New Floor Care Equipment Makes For Happy Employees

This is the second part of a three-part article on the use of orbital equipment.

It takes between 15 and 20 hours of practice to become proficient with an orbital machines, says Rager. At Coverall, the first hands-on class for BSCs is five to six hours and then they return for an additional class of the same length. Training then continues in the field.

“We ask franchise owners to help mentor others once they get proficient at their job,” says Rager. “We’ll show up with them and assist them on their first strip and finish to make sure that they are operating the machine properly and doing what’s needed.”

Simon is cautious about turning over a $4,000 piece of equipment to employees, so he trains them until he knows they are comfortable and competent using his equipment properly.

It’s important to janitors feel comfortable using the machine. No BSC wants disgruntled employees who feel a machine is making them work harder than they ought to or could cause injuries.

“My key thing is to make sure I have the correct machinery for my employees to use so they know it’s less stress and strain on them, and they can get the job done,” says Simon.

When employees realize they don’t have to wear a different pair of shoes or change in and out of clothes to strip floors, they appreciate the convenience of orbital machines, says Rager. Janitors also like knowing a dry approach to cleaning floors reduces injuries.

“The issues of slips and falls are completely eliminated when you’re using the orbital in a dry strip scenario,” says Rager. “It’s just so nice because you’re not worrying if somebody’s slipping and falling or [worrying about] workers’ comp claims.”

Safety is also improved because without chemicals, there is no diluting or disposing of the stripper. In addition, many orbital machines use a HEPA vacuum kit to eliminate dust, says Rager.