Get the latest information in trends and hot topics in cleaning from a panel of industry experts at the concurrent Seminar Series. These hour long seminar sessions cover a wide variety of cleaning issues, ranging from how to select a vacuum cleaner, how to choose true environmentally friendly products, through to how to run a business successfully during an economic slow-down. Book seminars now - just $27.50 inc GST per seminar.
SEMINAR 1: FLOOR CARE Slip-Falls - The Causes and How to Control Them 11am, Tues 27 October Dr Gary Martin, ATTAR
There is no single cause of slip accidents but lots of contributing factors varying from the state of the floor even to the state of mind of the individual. In discussing these, reference will also be made to the most rigorous way of making floor treatment assessments, as well as discussing the relevant Standards and guides plus practical experience to illustrate floor treatment effects on slip-falls.
Dr Gary Martin, ATTAR
With twenty five years working in the area of slip incidents, Dr Gary Martin was the first person to use a Tortus Floor Friction Tester in Australia. His company, ATTAR, was the first facility accredited by NATA for both wet and dry slip resistance tests. He has been an active member of the Standards Australia sub-committee BD/94 since its creation in the early 1990s and has authored and co-authored more than 1000 slip test reports.
SEMINAR 2: CARPET CLEANING Upgrade to Trade 1pm, Tues 27 October Brian Clark, NUCCA
In Queensland now, to clean school carpets you have to be qualified to an industry recognized standard. Training is now an essential. This means an upgrade of carpet cleaners to trade status. Is this going to go national? Is the end in sight for unqualified cleaners? Is profitability in carpet cleaning linked to professionalism?
Brian Clark, NUCCA
Brian Clark has been involved in the cleaning industry with an accent on carpets for many years. Currently the CEO of NUCCA, the highly organised Carpet Cleaners Association, he has years of experience in the commercial field with machinery manufacturers and today also runs Janitech, acting as a consultant to the carpet cleaning industry. He is a prolific and well-known speaker on a wide range of cleaning topics.
SEMINAR 3: HEALTHCARE Cleaning in Healthcare - An Eye to the Future 3pm, Tues 27 October Helen Vertoudakis, Johnson Diversey
Among the issues facing the healthcare system are undoubtedly sustainability insofar as chemicals are concerned, the many green issues and the ever increasing resistance to disinfectants. Helen Vertoudakis will look at present technology, tell us whether it is coping and look at future expectations and challenges for the chemical industry in healthcare.
Helen Vertoudakis, Johnson Diversey
Helen Vertoudakis is a highly qualified microbiologist and biotechnologist with experience taking her through food and beverage, pharmaceutical, facilities management and, most particularly, healthcare. As National Healthcare manager for Johnson-Diversey for Australia and New Zealand, Helen is very healthcare orientated and very conscious of the needs of infection control
SEMINAR 4: DEBATE Vacuums: BackPacks, Uprights, Bags, Bagless - Which is Best? 11am, Wed 28 October
The question of which form of vacuuming is the most productive and most effective has been a debating point in cleaning as long as there have been vacuum cleaners. This debate is an opportunity to hear three absolute top-of-the-tree experts debate the qualities of the various concepts. No doubt there will be dogmatic, possibly heated and certainly informed debate as each of the three speakers has an opportunity to make their points.
Tibor Frei
Tibor Frei has been with Hako, designing much of their equipment including the Rotobic range. In fact he has been engineer in charge of production of Rotobic equipment for many years and through several ownerships. His vast understanding of production makes his opinions extremely valid.
Ross Cameron
Ross Cameron is currently the Managing Director of Dyson Appliances Australia and under his guidance these vacuums have become the largest selling vacuum cleaners in Australia. Prior to that he has had many years in engineering and production, from Rolls Royce in his earlier years to Rotobic with Terry Fraser. Not known for keeping his opinions to himself he has a firm conviction regarding new technology as all will hear.
Brian Clark
Brian Clark from Janitech has had many years in all aspects of carpet cleaning and brings a wealth of experience, from machinery to contracting to training and a reputation for knowledge.
SEMINAR 5: BUSINESS Financing a Business in Tough Times 1pm, Wed 28 October Michael Ryan, Finlease
This session covers the difficulties encountered where funds are hard to come by. Cash flow funding options, borrowing from banks including who banks are actually lending to, plant and equipment financing and how to structure your finance are all covered.
Michael Ryan, Finlease
Michael Ryan can speak with great authority on this topic as he has been part of Finlease for the past 12 years and is a member of the National Institute of Accountants. Prior to joining Finlease he had 10 years working with the business units of major banks so he knows how those institutions deal with businesses.
SEMINAR 6: TRAINING Setting National Standards for Cleaning Training 3pm, Wed 28 October Bruce Whiteley, Daniels Associates
Currently cleaning performance standards are anything but uniform. Competency standards are so general they tell a cleaner or trainer nothing about the act of cleaning, carpet cleaners cause as much damage as effective cleaning, there is little effective training in "how to" or hands-on skills and the supply side is simply not involved at all.
Bruce Whiteley, Daniels Associates
Bruce Whiteley is a highly controversial speaker who is outspoken on these issues with a conviction that there has to be a change in the industry approach to training. He believes that far too much training is simply looking for a cash cow and not focusing, possibly because of lack of competence, on the best methods of achieving high and uniform standards. With years in manufacturing as well as technical training and an eloquence to match, Bruce Whiteley is a speaker not to be missed.
SEMINAR 7: AGED CARE The Problems of Maintaining Aged Care Facilities 10am, Thurs 29 October Rob Musilli, Tasman Chemicals
In some respects maintaining aged care facilities stands alongside healthcare but in other ways it has its own peculiar problems. Many of the problems arise from cutting corners as a result of inadequate costing and quoting by contractors while other difficulties arise from the demands of the facilities. This results in the misuse or wrong use of often cheap chemicals. In addition facility staff are often required to back up when contractors are not on the spot but have no or little training in chemical use or problem solving.
Rob Musilli, Tasman Chemicals
Rob Musilli is National Business Development Training Manager for Tasman Chemicals and has fifteen years of experience in chemicals, much of it with aged care facilities. He tells it as it is and has the knowledge to do so.
SEMINAR 8: MARKETING How to Put Your Name Up in Lights 12pm, Thurs 29 October Maria Skettos, Skettos Marketing Communications
In this session participants can expect to gain an understanding of the role of marketing in business, how to develop a marketing program as well as the importance of marketing tactics and managing the marketing process to build sales and improve the bottom line.
Maria Skettos, Skettos Marketing Communications
Maria Skettos has been working in marketing for 18 years and is a highly experienced and knowledgeable marketing practitioner. She is currently the Managing Director of Skettos Marketing Communications and works with a range of clients across a spectrum of industries - from large blue chip corporations to small businesses as well as government agencies. A popular speaker she presents regularly to industry associations, corporations and professional groups.
SEMINAR 9: GREEN CLEANING Are You Getting Green Products or Greenwash? 2pm, Thurs 29 October Nick Capobianco, GECA
Nick Capobianco will deal with green cleaning in detail. Chemicals, cleaning services and their environmental impacts, Greenwash and misleading claims, certification and GECA's eco-labeling are all covered.
Nick Capobianco, GECA
Nick Capobianco is an environmental marketing consultant with 18 years experience and has held the position of Director of Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) as well as having being Chairman of GECA's marketing committee and a member of the marketing committee of the Green Building Council of Australia. He is currently heads up GECA's marketing campaign.
