Medical researchers at Mayo Clinic say they have decreased hospital-acquired infections among patients by one-third in areas prone to such infections by cleaning more often with a germ-killing formula, according to the Post-Bulletin, produced out of Rochester, MN.

“Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is one of the leading pathogens causing hospital-acquired infection in the United States. It may cause diarrhea, colitis, sepsis and lead to prolonged hospitalization and death,” said the Post, quoting a Mayo announcement. “Researchers at Mayo studied hospital units where the rate of hospital-acquired illness was high with a new campaign they’re calling the ‘Wipe Out C. difficile Project.’”

“We chose the units studied because they had the highest burden of C. difficile disease,” said Dr. Robert Orenstein, an infectious diseases specialist. “This is in part because many patients were being admitted with diarrheal illness to these and thus the ‘colonization pressure’ was high. This means the more patients with this illness, the likelihood of transmission is greater.”

Researchers used the only formula approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use against C. difficile.

“The process involves consistent daily cleaning of all high-touch surfaces with a spore-killing bleach disinfectant wipe for all patients on units with high endemic rates of C. difficile infection,” the Mayo announcement says.

“We educated our regular environmental service staff to switch from the product they used daily, which had no activity versus spots of C. difficile, to a new bleach wipe, which was sporicidal,” Orenstein said. “Otherwise, the cleaning process was similar. We assessed cleaning before and after and it was consistently excellent. This suggests it was the product change that made the difference.”

Deaths related to C. difficile increased from 5.7 deaths per million in 1999 to 23.7 deaths per million in 2004, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which notes that most such deaths occur in hospitals.

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Via Cleanlink.com:

In an effort to improve the cleanliness of local school districts and stretch public funds, Georgia Schools Superintendent Kathy Cox has recommended implementing the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval* testing program for carpet cleaning products.

In a letter to Georgia’s 190 district superintendents, Cox noted that the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval testing and certification program could help districts maximize cleaning and maintenance budgets by guiding them to the most effective products. This, in turn, would save money by reducing labor costs and extending the useful life of carpet.

“In an era when school budgets are especially tight, it is my sense that using CRI Seal of Approval-certified products and equipment will save school districts money,” Cox said. “CRI does not make, distribute or sell any of these products; it simply tests for performance to assure that the best products are being used to maintain carpet,” she added.

Dalton Public Schools, located in the northwest corner of the state, has put in place the Seal of Approval program. At one time, carpets were maintained by school personnel. But as the school system grew, the district hired a local Seal of Approval-certified Service Provider and invested in SOA-approved vacuums. Onsite “spotting teams” respond to spills and stains immediately, using SOA-approved spot cleaning solutions. “Clean, safe schools enhance teaching and learning,” says Belinda Parrish, the Dalton Public Schools maintenance chief. “A clean environment is as important to a student’s success as a good breakfast.”

*The SOA program certifies effective and environmentally responsible carpet cleaning solutions, vacuums, extractors, and cleaning systems. Consumer and commercial products are independently tested and lists of qualifying products are posted on the CRI Web site. In addition, carpet cleaning professionals certified as Seal of Approval Service Providers are listed on the Web site by zip code and geographic area.

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Federal and state officials, many facing record budget deficits, are starting to aggressively pursue companies that try to pass off regular employees as independent contractors, according to a New York Times article.

President Obama’s 2010 budget assumes that the federal crackdown will yield at least $7 billion over 10 years. More than two dozen states also have stepped up enforcement, often by enacting stricter penalties for misclassifying workers.

Many workplace experts say a growing number of companies have maneuvered to cut costs by wrongly classifying regular employees as independent contractors, though they often are given desks, phone lines and assignments just like regular employees. Moreover, the experts say, workers have become more reluctant to challenge such practices, given the tough job market.

Companies that pass off employees as independent contractors avoid paying Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance taxes for those workers. Companies do not withhold income taxes from contractors’ paychecks, and several studies have indicated that, on average, misclassified independent workers do not report 30 percent of their income.

One federal study concluded that employers illegally passed off 3.4 million regular workers as contractors, while the Labor Department estimates that up to 30 percent of companies misclassify employees. Ohio’s attorney general estimates that his state has 92,500 misclassified workers, which has cost the state up to $35 million a year in unemployment insurance taxes, up to $103 million in workers’ compensation premiums and up to $223 million in income tax revenue.

“It’s a very significant problem,” said the attorney general, Richard Cordray. “Misclassification is bad for business, government and labor. Law-abiding businesses are in many ways the biggest fans of increased enforcement. Misclassifying can mean a 20 or 30 percent cost difference per worker.”

Employers deny misclassifying workers deliberately. The businesses say the lines are unclear between employee and independent contractor.

Workers are generally considered employees when someone else controls how and when they perform their work. In contrast, independent contractors are generally in business for themselves, obtain customers on their own and control how they perform services.

Many businesses are dismayed about the tougher federal and state scrutiny.

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Via Sanitairy Maintenance:

The number of cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections has increased by more than 90 percent during the last decade, according to research from Princeton University.

In 2006, there were 278,203 reported cases of MRSA-related infection, more than double the number in 1999, according to the study. The growing number of MRSA cases reflects the increasing resistance of Staphylococcus bacteria to antibiotics.

The study also shows that hospital-associated MRSA infections, occurring mostly in patients with weakened immune systems, have been more common than community-associated MRSA infections, occurring among those who pick up the bacteria in fitness centers, common restrooms, and other public places.

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As seen on Earth911.com.

Environmental Leader reports that the U.S. green building market is set to grow 146 percent by 2013, according to research released by Zpryme.

The public facilities sector showed the largest potential growth of almost 30 percent, with the education and commmercial sectors trailing closely. This growth could move the green building sector into a market worth of more than $128 billion in the next three years.

However, other researchers disagree with these findings. According to GreenMarketResearch.com, “The market will grow less significantly, with the real estate market continuing to see difficulty through 2010.”

No matter where the actual numbers fall, current market trends and future predictions show that the green building sector is expected to grow, adding jobs to the economy.

And reducing our energy consumption in our buildings can result in big savings: According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), buildings in the U.S. account for 72 percent of all electricity consumed.

Cities are already toying with the notion of instilling green building codes, which would stimulate further investment in the industry. However, there are some snags in the plans.

In December, New York City nixed a scheme that would have required over equired all buildings of 50,000 square feet or more to take steps to become more energy efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the bill would have created 19,000 construction jobs. However, opponents argued that this is an overestimate, as the real estate industry is still reeling from the recession.

The popularity of green buildings are also on the rise. A landmark study by CB Richard Ellis and the University of San Diego found that tenants in green buildings experienced increased productivity and fewer sick days. Additionally, according to the study, “public image, recruitment and retention of employees are enhanced in green buildings.”

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Via Cleanlink:

The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) at its annual meeting reaffirmed previously published practice guidance for the minimal time for proper cleaning and surface disinfection of patient rooms. The reaffirmation is due to wide variations in cleaning practices. Over the last several years the emergence of new microorganisms and the process for removing them from surfaces has required more time and attention, particularly to high touch surfaces.

The following statements are taken from the American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services Practice Guidance for Healthcare Environmental Cleaning.

Cleaning an Occupied Patient Room
To ensure consistent quality of cleaning and adequate staffing resources for infection prevention, a total facility cleaning standard should be agreed upon in advance by environmental services, infection control and operations or administrative management.

By following all of the recommended practice steps, an occupied patient room clean will take approximately 25-30 minutes per room. Time is determined by the number of tasks and the time to perform each task in an efficacious manner.

Terminal Cleaning of the Patient Room (Discharges or Transfers)
To ensure consistent quality of terminal cleaning and adequate staffing resources for infection prevention, a total facility cleaning standard should be agreed upon in advance by environmental services, infection control and operations or administrative management.

By following all of the recommended practice steps, a terminal clean will take approximately 40-45 minutes per terminal clean. Time is determined by the number of tasks and the time to perform each task in an efficacious manner.

Specific guidance for cleaning and disinfecting can be found in the American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services Practice Guidance for Healthcare Environmental Cleaning. Time adjustments may be needed due to factors such as the size of the room, number of high touch surfaces and the amount of furniture in the patient room. If times require an adjustment, a detailed time and task study should be employed to ensure all areas receive proper cleaning and disinfection. The Infection Control committee should approve any deviations from recommended cleaning times based on the ASHES Practice Guidance manual.

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