To ensure the safety of the nation’s cleaners — an estimated 150,000 of them — and to make sure that the cleaning occupation has a firm set of standard operating procedures (SOP), a chapter for “cleaning service certification standards” will be included in the draft of the environmental cleanliness and beautification promotion act, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday said.
Although the proposed act is still being researched and drafted, with many details yet to be discussed, the EPA’s Department of Environmental Sanitation and Toxic Substance Management Director-General Yuan Shaw-ying (袁紹英) yesterday said a three-tiered certification system is under consideration.
“Cleaning technicians [those who hold the profession’s certificates in the future] who wish to clean a more specialized type of environment — such as hospitals, which will involve the sorting and disposal of used needles and other biohazardous materials — will need a level-A certificate,” Yuan said.
Those participating in physically dangerous acts of cleaning — such as the exterior of high-rise buildings — will require a level-B certificate, adding that those performing more general cleaning jobs will require a level-C certificate.
The certificates will also be renewed on a yearly basis and cleaning technicians will be trained for a certain number of hours before having their licenses renewed, Yuan said.
“The training hours will not be so many that it will affect [the technicians’] jobs, but it will be beneficial to their job performance,” he said.
In countries such as the US and Japan, certification process for cleaners was initiated by the government or labor unions, Yuan said.
“We are looking to submit the draft to the Legislative Yuan during their meeting session in 2011; the regulation must be a law before we can impose penalties,” he said.
But even after the act is passed, the EPA will give current cleaners a six-month buffer period to obtain their licenses, he said.
The purpose of the act is two-fold, Yuan said. Not only will cleaners gain protection with the training, but also a single set of SOPs will make the whole field more professional, he said.
Yuan said that the new act would only affect cleaners working in hospitals, community buildings, offices, factory storage facilities, commercial or factory buildings and specialized buildings.
“If people wish to hire a domestic helper to clean their houses, the hiring will be solely based on the satisfaction of the employer; it will not be regulated by the new act,” he said.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
RSS