long corridor in hospital with surgical transport

Cleaning and hygiene in healthcare form a complex of highly responsible tasks that demand outstanding capabilities. The expertise of professional building cleaners can lead to significant improvements to the standards of cleaning in healthcare facilities such as hospitals. The manufacturers of cleaning machines and equipment, as well as the suppliers of suitable cleaning agents and disinfectants, also play a vital role in meeting these requirements.

It is with these aspects in mind that the international cleaning trade fair CMS Berlin 2019 – Cleaning.Management.Services (24-27 Sept.) is focusing on the representatives of this sector of the market. This trade show provides a comprehensive overview of products, systems and processes for the healthcare market, as well as offering a supporting program aimed at specialists. The Practical Forum on 26 September is intended for all those with responsibility for cleaning and hygiene in the healthcare system.

The MLP Health Report 2016 emphasizes the important part that hygiene plays in healthcare. It reveals that patients and physicians alike refer to “high standards of hygiene” as the most important criterion, and one that “must be categorically met by a good hospital,” followed by the qualification of the doctors, the explanations provided prior to operations, and the need for doctors and nursing staff to find more time for their patients.

Dealing with healthcare facilities is one of the most demanding management tasks facing professional building cleaners. High levels of quality are required in sensitive hygiene situations, and the cleaning work has to be seamlessly integrated in the clinical processes. National guild master Thomas Dietrich, National Guild Association of the Building Cleaning Trade (BIV): “In connection with current discussions about infection in hospitals, an appropriate hygiene management must be available to ensure impeccable cleaning services. Supported by the solutions offered by our suppliers, the providers of building cleaning services meet these exacting demands on a daily basis. Furthermore our involvement in the DIN standard will create the benchmark for cleaning hospitals.”

The cleaning machine industry also emphasizes the importance of professionally executed cleaning in connection with health. Markus Asch, Chairman of the Cleaning Systems Trade Association in the VDMA: “In addition to personal care, hygiene is vital in areas such as sanitary installations and kitchens. It therefore comes as a surprise to learn how much manual cleaning is still taking place in highly sensitive areas such as hospitals and care homes. Health is certainly a megatrend, and one that will continue to exert a powerful influence on us in the coming decades. We should take advantage of this enormous market and develop it into a core sector for our industry to ensure a successful future.”

On the subject of hygiene in healthcare and nursing, safety is always of paramount importance. Werner Schulze, Chairman of the Building Cleaning Division of the IHO – the Industrial Association for Hygiene and Surface Protection: “Bearing in mind the increasing resistance to antibiotics, disinfectant products are vitally important for patient safety. The main focus is on protecting patients and staff, and on breaking the chain of infection. Facilities must make every effort to ensure the highest possible levels of hygiene by relying on effective cleaning and disinfectant products.”