Last week, I attended a very busy commonly used Government building. Lots of staff in nicely pressed uniforms! Members of the public moving through public and controlled space.

In the midst of everything, I watched a cleaner attend to an infectious body fluids spill. No PPE. Infection control out the window. I saw cross-infection of various areas. NSW Health standards were clearly not a concern nor Work Cover standards.

These are very common practices for cleaners employed by large National Cleaning Companies. Why? Because the Bio-Hazard Cleaning Sector is not regulated in Australia and our Government is only too willing to gamble with the health of cleaners, staff and the unwitting general public.

We’ve all heard the terms bio-hazards, disease organism, staph germ, super bug, micro-organism, virus or toxin which pose a threat to health. Clean Queens deal with these every day.

It was frightening to watch the slap-dash way this very serious bio-hazard was dealt with in the midst of such activity. I’m reassured Clean Queens maintain the highest standards – for the health of our staff, clients and the general public.

It’s only a matter of time before a serious wide-spread incident occurs due to the haphazard way Bio-Hazard cleaning is approached in this country. There have already been small outbreaks – occasional issues which hit the media. The sooner our Government regulates this industry the better.

Related link: Biohazards are the greatest threat to humankind Neil Gordon, B.E. (U McGill, Canada) MBA (U Western Ontario).

I want to introduce you to Erin – a bright young woman with a big heart.

A few weeks ago, on her way to work in the Sydney CBD, Erin followed a trail of blood which started at the bus stop and ended at a small Department of Housing block of units. She could see the trail led to a ground floor unit. Through the screen door she could see Bill, an elderly man, sitting quietly at a table in his lounge room. Not one to abandon her quest, Erin went in to make sure Bill was ok. She discovered Bill was in his late 80’s and had been hit by a bus. He was nursing a cut to his leg.

Over the next few months Erin would regularly pop in to see Bill for a chat and bring him a sandwich. She noticed Bill’s general health and living conditions were very poor. However, Bill was a stubborn man and didn’t really welcome Erin’s or neighbors’ fussing over him.

Equally stubborn, Erin persistently kept up her visits. A week before Xmas Bill became quite ill with gastro and landed himself in hospital. Erin continued to visit him in hospital. Their relationship grew more over this time and Bill allowed Erin to access his unit to get things tidied up before he was discharged from hospital.

Erin and a neighbour went into the unit and were shocked to see Bill’s living conditions. At this point, Erin contacted Clean Queens. While this is not Clean Queens core business, we regularly get calls about these kinds of dismal neglect issues.

We could advise Erin to liaise with the social workers at the hospital to arrange some better care, meals etc for Bill. Some encouraging steps have been taken for Bill now. His unit is a slightly better place for him to live in, he will get meals daily and down the track other things will happen to make his living conditions better.

Bill’s life would be so much less had Erin not followed the trail of blood that day. People please remember, we are all our brother’s keeper.