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Public health experts say the best way to try to stay is well to start by washing your hands. All staff have been requested to revisit our Infection Prevention Control Toolbox which is available through our Colleague Portal. It covers – but is not limited to: • correct hand hygiene • cleaning methods & frequencies • protocols for cleaning products including colour coding • best practice PPE (gloves, uniform, aprons if applicable) • cleaning of equipment (cloths, buckets etc) • fitness to work Keep it simple. As you are all aware, we have been escalated our cleaning procedures over the last few weeks to include a key focus on touch points and heavy usage area such as sinks, kitchenettes & toilets. Cleaning Products Our teams currently use Selden V-Mix 100, a concentrated all-round cleaner which contains a powerful (alcohol based) bactericide. In certain sites you may find this is being used in conjunction with Selden V-Mix 500 which is an effective bactericidal cleaning for all catering, healthcare & other hygiene critical areas. It achieves EN1276 for high level cleaning, killing common food, healthcare and general pathogens.

Over the last few weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has bought many changes to our normal lives. As a business, we have been closely monitoring the situation and considering the heath & wellbeing of our colleagues and clients, as our number one priority. We wish all the best to you and your families and we will contact you with further updates as they become available.

At WORKPLACE we have been using Selden's V-Mix for many years which is a range of super concentrated colour coded cleaners. Our most popular product that can be found on all our sites contains a clean pine fragrance leaving the room with a fresh 'just cleaned' atmosphere. Selden's commitment to ethical, environmentally sound production methods ensure that we are purchasing a guaranteed green product with a low environmental impact. They were awarded an IPPC permit by the Environmental Agency -the Europe-wide gold standard for environmental manufacturing excellence. The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control accreditation officially recognises Selden as providing the highest possible levels of protection for the environment utilising independently audited Best Available Techniques to prevent any possibility of pollution. “IPPC is the ultimate green benchmark for a manufacturer and demonstrates that we’re delivering against the promises laid out in our Environmental Charter published earlier this year,” said Selden Director Mark Woodhead. IPPC qualification tests a broad range of environmental protection measures providing a far tougher eco-friendly benchmark than either the ISO 14001 environmental management standard or the ISO 9001 quality management standard – both of which have been held by Selden for several years. Mark Woodhead said: “Through IPPC we have put our whole operation up to independent scrutiny and that takes real effort and genuine commitment – gaining IPPC involves around ten times more financial investment and management time to implement than ISO 14001. Every aspect of our operation has been put to the definitive test and we’ve shown that when it comes to the environment, we’re one company that’s genuinely putting our money where our mouth is.” Due to strictly controlled operating methods and technical leadership, Selden’s Derbyshire manufacturing plant has been formally designated as a ‘Low Impact Installation’ under the IPPC permit characterised by intrinsic low environmental impact even under abnormal operating conditions. The foundation of Selden’s successful permit application is previous certification to ISO 14001 which requires management to identify areas of environmental impact (or potential impact) and take measures to continually improve environmental protection performance. IPPC accreditation is a tougher test in that it requires adherence to definitive pollution prevention standards and comprehensive application across all business operations using Best Available Techniques. Mark Woodhead said: “With green issues and sustainability now so high on the public and political agenda, firms can be tempted to pay lip-service to environmental issues but we firmly believe that true environmental commitment has to go beyond simply complying with legislation or ‘greenwashing’ marketing material and packaging. Suppliers need to be increasingly judged by what they do - not by what they say – and our IPPC and ISO track record shows Selden is one company that’s prepared to stand up and be counted. “ Find out more here

A newly identified respiratory virus that causes pneumonia was recently discovered in China. On December 31, China alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) to several cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, a port city of 11 million people in the central Hubei province. At the time the virus was unknown. By the January 7, they announced that they had identified a new virus. The novel virus is from the coronavirus family, which includes SARS and the common cold, and is named 2019-nCoV. Coronaviruses are common and spread through coughing, sneezing, or touching an infected person. What are the symptoms? Common signs of infection include fever, coughing and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, SARS, kidney failure and death. The incubation period of the new coronavirus is thought to be between one and 14 days. The virus is contagious before symptoms appear. So what does that mean for the UK? Anyone who has returned to Britain from Wuhan in China in the last two weeks should self-isolate and stay indoors, the UK's health minister said. As of 2pm on Monday 27th January 2020, Britain had tested 73 people for the Wuhan coronavirus but has not had any confirmed cases. "We are ... asking anyone in the UK who has returned from Wuhan in the last 14 days to self-isolate, to stay indoors and avoid contact with other people," Matt Hancock said. "Public Health England officials are continuing to trace people who have arrived in the UK from Wuhan. Having eliminated those who we know have since left the country, there are 1,460 people we're seeking to locate." Preventative Measures In the midst of one of the outbreak employers are having to look at securing better preventative measures. The World Health Organisation recommends washing hands with soap and water before eating, after using the bathroom, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, and before and after caring for a sick friend or a family member. The most effective way to clean hands is to wet them with clean water, then apply soap and scrub for at least 20 seconds, before rinsing and drying with a clean towel. Other recommendations are cleaning all "high-touch" surfaces, such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and desks with anti-bacterial sprays & high strength multi-surface cleaning products.

We believe in celebrating and recognising best practice and the achievements of our team throughout the whole workforce giving us the chance to say thank you. This month we are acknowledging the hard work and dedication of Agnaldo Roberto De Oliveira. Agnaldo has been with WORKPLACE for 5 years working in not one but three client sites! Agnaldo's nominator; Regional Supervisor Ricardo Veloso wanted to acknowledge his dedication and support by saying, “Agnaldo is a long serving employee who delivers fantastic results in some of our more testing locations within Oxford." Account Manager, Jacqui Chapple goes on to say "Working in a secondary school can be a challenge at the best of times! Agnaldo's professionalism and dedication has not gone without notice!” #Awards #EmployeeExcellenceAward

The spring tradition of cleaning shouldn’t just be confined to your own home. Let us tell you why you should consider a deep clean of these 10 key areas in your workplace. 1. Windows When the beautiful early spring sunshine starts to make an appearance, the temptation is to fling open the blinds to make the most of it. Unfortunately, the harsh winter weather can leave them looking smeared and ‘cloudy’. Consider starting a periodic cleaning schedule this February so you can maintain a higher standard all year round. This can include interior windows & partition glazing as well as exterior cleans which make a world of different in highly populated areas. 2. Carpets Spot cleaning your carpets can be a quick fix. This works great for coffee spills and muddy foot prints but for higher-traffic areas, you’ll need to consider a professional carpet clean three or four times a year. Spring is a great time to start although once you notice that your carpet's looking dirty, we’d suggest you have it cleaned for health and hygiene reasons. 3. Electrical Devices Telephone and keyboard sterilisation is a must after the cold & flu season. It will improve hygiene standards which is particularly useful in a ‘hot desk’ environment. You could arrange for this to be done as part of your periodic cleaning schedule or we can supply wet wipes for your staff to use at the end of their shift? 4. Gutters If you didn’t get them done before the winter now is a good time to think about having your gutters cleared. Using an industrial specialised vacuum system, we are able to reach 40 feet or more in the air whilst our operators work safely from ground level. Where required we have a high-tech cctv cameras mounted at the top of our vacuum system or on inspection poles giving the perfect viewing angle for our operators to get to even the most difficult angles. 5. Entrance Ways The entrance to your workplace should be inviting for all that cross the threshold. Staff, clients, contractors and visitors all have to step through your main entrance to gain access to the building. Clean door glass and push plates certainly give the right impression and are such a simple thing to achieve. Personalised welcome mats are also a great addition to your reception area and can successfully promote your business and corporate identity. Often the first (and last) opportunity to reinforce company branding, promote your corporate colours and advertising slogan, they can be scheduled for collection and cleaning on a rotation basis. 6. Painted Walls Maintenance is crucial to keeping a crisp paint job looking fresh. To do this, Martin Wells, Operations Director of WORKPLACE, suggests adding spot cleaning of your walls to your weekly specification. Our team will then do a sweep while they are carrying out their daily tasks. If, on the other hand spot cleaning just won’t cut it, then consider a refresh of the paint itself. Our painting & decorating services can be completed out of business hours. 7. White Goods Refrigerators & dishwashers in kitchenettes and break-out areas can really be put through their paces on a daily basis. But have you ever stopped to think when was the last time they were thoroughly cleaned? To ensure these heavy-duty appliances continue to work efficiently we suggest a full clean is carried out and then a follow up is scheduled on a quarterly basis starting this spring! This means the outside and inside. What about adding a full annual service to your schedule at the same time? 8. Floors Floor surfaces are exposed to abrasion from foot traffic, spillages and dirt which, without protection, can cause dulling of the floor surface and eventually wear it away. Now the harsher winter months are behind us, you should consider a complete strip & seal of the main areas. Using a permanent sealant early in the year will prevent the requirement for similar costly procedures at a later date. Once the ingrained dirt has been removed, the colours of the floor are enhanced and the floor will have a higher and more even shine. An annual deep clean should be all that is required. 9. Outdoor Furniture If your workplace is lucky enough to have some outdoor space, now is the time to start thinking about having all of the benches, tables and paving slabs pressure washed before the outdoor season begins! Our grounds maintenance teams can also help with littering picking, sweeping, weed killing, hedge trimming and flower bed design & care. 10. Air Conditioning Units And finally, in anticipation of the warmer weather it would be worth considering having your air conditioning system cleaned and serviced. It is important to maintain and clean the units regularly, as having a clean air handling unit and clean duct-work will remove any pollutants. Failure to keep the units clean can also lead to corrosion inside the system’s components which can lead to contamination or even moisture levels mounting up creating mould, both of which can be deposited throughout your workplace. To book in for a free consultation with one of our experts for any these services please email services@workplace.co.uk #springclean #Top10 #windowcleaning #carpetcleaning #specialistservices

New Year resolutions - easy to make, and easy to break. People have been pledging New Year personal & business resolutions for years. It's very easy to make resolutions in the wake of the new year but most of us are more familiar with the difficulty of sticking to them! At WORKPLACE we offer a unique Facilities Service Schedule to help you stay on track! It is possible but it does take focus, planning, and a determination to stick with the resolutions so we would like to offer a helping hand. FOCUS ON ONE CHANGE AT A TIME. Rather than trying to have several large changes underway at once, such as: bringing multiple soft services together under one supplier sourcing a new window & gutter cleaner improving the overall appearance of the main reception focusing on the outside space of your workplace arranging a high level clean of the kitchen & break area We suggest breaking down them down into smaller lots and focus on one single resolution at a time. If you would like some help setting up your new Facilities Schedule please contact us on 0844 561 1760 or email our Service Team today! #2020 #Resolutions #periodiccleaning

One of the biggest areas of concern for those of us working within the commercial cleaning industry is the spread of infection. But who really is responsible for infection control in the workplace? The cleaning operatives? The client? The staff and their visitors? Well the simple answer is EVERYONE! Our management team have a responsibility to make sure that our operatives are appropriately trained to reduce the risk of infection using the correct cleaning products and techniques on site at all times. That’s why this week we arranged for them to attend the Infection Control Train the Trainer course at our Head Office here in Berkshire. This fast-paced training session was rolled out to help our Account Managers to consistently communicate with their teams, set clear tasks, give proper feedback on all aspects of infection control and share preventative measures. They also learnt how to demonstrate the ability to listen to the needs of their colleagues and provide coach-like guidance when required. But our Clients and their staff must also share some of the responsibility. A simple and effective way to do this is to encourage better hand washing practises. This sounds obvious but recent research suggests that only about half of people going to the toilet wash their hands afterwards – and that 11% of us have the same germs on our hands as you’d find in a dirty toilet bowl. We believe workplaces should encourage their staff, whatever their profession, to keep their hands clean, especially after using the toilet and before consuming food. Just a few simple steps such as having soap in staff washrooms and hand sanitiser available can make a big difference to staff sickness rates. Having a business with healthy staff is key in the ever-changing economic environment. According to the Global Handwashing Day website although people around the world wash their hands with water, many do not wash their hands with soap at critical moments, including after going to the toilet and before handling or eating food. The challenge is to transform hand-washing with soap from an abstract good idea into an automatic behaviour carried out in homes, schools, workplaces and communities. Could Hot Desking be to blame? Hot desking is believed to cut the running costs of an office by up to 30%, making it a popular choice with employers. But some surveys say more than a quarter of companies have reported an increase in staff sickness since it's been introduced. Given that over half of office-workers still insist on eating lunch at their desks, it’s perhaps unsurprising that keyboards can be a breeding ground for germs. A study in 2014 found that the average office keyboard, along with the mouse and phone, can contain as many as 10 million bacteria – some of which are harmful and can cause illness. However, at WORKPLACE, we believe this can be greatly reduced by simply introducing best practice which requires each employ to wipe the workstation down with an antibacterial wipe after each use. Please feel free to contact our Help Desk for more information. And it’s not just offices! According to a study carried out by the American Journal of Infection Control, ‘The use of an alcohol gel hand sanitiser in the classroom provided an overall reduction in absenteeism due to infection by 19.8% among 16 elementary schools and 6,000 students.’ This simple act of washing your hands could save more lives than any vaccine or medical intervention, preventing the spread of infection and keeping children in school and employees in their place of work. Hopefully we can also motivate our clients to embrace and share proper hand-washing practices learned at the workplace back into their homes and communities. #infectioncontrol #preventativemeasures #sickness #Handwashing #training #Hygienicworkplace

Following on from our Case Study at the Roald Dahl Museum and Children’s Centre that we published recently we wanted to share some before and after photos of the periodic floor cleaning that was carried out recently. The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre is an award-winning Museum, situated in Great Missenden, the Buckinghamshire village where Roald Dahl lived and wrote for 36 years. The museum welcomes over 60,000 visitors every year and is open 7 days a week. The footfall alone was enough to warrant more cleaning hours being introduced and a periodic cleaning schedule being created to compliment it which included the following: Deep cleaning and descaling of public access toilets Hard floor deep cleaning Wall cleaning, including lifts Extraction carpet cleaning As you can see from the photos our first clean yielded great results. If you would be interested in arranging an assessment at your workplace please contact us today! #periodiccleaning #floorcleaning

On Saturday 16th November our client Rutherford Cancer Centre in conjunction with the Reading Lions Club; held a free prostate cancer blood screening session (PSA test) for local men to attend at their Thames Valley centre in Reading. With over 47,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK each year – or 130 a day, and over 11,000 men dying from the disease per year. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the biggest killer of male cancer patients in the UK. The PSA test is a simple blood test that is used to check for a protein produced by prostate cancer cells. A raised level through a blood test could indicate cancerous cells. The event was held at the Rutherford Cancer Centre Thames Valley for the first time, which offers pioneering proton beam therapy as well as conventional cancer treatments. Over 2000 men attended for the 3 minute blood test which usually costs £120 - £160 per person. As a partner of RCC, our Directors wanted to support the event and the Centre by providing our team free of charge to ensure that the centre was maintained throughout the day to the highest of standards, and to assist the clinical team replenishing sharps bins and supplies. The team were on site from 7am to 6.30pm along with our Lead Site Engineer to ensure that everything went smoothly and any issues that may arise would be efficiently dealt with to save any disruption to the days events. The team were supported by our Key Account Leader Lynne Van Loggerenberg who looks after the contract for WORKPLACE across the 3 RCC sites that we provide services for in Reading, Liverpool and Newport. We provide a full FM service for the 3 sites including Housekeeping services, daily cleaning, window cleaning, washroom services, general and clinical waste, full M&E services with 2 full time resident engineers and pest control. Having worked with the client for 18 months, and built up a working partnership that has progressed from 1 to 3 sites in this time, we welcome the opportunity to support the client in any way that we can to ensure that they receive the best possible service for the best price. Ensuring that any patients who attend the site are welcomed by a well presented and friendly cleaning and engineering team to a well maintained, clean and infection free state of the art treatment centre. #Rutherford #CancerCentre #Prostatecancer #charity

Whether you need a simply decorated small tree for the corner of your office, or you are after a prominent centrepiece to welcome your staff and visitors into your business, WORKPLACE is here to help guide you through the festive season. Our technicians can provide you with stunning Christmas decor to meet any budget. WORKPLACE have supplied plants and Christmas trees for offices, shopping centres, schools & universities for many years. Our Clients request their Christmas decorations from us year after year commending the quality of our service. Our real Christmas trees are sourced from a local grower and we supply Nordmann Firs which is known for its needle retention properties. WORKPLACE can supply real Christmas trees up to 16ft (4.8mtrs) from the first week in December. All our festive trees are decorated with beautiful white lights and a large selection of coordinating decorations which can be tailored to your company or school colours! Talk to us about your corporate branding, the available space and your current budget and we will then create a customised quotation for you to review. Download our brochure for more details. #Christmas #interiorlandscaping

Accredited Living Wage Recognised Service Provider WORKPLACE welcomes the increase in UK and London rates announced by the Living Wage Foundation as part of Living Wage Week (November 11th-17th 2019). WORKPLACE is proud to be part of a movement of over 100 Recognised Service Providers who offer Living Wage options for contracted staff, ensuring a real Living Wage is always possible when outsourcing services. The Living Wage campaign is an independent movement of businesses, organisations and people who believe a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis - it provides an ethical benchmark for responsible pay. The campaign for a Living Wage was launched by members of London Citizens in 2001. Parents in East London found that despite working two, or more, minimum wage jobs they were struggling to make ends meet, and were left with no time for community and family life. It is an example of how civil society, businesses and organisations can work together to tackle in-work poverty. It enjoys cross party support, with public backing from successive Metropolitan Mayors and MPs across the UK, including First Ministers in Wales and Scotland. KNOW THE DIFFERENCE The real Living Wage is independently-calculated based on what employees and their families need to live. That’s why it is higher than the government minimum wage. Employers voluntarily choose to pay it – changing people’s lives right now. The real Living Wage includes a separate rate that reflects the higher costs of living in London. It applies to all workers over 18 – in recognition that young people face the same living costs as everyone else. FACTS AND FIGURES 93% of university graduates want to work for a Living Wage Employer 93% of the Living Wage network say it has benefitted their business 90% of consumers agreed that pay should reflect living costs 86% of Living Wage Employers reported an increase in staff motivation since accrediting ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MOVEMENT The campaign for a real Living Wage has now delivered more than £1 billion in extra wages to workers since it began in 2001, and it has lifted over 200,000 people out of in-work poverty. For more information about Living Wage Week go to http://www.livingwage.org.uk/living-wage-week #LivingWage