISSA, which he has held since August 1985, Bill oversees the association's regulatory and legislative programs. Issues covered include safety and health, transportation, product formulation, and other issues germane to the cleaning industry. Over the past several years Bill has been focusing on issues related to environmentally preferable cleaning products and services.