Believe it or not, some of the most essential workers to be called upon during the recent COVID-19 pandemic were cleaning professionals, and one of the most valuable tools they relied upon were two-way radio. According to a recent report, the janitorial and custodial industry represents a $78 billion industry, and when the need for extra cleaning and sanitation became a big issue for American businesses, the custodial industry responded with millions of professional cleaners reporting to work at hospitals, schools, and office buildings. Considered essential employees, cleaning crews continue to be in high demand as the nation obsesses over the invisible virus.

According to the online job board ZipRecruiter, the COVID-19 virus has led to a 75 percent increase in listings for professional cleaners. Unfortunately, as demand for cleaning services increases, so too does the potential risk for cleaning professionals. One of the tools professional custodians should be leveraging to help mitigate these risks is two-way radios. Two-way radios not only help cleaning crews stay safer, they also help get the job done faster and better. In fact, many professional cleaning companies consider two-way radios indispensable tools as mops, buckets, or brooms. More and more janitorial firms are incorporating two-way radio technology into their operations.

Four Specific Areas Where Two-Way Radios Improve Safety, Performance, and Customer Satisfaction

Safety – Safety is the number one concern for any professional cleaner or janitorial firm. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, custodians and cleaners suffer an average of 50,000 injuries a year that require days off work. Even more staggering, this industry is considered the 16^th most hazardous occupations behind logging, professional fishing, and roofing. Injuries can range from accidental exposure to hazardous chemicals to slips, trips, and falls. Today’s two-way radios are incredibly valuable tools for anyone who works in an isolated or remote area as janitors often do. Unlike cell phones which may not be able to receive a signal and can be hard to operate in the heat of an emergency, two-way radios are equipped with unique features that keep workers safe while providing immediate and reliable communication. For example, most professional grade two-way radios have a programmable Emergency Alert Button located on the top of the radio.In the event of an emergency, a worker can just push the orange button and the radio immediately sends out an alert to either the entire network or a specific user. The signal can also announce exactly which radio sent the alert. Finally, in the age of deadly and highly contagious corona viruses, two-way radios also help create personal separation while never losing the ability to instantly communication.

Efficiency – Two-way radios are the perfect tool for maximizing efficiency in any custodial setting. Imagine this: a cleaning crew is dispatched to a large office building with multiple floors. A co-worker encounters a problem on the 7^th floor and requires an additional set of eyes or supervisorial instruction. With a professional grade two-way radio, they can instantly and notify another person or supervisor to receive additional support they need to get the job done. Not having to separate someone from one job just to travel to another location saves time and money.

Productivity – Never before have cleaning firms had to work so hard and do more in less time. Margins are always under pressure and many crew managers have to do more with less. Using two-way radios as a communications tool allows workers to instantly communicate with other team members which helps crews complete jobs not only faster but also better. If another worker requires a special tool or supplies, a cell phone only lets you communicate with one person at a time. Two-way radios allow workers to put out a request to an entire team with one push of a button. Plus, because two-way radios can be programmed to have isolated channels, different employee groups can communicate on their own channels (supervising janitors, cleaning crews on specific floors of a building, floating cleaners, etc.) to keep communication organized while avoiding distracting cross talk noise.

Durability – Commercial grade two-way radios are designed to hold up to abuse better than “consumer” radios often called Family Radio Service (FRS) or General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). These consumer grade radios are built for infrequent use like weekend camping trips, multiple care caravans, amusement park visits etc. They are lightweight with a thin plastic casing. Similarly, cell phones are notoriously fragile and prone to breakage when dropped or exposed to water. Commercial grade two-radios however are designed to be used for hours every day are constructed with a heavy-duty commercial housing that make them incredibly rugged. Many are built to exacting military specifications for resistance to shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, dust and even water.