Practice Good Housekeeping In The Workplace

To maintain a safe and healthy workplace, housekeeping must be a priority. Poor housekeeping can present hidden hazards that may cause incidents, including tripping on loose objects in walkways, being hit by falling objects, and slipping on wet or dirty surfaces.

All employees should safely work with the products around them. Also, integrate housekeeping responsibilities into jobs by cleaning up as you go by removing waste and unused materials and inspecting your work area to ensure cleanup was properly completed.

Additional tips include:

• Ensure all spills are immediately cleaned up.
• Replace worn, ripped and damaged flooring and place anti-slip flooring in areas that cannot continually be cleaned, such as an entrance.
• Maintain clean light fixtures to improve lighting efficiency.
• Keep aisles and stairways clear.
• Consider installing warning signs and mirrors to help improve sight lines in blind corners.
• Regularly inspect, clean and repair all tools. Do not use damaged tools.

Inspections are a vital factor in a successful housekeeping program because they are the only way deficiencies can be discovered and changed.  What do you see when you inspect your work area?