ASTM E1971-98
(Guide)Standard Guide for Stewardship for the Cleaning of Commercial and Institutional Buildings
Standard Guide for Stewardship for the Cleaning of Commercial and Institutional Buildings
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers a procedure to assist owners and operators of commercial and institutional buildings in the stewardship of cleaning and housekeeping operations. The focus of this guide is to address appropriate cleaning activities and processes, to maximize eco-efficiency and to minimize adverse impacts on the building occupants, cleaning personnel, the building structure itself, and the environment. Adherence to the principles set forth in this guide can lead to greater tenant/occupant satisfaction, reduced operational costs and greater productivity (of occupants and cleaning personnel).
1.2 This guide will focus on the development of a stewardship plan and will include the assessment of cleaning processes, product selection, storage, usage, disposal, equipment, training of cleaning personnel and communication throughout the chain-of-commerce.
1.3 This guide addresses issues relating to the operation and maintenance of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems which can have a major impact on indoor air quality (IAQ) only to the extent that the HVAC system provides adequate ventilation to lower risk to cleaning personnel, building occupants and the environment during or as a result of the cleaning process.
1.4 This guide is for use in a building that is maintained by either in-house cleaning personnel or an outside cleaning contractor.
1.5 This guide is not intended for construction related activities, but may be appropriate for post construction clean-up.
1.6 This guide is not intended as a procedural guide for cleaning personnel.
1.7 This guide is not intended for use in residential buildings.
1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
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An American National Standard
Designation:E1971–98
Standard Guide for
Stewardship for the Cleaning of Commercial and
Institutional Buildings
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1971; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 2. Referenced Documents
1.1 This guide covers a procedure to assist owners and 2.1 ASTM Standards:
operators of commercial and institutional buildings in the D 5116 Guide for Small-Scale Environmental Chamber De-
stewardship of cleaning and housekeeping operations. The terminations of Organic Emissions From Indoor Materials/
focus of this guide is to address appropriate cleaning activities Products
and processes, to maximize eco-efficiency and to minimize D 5157 Guide for Statistical Evaluation of IndoorAir Qual-
adverse impacts on the building occupants, cleaning personnel, ity Models
thebuildingstructureitself,andtheenvironment.Adherenceto D 5791 Guide for Using Probability Sampling Methods of
the principles set forth in this guide can lead to greater Indoor Air Quality in Buildings
tenant/occupant satisfaction, reduced operational costs and E 1609 Guide for Development and Implementation of a
greater productivity (of occupants and cleaning personnel). Pollution Prevention Program
1.2 This guide will focus on the development of a steward- PS 40 Using Indoor Carbon Dioxide Concentrations to
ship plan and will include the assessment of cleaning pro- Evaluate Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation
cesses, product selection, storage, usage, disposal, equipment,
3. Terminology
training of cleaning personnel and communication throughout
the chain-of-commerce. 3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.1.1 baseline—a set of critical observations of data used
1.3 This guide addresses issues relating to the operation and
maintenance of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning for comparison or a control.
3.1.2 benchmarking—a series of quantitative measurements
(HVAC) systems which can have a major impact on indoor air
quality (IAQ) only to the extent that the HVAC system of performance.
3.1.3 chain-of-commerce—manufacturers and suppliers of
provides adequate ventilation to lower risk to cleaning person-
raw materials; manufacturers, marketers, and distributors of
nel, building occupants and the environment during or as a
result of the cleaning process. building cleaning products (and systems/equipment); building
owners and managers; building cleaning contractors; and
1.4 This guide is for use in a building that is maintained by
either in-house cleaning personnel or an outside cleaning cleaning personnel.
3.1.4 commercial and institutional buildings—indoor or
contractor.
1.5 This guide is not intended for construction related enclosed workspaces such as, but not limited to, office build-
ings, educational facilities, health care facilities, retail estab-
activities, but may be appropriate for post construction clean-
up. lishments, and other similar facilities. The term shall not
include manufacturing and production facilities, warehouses,
1.6 This guide is not intended as a procedural guide for
cleaning personnel. residences, and agricultural operations.
3.1.5 eco-effıciency—the delivery of competitively priced
1.7 This guide is not intended for use in residential build-
ings. goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality
of life, while progressively reducing ecological impacts and
1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the resourceintensitythroughoutthelifecycle,toalevelatleastin
line with the Earth’s carrying capacity.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 3.1.6 extended product responsibility—alifecycleapproach
to identifying pollution prevention and resource conservation
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
opportunities. It includes the underlying influence of consumer
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 on Performance
of Buildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.71 on Sustain-
ability. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.03.
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 1998. Published January 1999. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.04.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E1971–98
needs and preferences, government procurement, and the role ofcleaningproductsandprocesses,alongwithfailuretofollow
played by those in the chain of production and distribution. label directions could result in injury or illness to cleaning
Importantly, under this principle, manufacturers, suppliers, personnel or building occupants. In addition, it may be
users and disposers of products share the responsibility for the detrimental to the physical structure and systems of the
environmental effects of products and waste streams.
building, or to the environment. Moreover, owners and opera-
3.1.7 guide—a series of options or instructions that do not tors maintain the liability for the proper function of the
recommend a specific course of action.
building and its impacts on the occupants and cleaning
3.1.8 hazard—the potential health or physical effect(s) at- personnel.
tributable to a specific chemical, mixture or physical agent.
4.1.1 This guide provides a basic reference for the develop-
3.1.9 life cycle—the stages of a product, process or activity,
ment and preservation of a building environment that is
which encompass raw materials extraction and acquisition,
considered safe and healthy for occupants, while reducing the
processing, materials manufacture, product fabrication, pack-
stress on the overall environment as a result of routine
aging and distribution, product use/reuse, maintenance, recy-
maintenance. The anticipated users of this guide include
cling and final disposition.
building managers, cleaning personnel, product suppliers and
3.1.10 material safety data sheet (MSDS)—a written or
distributors,unionrepresentativesandbuildingoccupants,who
printed material concerning a hazardous chemical which con-
serve together in a stewardship role regarding the maintenance
tains the information set forth in the OSHA Hazard Commu-
of the building. This guide is intended to raise pertinent
nication Standard (see paragraph (g) of 29 CFR 1910.1200)
questions regarding specific building environments in order
(1).
that an appropriate stewardship strategy may be developed, for
3.1.11 pollutant—any substance that directly or indirectly
example:
creates an adverse human health or environmental effect when
4.1.1.1 How is the building used?
introduced into any environmental media.
4.1.1.2 Are there any special cleaning requirements?
3.1.12 pollution prevention—the act of reducing or elimi-
4.1.1.3 Are there any at-risk populations that need to be
nating the use, release, or generation of a pollutant or potential
considered, such as children, asthmatics, or pregnant woman?
pollutant through source reduction, recycling, reuse, reclama-
tion, or modification of operating practices.
4.1.1.4 How are cleaning materials used?
3.1.13 risk—the probability of deleterious health or envi-
4.1.1.5 Are there any special issues relevant to construction
ronmental effects, (2).
and furnishings?
3.1.14 standard—as used in ASTM, a document that has
4.1.1.6 Are there any issues relating to building age/
beendevelopedandestablishedwithintheconsensusprinciples
architectural, such as historic preservation requirements?
of the Society and that meets the approval requirements of
4.1.1.7 are there any engineering concerns, such as HVAC
ASTM procedures and regulations.
systems and natural ventilation?
3.1.15 stewardship—the responsibility for managing, con-
4.1.1.8 How is the quality of cleaning being evaluated/
ducting or supervising the quality, state or condition of a
measured?
commercial or institutional building.
3.1.16 worker participation—the involvement of cleaning 4.1.2 Regardlessofthespecificrequirements,thisguidewill
personnel or their representatives, or both, in all aspects of the
help in the formulation of a comprehensive plan resulting in
cleaning process; including product selection, evaluation and reduced risk to cleaning personnel, building occupants and the
appropriate work practices, training and communication of
environment.
hazards, and “the process of work.”
4.2 This guide will help the building owner and operator
understand the cleaning process through the following:
4. Significance and Use
4.2.1 The development of a stewardship plan (see Section
4.1 Cleaning provides well documented benefits in terms of
6), will clarify the level of cleanliness that is required or
creating cleaner, safer and healthier surroundings by extracting
expected, and will ensure that the cleaning process is carried
harmful pollutants from the indoor environment (see Ref (3)).
out in a consistent manner with adequate communication
An improperly maintained indoor environment could give rise
feedback to promote success of the plan.
to biological contaminants, and buildup of particulate matter
4.2.2 An understanding of extended product responsibility
andgaseswhichcanhaveserioushealtheffects.Thesenegative
(see Section 7) and the importance of shared responsibility.
impacts may have adverse affects on worker productivity
This section includes task identification and performance
affecting both cleaning personnel and tenants through in-
requirements, process and product selection, use, storage and
creased complaints, absenteeism, injuries, asthmatic incidents
disposal.
or other symptoms. Inappropriate or improper use or selection
4.2.3 An identification of the training and communications
issues (see Section 8) that will encourage involvement with the
entire chain-of-commerce in the cleaning process.These issues
The boldface numbers given in parentheses refer to a list of references at the
end of the text.
are related to both procedural training and feedback opportu-
It should be noted that ASTM’s definition of Pollution Prevention is different
nities for cleaning personnel, as well as information sharing
from some definitions used by the Environmental Protection Agency. See, for
with building tenants to inform them of possible cleaning
example, 58Fed.Reg.6478(Jan. 29, 1993, Council on Environmental Quality), and
58Fed.Reg.41,981(Aug. 6, 1993, Executive Order). process impacts.
E1971–98
5. Stewardship Principles waste, down-the-drain to the appropriate water treatment
works, and emissions to the air during storage or use of
5.1 Stewardship Principles—A building owner or operator
products.
should manage the cleaning process according to the following
stewardship principles:
6. Developing A Stewardship Plan
5.1.1 Take a comprehensive process approach to cleaning.
6.1 Plan Development—Building owners and operators
This includes:
need to oversee the development of a written stewardship plan
5.1.1.1 Identifying the cleaning task and performance re-
and its periodic review. This plan will help to ensure that
quirements,
expectations are being met and that the building is being
5.1.1.2 Defining or outlining steps of the cleaning proce-
cleaned and protected as required.
dure,
6.1.1 Components of the stewardship plan should include
5.1.1.3 Selecting the correct products and equipment,
both scheduled routine cleaning, as well as responses to
5.1.1.4 Training cleaning personnel to use correct proce-
building occupant and worker related problems. Furthermore,
dures and to understand the potential health, safety and
specific sections need to be developed to address accidents and
environmental impacts of the cleaning products and processes,
preventative maintenance programs. These sections of the plan
5.1.1.5 Ongoing inspection and monitoring programs,
should address common problems, as well as slip and fall
5.1.1.6 Communicating clearly with building occupants,
accidents, weather-related problems, water leaks, smoke or
and
obnoxious odors.
5.1.1.7 Practicingappropriatestorageanddisposalmethods.
6.1.1.1 Building Policy and Goals—Goals and policies for
5.1.2 Focusing on only a single area can create unantici-
cleaning activities should be laid out clearly. The building plan
pated adverse impacts in other areas.
should include a definition of the building’s primary mission
5.1.3 Foster participation of cleaning personnel and build-
whichwillassistmanagersandstaffinunderstandingthescope
ing occupants. A successful cleaning program must encourage
andpriorityofstewardshipactivities.Forexample,becausethe
participation and input along the entire chain-of-commerce.
primary mission of a health care facility and that of a retail
Cleaning personnel need to participate in the planning, imple-
facility are different, the scope and priority of stewardship
mentation, and continual improvement of the cleaning pro-
activities may be substantially different.
gram. Building occupants should be given the opportunity to
6.1.1.2 By carefully considering the traffic level, time to
participate.
perform the task, types of soil, soil load, safety and hygiene
5.1.4 Clean to protect health and safety. Appearances may
performancerequirements,etc.foreachpartofthebuildingthe
be deceptive. Even buildings that appear to be clean can be
cleaning process can be optimized. This should result in
unhealthy. Focus on cleaning for health and safety by control-
adequate cleanliness for the function of the building, optimal
ling microorganisms, spills, gases, dust particles, etc. In most
occupant/tenant satisfaction, improved productivity, optimal
cases the appearance will be addressed at the same time.
cleaning cost effectiveness, appropriate choice of cleaning
5.1.5 Clean and maintain the building as a whole, not just
processes and products, and the greatest achievable eco-
separate components. Cleaning and maintenance in one area of
efficiency.
a building can have a major impact on other areas.Appropriate
6.1.2 Management Commitment—The success of the stew-
actions must take place to ensure the health and safety
ardship plan is contingent upon top management commitment.
throughouttheentirebuilding,inadditiontotheareawherethe
The building owner/operator must be personally committed to
work is being performed.
success and ensure that senior building management follow
5.1.6 Recognize occupant impacts on the indoor environ-
through on the
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