GAZETTExpress

The Guide to Prescriptive Cleaning

APRIL 1, 2016 ISSUE #5

Cleaning for Health,

Appearance & Excellence
by Ed Williams
Manager, Site Resources Division
Brookhaven National Laboratory
More than 20 cleaning staff attended the Site Resources Divisions inaugural cleaning boot
camp this past December. A new cleaning methodology called (OS1), which stands for Operating
System One, is in the pilot phase now and will roll out to the rest of the Labs cleaning staff soon.

This is the First (OS1) Custodial Team at Building 400

Ben Walker (ManageMen, Inc.), Sherry Yarborough, Connie Turpin,
Dion Brown, Luis Arevalo, Martha Bryant (Custodial Supervisor)
Photo Courtesy of Brookhaven National Laboratory

The (OS1) system will result in an improved, more environmentally friendly, and more costeffective system of cleaning here at Brookhaven. We are piloting the (OS1) system in Bldgs.
400 and 490 to gain experience, give the trained cleaning staff a chance to apply what they
learned in training and in the field, and to adjust the system so it will work best at Brookhaven.
Adopting (OS1) and the initial (OS1) boot camp are critical parts of the Site Resources Divisions
continuous improvement plan.
The (OS1) cleaning methodology is a team-based approach to cleaning that produces
predictable and repeatablecleanresults. Each (OS1) cleaning team has four specialists, each
proficient in a specific role: restroom specialist, light-duty specialist, vacuuming specialist, and
utility specialist. Each has its own set of tasks to be performed, engineered tool kit and cart, and
specific routes and tasks. The work is balanced and timed for each team to complete its tasks
together and then move on to the next assigned space.
Other institutions and organizations that have found success with (OS1) include Sandia
National Laboratories, the Ohio State University, the University of Texas, the University of North
Carolina, and the U.S. Postal Service.

John Walker teaching (OS1) Boot Camp

Photo Courtesy of Brookhaven National Laboratory

Planning Training, Implementation

Early last year, the general supervisor of our custodial services and her management team
attended Janitor University, where they trained alongside teams from other organizations
adopting (OS1). Based on their experience, we chose to pilot (OS1) at Brookhaven.
Once we trained our management staff and established a training area, we held our December
boot camp. From start to finish, our people demonstrated their professionalism and skill through
every sequence of the boot camp.
We expect to gradually introduce (OS1) to the rest of the Lab with full implementation in 2018,
following an 18-to-24 month implementation schedule. Implementation will include training the
remainder of the cleaning staff, clearing custodial closets of less effective materials and stocking
them with better products and tools. We will also count fixtures and measure cleanable space to be
sure our teams are assigned where they are needed.

Luis Arevalo, (OS1) Vacuum Specialist

Photo Courtesy of Brookhaven National Laboratory

Dion Brown, (OS1) Utility Specialist

Photo Courtesy of Brookhaven National Laboratory

Pat Hughes attending (OS1) Boot Camp

Photo Courtesy of Brookhaven National Laboratory

Our Commitment

We clean first for health and then for appearance. The Site Resources Division is proud to
do its part in making work environments on site cleaner and healthier, and were excited about
implementing this improved, more cost-effective system here at Brookhaven.
This article originally appeared in Brookhaven National Laboratory Newsroom and has been reused with
permission from the original author and Brookhaven National Laboratory.

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2016 ManageMen All Rights Reserved www.managemen.com Rev. 1 APR 2016