Office refrigerator stench packs punch, sends seven to hospital

I'm getting ready to do my recap of green news that has happend over the last few weeks but I had to get this up here. To me it's quite funny. It just shows how nasty people are, I see this type of thing at least once a year in the buildings I oversee, but not to this degree (well it comes close).

This is off the CNN Health site:

(CNN) -- We've all been there: reached for our food in the office refrigerator, only to recoil from the stench from the crammed containers of decomposing food.

When a worker at an AT&T building in San Jose, California, took it upon herself to clean out an office refrigerator during her lunch hour Tuesday, the smell from the moldy food was so noxious that it sent seven of her co-workers to the hospital and prompted the evacuation of all 325 people in the building.

"It was like a brick wall hit you," employee Robin Leetieh told CNN affiliate KGO-TV. "Stopped you immediately."

The refrigerator had been unplugged for some time and moved into a conference room for cleaning. When the woman tried to scrub down the mess, the stench from the cleaning chemicals combined with the rotting food.

Don't Miss

• KTVU: Stench from office fridge sickens workers

"It caused some to vomit, some to just get nauseous. And it, for us, activated a hazardous incident," Capt. Barry Stallard of the San Jose fire department told the television station.

Another office worker tried to cover up the odor -- and made matters worse.

"Someone also took some spray and tried to deodorize the air," Stallard said. "And it turned out that was spot cleaner, not a deodorant. So it made people very sick."

Firefighters set up a triage area in the building's parking lot. In all, 28 workers reported feeling sick. Seven were taken to hospitals for evaluation.

Not among them: the woman who volunteered to clean the fridge.

She suffers from allergies, firefighters said, and had had nasal surgery.

George Maison University - Embezzlement

Virginia - Three Charged in GMU
Embezzling Scheme

University police say Jose Rosado, a supervisor with Campus Living Villages-- a company that manages the dorms at GMU-- hired as many as five ghost employees. All of them were members of his extended family.


Click here to read the complete story.

5 Schools Closed in MD due to Swine Flu

WASHINGTON - The following schools are closed while officials investigate probable cases of swine flu:

• Rockville High School Rockville - schoolclosed until further notice.

• Montpelier Elementary School Laurel - schoolclosed for a minimum of 14 days starting on Monday, May 4.

• University Park Elementary School Hyattsville - school closed for a minimum of 14 days starting on Monday, May 4.

• Folger McKinsey Elementary Severna Park - school closed for a minimum of five days starting on May 1.

• Milford Mill Academy Baltimore County - school closed starting May 1. Principal Nathan Gibson says they plan to reopen the school on Thursday, May 7 unless circumstances and national guidelines change.

Swine Flu at Howard University

Howard University - Washington DC

A Howard University student has been added to the list of probable cases of swine flu.

University officials made the announcement late Sunday saying the student has recovered, but will be isolated until test results come back from the CDC.

The campus will remain open and all activities including final examinations and commencement exercises will proceed as scheduled.

3 Schools in Maryland Closed due to Swine Flu

Washington DC - the following schools are closed due to probable cases of swine flu:

Montpelier Elementary School in Laurel, MD - Closed for 14 days starting Monday, May 4

Floger KcKinsey Elementary in Severna Park, MD - Closed for a minimum of 5 days on May 1

Milford Mill Academy in Baltimore County - Closed starting May 1. Plans to open Thursday, May 7 unless guidelines change.

Click here to read the complete story.

Rockville High School could remain closed from swine flu

Rockville, Md. - Classes were cancled due to concerns about swine flu. The decision was make after tests conducted on Thursday indicated a student has a probable cause of swine flu. This makes the 9th probable case in Maryland.

Click here to read the complete story.

Possible Swine Flu Hits George Washington University

According to WTOP: D.C. leaders say the city has two probable cases of swine flu. Officials say both cases involve students at George Washington University.

This hits close to home for me, I am with Facilities Management at Georgetown University. This just raises the heightened sense of health and safety for our students, faculty and staff.

Click here to read the complete release.

Click here for information from blogs.gwhatchet.com. (better information than WTOP).

Mold closes recreation center

BALLLANTYNE, NC — The 521 Recreation Center where 75 children play each day has been closed until the problem causing the mold can be fixed and the facility properly cleaned, according to WCNC-TV.

Though nobody has become sickened by the mold or even complained about it, the recreation center does not want to take chances and is taking all of the necessary steps to ensure proper remediation, the story stated.

The remediation project to rid the mold commonly found outdoors will cost $30,000 to $50,000 and will take upwards of four weeks to complete, the story noted.

The Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation budget will cover funding for the project that will displace several afterschool activities normally held at the center, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Event to help flood victims deal with mold-plagued homes

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN — A Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service IP video event at 2 p.m. May 5 will answer questions from victims of heavy flooding, and experts from Purdue and the Indiana State Department of Health will teach both victims and volunteers helping with flood cleanup how to fight mold and how to stay safe and healthy while removing it, according to Media Newswire.

"We have talked with the case managers of the long-term recovery committees active in Indiana, and mold issues still remain from 2008 and new mold issues are arising in houses flooded in 2009," said Steve Cain, Purdue Extension specialist and president of the Indiana Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster, according to the article.

The event is free and will be offered at several Purdue Extension offices throughout the state, the release said.

Click here to read the complete release.

First LEED-certified building in Chattanooga

CHATTANOOGA, TN — The Hamilton on Cherry, an old hotel that was recently renovated and updated, has become the first building in Chattanooga to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified at the Gold level, according to The Chattanoogan.

In keeping with the aim of LEED certification, which is sustainability, the original floors, brick walls, wainscoting and even the kitchen sink were salvaged, cleaned and given new life, the story stated.

The new building uses 30 percent less energy and 40 percent less water than a traditional non-LEED building thanks to, among other things, energy efficient lights and low-flow fixtures, the story noted.

Rick Fedrizzi, president of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), said: "The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most-important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health."

The building incorporated a green roof that utilizes stormwater runoff for irrigation and reduces the urban heat island effect, saving precious money on cooling the structure in the summer months, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Commercial kitchen cleaning certification necessary

BOSTON — In an effort to make commercial kitchens safer for those who work in and clean them, the City of Boston is making it mandatory that every commercial kitchen cleaning contractor will have to pass an exam, have 500 hours of experience and register with the city beginning May 14, according to WBZ-TV.

One key area the exam will stress is cleaning grease out of air ducts, where as much as 40 percent of the grease generated by kitchens ultimately ends up, the story stated.

Boston Fire Department Chief Frank Kodzis said: "The ultimate danger is someone dying from something in a restaurant. A lot of the system is out of sight and out of mind, and assuring that part of the system is clean is critical. They can't just go in to clean the hood. They're responsible for the entire system from the fryolator to where it leaves the building."

The push for mandatory certification was heavily influenced by the tragic loss of two Boston firefighters two years ago who perished while battling a grease fire, the story noted.

As of now, only six people have completed the entire education and registration process to clean commercial kitchens in Boston, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Three fires ignite in 36 hours at paper mill

MIDDLETOWN, OH — Excessive dust buildup at Wausau Paper mill is the reason why fire ignited on three separate occasions within 36 hours, according to the Dayton Daily News.

Company officials are calling the incidents unrelated and a complete coincidence, the story stated.
The reports began Sunday at 10:21 p.m. when firefighters were called to extinguish a basement fire; they were called back Monday at 4:04 p.m. to extinguish a paper machine fire; and the third call was placed Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. after a paper dryer sparked dust, the story noted.

A spokesperson for Wausau Paper said the company is not very interested in having the fire department come to the mill again.

Neither of the blazes required a full evacuation of the plant and there are no reported damages or injuries associated with the incidents, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

ISSA/INTERCLEAN® 2009 registration open

CHICAGO — Registration is now open for ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America 2009, held at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, October 6-9, according to a press release.

There are more than 50 new exhibitors who will have booths at this year's show, and many past exhibitors have increased their booth sizes for this year, the release stated.

Among the steps ISSA has taken to ensure the success of this year’s show is the new alliance with the Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) which will co-locate its fall executive seminar with the ISSA/INTERCLEAN event this year and co-locate its annual convention with ISSA/INTERCLEAN starting in 2010, the release noted.

According to the release, ISSA has been able to negotiate more reasonable hotel rates and room availability than was the case for the previous Chicago show.

This year’s ISSA Educational Conference will have a strong focus on business advice to help attendees succeed in a tough economy will include a range of topics, from building relationships and innovating to unlocking trapped cash in your operations, the release added.

Click here to register for the show.

Drought could dehydrate paper industry

MOSINEE, WI — If the six-year drought trend that has been seen in Central Wisconsin continues, it could spell trouble for the local paper industry, according to the Wausau Daily Herald.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, when the Wisconsin River gets low and the water gets warm, there's not enough river water to dilute the pollution in mill and sewage treatment plant discharge.
If rains don't come and replenish the river, which is 26 inches lower than springtime averages, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will likely have to place restrictions on the discharge from mills, forcing them to scale back production, the story stated.

The mills and wastewater plants have to meet Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-mandated levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), which determines how fast biological organisms use up oxygen in a body of water, the story noted.

Wausau Paper's local mill has a reservoir system it can fill up if water levels in the river are low and BOD levels high, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Million-dollar cleanup for county building

BINGHAMTON, NY — Cleanup efforts to remove construction dust from the Broome County Office Building continue one floor at a time, according to the Press & Sun-Bulletin.

The fifth floor is scheduled to be completely cleaned by the end of the week, at which time cleaning crews will move down to the fourth floor and continue the painstaking cleanup, the story stated.

There is no word when the 400 Broome County employees will be able to return to the offices they were forced to evacuate on April 14 due to the infiltration of concrete dust from a construction project that was occurring in the basement of the building, the story noted.

The million-dollar cleanup was necessary after workers broke through a wall near the building's elevator shaft and continued using jackhammers on concrete despite the hole in the wall, the story added.

According to the story, dust was sucked into the county building through elevator shafts and spewed out on all six floors, with the worst of it on the lower floors of the building.

Click here to read the complete article.

Vermont's Green Up Day

MIDDLEBURY, VT — Continuing a 26-year tradition, Addison County will once again welcome Captain Green Up this Friday as he spearheads the countywide cleanup that mirrors statewide cleanup efforts that began in 1970, according to the Addison County Independent.

Green Up Day is a staple of springtime and something Vermonters should be proud to participate in, the story stated.
"Green Up" bags are available to anyone who wishes to participate in the Saturday, May 2 event, the story noted.
Last year, Addison County residents collected nearly 18 tons of garbage, including 271 tires, 15 pieces of scrap metal, 14 televisions and other discarded electronics, the story added.

Click here to read the list of Green Up Day coordinators by county.

Click here to read the complete article.

Northern California: Land of LEED hotels

SACRAMENTO, CA — Of the 18 hotels in America that have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, six call Northern California home, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The six hotels, in no particular order, are: Cavallo Point in Sausalito; The Orchard Garden Hotel and its sister hotel, The Orchard, both in San Francisco; Gaia Hotel & Spa in American Canyon; the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur; and the Intercontinental San Francisco in San Francisco, the story stated.

Each of the hotels have unique sustainable aspects that add to the environmentally responsible flair, including solar panels, ultraviolet light reducing windowpanes, energy-efficient lighting and low-flow fixtures, the story noted.

The push for Northern California's greening of their hotels came after a survey by the California Integrated Waste Management Board found that the state's average-sized hotel purchases more products in one week than 100 families do in a year and uses 218 gallons of water per day per occupied room, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Many superbugs go unreported

WASHINGTON — Despite the recent rise in cases of superbugs like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C. diff), many American hospitals are still not required to report cases to either state or federal governments, according to Foster's Daily Democrat.

Dr. Betsy McCaughey, chairwoman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, says that if hospitals were forced to make infection rate information public, it would make them more accountable and they'd be forced to reduce their infection rates, the story stated.

As of now, 25 states require hospitals to report superbug infections, while four states have voluntary reporting and another five are conducting studies to see if voluntary reporting will help reduce infection rates, the story noted.
About 95,000 serious infections and 20,000 deaths due to drug-resistant Staphylococcus bacteria occur in the U.S. each year, the story added.

Ed Neister, owner of Healthy Environment Innovations, said: "The problem we see is the states that do not require ... reporting continue to sweep the problem under the rug."

According to the story, several Canadian provinces and the United Kingdom require all cases of MRSA and other superbugs and England even requires hospital infection rates be posted on the front door.

Bill: Increased OSHA fines

WASHINGTON — A bill was introduced last week by House of Representatives Democrats that would increase fines associated with violations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Occupational Safety and Health Act, including a new felony category for criminal violations, according to the Las Vegas Sun.

The bill was introduced two years ago, but is seeing more support now that Democrats have a clear majority in the House and an ally in the White House, the story stated.

Democratic Representative Lynn Woolsey said: "While thousands of workers have been saved as a result of OSHA, 16 workers are killed and 11,200 workers are injured or made ill each and every day. This legislation will strengthen OSHA by expanding coverage to millions of workers who are currently unprotected or inadequately protected, increasing civil and criminal penalties for those who violate the law, and by protecting those who blow the whistle on unsafe employer practices."

The proposed legislation would increase civil penalties for willful violations from a maximum of $70,000 to $120,000; the maximum penalty for serious violations would increase from $7,000 to $12,000, the story noted.
The bill would give workers and their families an avenue for challenging reductions in fines OSHA assesses on employers that are often reduced during the appeals process, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

VRE outbreak at hospital is over

OWEN SOUND, ON, Canada — An outbreak of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) that sickened six patients at a hospital last week is under control and the patients have stopped showing signs of the infection, according to a Canadian Press story hosted by Google.com.
The Owen Sound Regional Hospital was deemed safe and the "all-clear" was given after cleaning crews disinfected surfaces the bacteria live on like bed rails, telephones and doorknobs, the story stated.

Over the weekend, and as a precaution, strict visitation limits were put in place to curb the spread of the bacteria, the story noted.

VRE bacteria live in the human bowels and are resistant to Vancomycin, a strong antibiotic used in treatment, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Community upset over custodial outsourcing

RICHLAND, MI — The decision of many Detroit-area schools to research outsourcing custodial services has many workers and community members upset, according to the Kalamazoo Weekly.

In an effort to show their distaste with the decision, signs have been appearing in residents' front lawns around the community that say "No Privatization," the story stated.

Gull Lake High School, in particular, has had to cut their budget by $1.6 million, and school officials are looking to cut the custodial staff so teachers can keep their positions, the story noted.
Superintendent Christopher Rundle said: "We have to compare apples-to-apples. Will our buildings be as clean and as safe? If we can say 'yes' then that’s a potential savings. But those decisions haven’t been made yet."

Several schools in the area are currently accepting proposals to replace their in-house custodial services, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Custodial supervisor enters guilty plea

SYRACUSE, NY — A former custodial supervisor at the Onondaga County Courthouse plead guilty to felony first-degree falsifying business records and a misdemeanor count of petit larceny, according to the Post-Standard.

Matthew Sindoni Jr. allowed three courthouse custodians to leave work early, used their swipe cards to clock them out of work later and used his own card to indicate he was supervising work that was not being done, the story stated.

Sindoni's attorney questioned the strict ruling that his client ended up with a felony conviction because of "15 hours of comp time," the story noted.

State Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti is also asking that Sindoni serve jail time and pay $354 in restitution for his actions, the story added.

According to the story, the three co-defendants, James Racona, Jerome Bowens and Louis Hill, plead guilty to misdemeanor falsifying business records charges and have been sentenced to one-year conditional discharges.

Click here to read the complete article.

LEED v3 launches today

WASHINGTON — Monday, April 27, 2009, is the first day for the third version of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, according to GreentechMedia.com.
This updated version, LEED v3, incorporates many new sustainable aspects, including Regional Priority Credits that are awarded by maximizing energy efficiency by taking advantage of regional resources such as solar, water and wind energy, the story stated.

LEED v3 will more heavily weigh strategies that will have greater positive impacts on energy efficiency and CO2 reductions, the story noted.

LEED-certified buildings are up to 40 percent more energy efficient across a range of categories than comparable non-LEED buildings, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Swine flu tears through school

FRESH MEADOWS, NY — Saint Francis Preparatory School will be closed today and tomorrow as eight students are confirmed and more than 100 more are suspected of being infected with the potentially lethal swine flu, according to Newsday.

Last week, the nurses office at Saint Francis was overwhelmed with students complaining of fever, nausea, sore throats and achy bones, the story stated.

According to the story, many of those infected had recently visited Mexico for spring break or have had close contact with someone who recently returned.

Cleaning crews spent the weekend cleaning the entire school and scrubbing many high-touch surfaces, the story noted.

Several schools in Texas, California and Ohio also closed after students were found or suspected to have the swine flu that is responsible for more than 100 deaths in Mexico, the story added.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declared a national public health emergency on Sunday to help federal and local agencies prepare for the possibility of more swine flu cases.

Click here to read the complete article.

Norovirus prompts facility quarantine

WHITEHORSE, YK, Canada — MacAulay Lodge, an extended care facility, has been put under quarantine by Yukon health officials following an outbreak of norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal infection whose eradication requires extensive cleaning of surfaces, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

So far, 31 individuals have been sickened, including 19 residents and 12 staff members, the story stated.

Group activities have been suspended and confirmed infected residents are being confined to their rooms until their symptoms subside, the story noted.

The quarantine of MacAulay Lodge will remain in effect until all residents no longer show symptoms of the virus for at least two days, as the virus is still contagious for up to 48 hours after symptoms clear up, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Military training aids in death scene cleaning

OPELIKA, AL — Benjamin Lichtenwalner learned his trade of cleaning up the aftermath of deaths through his service in the Marine Corps Mortuary Affairs Unit in Iraq, according to the Monterey Herald.

Already possessing the necessary skills to perform the work, Lichtenwalner and fellow Marine Ryan Sawyer started Biotrauma after returning from a tour of duty in 2006, the story stated.
Lichtenwalner said: "We realized we had the skills to help people in these tragic situations. We decided to try to do some good beyond being just a janitorial service — get the job done, but be compassionate and sensitive, too."

The work is stressful and many of Lichtenwalner's workers quit before they ever complete five cleanups, the story noted.

A typical death scene cleanup costs around $4,000 and takes roughly four hours to complete, the story added.

According to the story, Lichtenwalner sends a detailed report after each cleanup to both the homeowner and the insurance company as proof that the scene was correctly and professionally cleaned.

Click here to read the complete article.

Health District sued over deadly mold

LAS VEGAS — The Southern Nevada Health District is being sued by a former employee and the widow of another former employee over the negligent refusal to remediate a mold problem the plaintiffs claim the Health District was aware of, according to KTNV-TV.

Dan Pauluk suffered mold poisoning from working in the toxic building and had problems breathing, problems thinking and painful rashes over most of his body before his death, the story stated.

Laurie Boswell, who worked at the Health District for 13 years, developed immune system disorders, respiratory problems, a severe rash, has had 10 root canals and been told she has to have all of her teeth pulled as a result of the mold poisoning, the story noted.

According to the story, environmental tests show that mold has been present in the Health District's main building for more than a decade.

Pauluk's wife and his caretaker Dean Zachrison became sick and lost all of their teeth due to the mold poisoning they contracted while caring for Pauluk, the story added.

Boswell says that she is fearful not only for her own life, but for those of her family, children and the people who still work at the Health District.

Click here to read the complete article.

New York Governor's Mansion is LEED-Gold certified

ALBANY, NY — The New York State Governor's Mansion has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to the Albany Business Review.

The effort, which originally sought Silver certification, began under former Governor Eliot Spitzer's administration, the story stated.

Some of the sustainable aspects of the building that was built in 1856 include the use of solar panels and energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs, the story noted.

The cost of the energy-saving retrofits was not released, though the efforts have contributed to a 25 percent reduction in energy usage over the past few years, the story added.

According to the story, news of the certification was announced at the Northeast Green Building Conference in Albany.

Click here to read the complete article.

DuPont posts grim earnings

WILMINGTON, DE — Chemical giant DuPont reported a first-quarter net income of $489 million, down 59 percent from the $1.2 billion net income in the year-ago quarter, according to Market Watch.

Total first-quarter sales dropped $1.5 billion, from $8.77 billion one year ago to the current $7.27 billion, the story stated.

The company is blaming the decrease in sales on the "severe decline in global industrial demand," the story noted.

DuPont's earnings of 54 cents per share were on par with analysts predictions of 53 cents per share, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Clorox Company sues S.C. Johnson & Son Inc.

OAKLAND, CA — The Clorox Company is suing industry rival S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. for hiring one of its top executives, according to an Associated Press story hosted by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Clorox claims that S.C. Johnson's hiring of former Clorox Vice President Timothy Bailey would jeopardize some of Clorox's valuable trade secrets as Bailey was involved in several high-level, long-range strategy meetings, the story stated.

According to the story, Bailey is slated to head S.C. Johnson's manufacturing division in early May.

Clorox claims that Bailey, while never having signed a noncompete agreement, did sign a nondisclosure agreement that legally prevents him from revealing trade secrets and other company documents to competitors, the story noted.

According to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Milwaukee, Bailey committed several "suspicious" acts prior to his resignation, including: Entering the office on April 11 with a small briefcase then leaving about two hours later with a large bag on rollers; entering the office at about 3:50 a.m. and leaving at 6:30 a.m. on April 14 before coming back to resign; and the possibility that files Bailey downloaded onto a flash drive included documents titled "Comparison Spreadsheets" and "Contacts."

An S.C. Johnson spokesperson says that Bailey's duties at S.C. Johnson will be different from those he had at Clorox so there is no reason to believe he would compromise any of Clorox's secrets, the story added.

America's tallest LEED-certified building

PHILADELPHIA — The Comcast Center, the tallest building in Philadelphia, recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Gold level, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.

The certification awarded to the 58-story Comcast center from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) makes it the tallest LEED-certified building in America, the story stated.
Some of the sustainable aspects of the building include: Low-flow fixtures and waterless urinals that combine to save over 4 million gallons of water annually; and coated glass that blocks 60 percent of incoming heat while allowing in 70 percent of the natural light from the sun, the story noted.

The building's shaded plaza reduces the heat-island effect caused by pavement by 70 percent, drastically reducing the amount of energy used to run air conditioning units, the story added.
Click here to read the complete article.

LEED-APs exceed 100,000

WASHINGTON — The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) announced that the number of individuals who have earned the status of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED-AP) has exceeded the 100,000 mark, according to SustainableBusiness.com.

The number of individuals seeking LEED-AP status doubled in the past year, greatly surpassing GBCI's predictions, the story stated.

Two new LEED credentials, Green Associate for allied professions, new green builders and graduating students and a specialized credential for Green Building Operations & Maintenance, have recently become available and are expected to increase the number of certifications issued, the story noted.

Earlier this year, GBCI assumed responsibility for administering the LEED building certification program, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Patient screening and cleaning reduce MRSA rates at hospital

MERCED, CA — The Mercy Medical Center has been at the forefront of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevention through advanced screening and comprehensive cleaning, according to the Merced Sun-Star.
In 2007, and before a state law mandated it, Mercy screened all high risk patients for the bacteria and kept those infected in isolation to curb the spread of MRSA, the story stated.
According to the story, only four states, California, Illinois, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, have laws requiring hospitals to screen patients for MRSA, though legislation is in place in several other states.

Pat Harrison, director of infection prevention and control at Mercy, said: "We started screening early, and we're ahead of the law and ahead of the game. We are seeing that environmental cleanliness is almost as important as hand washing."
On top of advanced screening, Mercy made changes to the way the hospital was cleaned and disinfected, the story noted.

Since the new cleaning rules were instated in October of 2008, MRSA infection rates at the hospital have dropped by 26 percent, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Kimberly-Clark hopes to eliminate 1,000 jobs

IRVING, TX — Kimberly-Clark Corporation is inviting its 7,000 employees to participate in a voluntary severance plan through May 22 that the company hopes will eliminate 1,000 jobs, according to the Appleton Post-Crescent.

The terms of the severance packages will vary depending on the employee's seniority and position, the story stated.

Thomas Falk, Kimberly-Clark's CEO, said: "Improving our cash flow is our first imperative if we are to thrive in the future. That’s the primary driver behind our three cash generation initiatives. When it comes to our organization, there’s no getting around the fact that we have to become a more efficient company to be able to deliver better results consistently through any economic environment."

The company hopes to save around $150 million by eliminating the projected 1,000 salaried jobs, the story noted.

A letter was sent to employees outlining the severance plan and announcing several benefit changes for employees that opt not to accept the buyout, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Spray Nine Corporation to close next year

JOHNSTOWN, NY — Cleaning product manufacturer Spray Nine Corporation has announced it will shut down its plant and lay off its workers, according to the Business Review.
The first round of layoffs will occur August 1 and will involve 32 workers, the story stated.
No definite date has been announced for the plant closure, though Permatex Inc., the company that acquired Spray Nine in February 2008, says it will be no later than the end of 2010, the story noted.

In all, 71 employees will lose their jobs when Spray Nine ends its manufacturing operation, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

McDonald's headquarters receives LEED-Platinum certification

OAK BROOK, IL — Fast-food goliath McDonalds announced that its world headquarters has been awarded Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, according to QSR Web.
According to the story, the McDonald's headquarters is one of roughly only 200 buildings worldwide to receive LEED-Platinum certification.

The 88-acre headquarters was built in 1988 with the intention to be sustainable, incorporating many aspects necessary for LEED certification, the story stated.

Joseph Endress, vice president of facilities and systems at McDonalds, said: "By working through the LEED certification process, we were able to document that an environmentally friendly workplace can be cost effective. The benefits associated with this effort are ongoing, with positive impacts on our employees, our budgets and the environment."

Some sustainable highlights of the building include: Low mercury, energy efficient interior lighting; bike racks and shower facilities to support non-vehicle commuting options; the use of renewable solar and wind energy; an extensive recycling program; and a rainwater recapturing and irrigation system, the story noted.

An interesting green aspect of the building is that fry oil from the on-site McDonald's restaurant is recycled to make bio-diesel fuel that powers a transportation shuttle to other nearby McDonalds buildings, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Union president suspended for treason

CHICAGO — The General Executive Board of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees-Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (UNITE-HERE) voted to suspend President Bruce Raynor for his attempts to divide the union and promote the Service Employees Internation Union (SEIU) as a competing labor organization within UNITE-HERE's jurisdiction, according to Business Wire.
The vote was nearly unanimous with 32 voting in favor of the suspension, none against, and three abstaining, the story stated.
Because Raynor's actions go against UNITE-HERE's Constitution, the Executive Board's actions could lead to penalties up to and including permanent expulsion after his 90 day suspension is completed, the story noted.
John Wilhelm will replace Raynor as president during the suspension and investigation process, the story added.
Click here to read the complete article.

Proposed law for green cleaning in Maryland schools

ANNAPOLIS, MD — HB 1363, a bill that would require Maryland K-12 public schools to implement green cleaning programs, has successfully passed the House and Senate, according to a press release.


The bill now only needs Governor Martin O’Malley's signature to make the purchase of green cleaning products for use in K-12 public schools throughout the state a law, the release stated.

According to the release, the County Boards of Education must allow for "multiple avenues" in qualifying cleaning products as environmentally preferable including, at the very least, products recognized by: The U.S. EPA Design for the Environment (DfE) program; EcoLogo's Environmental Choice; and Green Seal.

The proposed legislation allows schools to first use existing cleaning products and supplies before they transition to green cleaning products and allows them to opt out of implementing a green cleaning program if it is not economically feasible, the release noted.

If HB 1363 is signed into law, it will become the fifth state to enact a green cleaning for schools law and the 17th state in the union to implement a green cleaning policy of one nature or another, the release added.

Custodian sues over forced suicide cleanup

NINE MILE FALLS, WA — A custodian at Lakeside High School who sued the Nine Miles Falls School District after becoming distraught from being forced to clean up the scene of a student’s 2004 suicide had her lawsuit reinstated Tuesday by the Washington Court of Appeals after it was dismissed in January 2008, according to the Spokesman-Review.


Debbie Rothwell claims she stayed at work until after 4 a.m. cleaning the mess of blood, brain and bone all alone and became "emotionally distraught and physically ill" before returning to the school less than four hours later at Superintendent Michael Green's orders to serve cookies and coffee to grieving students and keep the media away from the school, the story stated.


William Powell, Rothwell's lawyer, said: "There are people who do clean up the mess after one of these horrible murders or suicides happen. But the superintendent in this case chose not to do that. He should have known better."


The heart of the case is whether Rothwell’s claim of post-traumatic stress disorder falls under the Industrial Injury Act, which prohibits lawsuits based on industry injury or occupational disease, the story noted.


According to the story, Judges John A. Schultheis and Dennis J. Sweeney originally ruled the incident was not the result of one work order and therefore was not covered by the Industrial Injury Act, a ruling that was overturned by the Court of Appeals.


Rothwell seeks unspecified damages from the district in the lawsuit, the story added.


Click here to read the complete article.

Recession hits immigrant janitorial forces hard

LOS ANGELES — Immigrants, including those working in janitorial services, have been hit harder than native-born Americans by the recession, with larger increases in joblessness among both educated and uneducated workers, according to an article in the LA Times.


The heavily immigrant sector of janitorial services is reeling from widespread job losses, according to a California study, the article said.


Downturns in the home financing industry in Orange County and among high-tech firms in Silicon Valley have particularly hurt, said Mike Garcia, president of the Service Employees International Union Local 1877, which represents about 25,000 janitors statewide, according to the article.

San Jose-based Cisco Systems Inc. recently cut its janitorial staff to 108 from 210 — a move the union is protesting, the article noted.

"We've never experienced this kind of pressure on janitors before," Garcia said in the article.

Swine Flu fears close school district for a week

RIO GRANDE CITY, TX — Rio Grande City School District officials have closed all district schools and encouraged the nearly 10,000 students in the district to stay home amid fears of swine flu, according to The Brownsville Herald.

According to the story, this week is the testing period for theTexas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test used in primary and secondary schools to assess students' attainment of reading, writing, math, science and social studies skills required under Texas education standards.

Rio Grande City schools Superintendent Roel Gonzalez said: “I have too many kids who are absent and too many kids who are sick trying to come in and take the [TAKS] test. It's just causing too many problems. They watch the news from Mexico and there's a high level of anxiety, so I visited a bunch of schools today and I just felt so bad. One kid had a fever ... he vomited on his answer sheet and still wanted to take the test.”

The district decided closing all campuses was a wise choice because several students were showing up to school and exhibiting flu-like symptoms that could potentially spread to other students and their friends and family, the story stated.

Custodians are taking advantage of the school closings by sanitizing and disinfecting common areas and high-touch surfaces around throughout each school, the story noted.

Some custodians have decided to leave the thermostat at 62 degrees through the weekend in an effort to kill off any germs left behind, the story added.

Infections Alert for Institutions of Higher Education

H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Infections Alert for Institutions of Higher Education
Page last updated May 1, 2009, 1:30 AM ET

CDC has identified cases of H1N1 influenza virus infection in people in a number of states. CDC is working with local and state health agencies to investigate these cases.

The same virus has been found in people in Mexico, the United States and Canada and is being reported in other countries as well. Symptoms for H1N1 flu have included fever, headache, upper respiratory tract symptoms (cough, sore throat, rhinorrhea), myalgia, fatigue, vomiting, or diarrhea. Illnesses among persons infected with H1N1 flu virus have mostly been treated at home, but some cases have been hospitalized and deaths have been reported. It is anticipated that many more cases, including cases that require hospitalizations and some that result in death, will occur. Most people will not have immunity to this new virus and, as it continues to spread, more cases are expected in the coming days and weeks.

CDC has implemented its emergency response. The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. The World Health Organization has raised the worldwide pandemic alert level. In response to these developments, CDC is recommending that states, communities, institutions and individuals assess their emergency response plans and capacities.

For post secondary institutions of higher education, CDC recommends that you:
Review your institutions plans for responding to a public health emergency and make sure they are up to date.

Know local/state plans for institutions of higher education in the event of a mild or severe disease outbreak. This information may be available from state or local health authorities, (http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/states/index.html).

Ask your campus health center to develop and implement a system to track and report (to the local health department) influenza-like illness (an illness with at least fever and sore throat or cough) among students.

Persons with influenza-like-illness should consult their physician and the institution should consult with their local or state health department for recommendations on identifying persons with H1N1 flu and ways to prevent spread of this virus.

Institutions of higher education should promote everyday preventive actions for students and staff:
1) Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
2) Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
3) Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
4) Avoid close contact with sick people.
5) Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
6) If you get influenza-like illness symptoms, stay home from work or school except to seek medical care and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Monitor the postings on the CDC web site and that of your local and state health departments and follow local health department advice about possible closure of colleges and universities
Contact your local public health department if you have questions or suspected cases.

Institutions of higher education can help protect the health of their staff and their students by calling attention to the every day preventive actions that can be taken to prevent the spread of influenza. (Please consider posting or distributing the everyday actions to prevent the spread of influenza attached with this memo across campus including residential dorms).

Review and implement, if needed, CDC Guidelines and Recommendations for Preventing the Spread of Influenza (the Flu) in a declared pandemic. (See appendix 7, Pandemic Influenza Community Mitigation Interim Planning Guide for Colleges and Universities, available as at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/community/commitigation.html.

CDC: H1N1 (Swine Flu)

Center for Diseanse and Prevention
Your online Source for Credible Health Information

Up to date information on the H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)

Swine Flu: Cleaning and Disinfection Tips to Prevent Cross-Contamination

ISSA will host a webinar, “Swine Flu: Cleaning and Disinfection Tips to Prevent Cross-Contamination,” May 7 at 11 a.m. CST. The presentation will be led by HCI Consulting Group Partner Beatrix Babcock, a health care consulting veteran who helped develop the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS).

ISSA 7373 N. Lincoln Ave. , Lincolnwood , IL 60712-1799 847-982-0800 * 800-225-4772 * Fax: 847-982-1012 E-mail: info@issa.com * Website: www.issa.com

ISSA Offers Swine Flu/Pandemic Resources

ISSA Offers Swine Flu/Pandemic Resources

April 27, 2009 - Because of its recent spread and toll in Mexico City , Mexico , and worldwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization are concerned that the swine flu that hit there could be a new, stronger strain of the virus. Accordingly, the U.S. government declared a public health emergency yesterday in response to the swine flu outbreak.

With the threat of a swine flu pandemic and cleaning’s role in pandemic preparation, ISSA has compiled the following resources for members to consult.

• ISSA Article: Swine Flu Precautions
• ISSA News: Globe Braces to Combat Swine Flu
• Pandemic Presentation from ISSA/INTERCLEAN 2007
• Swine Influenza Updates from CDC
• Video: Pandemic Preparation with Dave Forney

ISSA 7373 N. Lincoln Ave. , Lincolnwood , IL 60712-1799 847-982-0800 * 800-225-4772 * Fax: 847-982-1012 E-mail: info@issa.com * Website: www.issa.com