Industry News

70% Have Experienced Bad Restroom Conditions

It’s back to school time and this year a survey got the deets about teens’ handwashing habits, restroom evaluations and whether or not they stay home from school when they’re sick. The Healthy Handwashing Survey™, conducted by Bradley Company, connected with 1,012 high schoolers ages 14 to 18 to gather their insights and opinions.

Handwashing & Health

First, the survey found teens are educated about the benefits of handwashing since 97% believe sudsing up with soap and water is an important action for maintaining their overall health. Despite that, nearly two-thirds admit on occasion they’ve cheated by skipping the soap and simply rinsing with water. In addition, one-third say they frequently see others leave the school restroom without washing up at all.

When it comes to removing the most germs from their hands, students have also learned that handwashing with soap aces hand sanitizer. 72% correctly believe their hands are less germy when they lather up with soap and water than after using sanitizer.

In general, students are conscientious about staying healthy. 74% take steps to avoid a sick classmate by eliminating physical contact and staying away from them. In the bathroom, students circumnavigate germs by operating the toilet flusher with their foot and using a paper towel to mitigate contact with doorknobs and faucets.

Restroom Complaints

Unfortunately, the survey revealed that most students use their school restrooms sparingly. 64% say they visit the facilities just once or twice a day. When asked why they avoid the facility, about 40% cited the fact that it’s usually dirty or smells bad.

70% report they’ve actually had a particularly unpleasant experience due to the condition of the facilities. Besides unpleasant smells, too many people in the restroom, clogged/unflushed toilets and stall doors that don’t latch closed cause the most negative feelings about school restrooms.

When they encounter a bad bathroom situation, 57% simply leave without using the restroom and nearly half say they steer clear of using that restroom in the future.

Teens also take issue with their peers’ negligence in restrooms. They’re particularly bothered by reckless behavior that causes damage to the facility (57%) and used paper towels left on the floor or in the sink area (53%) that makes the space look unkempt.

Overall, 48% of high schoolers say their school restrooms are average, which equates to a C grade, and 26% feel the conditions are poor, meaning the facilities got a D.

Restroom Recos

When asked how their school bathrooms could be improved, 56% responded that they would like them to be cleaner and stocked more frequently. More privacy with taller doors and no gaps between panels is another top request, along with more deodorizing or air freshener.

“Unfortunately, poor restroom conditions lead teens to think less of their school and cause them to believe it’s poorly run,” said Jon Dommisse, vice president of marketing and corporate communication for Bradley. “Our research shows that restroom conditions speak volumes about public establishments, including schools, so restroom cleanliness and maintenance is a must.”

Even when they are away from school, teens use restrooms as a barometer. Two-thirds say they have made a conscious decision to choose a business, such as a restaurant, store or gas station, because they know it has well-maintained restrooms.

Sickness Drives School Misses

While it’s an age-old joke, the survey found that the majority of teenagers do miss school when they’re sick. Three out of four say they stay home when they’re ill and the call is typically theirs to make – as opposed to their parents. However, for one out of five, the decision is influenced by whether or not they have tests to take or projects to complete.

The annual Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley queried 1,012 high school students Jan. 4-17, 2024, about their handwashing habits, school restrooms and germ avoidance. Teens were from around the country and were fairly evenly split between male and female.

For more information, visit www.bradleycorp.com/handwashing.

Once-in-a-lifetime VIP trip lets trade professionals go behind-the-scenes at RIDGID

RIDGID®, a part of Emerson’s professional tools portfolio, recently hosted their seventh RIDGID Experience, an annual celebration of the skilled trades held at RIDGID headquarters in Elyria, Ohio. Each year, the brand’s signature event rewards select members of the trades with an all expenses-paid, three-day VIP trip that features hands-on experiences, fun and camaraderie.

“The enthusiasm for RIDGID Experience continues to grow and this year’s trip was more epic than the last,” said Maddie Suvak, engagement marketing manager, RIDGID for Emerson. “It’s often described as ‘the hottest ticket in plumbing,’ and we loved hosting lifechanging experiences for attendees, who joined us from across the United States and Canada.”

Pat Finley from Indiana described the trip as: “The best three days I could ask for. Friends and memories for a lifetime.” Herb Lisone from California, echoed that sentiment, saying, “Loved every moment! Great brand, great people, great team! Definitely felt the love, run it back!!!”

Participants included:

• Nick Parlet, Webster, NY
• Pat Finley, Frankton, IN
• Germaine Nelson, Bowie, MD
• David Williams, New Braunfels, TX
• Philip Juliano, Boynton Beach, FL
• Laura Giudice, Mississauga, ON, Canada
• Herb Lisone, Sylmar, CA
• David Waldon, Ogden, KS
• Mike Caruso, Moreland Hills, OH

A highlight of the event was a factory tour that invited each guest to build their own iconic RIDGID customized pipe wrench. Guests also received a sneak peek at the latest RIDGID tools in development and provided feedback and insights. They also had the opportunity to network with attendees of Greenlee® Experience, a similar contest hosted by professional tools brand Greenlee. The two concurrent events created a full-scale celebration of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades.

“Our team looks forward to the RIDGID Experience every year, and that’s especially true for our manufacturing team,” said Suvak. “There’s something special about having the people who use our tools get to shake the hands of the people who made them.”

Emerson’s professional tools business, which includes RIDGID as well as the Greenlee® and Klauke® brands, provides the industry’s broadest portfolio of advanced, reliable tools and technologies for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing trades globally. Visit emerson.com/professionaltools for more information.

RIDGID®, Greenlee® and Klauke® are trademarks of Emerson or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Complete Package Provides Everything Required to Jumpstart Thermography Inspection, Condition Monitoring, and Predictive Maintenance Programs, at a Fraction of MSRP

FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, today introduced limited-time discounted options for new E5 Pro, E6 Pro, and E8 Pro customers as part of its goal to drive value and innovation for thermographers. The bundles reduce Ex Pro camera prices by up to 20 percent while offering a warranty extension for a total of five years through FLIR Protect, access to FLIR Ignite Pro software, and four hours of self-guided FLIR Academy training—all for less than the price of each Ex Pro model’s respective MSRP with up to 49 precent off in total.

FLIR combines world-leading thermal imaging technology, extensive features, and usability within the Ex Pro-Series, making thermal inspections both simple and effective for identifying and remedying issues such as electrical faults, mechanical breakdowns, and water leaks before they turn into big expenses.

“Creating a truly effect commercial or industrial thermography program is so much greater than just acquiring a thermal camera—users need training to interpret what they are seeing in infrared, they need software to identify key insights and track trends over time, and they need multi-year warranties to protect their investment,” said Heliel Morales, director of business development, Teledyne FLIR. “The new Ex Pro-Series bundles provide everything an individual or business needs to garner the greatest amount of value from their purchase, and then to integrate the tool into a comprehensive predictive maintenance or condition monitoring program for years to come, with up to 49 percent savings on the total bundle price.”

Whether for home, commercial, or industrial inspection, each ruggedized Ex Pro device features a 3.5-inch touchscreen with 640×480 screen resolution, offering focus-free, point-and-shoot thermal imaging within an ergonomic pistol-grip form factor. Additionally, each Ex Pro includes a 5MP visible camera and LED lamp to ensure visual details are captured, even in low-light nooks and cervices. The dual thermal-visible camera system also features FLIR patented multi-spectral imaging software (MSX®), that overlays the edge detail of the visible camera onto the thermal image, providing the clarity and context needed to quickly locate and identify potential issues and problem areas. A removable and rechargeable battery system and an IP54 rated casing offer the potential for all-day use in all types of conditions and environments.

Identify Trends and Insights with FLIR Ignite Pro

Post inspection, the new FLIR Ignite Pro software helps eliminate work hurdles created by USB card and cables, offering desktop sync via the FLIR Cloud. That cloud-stored data is secure while offering trusted colleagues, customers, and partners easy access for collaboration and reporting findings. The images and data can also be edited from anywhere at any time with Ignite Pro—using a mobile device or desktop—improving efficiency while enabling long-term trend tracking and analysis for a truly comprehensive, thermal-based inspection program.

Meanwhile, the FLIR Protect five-year extended total warranty gives owners the peace of mind that their Ex Pro-Series camera is protected from material defects and issues for three years after the factory warranty expires.

The FLIR Academy Infrared Essentials class, provided by the Infrared Training Center, features four hours of self-guided training that emphasizes proficiency in thermography beyond basic infrared camera operation.

Customers have 30 days from receiving a Ex Pro-Series camera to sign up for FLIR Protect, FLIR Ignite Pro, and FLIR Academy, respectively.

To learn more about limited time Ex Pro bundle offer options, including global pricing and availability, visit https://www.flir.com/promotions/ex-pro-bundle-promotion/.

Watts has announced “Mastering Flow & Temperature: Mitigating Waterborne Pathogens,” an ASPE-accredited webinar worth 0.1 CEUs

On September 17^th, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET.‎, participants will take a deeper dive into the different challenges that designers face when specifying water mixing and circulation systems such as scalding, Legionnaires’ disease, and the demands for water conservation.

In the webinar, attendees will learn about:

• Key factors that promote legionella growth and how to identify them
• Assessing options to optimize system performance and reduce pathogens like Legionella
• Elevating safety and sustainability with IoT-enabled digital mixing devices
• Exploring different technologies that provide precise flow and temperature control
• ASHRAE 188, Guideline 12, and the importance and components of a water ‎management program

To register, click visit watts.com/MasteringFlowandTempCEU.