27.03.2009 – The Dussmann Service project „Healthy, Safe Cleaning“ impressed the jury and won the Austrian Award for Preventive Health Care 2009 in the category „Businesses in Lower Austria“

 

By: Martina Zowack
Photo: Dussmann Service

The Dussmann Service pilot project „Healthy, Safe Cleaning“ was awarded the Austrian Award for Preventive Health Care 2009 in the category “Businesses in Lower Austria”. State Governor, Erwin Pröll presented Managing Director, Peter Edelmayer and Work Council Representative, Susanne Deimel-Heiderer with the award which includes 3000 Euros, during a celebratory matinée.

The award was established to promote preventive health care campaigns and to increase awareness for these issues among the general population. There is an award each for the categories “businesses”, “educational institutes”, “municipalities & towns” and “private campaigns” for Austria and for Lower Austria. The most important criteria applied by the specialist jury to the over 300 entries were active participation of the target group and documented long-term change in behavior.

Cleaning is a particularly sensitive issue in hospitals and cleaning staff are subject to substantial pressures. Awkward posture can make work even more difficult; in addition to the hazards associated with the use of strong cleaning products and infectious waste, there are the dangers of injuries from hypodermic needles. However, perfect cleaning is a precondition for the recovery of patients and it is therefore imperative that cleaning staff are provided with good working conditions under which they can work to the necessary standards.

In 2007, Dussmann Service Austria therefore started the two year workplace health promotion (BGF) project “healthy, safe cleaning” in the hospitals of Hollabrunn and Hainburg in Lower Austria. The objective was to improve the health and safety of cleaning staff and to increase work motivation. In a survey among the staff, problems were listed and solutions developed. A program of workshops, including one on proper working posture, was introduced.  

Peter Edelmayer, Managing Director of Dussmann Service Austria on winning the Health Prevention Care Award: “I am happy to see the success of this innovative project ‘Healthy, Safe Cleaning’ which helps to increase awareness in the entire sector. Because of our many years of experience in cleaning services, we are familiar with the problems which occur during this type of work, and it is for this reason that we are leading the field with this project. We are, however, dependent upon the cooperation of the participating hospitals and I offer my thanks to those responsible at Hollabrunn and Hainburg. I hope that further hospitals will be inspired to take part in such a cooperation and thus successively improve the working conditions for cleaning staff. Dussmann Service Austria will soon be starting a further pilot project on quality assurance in cleaning services.“

 

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