The Global Harmonization System (GHS) has established updated changes to the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS).  The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is requiring all employees, in any place of work, who handle hazardous chemicals to be trained on the new GHS system by December 1st, 2013.  The update is intended to increase worker comprehension of vital information and workplace safety.

 

These updates were created to help create a global standard for the following items:

1.  Pictograms, labels, and signal words used in labels

2.  Hazard and precautionary statements

3.  Classifications for health and physical hazards, as well as classifications of mixtures

4.  Expands the safety data sheets (SDS), formerly known as material safety data sheets (MSDS) to a specific 16-section format

 

To learn about the new GHS system the ISSA is offering a low-cost training course.  It is called “Hazard Communication 2012 SDS, Pictograms, and Label Elements.”  Visit issa.com/ghsonline to register for this online course and prepare for this change with less disruption to your business.  The class complies with the December 1st training deadline.

Follow this link to register:   ISSA Training

 

Hiring a reputable commercial cleaning company, like QualityOne Commercial Cleaning, Inc., is the right step for keeping your business at the top.  That’s because a clean office is essential to your business, not only for keeping your building looking professional, but for keeping your employees healthy and productive.

Often employees feel the need to show up for work, even when they are really too sick to be there.  It’s called presenteeism and various studies have shown that it costs US employers from $150 billion to $280 billion a year.  This is due to an increase of worker illness, from sick employees spreading infection, and can cause a loss of productivity when employees come to work at less than 100 percent of their ability.  Wikipedia

In a recent study conducted at the University of Arizona, people had been given different drops on their hands at the beginning of the day, including fake cold, flu, and stomach flu viruses and plain water.  It was found that, in just four hours, over half of all commonly touched office surfaces were infected with viruses.  By the end of the day, although cold and flu viruses, with a shorter survival time, had mostly vanished, 70 percent of the surfaces were infected with the fake stomach flu viruses.University of Arizona link  Accordingly, in 2009 it was reported, from data collected by the IWPR,  that as many as 7 million employees were infected by the H1N1 virus from co-workers coming to work sick. IWPR

We can easily see, from studies like this, why it is so important to keep your office clean.  QualityOne is IICRC certified and our techs are specially trained for proper cleaning.  We are also the only member of the ISSA in Story County.  So, make your call to QualityOne Commercial Cleaning, Inc. today and let us help keep you at your best.  We won’t only improve your health, but your business as well!

K. Carter

QualityOne Commercial Cleaning, Inc.

319 sondrol Ave

Ames, IA 50010

(515) 232-7272

Photo taken from Microsoft Office Free Clipart:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/

 

QualityOne Commercial Cleaning, Inc. has been voted Best of Story County for the third year in a row!

We give a big thank you to the people of Story County and all our satisfied clients for making us #1.  We appreciate all your support!  We are continually grateful to be able to serve Story County and the surrounding areas.  We also thank all of our wonderful employees, who dedicate themselves to being the best everyday.  We could not have received this honor without you.

                                                                                                         ~ Q1 Management

Click here to see the Best of Story County 2013 results

(See page 12 for QualityOne Commercial Cleaning, Inc.)

 

General Cleaning

• First, check your manual for any specific instructions pertaining to your keyboard.

• Disconnect your keyboard from the computer.

• Hold your keyboard upside down and gently shake any loose debris out of the keys.

• Put the keyboard down and use a can of compressed air to clean between the keys.  You can purchase compressed air at your local home-improvement or office supply store.

• Use a cotton swab with either a special electronics cleaner, such as Endust for Electronics, or use isopropyl alcohol.  Apply the cleaner to the swab and swipe it along the outside edges of the keys and between the keys.

• You can also use a soft cloth to wipe down the surface of the keyboard and wipe any grime or fingerprints off the tops of the keys and surrounding areas.  Be careful not to rub off the lettering.

• Wait a few minutes to be sure the keyboard is completely dry before plugging it back into the computer.

 

Spills on Keyboards

Spilling liquid on your keyboard can hurt it in two ways.  First, if you spill something other than water, your keys can become sticky and will not function properly.  Second, it can cause an electrical short-out in the circuit board.  If you spill something on your keyboard you may need to do a more thorough cleaning:

• Immediately turn the keyboard upside down and let it drain for several hours.

• Gently pry off the small keys with a flat end/standard screwdriver.  You may want to avoid taking off the larger keycaps, such as the spacebar, Shift, and Enter, as these can be difficult to re-attach.  Take a photo or draw a diagram of the keyboard before you remove the keys to make sure you get them back into the same places.

• Clean the keys individually.  You may want to soak them in isopropyl alcohol for a short time.  Again, be careful not to clean away the letter markings.

• To clean the inside of the keyboard you’ll need a small screwdriver to remove the screws in the back of the keyboard.

• To wipe the circuit board down, use a soft cloth and isopropyl alcohol.  A pasty substance on the metal indicates damage.  Use a small brush dipped in alcohol to scrub the paste away.  Never use water on a circuit board.

• Let all components dry thoroughly for a least a day before re-assembling and plugging back into the computer.

 

If you follow these steps and your keyboard will still not function properly it may have been too damaged.  You will need to take it to a computer repair service for further analysis or purchase a new keyboard.

Ideas can vary on how long to let the keyboard dry, various techniques, etc., so here are a few links I’ve found with their own instructions for cleaning a keyboard.  The last link will take you to numerous instructional videos on YouTube that may help as well.

How to Clean Your Keyboard – pcworld.com

How to Dry Out a Keyboard After a Spill – voices.yahoo.com

How to Thoroughly Clean Your Keyboard Without Breaking Anything – howtogeek.com

How to Clean Your Computer Keyboard – YouTube Videos

K. Carter

QualityOne Commercial Cleaning, Inc.

319 Sondrol Ave

Ames, IA 50010

(515) 232-7272

 

Photo taken from Microsoft Office Free Clipart:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/

 

Since we’re celebrating Valentines Day today we thought this would be the perfect time to share this informative page about chocolate with you, by Buffini & Company.

Here’s the link:  Chocolate – Buffini & Company

So, who wants some chocolate now?

 Feb 2013