Feeling foggy with the flu? Try our fogging service!

Many of you may have missed (or purposely avoided) reading my last article regarding the flu epidemic that it looked like we may be facing in 2019.

Well, can I just say that it’s not just a warning in some blokes article anymore…

It’s here!

By the end of the first week of April, we had already reached half of our 2018 total of flu cases, and in Queensland alone there had been a reported 7,289 diagnosed cases of the flu. Professor Robert Booy, Chairman of the Immunisation Coalition, has said that this season might be more severe as a result of the relative mildness of the 2018 flu season, which has seen us regular folk not build up the natural immunities that we normally do year to year.

For me, it all comes down to the cleanliness of where we work and play. While the flu is always an unavoidable reality of this season, it’s the uncontained spread of germs from those who are afflicted that cause the real headaches. Enclosed areas that house a significant population of people, such as hospitals, offices, schools and aged care homes, are all an absolute feeding ground for flu germs. When one person gets ill in these environments, you’ll very soon find those around them displaying similar symptoms (if not managed correctly). This is due to the germs not being able to escape from the space as easily as an open area.

So how can we combat this? What can we possibly do to reduce the risk of sickness when we spend a large amount of our lives in these high risk areas?

The solution for cleaning (see what I did there?) is our fogging service.

When you engage our fogging service, we fill your high risk enclosed areas, such as a school classroom, medical centre, childcare building or an office, with a cold fog of disinfectant. The disinfectant we use is a Hospital Grade Disinfectant approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Our disinfectant is silicon based, which bonds to the contacted surfaces, creating a barrier that continues to kill microorganisms for 28 days. This is made possible by the microbial qualities of the product, which physically puncture the cell walls of the microorganisms to instantly kill it. In comparison, other hospital grade disinfectants simply use toxic kill to poison the microorganism. This type of disinfectant is what allows the microorganisms to build a resistance over time – meaning your regular cleaning has a quickly diminishing effect.

Our fogging service allows the disinfectant to penetrate into all areas, cracks and crevasses and will completely cover all surfaces.

Interested to find out more about the testing that the disinfectant has gone through? We’ve got you covered below – elsewise, read on!

Product Testing

Toxicology Testing

· Acute Dermal Toxicity Study OEDC 402

· Acute Inhalation Study OEDC 403

· Acute Dermal Irritation/Corrosion Study OEDC 404

· Acute Eye Irritation/Corrosion Study OEDC 405

· Acute Skin Sensitisation Study OEDC 406

· Acute Oral Toxicity Study OEDC 425

Efficacy Testing

· TGA Disinfectant Test

· 1 Day Challenge Testing – MRSA

· 14 Day Challenge Testing E coli, Salmonella, VRE

· 14 Day Challenge Test – Norovirus

· 28 Day Challenge Test – E.Coli, Salmonella, VRE

· Hard Surface Challenge Test – Clostridium Difficile

· Surface Testing – Aluminium – 1116.002-Al

· Surface Testing – Aluminium – 1124.001-Al

· Surface Testing – Carpet – 1116.002-Carpet

· Surface Testing – Linoleum – 1116.002-Linoleum

· Surface Testing – PVC – 1116.002-PVC

· Surface Testing – Stainless Steel – 1116.002-Steel

· Surface Testing – Untreated Wood – 1116.002-Wood

· Virucidal Efficacy Suspension Test – Swine Influenza Virus (H1N1)

Once the fogging service has been completed, we then do a test to measure our success and provide the data back to you. The test is carried out quickly, consisting of 10 random swabs which are placed into our portable tester. The swabs give off light which is measured and recorded as Reflective Light Units (RLU), which measures the energy given off by living organisms.

So the dimmer the light = the lower the RLU = the better the result.

How this can benefit your workplace

The answer is pretty simple – you can lower your risk of infectious illnesses.

By lowering your risk of infectious illnesses, you can ensure that this flu season has minimal impact on your workplace. The fogging service is a proactive measure to mitigate the risk of flu in your place of work to help you avoid the costs that come with associated sick leave.

When it comes to schooling, the fogging service assists with keeping kids at school for more of the year, reducing impact on parents and learning.

In summary, we are currently on track for the flu to affect us here in Queensland more than it has in recent years – or perhaps ever before! Doctors are encouraging us to help fight sickness by taking things a step further, rather than simply relying on your standard flu shot.

As a business owner, medical practice manager, or leading educator, you can do your part in the prevention of the flu this season. Call us today on 1300 860 832 or request a quote for our fogging service.

I’ve Got Waterless Urinal Systems – How Do I Manage Them?

So you’ve gone waterless with your urinals. Congratulations! Water isn’t an infinite resource and any business reducing their consumption is making a smart decision (and one that’s bound to save money). A single waterless urinal could save up to 133 000 litres of water per year, depending on the size of your workforce and who’s using your facilities.

You also need to keep in mind that it’ll have an impact on your electricity bill, as you now won’t require energy to move water to and from your systems. Double win!

Now that water isn’t a part of the equation, you might be wondering how you can keep this area clean and hygienic – not to mention odour free.

Well, allow us to help. Here’s everything you need to know about waterless urinal maintenance.

Types Of Systems

Waterless urinal systems can operate using an oil lock system, a biological system or mechanically.

In oil lock systems, urine passes through a sealing liquid which is less dense than it is. The sealing fluid sits on top of the urine, trapping it and preventing odour from passing through. In a biological system, a block containing microorganisms absorbs and ‘digests’ the urine. Finally, in a mechanical system, a hollow ball valve of a lower density than the urine is used so that it blocks the urine after it passes through.

Each of the three systems have their own pros and cons, but what they all have in common is that a standard cleaning job won’t be enough to clean them. While you might be able to clean the outside of the urinal using disinfectant products, the internal elements are dry and can be difficult to reach.

Furthermore, waterless urinal systems using oil or biological systems are often not able to come into contact with water or traditional cleaning products. These systems need to cleaned using a very particular method and products.

So what do you do?

You trust the professionals.

A waterless urinal system only saves you money and helps the environment if its functioning as it should be at all times. It’s for this reason that we advise that you get a professional urinal cleaning and maintenance team to do the job for you. Our Solutions 4 Cleaning team members are all trained in managing any sealants, valves and cylinders the system could have, topping up necessary sealants when they run low and removing, cleaning and replacing the trap without damaging it, as well as flushing any lines that require it.

So all you really need to do to effectively manage your waterless urinal systems is contact us on 07 3160 7306 and set up a regular appointment for our urinal cleaning Brisbane service.

We’ll take care of the rest, leaving you to enjoy a hygienic and odourless waterless urinal system that works for your business time and time again.