2000s: BSCAI Promotes Partnerships

In recognition of the 60th anniversary of BSCAI, each issue will explore a different decade and how events during that time shaped the contract cleaning industry. 

In the early 2000s, the Occupational Health and Safety Association (OSHA) had begun putting pressure on cleaning contractors to improve safety compliance or face stiff fines for violations. To combat the threat, the 2004 Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) board successfully established a 2-year alliance with OSHA officials. This alliance allowed members the opportunity to schedule onsite visits with OSHA inspectors, who would identify infractions. Assuming future steps were agreed upon, no fines were allocated. The program resulted in improved training and communication in workplace safety and health.  

During this same time, BSCAI formed alliances with BOMA and IFMA. These were the first in a decade that would become synonymous with partnerships for BSCAI. 

2000

- Debuting in 2000, the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification program helped legitimize the push for environmentally friendly products. BSCAI members fully embraced the certification and began using it to position themselves against the competition in the industry. 

2005

- ISSA opened their membership to cleaning contractor members, after only previously allowing them on the show floor for a few years. Prior to 2005, membership was exclusive only to jan/san distributors. 

2007

- BSCAI announced that it selected SmithBucklin as its full-service management company and relocated the headquarters from Fairfax, Virginia, to SmithBucklin's offices in Chicago.

2008

- Eight years after it was launched, the USGBC's LEED certification required green cleaning compliance, opening the door for a new service offering for building service contractors. 

2009

- BSCAI secures an alliance with ISSA to cohost events and collaborate on member and regulatory issues. The alliance immediately resulted in a co-located Executive Workshop with ISSA/INTERCLEAN later that year.   

- Cleaning for health became a growing focus as the national media reported more heavily on cross-contamination associated with SARS, MRSA, bird flu, C.diff, and swine flu. In 2009, H1N1 reportedly sickened more than a million people, killing nearly 500 Americans. 

2010 

– BSCAI hosted the last independent trade show. After 45 years of coming together for the Annual Convention in the spring, the landmark event moved to autumn to be co-located with ISSA/INTERCLEAN.