Pro-Team LineVacer HEPA User manual

The information presented in this report is
designed to enable better understanding of the
effects of green cleaning and proper vacuuming
on your facility.
AREPORT
Cleaning for
Health & Efficiency
LEAR N MOR E A BOU T:
I n d o o r A i r Q u a l i t y
Er g o n o m i c s
Pr o d u c t i v i t y
BUILDING OWNER’S GUIDE
C l e a n i n g f o r H e a l t h

Historically, the quality of
vacuuming has been evaluated
by the appearance of the carpet.
However, the statistical data of
expert studies in this report will
demonstrate the importance of
proper vacuuming on issues of
indoor air quality,particulate
removal and containment, and
also presents new concepts on
labor efficiencies.
ProTeam®is committed to
Cleaning for Health®
ProTeam is committed to
manufacturing superior
high-filtration vacuums
that exceed the
challenges of
Cleaning for Health.
ProTeam has partnered with the American
Lung Association in a campaign designed
to promote public awareness and education
about indoor air quality issues.
This educational partnership recognizes the
American Lung Association’s mission of
preventing lung disease and promoting
lung health as well as ProTeam’s goal of
developing innovative cleaning technologies
to address indoor air quality concerns.
The American Lung Association does not
endorse products. For more information
from the American Lung Association,
call 1-800-LUNG-USA, or visit their
website at www.lungusa.com

When we established the Janitor University Philosophy
of Cleaning, one of the guiding principles was
“Clean for health first, then appearance.”
Of course Cleaning for Health requires the proper chemicals,
equipment and machines, but more important is the system
that is utilized within the cleaning operation. The system, or
process, must assure that the facility is properly detail cleaned
on a scheduled basis and it must assure that cleaning, rather
than polluting, is the result of the cleaning worker activities
in the facility.
Cleaning or Polluting?
By John Walker President, ManageMen, Inc. Founder, Janitor University
when it comes to health and cleaning.
Cleaning for appearance removes “big” visible soil
rather than cleaning for health that removes “small” invisible
bacteria, dust and airborne particulates and other micro,
bio and chemical contaminates – largely the contributors
to unhealthy indoor environments.
Poor cleaning procedures, equipment and habits
can inhibit the effective cleaning of buildings.
think small
Workers thinking big need to
ProTeam vacuums capture soil and safely contain harmful particles,
as well as prevent them from being reintroduced back into the
environment. The improved air quality is the result of ProTeam vacuums’
unique Four Level ® Filtration system. This system captures tiny dust
mites, bacteria, and other particles – which can cause unhealthy air.
skin flake magnified
IMPROVE CLEANING PRACTICES
1

No. 1 Using traditional dust mopping
methods requires extensive time
to train employees.
No. 2 Vacuuming is a faster,
healthier, and more efficient
way to clean hard floors.
No. 3 Dust and dirt are immediately
contained within the Four Level
Filtration in ProTeam vacuums.
No. 4 Dust mopping continually
redistributes dirt and fine
particulate on and into the
floor, leaving scratches and
dulling a high gloss finish.
No. 5 Dust bunnies reappear in 24
hours when a floor has been
dust mopped as compared to
72 hours when cleaned with a
ProTeam backpack vacuum.
Sources—
Carpet and Rug Institute, Dalton GA; ISSA: International Sanitary Supply Association; IIREC: Institute of
Inspection Cleaning and Restoration; Dust Mopping Floors for Health and Efficiency Test, Colorado State
University, 1998; Photo: Courtesy of CRI
Daily vacuuming is more
important than interim
deep cleaning methods.
Dry soil is abrasive; when
ground into your carpet,
it cuts into carpet fibers—
dulling appearance and
reducing the longevity.
When using the correct tools,
ProTeam backpack vacuums
clean 52% faster than a dust
mop in crowded classrooms
and congested areas.
CARPETS HARD FLOORS
FACTS
TO KNOW ABOUT INDOOR AIR QUALITY
No. 1 Carpets cover 70% of the
floors in the United States.
No. 2 Carpet can hold more than
its weight in soil.
No. 3 70–80% of dust, dirt, and
grime is tracked into a
building from outside.
No. 4 30% of dirt is deposited in
the first 3 feet, while 90% is
tracked off in the first 25 feet.
No. 5 Carpet soil generally consists
of 85–95% dry soil and
5–15% oily soil.
No. 6 Carpet has a high surface area
and is known to act as an
organic dust sink containing
bio-contaminants and allergens.
2

Sources—
1Cleaning and Maintenance Management, 1998;
2“Indoor Allergens: Assessing and Controlling Adverse Health Effects”, Educational Committee on the Health Effects of
Indoor Allergens. Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.
pp 37-39, 86-117, 222-225;
Vacuums with high filtration collection systems
retrieve soil and safely contain harmful
particles, preventing them from being
reintroduced into the built environment.2
Protect the Built Environment
Customer Complaints in Office Environments1
Above-the-floor dusting represents 42% of customer complaints.
Vacuuming without proper filtration is one of the main causes of
the reintroduction of allergens and harmful particles into the air.
People can inhale particles 10 microns and smaller.
Housekeeping is probably the most
common means of removing potential
allergens, and vacuum cleaners are
the most commonly used tool.
Vacuum cleaning removes some fungus and
spores from carpeting, but it also reintroduces
them to the air either through the action of the
vacuum’s beater bar or through conventional bags.
3

FACT: Dust contains dirt, textile fibers, pollen, hair flakes,
residue from cleaning chemicals and household products,
decaying organic matter, dust mites, bacteria, fungi, viruses,
and a variety of other contaminants.
Virus Bacteria
Pollen
Dust Mite
Many viruses use dust
particles as rafts to ride the air.
WHAT’S A MICRON?
Particles under
10 are not visible
Visible to the
unaided eye
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A MICRON (µ)
IS A UNIT OF MEASURE,
USED BY THE CLEANING INDUSTRY,
TO DESCRIBE PARTICLES THAT
ARE EXTREMELY SMALL.
One micron = 1/25,000 in.
A human hair averages 70µ
Bacteria is .4 to 10µ
Mold is 1.2 to 90µ
µ
When contaminants are removed or
minimized through cleaning, human
exposures and risks are reduced.
Cleaning is always a critical
ingredient in maintaining
a healthy building.
Indoor Allergens &Microorganisms
Source— Protecting the Built Environment, Cleaning for Health, Michael A. Berry, Ph.D.
Tricomm 21st Press, Chapel Hill, NC. 1993;
Source— Science Illustrated
4

PROTEAM’S FOUR LEVEL FILTRATION SYSTEM
Intercept Micro Filter®
Micro Cloth Filter
Dome Filter*
Exhaust Filter
ProTeam’s unique suction method of vacuuming cleans carpeting and floors
without stirring up dust. The air stays cleaner, furniture collects less dust,
and the operator can work without breathing unhealthy air.
*For extra filtration
effectiveness, use
ProTeam High
Filtration Disks
within the Dome Filter.
0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
ProTeam
Backpack
Canister Upright
4.0 grams
2.8 grams
2.3 grams
Measurement in Grams
** Soil removed does not include carpet fiber
In 5 passes, the ProTeam backpack vacuum is:
43% more efficient than a commercial upright vacuum and
30% more efficient than a canister in removing soil.**
VACUUM CLEANER EFFICIENCY
Source—
Quality Environmental Services & Technologies, 1996; APC Filtration, Inc., 1996; An Evaluation of ProTeam’s
QuarterVac and CoachVac in a School Environment, Dr. Eric Brown, Cleaning Research International, UK, 1994
FILTRATION IS
the process of blocking and catching dirt particles with a filter.
5

99.97%
= micron
99.9%
efficient at
filtering particles
1micron or larger
dust
mite
tobacco smoke
pet
dander
yeast
viruses
carbon black
mold
hair
.12
ProTeam HEPA
BACKPACKS & CANISTERS
efficient at filtering
particles .3 micron or larger
ProTeam True ULPA
BACKPACKS
efficient at filtering
particles .12 micron or larger
heavy industrial dust
pollen
SMALLER LARGER
1 micron = 1/25,000 in.
bacteria
FOUR LEVEL
FILTRATION HEPA ULPA
99.999+%
ProTeam
BACKPACKS &
CANISTERS
This chart illustrates how effective ProTeam’s
different filtration systems are in capturing
and containing particles of a particular size.
PROTEAM’S
FILTER EFFICIENCY CHART
ProTeam backpacks & canisters with Four Level®Filtration
are 99.9% effective at capturing and containing
particles measuring or larger.
HEPA
A HEPA (High Efficient Particulate Air)
filter is a throwaway, extended-medium,
dry type filter in a rigid frame having
a minimum particle collection efficiency
of 99.97% (that is, a maximum particle
penetration of 0.03%) for 0.3-µ particles.
ULPA
An ULPA (Ultra-Low Penetration Air)
filter is a throwaway, extended-medium,
dry type filter in a rigid frame, having a
minimum particle collection efficiency of
99.999% (that is a maximum particle
penetration of 0.001%) for particles in
the size range of 0.1 to 0.2 µ.∑
technical definitions...
Source— Robert A. Woellner, President, Senior Scientist. Quality Environmental Services & Technologies Inc.
6

By ROBERT WOELLNER President, Quest, Inc. Greenwood Village, Colorado
THE FACTS ABOUT HEPA & ULPA
Properly sealed vacuum systems containing certified HEPA Filters
utilize advanced filtration technology that meets vacuuming
needs in highly specialized cleaning applications.
There are several factors to consider when evaluating
HEPA-vacuum specifications and applications:
True HEPA/ULPA filters MUST be used when an asbestos
or lead paint release has occurred and/or where mold
spores have contaminated a facility.
True HEPA filtration is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED when the
intent is to clean up localized areas of potentially
hazardous particles.
Truly sealed HEPA and ULPA filtration vacuums ARE
EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE when used correctly to contain
hazardous airborne materials or when conditions
exist where particles could be extremely damaging
or catastrophic.
True HEPA/ULPA filters SHOULD be used in a sealed
environment where there is sensitive equipment in use.
An AFFORDABLE AND RECOMMENDED alternative
to HEPA/ULPA vacuums is to select a vacuum
with a multi-filter vacuum system
utilizing HEPA media.
Vacuums with HEPA media
maximize cleaning while
furnishing excellent filter performance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
HEPA media magnified 500x
7

The results of two studies by
the Department of Surgery,
Division of Orthopedics, at
Ohio State University and the
Battelle Memorial Institute,
determined that ProTeam
backpack vacuum cleaner’s
ease-of-use and ergonomic
design allowed workers to
vacuum more than twice the
area in half the time with
less fatigue and body strain
(a figure backed by the ISSA
official timetables for cleaning).
•Allows more carpet to be cleaned in a shorter amount
of time due to the natural walking motion used.
•Avoids repetitive motions.
•Results in less body stress.
•Increases efficiency.
•Minimizes “hunching over” often associated with upright
and canister vacuums.
ERGONOMIC DESIGN
FAST AND EASY TO USE
Requires less than half the energy and effort to clean
the same area as it would take with an upright
Source— Battelle Memorial Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 1998
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