What is a BioRisk Commercial Cleaning Services Certification/ Accreditation? Credit: Matilda Wormwood A building’s cleanliness greatly influences how comfortable and safe its occupants feel. However, proving how clean a building or public space is has been challenging for cleaning professionals and facility managers for decades. And, as the presence of high-risk biological contaminants such as COVID-19 and RSV, continue to present serious safety concerns, the demand for cleaning companies to provide greater assurances in their cleaning processes increases as well. This is where biorisk commercial cleaning certifications come in. In this article, we’ll explain what a biorisk commercial cleaning certification is, why it’s important to cleaning businesses, and discuss the rigorous steps to earn one. So What Is A BioRisk Commercial Cleaning Services Certification /Accreditation? A biorisk commercial cleaning certificate is a highly regarded certification awarded to businesses in the cleaning industry that demonstrate a keen commitment to mitigating and managing biohazard situations. The gold standard of bio-safety certification for a cleaning business is GBAC STAR™ accreditations. These are awarded by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council™(GBAC), a division of ISSA, only to those who meet their strict criteria. With a GBAC STAR™ Services or Facility Accreditation, clients seeking cleaning professionals can quickly identify cleaning services and products that meet an elite level of sanitation and cleaning validation standards that they can trust. Types of GBAC STAR™ Janitorial Accreditation Different GBAC STAR™ accreditation programs exist that companies, facilities, and product suppliers can qualify for. The nature of the facility or service being assessed will determine which accreditation is best for that endeavor. For Facilities: When a facility has a GBAC STAR™ accreditation, it has an established and comprehensive maintenance program that supports occupant health and can quickly respond to biosafety challenges. Unique accreditations are available for: K-12 schools Hotels Restaurants Public stadiums/arenas Spas Healthcare facilities For Service Providers: Cleaning professionals and commercial sanitation businesses with GBAC STAR™ Services Accreditation use processes that meet GBAC’s strict requirements. Cleaning companies that earn a biorisk cleaning certificate have proven they have incredibly high standards for cleaning quality, service reputation, and incident response measures. Any business that provides third-party cleaning products and services for cleaning homes, commercial facilities, or publicly owned buildings can apply for a GBAC STAR™ service accreditation. Examples of services and products that can apply for GBAC STAR™ accreditations include: Janitorial software providers Building maintenance providers Cleaning validation software Surface contamination technologies Get Cleaning Insight Like You’ve Never Seen Before Surface imaging with Pathfinder™ shows you where the germs are See How It Works Why Does a Biorisk Cleaning Certification or Accreditation Matter? The GBAC STAR™ services accreditation program is the most prestigious and sought-after biorisk accreditation available. This accreditation is vital for commercial cleaning businesses, facilities, and product providers because it provides tangible proof that a facility or service provider has met the highest industry standards for bio-risk management. Improve Biorisk Management Reduce the potential spread of contagious illnesses and promote a healthy environment for everyone. With a commercial cleaning certification or accreditation, businesses and facilities can ensure proper environmental hygiene practices are being met. Demonstrate Cleaning Validation Excellence With an industry-recognized certification/accreditation that validates the efficacy of cleaning protocols and procedures, commercial cleaning businesses can provide assurance that their work is being done to the highest standards. For instance, companies that use Optisolve’s GBAC STAR™ certified cleaning validation software can easily demonstrate to stakeholders their commitment to identifying environmental risks and targeting them with precision cleaning processes. Gain Competitive Advantage Much like other internationally renowned quality management systems, such as ISO9000, a commercial cleaning certification like the GBAC STAR™ services or facility accreditation gives commercial cleaners, facility managers, and product providers greater credibility and a competitive edge. Earn Client Trust A trusted certification or accreditation helps improve the confidence of guests and occupants. They feel more comfortable and safe because they know the facility prioritizes technology and procedures that properly disinfect a space. Credit: Liliana Drew GBAC STAR™ Accreditation Requirements Earning a biorisk cleaning certification or accreditation is a detailed and meticulous process requiring companies to fully commit to an ongoing standard of excellence in their cleaning and cleaning validation processes. Step 1: Determine if the GBAC STAR™ accreditation is the most suitable for your business. To determine which GBAC STAR™ accreditation is best suited for your business, you may need to consider the type of services and products you offer, the kind of commercial facility you are servicing, the potential bio-risk challenges that might be present, and if your established maintenance program meets GBAC’s standards for safety and quality. Step 2: Create a plan that covers all the accreditation requirements. This plan should cover topics like employee training, risk assessment, and management strategies, incident response procedures and practices, and develop an efficient process for maintaining all related records. Step 3: Train personnel to ensure they can perform their duties per GBAC STAR™ standards. Start training personnel on the GBAC Star™ accreditation standards. This includes hazard recognition, proper application of cleaning protocols and procedures, risk mitigation strategies, and how to use protective equipment. Optisolve cleaning validation technology serves a variety of industries including: Healthcare Event Spaces Food Manufacturing Building Service Contractors Step 4: Prepare for an onsite audit of your commercial cleaning processes Be prepared for a GBAC STAR™ auditor to review and audit your cleaning processes with a fine-toothed comb. Be sure to have a robust documentation system in place that auditors can easily access and review. Optisolve Cleaning Validation Tools Make Compliance Easy Optisolve delivers commercial cleaning programs with the tools needed for the successful implementation, monitoring, and maintenance of a commercial cleaning program. In addition to providing elite surface contamination technology, our suite of cloud-based validation tools is designed to simplify compliance, enforce audit readiness and guarantee data integrity. At Optisolve, our commercial cleaning validation software helps commercial businesses meet the requirements for a GBAC STAR™ janitorial services and facility accreditation. We automate the process of risk identification in each space, so commercial cleaners can quickly and easily target known risks with precision cleaning processes. Contact us to learn more about how our GBAC STAR™ registered solutions can help your business gain a competitive edge or meet commercial cleaning certification and or accreditation requirements.
What to Know About GBAC Star™ Accreditations Credit: Gil Ribeiro The COVID-19 pandemic forever changed how businesses approach the cleaning and maintenance of their buildings. As many businesses shifted to adopt better health and safety practices, many sought to achieve the highest standards of evidence-based cleanliness protocols possible through commercial cleaning certifications and accreditations. The most widely adopted among them is the GBAC Star™ Facility Accreditation and Services Accreditation. Our guide to ISSA cleaning certifications and accreditations covers what you need to know about how to become a certified cleaner and or facility to demonstrate cleanliness standards through cleaning validation procedures. What is the GBAC Star accreditation? The International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) is a world-leading trade association that standardizes and accredits the global cleaning industry. ISSA offers several janitorial certifications, each reflecting different types of facilities, such as schools, hotels, or office buildings. One of the certifications ISSA issues is the GBAC Star™ Facility Accreditation, which sets the standards for how to prevent and respond to biological outbreaks in facilities. Designed by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council™ (GBAC) a division of ISSA, this accreditation program trains cleaning companies and internal facility maintenance teams on essential protocols like: Disinfection techniques Cleanup practices for biohazard material Workplace practices that promote occupant health The GBAC Star™ accreditation is a performance-based certification that requires participating entities to meet 20 different elements of quality management. After initial accreditation, reaccreditation occurs on a recurring annual basis. Benefits of Commercial Cleaning Accreditations and Certifications Obtaining a GBAC Star™ cleaning service accreditation has numerous financial, social, and health benefits that help businesses establish themselves as reputable janitorial service providers. Below are some of the top reasons to pursue commercial cleaning certifications, like the GBAC Star™ accreditation: Ensures standardization: GBAC Star™ accreditations set standards of cleaning across multiple different industries, both public and private. By adhering to a single standard for cleaning practices, occupants, staff, visitors, and other stakeholders are never left feeling uncertain about the cleanliness and sanitation of a space. Our commercial cleaning validation products suit the needs of a variety of industries including: Healthcare Facilities Food Manufacturing Event Spaces Building Service Contractors Improves workplace safety: Janitor certifications such as the GBAC Star™ accreditation foster workplace health and safety by setting high standards for cleanliness and sanitation. Staff who work inside buildings can rest assured they’re carrying out their job duties in a clean and healthy environment. Provides third-party validation: Since ISSA provides cleaning certification courses as a third-party accreditor, there’s higher certainty that businesses that are GBAC STAR-accredited are actually meeting a set of standards consistently. Third-party validation prevents businesses from misrepresenting their cleaning standards. Boosts customer confidence: When high-traffic buildings are cleaned and maintained by a GBAC STAR-accredited cleaner, it gives the general public or building occupants the reassurance to use the space without fear of encountering biorisk. Restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality-driven establishments can welcome in customers confidently. Credit: Nino Maghradze What Businesses Need a Commercial Cleaning Certification or accreditation? GBAC Star™ Accreditation program is designed for cleaning companies that serve any size of facility. Whether it’s a public or private building, any space with regular occupants can benefit from the highest standard in commercial and industrial cleaning. Below we’ll look at some of the categories of facilities that use certified commercial cleaning. Educational facilities: Daycares K-12 schools Higher education centers General service providers: Gyms and fitness centers Restaurants Retail centers and shopping malls Grocery stores Healthcare providers: Doctors and dentists offices Hospitals and clinics Assisted care facilities Chiropractic and physiotherapy practices Massage clinics and spas Paper Cleaning Checklists Piling Up Gathering Dust? Make cleaning assessments useful again with SAVI cleaning validation software Learn More Religious and events buildings: Churches and places of worship Convention centers and conference buildings Stadiums and arenas Transportation sector: Airlines and airports Car rental agencies Public transit authorities How to Achieve ISSA Cleaning Certification To achieve ISSA cleaning certifications, interested parties must go through an application process administered by the ISSA council. For organizations interested in pursuing the GBAC Star™ Accreditation program, the application process includes the following steps: Complete and submit the online application Receive an accreditation handbook and implementation guides Submit accreditation documents to the council for review Upon successful review, business is deemed compliant and GBAC STAR-accredited The GBAC Star™ accreditation cost varies based on organizational size and complexity, ranging from $600 to $16,500. During the process, a deposit is due at the time of initial application, with the balance to be paid upon accreditation. Achieving the GBAC facility or service accreditation doesn’t end once you receive the accreditation. Facilities must continually demonstrate adherence to the program’s standards. Demonstrating cleaning validation is essential to obtaining and maintaining certification. Cleaning validation procedures help businesses establish evidence for cleaning and sanitation practices in order to continuously prove the necessary standards to meet accreditation. Credit: Verne Ho With the help of cleaning validation consultants, businesses can ensure they are properly documenting and demonstrating their work. Some of the cleaning validation procedures that help businesses achieve cleaning certifications and accreditations include: Using evidence-based technology to identify surface contamination Adopting a software platform that documents and schedules cleaning protocols Maintaining a history of cleaning to support the evidence and documentation that’s needed Not only do cleaning validation practices make the certification process more efficient by saving you time and money during documentation, but they also streamline your internal cleaning protocols. Cleaning validation technology and procedures remove the guesswork from commercial cleaning so that staff can work in an efficient and effective way. Obtain ISSA Cleaning Certifications With Optisolve Cleaning Validation ISSA cleaning certifications are world-renowned certifications and accreditations that can help your business demonstrate to stakeholders your commitment to a clean and sanitary environment. Accreditations like the GBAC Star™ program allow businesses to continually meet the highest standards in biorisk management. If you’re pursuing a certification or accreditation for your cleaning business, consider how to make the process easier and more manageable by adopting cleaning validation tools and technology. Optisolve® cleaning validation tools include Pathfinder™ surface imaging technology and SAVI® cleaning quality management software. Both technologies are GBAC Star™ registered producs and technologies. They work together to help your business achieve the highest cleaning standards and maximize cleaning protocols and efficiencies. Contact us today to learn more about our approach to cleaning validation.
