Tackle High Dusting With a Vacuum
People tend to notice the cleanliness
of surfaces immediately around them like
desks, floors, and shelves. They don’t necessarily
look up and consider the cleanliness of light
fixtures, windowsills, and overhead air ducts.
Janitorial professionals know that dust in high
places can end up falling onto surfaces where
people work, play, and eat. This particulate
may become airborne and is easily inhaled into
the lungs.
That’s where high dusting tools really
change the conversation. Adding extension
wands to a vacuum can add 10 to 12 feet of
reach, bringing many surfaces within reach.
Unless completely ignored, the traditional
approach to cleaning high places is either with
a ladder and some sort of dusting tool or the
utilization of a scissor lift. High dusting tools
allow janitors to vacuum these areas with two
feet safely on the ground.
Putting someone on a ladder to clean
is a potential health and safety hazard. It is
the employer’s responsibility to take every
reasonable precaution and train janitors on
the proper use of a ladder to ensure they are
used correctly, thus reducing the risk of serious
injury from a fall. With the right high dusting
tools added to a vacuum, this risk is mitigated
as anyone can clean with both feet safely on
the ground.
There’s so much more to vacuum than just
floors—be they carpeted or hard surface. By
pairing high dusting tools with a vacuum, it
can be safer, easier, and more convenient to
clean just about anywhere.
This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management July/August 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.
About the Author
Marvin Mauer is the Canadian country manager for ProTeam® (proteam.emerson.com/en-us).