2007 Archives

Nov 20, 2007
MRSA

MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus, as if you didn’t know that already) has been on the front burner at School Boards, Hospitals, in newspapers, news magazines and on TV. Some are acting responsibly and some in panic…but what’s new about that. Hal Temkin, Sean Leer and Jerry Goldman have been busy sending on responsible data to our customers, but we still want to emphasize the importance of publicizing your own documented program and special efforts like the Clean Team. As you know we have sent a great deal of info on the subject during the past year.

Oct 18, 2007
MRSA in the News

Well as you might expect MRSA was bound to be a big story in the country and our industry is the focus of a lot of attention. The good news, if there is any, is that it presents an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the professionalism of your department.

Oct 07, 2007
Don't Miss Don!

The most dynamic person in the long history of our industry (or at least in my 51 years) is Don Aslett. Don is one of the founders of Varsity Contractors and is famous for continuously educating people around the world about the critical role Janitors play in our society.

Sep 12, 2007
Kentucky Department of Corrections Implements Clean Teams

In late 2006 and early 2007, Kentucky Department of Corrections Commissioner John D. Rees, Jerry Kantlehner, Mark Smith and Caryn Stets of PortionPac began exploring an idea that could save the state vast amounts of money and reduce sick time for employees and inmates.

Aug 07, 2007
Germicidal Update

Following our earlier Connection on Germicidal Detergents, a number of questions arose from readers. We’ve asked Hal Temkin to share his response on a few that might be of interest.

Jul 06, 2007
MRSA

There was so much response to our Connection on MRSA last week I asked Hal to bring us up to date on the subject.

Jun 25, 2007
Staph Infections Rampant

Today’s lead story in the Chicago Tribune is of critical importance to everyone in our industry. It cites a report from the Association of Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology that 1.2 million hospital patients a year are infected with MRSA (methicilliin resistant staphylococcus aureus) and that 48,000 to 119,000 are dying from the infection. This report also highlights the critical role of Housekeeping.

May 21, 2007
Some "New" Thirty-Five Year Old Ideas

As some of you know, the last two years have seen PortionPac receiving numerous awards and recognition for our products, programs and systems. It has been a little strange to get so much attention after going over 40 years with almost no recognition.

May 03, 2007
Earth Day 2007

Hope Earth Day in your area was informative and meaningful. We had a lot of fun with a group from the big Green Business Conference in Chicago who toured ourfacility. And of course it is gratifying when we pass on ideas that you find helpful.

Apr 12, 2007
It's about time! Five

Well this is the last chapter of our basic discussion on Environmental Sustainability and I hope it has offered some effective ideas for improvement. Our last area is actually where our corporation began in the 1960’s…conservation.

Apr 04, 2007
It's about time! Four

Well, Performance, Safety and Accuracy are critical, but there is another concept that is at least as important as the first three. And that is the subject of the fourth evaluation. Minimization ….or Less Is More.

Mar 29, 2007
It's about time! Three

Now on to the third phase of the Sustainability Evaluation… Accuracy.

Mar 22, 2007
It's about time! Two

Step two of the Self Evaluation Sustainable Cleaning Chart: Maximum Safety.

Mar 15, 2007
It's about time!

PortionPac’s program was founded on sustainable principles in 1964, long before the word “sustainable” had meaning for most of the industries that are now rushing into the process. And after my last Connection, several readers asked what they could do to evaluate and develop an effective sustainability program.