The many links and other information WSA has provided to Members are shown below. If anyone has questions about any of the information shown be sure to send us an email or give our Director, Ranger Kidwell-Ross, a call or text on his cell, 360.739.7323.
Since WalMart is now closing at 8pm, Dale Brantley, Manager of Walmart’s Exterior Services, has authorized sweeping contractors to begin as early as 10pm. However, I know of at least one Member who has been starting as early at 8pm with no repercussions. If you do the latter, be sure the system takes your login/logout information with no problems!
However, Brantley also said “
The real issue is only on [Saturday night for work on] Sunday, when they can’t check in before 12am because the new weekly WO [Work Order] starts at 12am Sunday morning. Any other days is good to start at 10pm as long as they are following the GPS guidelines for check in and out.”
– Dale
• We suggest you may be able to start sweeping some of your other accounts early, as well, by requesting to do so on a case-by-case basis.
Remember: The comprehensive
COVID-19 Industry Update public information page co-sponsored by WSA and WorldSweeper is being routinely updated.
Handouts and Similar Resources
This PDF of handouts from WSA Advisory Board Member, Millennium Maintenance and Power Sweeping, include: A general info page on the virus; a letter to customers with general info; updated info email to customers.
Commercial Power Sweeping (CPS) provided: a letter to keep in the cab explaining that CPS is providing an essential service; one that notifies readers that CPS is providing them with an essential service; and, info about an EPA-approved sanitizing agent called ‘Triple’ the company purchased in a 50-gallon drum from Kansas City-based Meyer Labs that it is properly diluting for distribution to customers and employees, as well as using to sanitize its trucks and work spaces.
Handouts from Florida-based WSA Founding Member company, Blown Away. If you’re developing handouts and other explanatory material you will want to look at the files Ron provided, which he has authorized for modification and use by anyone in the industry as long as all identifying info of Blown Away is removed.
Here is the link to all of Barnett’s pdf files; click below for the individual files:
There is widespread reporting documenting the abandonment of gloves and masks in the parking lots of stores that are still open. We strongly suggest that your still-open business customers should all move to a 7-nights-per-week sweeping schedule in the interest of increased public safety.
Here’s
a pdf scan of a Boston newspaper article on the topic; an article about the same thing occurring in
Philadelphia, which includes comments by a local sweeper operator; and, another article that comes from
Staten Island, NY.
Click here to download our WSA handout urging your customers to sweep every night.
To publicize the importance of sweepers cleaning all ‘essential retail businesses’ nightly, along with the capability of using sanitizer in their dust suppression systems, WSA distributed
this letter to a variety of government agencies and news media outlets.
We encourage you to provide the link to your local political and news media outlets as well as post it to your social media accounts.
Miscellaneous Other COVID-related Info
1) If your company wants to do any kind of sanitizing or other virus mitigation for clients, it’s especially important you know as much as possible about any disinfectant product you might want to use. The EPA has developed a ‘
list of Registered Disinfectants‘ suggested for use to combat COVID-19. Now hitting loading docks across the nation, these often noxious industrial hygiene products inherently present unique exposure risk.
We
contacted the CDC and FEMA about the concept of having sweepers sanitize pavement while cleaning via additives in dust suppression water supply. We will update this area when we hear back.
2) VIVID Learning Systems offers
Safety Data Sheets on all such in its catalog. These provide critical life-saving information to any worker handling such materials. The download link is in .zip format; just unpack the zip file by double-clicking on it in order to see the individual PDF files for each product.
3) Want to keep up with store closures and other impacts on the retail industry?
Chain Store Age has pledged to keep current its ongoing coverage of the impact of COVID-19 on the retail industry.
4) Your employees can test (and increase) their knowledge about COVID-19 at this FREE
interactive online course designed to test one’s knowledge of the virus. Includes practice exercises while learning about at-risk populations, illness transmission types and symptoms.
5) Equipment World is offering a
best practices info page of tips for cleaning and sanitizing your sweepers and other equipment.
6) According to the latest guidelines, everyone should be wearing some type of face covering when venturing out. COVID-19 particles
has been shown to survive on dust for up to three hours.
7) Have you checked out all of the grant and loan options being provided by the government?
Here is a link to the Small Business Administration’s list of possible options. If you need help navigating how to fill out the application(s),
here is a link to a one-hour webinar by a financial pro who explains it all.
8) Many businesses with under 500 employees are now subject to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). A national law firm, Hirsch, Roberts, Weinstein, LLP is offering an updated FFCRA ‘Request for Leave Form’ at
this link.
9)
Here is the link to a primer on how to deal with the food you bring into your home; it’s a YouTube video done by a medical doctor named Jeffrey Van Wingen. The only pushback this widely distributed video has received is that fruit and vegetables may be just rinsed and you will be safe; rinsing with plain water keeps soap from being ingested.
Remember: The comprehensive
COVID-19 Industry Update public information page co-sponsored by WSA and WorldSweeper is being routinely updated.
If there is more information you believe would help you in your business please send us an email.
