Russian cleaning companies prepare for Sochi 2014

28th of October 2013
Russian cleaning companies prepare for Sochi 2014

Cleaning companies are preparing for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, says Oleg Popov of Cristanval.

Major work is underway on plans for the coordinated efforts of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Committee and cleaning companies.  An information website is up and running where registered users can post documents and receive approval electronically.  As such, every company has uploaded images of staff uniforms, and they have been confirmed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The IOC has developed a schedule of services for all the cleaning companies based on the schedule for the Games.  From February 2013, every service provider has been sending 14 different reports detailing every aspect of their provided services.  Reports include: hiring and training of staff,  calculation of cleaning supplies, quality control, personnel safety standards, waste management, risk management, implementation of requirements for long-term development, etc.

Each month, approval is being given by the IOC, and necessary corrections to the reports made.  By September, in every area, both sides must have reached agreement on final figures.

Due to the high level of security at the games, a large number of documents will be required for each staff member.  Even close relatives of future staff will be investigated by authorities. The number of Olympic staff from the various companies is from 300 to 1,500 people, depending on the location being serviced.  A number of reserve staff will be necessary, as it is likely that not all staff will pass investigation.

This means not only a great deal of work for personnel departments, but for the entire companies. In the city of Sochi and its surrounding region, there are not enough people able to work as cleaners at the various locations.  Cleaning company recruiters are working right now in those areas of the country where there are people ready to move to Sochi and work throughout the Games.

Necessary inventory and cleaning supplies must be delivered to the locations. Therefore all transport companies must undergo accreditation, that is, receive approval for entrance into  Sochi.  In order to decrease traffic during the Games, efforts are being made to limit the number of vehicles on the road. This is also an issue for cleaning companies.

Presently, at certain locations, for example the ice arena Shaiba, the winter sports palace Iceberg, and the curling centre Ice Cube, test competitions are taking place, and cleaning companies have the opportunity to take staff to these locations and train under realistic conditions.  We see that not only the athletes are training, but the cleaners as well.

Unfortunately, such training for cleaners is not possible at all locations.  For example, it isn’t possible to stage outdoor and indoor games.  Therefore the management of companies working at the Fisht stadium are visiting other major competitions to gain experience and are placing great emphasis on training and motivating personnel. For work in such stressful conditions, when there is limited time to clean between competitions and the flow of spectators can reach 45,000 people, each cleaner must be highly motivated.

Every cleaning company understands the level of responsibility in representing the nation. It isn’t enough to do a good job of removing waste, it is necessary to have a pleasant appearance that makes our foreign guests feel comfortable. It is a serious issue facing Russian cleaning companies. After completing the Olympic school of cleaning, they will advance to a whole new level in their development.

 

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