There has always been a rather housewifely approach to cleaning in schools; a feeling that the task in hand is to make being at school as pleasant, or even more pleasant, for the children who are there every weekday as being at home. School must be a dusted, polished and tidy environment to make learning nicer – and of course it must have beautifully clean toilets and washing facilities, because keeping the lavatories and basins clean is what keeps germs at bay.  Isn’t it?

Nobody could really argue with any of that.  Keeping schools, colleges and university buildings clean has always had a major role in keeping students happy, healthy and keen to live life to the full. But trouble has a way of focusing the mind. The recent increases in the scale and frequency of outbreaks of infection in educational establishments, hospitals and on farms visited by children have been alarming.

Just about everybody in education and health is now more aware of the crucial role of cross infection in causing loss of educational time and staff absence. That in turn has made it essential for those in charge of cleaning to look again at the real purpose of what they are doing.

There has to be a shift of emphasis away from ‘neat and tidy’ and a move towards ‘safe and infection-free’.  Studies carried out by those monitoring cleaning efficiency in schools have shown that, even after normal efficient cleaning, residues of infection persist in the most unlikely places. One school where microbial counts were taken recently proved to have a substantially greater bug count on the school secretary’s desk than in the lavatories, and more infection on a newly cleaned kitchen work top than in the wash basins.  

Cleaning companies and teams have to become more aware of the less obvious sources of cross infection, such as the handles and finger plates on doors, the receptionist’s desk and the chairs in the assembly hall. Staircase handrails are a major source of trouble, as is equipment in play areas.  And why? Because there is a regrettable tendency for adults and children alike not to clean their hands thoroughly enough or often enough.

Fewer than three adults in a 100 in Britain wash their hands properly after visiting the lavatory or changing a baby’s nappy - it has been shown that the majority of public transport commuters have traces of human faeces on their hands when boarding buses and trains. Children brought up in homes where hand washing is not taught by example are likely to carry infections to school and pass them on to others.

Many bacteria can survive for days on surfaces that have not been cleaned and even viruses can remain active for longer than 24 hours.  One hand touching another, regardless of whether it is that of a child or an adult, is likely to pass infection unless hand washing and drying is both frequent and efficient.

This is why, in times of epidemic infection – or the current swine flu pandemic – cleaning is in the front line of maintaining attendance at school and at work. Effective anti-microbial action has a key role in corporate and educational efficiency.

Albany Healthy Schools

According to Mike Burton, managing director of Albany Hygiene Facilities in the UK, the government’s National Healthy Schools Programme currently enables four million pupils to enjoy the benefits of attending a healthy school. “Unfortunately this programme does not sufficiently cover the hygiene of the built environment that the pupils, staff and teachers inhabit,” he said in mid-October when launching his company’s Albany Max Programme. “The government programme also fails to encompass the critical area of infection control within schools."

The Albany Healthy Schools Programme has been launched to help children to understand about viruses and bacteria that cause illness and how thorough and frequent hand washing and drying can help to keep everybody well. Albany is making learning about infection and hand washing fun for children by running the Albany Max Roadshow, which has been touring independent preparatory schools since last month with a live animated character – Albany Max – to get the message across to the children.

Albany Hygiene Facilities is also offering schools a free A+ Hygiene Audit, which includes a report highlighting non-compliance with legislation, recommendations for hygiene improvement and suggestions for saving water and energy.

Near-aseptic washrooms vital

In the current climate of opinion, with norovirus and swine flu at the forefront of people’s minds as winter approaches, maintenance of school washrooms, lavatories and kitchens in near-aseptic condition is vital – just as vital as teaching children to keep their hands clean. Efficient modern washrooms are easier to clean and keep infection-free than older ones, but whatever their age, they must be maintained effectively.

Cleaning companies also have to start thinking more about the complex issues of potential liability, said Burton. "Imagine a scenario in which an aggressive mutant of swine flu hits a large college, school or organisation. If the source of the infection is shown to be in an area that has been cleaned inadequately, and if two or three people die as a result of the infection, cleaners shown to have been negligent could be in trouble. Maybe cleaning firms should consult a lawyer to take a close look at the wording of contracts. Perhaps you should also conduct a detailed appraisal of your quality assurance and the ways in which you check cleaning has been carried out efficiently and to contract."

For more information: www.albanyhealthyschools.co.uk