CrestClean proposes NZ cleaning industry training standards to IR committee

Grant McLauchlan, managing director of CrestClean, will appear before the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee today, 13 August 2015, to brief the Committee on the introduction of cleaning industry training standards (CITS)
Grant McLauchlan
Grant McLauchlan

Grant McLauchlan, managing director of New Zealand’s largest privately owned commercial cleaning company CrestClean, is again calling for the introduction of cleaning industry training standards (CITS). He will appear before the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee today, 13 August 2015, to brief the Committee on the introduction of CITS, stated a Crest Clean press release.

CrestClean outlines the reasons for this meeting to be: New Zealand’s $1 billion commercial cleaning industry with 30,000 commercial cleaners working in the sector has no recognised training standards; poor cleaning costs economy $1.2 billion; employees in the public sector on average take 6.6 sick days a year verses 4.3 days for the public sector; and properly cleaned premises can mean employees are two to eight percent more productive.

CrestClean is hoping to implement CITS, which are the minimum requirements for people who are already employed or intend to work in the commercial cleaning industry.

‘The undertaking of training to recognised standards will form a base level of competence required before an employee is permitted to work on-site unsupervised. An employee should be able to demonstrate a level of understanding and competency in skills necessary to carry out prescribed duties in a proficient and safe manner,’ outlines McLauchlan’s presentation.

Crest Clean is proposing that CITS would cover:

  1. Base Health & Safety Comptencies Consisting of (but not limited to):
    *Chemical use and storage (includes understanding MSD sheets, understanding labelling, correct disposal of chemicals, chemical selection, dilution rates and ratios)
    * Safe use, maintenance and storage of equipment (includes understanding ESC, correct cleaning of equipment, correct checking of equipment, reporting faulty equipment procedures, use of RCDs. Also includes storing at correct heights, FIFO principles, fire hazard awareness, ordering procedures, separation of materials and chemicals)
    * Safe working practices (includes implementing a colour coding system [cloths and equipment], understanding best practice, cross-contamination risks and prevention)
    * Personal protective equipment (PPE) (includes understanding the need for PPE, correct use, correct cleaning, checking and correct PPE storage)
    * Hazard identification: eliminate, isolate, minimise and reporting procedures
  2. Selective Core Skills
    * On completion of the core health and safety competencies training elements, an individual would then complete core skills training in at least four of the following, while utilising industry best practice and safe systems of working. These include;
    • vacuuming • damp mopping • dust control mopping • dusting and damp wiping • polishing • washroom, toilet and urinal cleaning • glass and metal cleaning (not including window cleaning) • wall washing and spot cleaning • stairwell cleaning • kitchen/lunchroom cleaning
  3. On-site Competency 
    * On completion of A and B an employee would be assessed to a level of competency to ensure they
    demonstrate the ability to work safely, confidently and efficiently; and to deliver a quality service that
    would help raise the status and standards of the New Zealand commercial cleaning industry and the
    people who work in it.

www.crestclean.co.nz 

 

 

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