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WORKSHOP HANDOUT INFORMATION

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"Cleaning With Caution" Workshop Commercial and Residential Cleaning Professionals 2009

Cleaning with Caution Workshop

Purpose of the "Cleaning With Caution" Workshop

Janitors and house cleaners are constantly exposed to cleaning chemicals that may cause harm to them, their family, the client and the environment. The purpose of the workshop is to increase their knowledge of the health effects of cleaning products and reduce their exposure by identifying the flag words on the label (caution, warning, danger, poison) accurately following mixing instructions, wearing proper personal protective equipment, and considering the use of less harsh chemicals.

The Benefits of this Workshop

  1. Improvement of health and minimize possible health effects to you, your family and your clients,
  2. Safer cleaning product choices,
  3. Understanding the importance of using personal protective equipment, and
  4. Possible increase in new clients and retention of current clients through your "green" safer approach to cleaning.

Workshop Course Content

The workshop will address commonly used chemicals in cleaning products and involves recognition and understanding of the cleaning chemicals' health effects individually or if accidently mixed together.  An abbreviated list of the chemical ingredients and their health effects are available to help workers identify chemical names and how to choose between cleaning products available in stores.

The "Cleaning with Caution" workshop will also introduce alternative, "green" cleaners and recipes and includes a demonstration of how to make them.  Attendees will be encouraged to share their own special cleaning recipes with the class.  Personal protective equipment (gloves, safety glasses) and cleaning equipment (microfiber cloths and mops) will also be discussed.

Upon completion of the workshop, each participant will receive:

  1. A "Green Cleaning Kit" of alternative cleaning products and recipes.
  2. Safety equipment (eye protection, gloves……….).
  3. Microfiber cloth and mop.
  4. Washington Toxics Coalition fact sheet "Safer Cleaning Products" for the home.  The workshop attendees are encouraged to give the fact sheets to their friends, families and clients.

Participants will be given "personalized" certificates of workshop completion (8"x11" and wallet size) if they wish. Certificates will be available from the workshop coordinator approximately 2 to 4 weeks after the workshop.

Participant Involvement

Attendees of the workshop are encouraged to bring their cleaning supplies or a list of the products they use.  This information is helpful in the workshop as examples for discussion. Participants will complete a pre-workshop survey regarding products currently used. An evaluation of the workshop afterwards will be conducted to measure the value and usefulness of the materials covered and whether changes or additions are needed.

About six weeks after the workshop the group will be contacted by the group coordinator for a follow-up survey.The survey will be used to assess any behavioral changes, changes in product choice, what they like or don’t like about alternative or less harsh cleaning products, any feedback from their clients and if workers' health issues, if any, have improved.

Workshop Trainers

Nuri Gutierrez: YWCA Latina Outreach Specialist and Interpreter.

Emmanuel Rivera: Select Business Outreach, Health and Environmental Investigator II, King County Local Hazardous Waste Management Program (LHWMP).

Mayra Ayala: Environmental Coalition of South Seattle (ECOSS).

Cleaning With Caution Agenda

Please bring your cleaning supplies if possible.

  1. Introductions and sign up sheet.
  2. Pre-Workshop evaluation - Do you work for a company or are you independent? What cleaning products do you use now? Do you have any work related health concerns? Do you wear gloves and safety glasses when cleaning...?
  3. Product identification, label reading and word identification (caution, warning, danger, poison) - sample products will be used in class.
  4. Personal exposure, routes of entry and health effects.
  5. Avoiding exposure - personal protective equipment such as gloves and safety glasses and ventilation.
  6. Alternative safer cleaners and recipes.
  7. Post-workshop evaluation.

Duration of workshop - 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on class participation. Light snacks and drinks will be provided.

Workshop Contact and Information - Emmanuel Rivera, Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, Select Business Outreach Project, 206-263-3078 (w), emmanuel.rivera@kingcounty.gov.