UVa becomes 3rd U.S. university to earn Green Seal certification for healthy cleaning services

by Shane Henson — November 22, 2013—The University of Virginia was recently awarded Green Seal’s official seal of approval for meeting the organization’s rigorous standards for cleaning for health. Green Seal, an independent provider of certification and science-based standards for commercial cleaning, honored the university with the prestigious Green Seal GS-42 Certification for cleaning service programs, making it the first higher education institution in Virginia, and the third in the nation, to receive the certification.

Conforming to the standards developed by Green Seal takes a serious commitment on the part of any cleaning service. Last October, University of Virginia Training Manager Sandra Smith attended GS-42 training offered by the Building Wellness Institute in Maryland and from there mapped out a project plan to address Green Seal’s requirements for its GS-42 Standard for Commercial and Institutional Cleaning Services .

“From the very beginning, our goal was to use the pursuit of certification as an opportunity to develop our staff, create standards for cleaning quality and consistency, and overall strengthen the team to be as productive and motivated as possible,” Smith said.

Over 50 procedures now document requirements on topics such as:

  • Using only safe and effective approved products
  • Consulting material manufacturers for recommended cleaning products and procedures
  • Ensuring there is sufficient matting at entryways to catch initial dust, dirt and contaminants
  • Avoiding cross-contamination by separating restroom supplies from those used in non-restroom spaces
  • Monitoring powered equipment to ensure it is capturing and not re-releasing dust into the environment

According to Green Seal, obtaining its certification gives organizations such as UVa the right to say that their systems, products, procedures and cleaning practices do the following:

  • Improve the environment by reducing toxic pollution and waste
  • Increase the health and well-being of building occupants and front-line team members
  • Demonstrate that environmentally responsible products can meet performance expectations
  • Decrease absenteeism due to health issues
  • Improve learning abilities and resulting test scores

Achieving this certification also assures donors that buildings across grounds are being maintained to the highest standards, and helps parents feel more comfortable knowing that the health, safety and welfare of students are among the school’s highest priorities, UVa officials say.