Well-equipped agents, more efficient service
Balancing residents' expectations, regulatory requirements, and budgetary constraints is a delicate balancing act. The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of essential equipment and best practices for a sustainable investment. Whether you are a municipality, a cleaning company, or simply an industry with in-house cleaning services, a fully equipped cleaning team seemed to us to be a rarely addressed issue.
Why the quality of the equipment determines the quality of the service
The cleanliness of a city center, park, or industrial zone is one of the most visible indicators of the effectiveness of a local authority or cleaning service provider. Yet, on the ground, sanitation workers must contend with an increasingly diverse range of waste: packaging, cigarette butts, cans, disposable masks, and illegal dumping. Inadequate equipment lengthens cleaning routes, tires staff, and degrades the perceived quality of service.
Properly equipping a street cleaning team is therefore not simply a matter of buying brooms. It is above all about designing a coherent logistics chain, from manual collection to bag disposal, including personal protective equipment and ergonomic workstations.
The essentials of manual collection
The litter picker: the central tool
The professional litter picker has become the signature tool of sanitation workers. It allows them to collect papers, cigarette butts, cans, and small packaging without having to bend over, thus reducing back strain and speeding up their rounds. Telescopic models (up to 238 cm) are particularly popular for flowerbeds and embankments.
For a full team, plan for at least one grabber per worker, with a short model (52 to 82 cm) for confined spaces and a long model for green areas. Grabbers with a 360° rotating head offer a real comfort advantage during repetitive movements. Our 85 cm magnetic litter grabber , which we have manufactured ourselves through a direct partnership with the manufacturer, offers unbeatable value for money at under €10.
Brooms, shovels and street cleaning accessories
Street sweeper's brooms and brush attachments remain essential for removing leaves, sand, and gravel that grabbers can't reach. Combine them with a tipping shovel, which is more ergonomic than a traditional one, allowing you to empty its contents without bending over. For markets, fairs, or event areas, a wide floor squeegee significantly speeds up the work.
Bags, containers and waste disposal
There's no point in collecting waste if the collection system is jammed. Large-capacity garbage bags (100 to 130 L) are standard for urban collection routes. Use reinforced bags for sharp waste (glass, cans) and different colored bags for recycling where your local authority offers this service.
Develop the supply chain
Street bins and ashtrays: the first line
An efficient cleaning team is nothing without properly sized street furniture. Professional-grade outdoor bins from brands like Rossignol, Rubbermaid, and Voussert are designed to withstand the elements and facilitate emptying. Complement this with outdoor ashtrays in front of public buildings and transport stops: a cigarette butt thrown in an ashtray saves ten to fifteen minutes of collection time per week.
Trolleys and support vehicles
For long collection routes, a street sweeper cart allows bags, grabbers, and brooms to be transported from one point to another without having to return to the vehicle. For large areas (industrial zones, campuses), a compact electric vehicle or a cargo tricycle is a useful addition to the system.
Personal protection is non-negotiable.
Equipment is not limited to tools. PPE (personal protective equipment) is mandatory: cut-resistant gloves, non-slip safety shoes, and high-visibility clothing conforming to EN ISO 20471. In summer, consider ventilated caps and safety glasses; in winter, waterproof parkas and thermal gloves.
Good PPE reduces absenteeism and protects the image of the community: an employee in clean and visible attire inspires confidence and respect.
Rather than buying as needed, think in terms of equipment per worker. For a typical urban route, you should budget approximately: a professional telescopic grabber, an outdoor broom with an ergonomic handle, a tipping shovel, a supply of 110L bags, a pair of reinforced gloves, and a high-visibility vest. Replace these items based on their lifespan (a well-maintained grabber can last for several years).
The real lever for savings lies in the durability of equipment and the reduction of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Properly chosen equipment means fewer replacements, fewer work stoppages, and a motivated team.
Adapt equipment to the seasons
The needs of a street cleaning team change throughout the year. In spring, pollen and plant debris are the main culprits: soft brooms and leaf vacuums are essential. In summer, outdoor seating areas and events generate a huge amount of cigarette butts, cans, and food packaging: grabbers become the primary tool, and bags must be reinforced to withstand broken glass. In autumn, fallen leaves necessitate wide brooms and leaf blowers. In winter, the challenges of salting and slippery conditions must be addressed: non-slip PPE, sturdy shovels, and bags resistant to low temperatures are crucial.
Maintaining a buffer stock for each season prevents supply chain disruptions at the worst possible time. Experienced professionals create a seasonal equipment list and place their orders two to three months in advance.
Maintaining your equipment to extend its lifespan
A properly maintained litter picker lasts between 24 and 36 months; a poorly maintained one won't even last a year. Simple actions make all the difference: rinse the jaws with clean water after a trip to the seaside (salt is corrosive), lubricate the mechanism once a quarter, check the tension of the internal cable, and tighten the handle screws. Aluminum handles can be protected with a simple adhesive film at the contact points to limit cosmetic wear.
For brooms, change the brush before it's completely worn out: a half-worn broom puts twice the strain on the operator for the same result. The same logic applies to trolleys: grease the bearings, check the wheel pressure, and replace any loose parts as soon as play develops.
In summary
• One waste collection grabber per agent, ideally in two complementary lengths.
• Brooms, tipping shovels and squeegees adapted to the terrain.
• Large capacity bags and properly sized collection equipment.
• Well-maintained street furniture and ashtrays upstream.
• Compliant and renewed PPE.
• Seasonal adaptation and regular maintenance of equipment.
To learn more, browse our range of professional cleaning equipment or contact our consultants for a personalized assessment of your facilities. For over 30 years, Voussert has been supporting local authorities, condominium associations, and cleaning service providers in choosing durable equipment adapted to their specific operational needs.
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