Bidvest Noonan

A leading provider of facilities services and solutions

cleaning

How Trust, Training, and Teamwork Led a Cleaning Team to 1,000 Accident-Free Days in the Life Sciences Sector

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In the world of life sciences, where every detail matters, safety is key. That’s why every achievement in this area resonates deeply, especially with those who are responsible for looking to uphold them. Our team at a biotechnological facility in Dublin has successfully reached 1,000 days without a single reportable accident. But it’s not all about the number for this team; it’s about their dedication to keeping each other and all those across the site safe in a challenging and vitally important environment. But what exactly goes into reaching an achievement like this?


A Team That Believes In Each Other
This team, guided by the fantastic site lead, Jurgita Mikutaite, has shown what can be achieved with hard work and care. Their mutual trust and confidence in each other’s abilities strengthens bonds, ensuring the highest standards of safety – an essential factor in supporting customers who develop life-changing medications.
Katalin Eperjesi, who oversees some of Bidvest Noonan’s Life Sciences accounts, shares her pride in the team’s accomplishment. “In such a specialised field, reaching this milestone is truly special. It shows the strength and commitment of our team members,” she says. Every day, they prove that working together when paying attention to safety really pays off.


Building Safety Together
True safety in the workplace in the life sciences sector comes from a collective effort, where each individual’s actions contribute to the overall success of the team. This is a principle that Jurgita’s team lives by every day.
“Regular training and workshops are essential, but the real difference comes from our teamwork,” Jurgita emphasises. In this team, safety is a shared responsibility. Every member is proactive in identifying potential hazards and works collaboratively to mitigate them, ensuring a supportive and secure environment. This culture of open communication has been pivotal in reaching the 1,000-day milestone without any lost time accidents.


Training and Support: The Backbone of Safety
In life sciences environments, effective training and support are not just about imparting knowledge; they are about instilling a mindset where safety becomes second nature. The role of Conor Rourke, Sean Lawlor, and the EHSQ team in this aspect has been vital.
Their approach to training engages the team, providing practical, hands-on guidance that is tailored to the unique challenges of each biotechnological facility. This level of support and training has empowered the team not just to know about safety but to live it every day, contributing significantly to their impressive safety record.


Inspiring the Industry
Achieving a milestone like 1,000 accident-free days sends a powerful message across the sector. This team’s journey shows that with the right approach, dedication, and team ethos, maintaining an exceptional safety record is attainable. It also demonstrates that prioritising safety, investing in team training, and building a culture of mutual respect and vigilance can lead to outstanding results, elevating standards across the sector.

Award-winning washroom services

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The Loo of the Year Awards, recognises the best in washroom management across the UK and Ireland, shining a light on those teams who tirelessly work behind the scenes to ensure these essential facilities are well-maintained and welcoming. Our team’s achievements in this arena speak volumes about the calibre of our staff and their unwavering commitment to excellence.

At the recent 2023 Loo of the Year Awards, our cleaning teams showcased their exceptional dedication and skill, bringing home several prestigious accolades. Significantly, our colleagues were honoured with the ‘External Contract Cleaning Team’ trophy, a recognition of our team’s exceptional skills in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards. Additionally, we proudly received the inaugural Period Dignity Award. This accolade is particularly meaningful as it relates to an initiative that demonstrates dedication to inclusivity and respect for all users.

Our teams were further distinguished in the ‘Champions League’ Standard of Excellence, a testament to our consistent performance and high-quality service. We were named National Winners in the England External Contractor Section and receiving two Market Sector Awards in the Workplace and Offices categories.

Bidvest Noonan wins on the European Stage

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Bidvest Noonan has been named winner of the ‘Best Use of Smart Solutions’ category for its innovative Dynamic Cleaning solution at the 2023 European Cleaning and Hygiene Awards.

The European Cleaning and Hygiene Awards stands as the single pan-European recognition program for the professional cleaning sector. The event, which is hosted in a different European city each year, took place at the historic Mansion House in Dublin. Finalists from across the continent, including the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Italy and France were in contention. 

The ‘Best Use of Smart Solutions’ category celebrates businesses that champion the integration of technology to enhance cleaning efficiency, productivity, accountability and transparency. Bidvest Noonan claimed the award for its Dynamic Cleaning solution, which employs cutting-edge sensor technology and smart software to ensure cleaning services are more efficient and sustainable. The system also delivers valuable space management information and energy efficiencies for clients.

idvest Noonan uses a wireless solution that requires no connection to client networks which speeds up installation. The sensors detect motion, temperature, light and humidity levels within the detection area. Addressing GDPR concerns, the data collected is entirely anonymous, providing information only on a specific area and not on individuals.

By providing real-time sensor data and trend analysis, Bidvest Noonan’s solution offers a comprehensive view of building usage and cleaning effectiveness. The solution redefines cleaning schedules based on actual building usage, ensuring cleaning is carried out in the right areas at the right time.

Director of Technology and Innovation, Peter Smyth commented on the win “I am delighted that our Dynamic Cleaning solution has received this award. As the cleaning industry evolves, the integration of data is increasing, driving a wide range of improvements for service providers, customers and stakeholders. We are very proud of the efficiency and sustainability improvements we have been able to achieve for our customers using this system”.

Bidvest Noonan CEO, Declan Doyle, added, “Data has become an indispensable asset in our industry, enabling better decision-making, heightened productivity, and more sustainable operations. The new technologies and approaches we are introducing, such as our Dynamic Cleaning solution allow us to deliver the best possible service to our customers. I’m very proud of the transformative impact we’re making today, and even more excited about the advancements we have on the horizon for our customers.”

Susan Howard has been promoted to Operations Director for Healthcare

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Bidvest Noonan has strengthened its Irish senior management team with the recent promotion of Susan Howard to Operations Director for Healthcare.

Susan, who joined the firm in 2003, has deep expertise and knowledge of the healthcare sector and will enhance the service and value delivered to clients. In her new role, Susan takes ownership of Bidvest Noonan’s national healthcare portfolio in Ireland, covering both cleaning and security services.

Speaking on her promotion, Susan said: “I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to lead our healthcare operations for our business in Ireland. I look forward to building on the platform the business has created in recent years and ensuring we have the expertise available to support all of our clients.”

Managing Director, Anthony Harman commented: “I am delighted that Susan has took up the role as Operations Director for our healthcare division. The need for a clean and safe environment in the healthcare sector is more important than ever before, and I have no doubt Susan is the right person to lead both our cleaning and security teams. With an experienced team around her and long-standing relationships with clients across Ireland, I have no doubt her tenure will be a success.”

The appointment follows Bidvest Noonan’s ongoing investment in its healthcare operations. Last year, the organisation appointed Emma Power as its Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Specialist to further develop its subject matter expertise in the sector.

The Importance of Training in the Healthcare Sector

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We caught up with Brigid Ryan, Operations Manager for the Healthcare sector. Brigid shares her career journey and her perspective on how Bidvest Noonan has been so successful in the sector.

How did you get started in the industry?

I started working at Bidvest Noonan in 1999 as a Mobile Area Manager. Prior to joining Bidvest Noonan, I had worked as a Healthcare Professional and I was able to use this experience to progress to the role of Operations Manager in our Healthcare Division. My first contract was at one of Cork’s busiest hospitals, and now as Operations Manager, it remains one of my key accounts to this day. It grew from there, and I have had many other healthcare partnerships since.

What sets us apart in the industry?

We were one of the first companies to introduce rigorous site auditing. I remember explaining the concept to our clients at the time. It was basically a way to provide evidence of the quality of our service and to provide a history of consistent quality of service.  Many standard practices that the industry takes for granted now were innovations that we were the first to introduce.

What is unique to working in healthcare?

I believe it is the nature of the working environment and the level of training and IPC knowledge required to perform our work in a healthcare facility. Our people are working in very challenging environments surrounded by vulnerable patients, busy staff, and visitors. Our teams have constant interaction with people while working and this can be both rewarding and challenging. Our work plays a key role in breaking the chain of infection in a healthcare environment. That is why our people must complete a wide range of infection, prevention, and control training to ensure a safe, clean environment for patients, staff, and visitors.

Is Infection Prevention and Control important to the sector?

It is hugely important, and I believe we have extensive expertise in this area. Our Healthcare Division now has an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) nurse specialist on the team. Through this investment, we have been able to expand our IPC expertise and continue to improve the service we provide. We have been able to further support our site-based teams by empowering them with the knowledge to ensure that Infection Prevention and Control is at the heart of our cleaning activities on site.

Photo of Bidvest Noonan Cleaning operative in an hospital

New technologies to save on water consumption

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At Bidvest Noonan, we work hard to reduce our water usage at every opportunity.

We work with our clients and suppliers to produce water savings plans, often introducing new environmentally friendly technologies that make more efficient use of water.

We invest in the best cleaning equipment the industry has to offer. For us, that means equipment that achieves great cleaning results while reducing our environmental impact.

In the past year, we have increased our use of highly efficient equipment such as i-Drives, i-Mops and cobotic cleaning machines to reduce our use of water.

Many of our cleaning machines use integrated solution recovery systems to achieve high cleaning standards without harsh chemicals and using just a fraction of the water.

We have introduced water recycling systems for a number of our clients. Recently, we installed a Comac InAqua for one of Ireland’s largest universities. Comac InAqua is an external purification system that allows dirty water to be loaded directly from any floor scrubber. The system filters the dirty water used for cleaning floors and makes it available for reuse. Using this system, up to 150 litres of clean water can be recycled in less than 30 minutes.

By implementing innovative solutions, we are helping many clients to reduce their use of water and make cleaning operations more environmentally friendly.

Environmental report

Now more than ever our actions matter. Our business is playing its part to help save the planet we know and cherish. We are proud to share our Environmental Report, where we outline the steps we are taking to deliver a greener and more sustainable world.

Click here to read