Hawai i's Green Workforce A Baseline Assessment December 2010

The Depth and Breadth of Green Jobs:
Janitors, Cleaners and Security Guards
Hawaiÿi’s unique combination of industries, natural assets and environmentally-aware population
leads to some surprising conclusions with regard to the large number of janitors, cleaners and security
guards considered “green”. Job title descriptions submitted by businesses to the Hawaiÿi Green Jobs
Survey provide evidence of an emerging industry of janitors, cleaners and security guards that are
making a significant contribution to green practices and employment in the State of Hawaiÿi. The SOC
occupational groups of Janitors & Cleaners and Security Guards are among the Survey’s top-five green
occupations when measured in total numbers (Table 8).
While tourism is not classified as a NAICS industry, this broad services-based sector spans several
major industry groups which collectively employ a large number of local workers. According to
our research, a growing number of cleaning providers have incorporated eco-friendly products as a
significant feature of their services. This has been coupled with the provisioning of extensive employee
training and certification in areas such as water conservation, recycling and proper waste disposal.
Given the principal and recurring nature of these responsibilities in such cases, this report treats these
two occupations – janitors and cleaners – as green jobs and lists them under the core green area of
Natural, Sustainable and Environmentally-Friendly Production. Based on survey data, of the estimated
13,250 janitors and cleaners in Hawaiÿi, nine percent undergo special green training. These credentials
are actively marketed by both employers and employees.
While the majority of security guards are tasked with protecting real estate, capital assets and public
safety, an increasing number are also responsible for pollution deterrence, environmental regulation
enforcement and the safeguarding of hazardous materials from the general public. As a result, select
positions within the Security Guard occupational group can be categorized under the core green area
of Reduce Pollution and Waste; Conserve Our Natural Resources; Recycle. Based on this definition,
survey data estimate that 5.4 percent of the 10,250 security guards in Hawaiÿi are green.
One respondent to the Survey, a security company, notes clients with special “green” requirements.
For example, a landfill hires security guards to monitor the quantity of dust pollution, and notify
management when mitigation measures are required. This landfill also requires that the security
guards check truck compliance with solid waste rules, such as regulations against dumping hazardous
materials. Furthermore, the security guards limit the number of trucks so that the facility does not
exceed its capacity. Other examples are piers and shippers. Security guards at these sites report to
facility safety officers, following established protocols to monitor the water and containers for toxic
spills and broken safety equipment that could lead to spills. The security guards also check hazardous
materials documentation on the piers, which includes individual safety papers and the correct placarding
of containers. In the event of a spill or other accident, these workers are responsible for cooperating
with the coast guard to quickly staunch the flow and mitigate damages. According to a representative
of this company, “I think green security guards will only increase, because people really care about that
stuff now.”
20 Hawaiÿi’s Green Workforce: A Baseline Assessment