SECTION 770-140-010
Issue 1, August, 1977

             CONTENTSPAGE

1. GENERAL

1.01 This section describes the procedures for cleaning and maintaining floors in Bell System Electronic Switching System (ESS) areas

1.02 Whenever this section is reissued, the reason for reissue will be listed in this paragraph.

1.03 Due to the nature of electronic equipment in these areas, it is necessary to observe some special precautions not otherwise applicable to other Bell System equipment rooms.

2. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS

2.01 AC electric utility outlets are installed on the ESS equipment frames. These outlets are to be used for test equipment only. Under no circumstances should these outlets be used for any floor maintenance equipment. It is recommended that red plate covers be placed over such outlets as a reminder.

2.02 All floor maintenance machines should be provided with cords containing a grounding wire. The integrity of the grounding circuit should be tested monthly as provided for in Section 770-120-040, Part 2.

2.03 Cleaning machines should be plugged into wall utility outlets only. The ground terminal in the utility outlet should be connected to the utility box.

2.04 All machines used in the ESS area should be provided with heavy duty rubber bumpers

so that no metal part of the machine may accidentally come in contact with any part of the ESS equipment.

2.05It is essential that the machine operator make every effort to avoid permitting any part of the cleaning equipment to come in contact with any part of the ESS equipment.

2.06Floor machines being used near Central Processor Frames should be started away from these frames and not turned off until away from the frames again. This is a precautionary measure to guard against any foreign magnetic field interfering with the memory unit in the ESS equipment.

3. PREVENTIVE MEASURES

3.01 The following preventive measures should be taken when working in ESS areas to prevent adversely affecting this sensitive switching equipment.

 (a) Smoking is prohibited in ESS equipment areas.

 (b) Do not use dry or untreated mops or steel wool for cleaning operations.

 (c) When treating the floor, use a minimum amount of liquid. To minimize splashing of the liquid, use a special wet mop that has a band sewn across the wide end - of the mop. These are sometimes known as web-foot-type mops.

 (d) The ESS room air should be properly filtered using system approved media to minimize the amount of free dust particles that can settle in the equipment area. This will also help in reducing the frequency of dust mopping.

 (e) Traffic should be limited to necessary personnel only. This will reduce the entrance of unwanted foreign dust and dirt particles.

4. FLOOR MAINTENANCE

4.01 The floor should be maintained by periodic sweeping with a disposable treated cloth or an approved dust mop. The use of treated cloths is covered in Section 770-130-050.

4.02 It may be necessary to operate the cleaning tool for cloths lengthwise rather than crosswise due to the cramped quarters between the equipment frame.

4.03 To ensure a more lasting finish on a new floor, it is recommended the floor be stripped and cleaned before the floor finish is applied.

4.04 Use a minimum amount of water in the cleaning and stripping operation. Dilute the liquid floor cleaner with 16 parts of warm water and apply the cleaning solution to the floor with a well-wrung mop in order to wet, but not flood the floor. Separate mops should be used for applying and taking up the stripping solution. Do not attempt to strip more than 50 square feet at a time. To prevent the solution from drying out, mop-scrub the floor immediately or use a scrubbing machine equipped with a brush or a mild abrasive nylon pad.

4.05 Remove the dirty cleaning solution with well-wrung mops. If all dirt and/or all old finish has not been removed the first time, repeat the scrubbing operation until the floor is thoroughly cleaned. Rinse the floor several times using well-wrung mops. Rinse the mops frequently in water during this operation. Allow floor to dry.

4.06 Apply the floor finish in thin coats with a well-wrung special mop. Allow the floor to dry thoroughly between coats. The number of coats will vary with the porosity of the floor. On vinyl, two coats should be sufficient. On linoleum or vinyl asbestos, two or three coats may be required. On asphalt tile, as many as four coats may be necessary.

4.07 Due to the rather narrow aisle space between the back of the equipment frames, it may be impossible to maneuver a scrubbing machine in this part of the equipment area. If this is the case, all operations will have to be accomplished manually with the proper mop. Extreme care should be exercised to avoid touching any of the

equipment, either with body contact or with any cleaning tools. This warning is to protect the ESS equipment not because of any danger to personnel. (See Section 770-120-060, Performing Building Service Work in Equipment Rooms.)

4.08 Safety precautions similar to those observed in ordinary stripping operations should be observed. These include the use of safety signs and barricades.

4.09 To reduce the need of stripping the floor even further, the practice of spot cleaning can prove advantageous. Mop the worn areas with a warm solution of liquid floor cleaner diluted 40 to 1. Apply with a well-wrung mop using the heel of the mop to eliminate any black marks. Rinse as described in 4.05 and apply one coat of floor finish.

4.10 For the general equipment aisles, the floors should be maintained in the same manner as any other type of operation room. Because of the narrow aisles between the backs of the equipment frames and the possible damage to the equipment Z wiring, it is recommended that these aisles be cleaned only with the knowledge and authorization of the local central office supervisor.

4.11 Tools and Supplies

 (a) Stripping

  (1) Pails for cleaning solution and rinse water

  (2) Mop for applying and picking up cleaning solution

  (3) Mop for rinse water

  (4) Floor scrubbing machine

  (5) Bell System Liquid Floor Cleaner

  (6) Bell System Floor Finish

  (7) Warm water.

 (b) Routine Sweeping

  (1) Treated dust mop or cleaning tool with disposable treated cloths.