- UNLV Student Recreation and Wellness Center (SRWC): Empowerment Through Knowledge, Health, and Cleaning
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a leading research university with a 332-acre main campus in Southern Nevada. Its more than 220 accredited degree programs provide empowerment through knowledge.
Similarly, UNLV's Student Recreation and Wellness Center (SRWC) offers 30,000 student members, 7,000 faculty/other members, and half a million annual visitors knowledge and resources to empower them and enhance their health by its:
- Fitness Assessments, Cardio Equipment, Resistance-training Equipment, Free Weights, and Qualified Personal Trainers.
- 1/8th-mile Indoor Jogging Track.
- 6-lane, 25-yard Lap Pool.
- Spa, Leisure, and Vortex Pool.
- Multi-Purpose Activity Courts (MAC).
- Faculty and Staff Treatment Center (FAST) offering services to faculty, staff, and their age 5 and older dependents.
- On-campus Pharmacy.
- Student Health Center providing vaccinations and treatment for minor sickness and injuries.
- Wellness Promotion / Rebel Wellness Zone providing education, nutritional consulting, and more.
- Student Counseling and Psychological Services by qualified health professionals.
William Mattos, SRWC Custodial Supervisor, a 30+ year cleaning veteran, applies the empowerment mindset to the cleaning staff of 15 that maintains SRWC facilities comprising 184,000 square feet – with health and safety as top priorities.
'I tell them they are as important as the President of the US−because that is what I believe,' Mattos says.
'I am not a friend of mops,' he adds. He provides his staff Kaivac 1750 spray-and-vac machines that enable multipurpose No Touch cleaning, professional dignity, more productivity, and especially, enhanced cleaning and healthier outcomes, by replacing mops and tools for:
- Cleaning the ceramic floors and 26 showers in the men's and ladies' locker rooms.
- Cleaning restrooms, ceramic tile, vinyl composition tile, rubber floors, carpet, and even windows.
'We empower the staff with effective equipment, and teach them that the right machine is their best friend; it gets the work done better and faster, with less effort.'
Videos on the Kaivac website that show proper application have been invaluable; the tutorials model correct procedure, so William does not have to create separate materials. 'I just point them to the video I want them to watch.'
Commitment to Health, Safety, Cleaning Without Residue
Spray-and-vac machines fit SRWC's health and safety commitment by applying only clean solution to surfaces then vacuuming the soiled liquid; avoiding cross-contamination and unsightly film endemic to mops. Since floors are virtually dry after cleaning, the slip and fall hazard is reduced if not eliminated.
Kaivac units also help with floor scrubbing and stripping:
Janitors apply fresh cleaning solution or stripper to hard or vinyl floors, scrub with a side-to-side or swing machine, then vacuum the liquid or slurry using the Kaivac machine, floor tool and wand. Areas are re-moistened and or rinsed with fresh water using the 1750's spray gun, then vacuumed. The machines are cleaned after each use.
Las Vegas has hard water, so mopping leaves mineral deposits. Kaivac machines simultaneously remove soil, water and suspended minerals, so along with better cleaning, there is no mineral buildup.
Using the Kaivac 1750 with accessories, the crew cleans carpet and upholstery with outcomes rivaling dedicated extractors; they also do windows. They apply clean solution with the 1750 spray gun, then squeegee the soiled solution.
'Cleaning is hard and monotonous work, and at times can be overwhelming,' concludes William. 'Kaivac empowers us to get many jobs done with fewer tools: more productively and professionally; with less fatigue and fewer hazards to health.'
UNLV's Student Recreation and Wellness Center (SRWC) exemplifies empowerment in knowledge, health, and cleaning, thanks largely to management's commitment to professional methods.
Allen Rathey
Allen Rathey is the principal of the Healthy Facilities Institute (HFI), director of the Indoor Wellness Council (IWC), and author of articles about best practices in cleaning and indoor environmental management.
*The Healthy Facilities Institute (HFI) and the Indoor Wellness Council (IWC) do not endorse products.
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