Poor training results in waste dumping
Cleaner caught dumping dirty waste water into an Auckland storm-water drain
The following Media Release is a response to the United Cleaning Services employee who was photographed tipping dirty water from a ride-on floor-cleaning machine into a drain leading to the Waitemata Harbour. As reported here by the NZ Herald.
Master Cleaners Training Institute Media Release: Friday 10 January 2014, 2:45pm
The cleaner caught dumping dirty waste water into an Auckland storm-water drain 100 metres from the Waitemata Harbour, is indicative of poor industry training standards says the Master Cleaners Training Institute.
“Time and effort is now being needlessly wasted as Auckland’s pollution compliance officers’ investigate this disturbing, but completely avoidable incident,” says Adam Hodge, Chief Executive of the Master Cleaners Training Institute.
“Businesses need to ensure that their cleaners are well trained and qualified. It may sound simple, but having cleaners that have received structured training in cleaning and hygiene methods should have prevented cleaning waste water from flowing into Auckland’s harbour,” said Mr Hodge.
“The pollution compliance officers must also ask questions about the cleaning company’s Hazard Register as use of the machinery would fall under a significant hazard classification. If the cleaning company has not identified it as such, then they could be in breach of section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act.”
The incident where “the machine attendant was standing in for a colleague on sick leave” should have Britomart Group asking questions about what else is happening when their cleaners are on site, particularly if the cleaning contractor wasn’t told about the correct protocols of the job they were tasked with.
The Master Cleaners Training Institute is committed to raising the standards of the cleaning industry through skills development.
“All businesses need to ensure that those responsible for the cleaning within the workplace should at least have some practical training in cleaning operations – even those that are standing in for colleagues that are sick. Without training, it’s only a matter of time before something like this happens again,” Mr Hodge said.
