11 Tips For Effective Workplace Housekeeping

Housekeeping is crucial to safe workplaces. It can help prevent injuries and improve productivity and morale.

The practice extends from traditional offices to industrial workplaces, including factories, warehouses and manufacturing plants that present special challenges such as hazardous materials, combustible dust and other flammables. Here are 11 tips for effective workplace housekeeping.

1. Prevent slips, trips and falls

Report and clean up spills and leaks.

Consider installing mirrors and warning signs to help with blind spots.

Replace worn, ripped or damage flooring.

Use drip pans and guards.

2. Eliminate fire hazards

Keep combustible materials in the work area only in amounts needed for the job. When they are unneeded, move them to an assigned safe storage area.

Store quick-burning, flammable materials in designated locations away from ignition sources.

Avoid contaminating clothes with flammable liquids. Change clothes if contamination occurs.

3.Control dust

Dust accumulation of more than 0.8 millimeters – covering at least 5 percent of a room’s surface poses a significant explosion hazard. Vacuuming is the “preferred” method of cleaning. Sweeping and water wash-down are other options. “Blow-downs” using compressed air or steam is allowed for inaccessible or unsafe surfaces.

4. Avoid tracking materials

Work-area mats should be kept clean and maintained.

Separate cleaning protocols may be needed for different areas to prevent cross-contamination.

If the materials are toxic, industrial hygiene testing, uniforms and showering facilities might be needed.

5. Prevent falling objects

Protections such as a toe board can help prevent objects from falling and hitting workers or equipment. Other tips include stacking boxes and materials straight up and down to keep them from falling. Place heavy objects on lower shelves, and keep equipment away from the edges of desks and tables.

6. Clear clutter

Keep aisles, stairways, emergency exits, electrical panels and doors clear of clutter, and purge untidy areas. Empty trash receptacles before they overflow.

7.Store materials properly

Storage areas should not have an accumulation of materials that present hazards for tripping, fire, explosion or pests. Unused materials and equipment should be stored out of the way of workers. Remember to put everything back in its proper place. Keeping a storage space nearby so workers are encouraged to use it.

8. Use and inspect personal protective equipment and tools\

Wear basic PPE – such as closed-toe shoes and safety glasses – while performing housekeeping. Determine what type of PPE to don based on the potential risks. Regularly inspect, clean and fix tools. Remove any damaged tools from the work area.

9. Determine frequency

All workers should participate in housekeeping, especially in terms of keeping their own work areas tidy, reporting safety hazards and cleaning up spills. A company should have a mixture of deep cleaning and more frequent, lighter cleaning that involves sweeping and responding to spills.

10. Create written rules

Housekeeping policies should be put in writing. Written protocols could specify which cleaners, tools and methods should be used.

11. Think long-term

Housekeeping should be more than a one-time initiative. Keep records, maintain a regular walkthrough inspection schedule, report hazards and train employees to help sustain housekeeping.