Housekeeping is SafekeepingAvoiding Accidents with Good Housekeeping

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Best Practice The Importance of Good Housekeeping

Safety Talk Bad Housekeeping Can Bring Consequences

Safety Talk How to Clean Up at Work

Quiz How to Clean Up at Work

Statistics Seven Statistics on Slipping Hazards

Must Read Workplace is No Place for Poor Housekeeping

Housekeeping Poster Courtesy of SafetyPoster.com

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Best PracticeThe Importance of Good HousekeepingAn Occupational Health and Safety officer once told me he can tell the value management places on health and safety by the housekeeping. Good housekeeping = high value placed on health and safety; bad housekeeping…well, you get the picture.

Poor housekeeping can result in cords, protruding objects and debris strewn across the floor, which can cause trips, slips and falls—some of the most common workplace injuries. These kinds of injuries can happen as readily in an office as in an industrial work environment.

So what should you do? Try to eliminate hoses, cords and frayed rugs. For example, in an office, switch to wireless mouses, which have no cords at all. (Isn’t technology wonderful?) If you can’t eliminate cords and hoses, then contain them and keep them out of walkways and paths.

When space is an issue, the emergency exits are often the first to be blocked because they’re seen as wasted or unused space. For example, it may be tempting to store boxes, supplies, etc. near or in front of an emergency exit so they’re out of the way. But blocked exits can impede escape during an emergency, which can have catastrophic results. So make sure that emergency exits are kept clean and clear of clutter.

Here are some more housekeeping tips:

• Keep cleaning supplies, especially those in aerosol cans or that contain hazardous chemicals, in their proper place, such as a vented, fire proof metal cabinet.

• Watch the accumulation of water on all outdoor work sites, because it’s a slipping hazard. Water should be sucked or squeegeed away.

• Ensure your parking lots and walkways are salted and sanded to prevent ice from accumulating and slips.

• Keep stairs at your workplace free of clutter and trip hazards. Nothing should be stored on a staircase.

• Floors should be cleaned regularly to remove grease, oil and any other substances that could cause a worker to slip and fall.

• It’s easy for workers to get injured by tools just laying around or tossed wherever when a worker is done with them. So require workers to put away their hand tools in the proper place. The Japanese use the 5 S approach, which roughly translated means everything has a place and there’s a place for

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everything. For example, drawings or silhouettes of tools such as hammers and wrenches on a pegboard can ensure the tools are put in the appropriate places.

• First aid rooms and related areas, such as eyewash stations and showers, should be clean and

as sanitary as possible. And the water should be regularly tested it ensure it’s not rusty or foul.

In short, good housekeeping is one of the best—and simplest—things you can do to reduce injuries and incidents in your workplace.

MODEL HOUSEKEEPING CHECKLISTTopic Yes No Comments

Floors clean and free of water, mud, ice, grease, oil, waste and clutter

Leaks and spills cleaned up promptly

Traffic areas clear and free of obstacles such as cords, air hoses or boxes

Exits and stairs clearly marked

Garbage cans used and emptied regularly

Unused materials disposed of or stored safely (not allowed to accumulate in out-of-the-way places)

Stored materials safely stacked, correctly labeled and in proper order

Stairways and doorways kept clear and well-lighted

Oily rags stowed in approved covered metal cans

Hazardous materials kept in clearly and correctly labeled authorized containers, away from sources of ignition and other hazards

Flammable materials stored away from sources of ignition

Machines and tools kept clean, free of oil and dust and properly maintained

Tools cleaned and put away right after use

Work stations left clean at the end of each shift

Equipment and other surfaces checked for jagged edges, rough surfaces, dangerous nails and hooks (all of which could cause cuts, puncture wounds or eye injuries)

Chairs and stools correctly placed to prevent tripping accidents

Drawers and cabinet doors kept closed to prevent both tipping and tripping accidents

Smoking done only in designated areas and ashtrays used

Lunch areas clean and lunch scraps disposed of properly

Washrooms clean and dry

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Safety TalkBad Housekeeping Can Bring Consequences

Some people can’t stand a mess, while others leave an evidence trail of poor housekeeping everywhere they go. But in the workplace, bad housekeeping can have consequences that go far beyond creating an image of a sloppily run, unprofessional operation.

Poor housekeeping causes a wide range of injuries and fatalities, ranging from painful slips, trips and falls, to workers being unable to evacuate burning buildings because of blocked fire exits, to dust explosions that can claim multiple lives in an instant.

The lead singer and guitarist of a popular band was participating in a game show in Japan when he fell head-first from a slippery and wet stage to the floor below. He suffered severe brain injuries and died several days later.

And dust explosions, many of which are linked to poor housekeeping, have claimed more than 100 workers’ lives and injured about 600 others across the US since the early 1980s, according to the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

The possibilities for injury or death in a cluttered workplace are many. Workers can slip on spilled material that hasn’t been cleaned up, trip over debris on a floor, hurt themselves while walking past heavy or sharp objects that are protruding from shelves or be struck by

unsecured items that shift and fall from racking.

If sawdust, sugar or other material is left to accumulate on surfaces and it comes in contact with an ignition source, it can cause a deadly explosion and fire.

It is neither safe nor practical for you to sweep dust off a beam high in the air in your workplace. If you are concerned about a buildup of combustible dust and the potential for an explosion, talk to your supervisor.

As a worker, there’s plenty you can do on the ground to keep yourself and your co-workers safe. While it can be annoying to see someone create a mess such as a spill and walk away from it, ignoring that mess yourself is wrong because it puts everyone in danger.

The few seconds it takes to mop up a coffee spill on the floor or sweep up some wood chips and sawdust can make a huge difference to the safety of your workplace. But if you don’t know what the spilled material is, talk to your supervisor before attempting to clean it up.

Here are some other important housekeeping tips to remember and practice:

• When you are finished using tools or material, return them to their proper place and clean up anything that is left sitting on work surfaces or floors.

• If you observe materials

protruding from shelving that could either fall onto workers or injure anyone walking by, push them back or if they are too large to handle or cannot be repositioned so they fit on the shelf, report them to your supervisor.

• Ensure that all walkways are free of obstructions such as materials, tools, or wires that could cause someone to trip or fall.

• Never stack material to a height where it becomes unstable and might fall.

• If emergency exit routes are blocked by material, inform your supervisor.

• Don’t leave garbage hanging around. Trash should be taken to a dumpster at the end of the shift.

• Dispose of oily rags in covered metal containers. These containers need to be emptied on a regular basis.

• Ensure that fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems are not blocked by equipment or materials.

Some people are neat and others are messy. How you keep your home is up to you, but you are not free to create messes in the workplace that could result in your own or other workers’ injury or worse. Keep things neat, for safety’s sake.

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Safety TalkHow to Clean Up at Work

Workplace housekeeping has been an important part of job safety programs for many years. Whether you are working in a traditional factory or a 21st century work setting such as a wind energy tower, good housekeeping can be a life-saver.

WHAT’S THE DANGER

A messy or untidy workplace can lead to serious injuries and fatalities. You can slip on spills, bump into objects placed in the wrong location or be injured by something falling on you. Fires can start in piles of paper or scrap.

This is why it is important to practice good worksite housekeeping. You may think it is more important to do your work than to clean it up. However, by practicing regular daily maintenance, your job will not only be easier but safer.

EXAMPLE

Scrap discarded on a scaffold could trip a worker and cause a fatal fall. Grease spilled on a kitchen floor could cause a worker to slip and contact a fryer filled with hot oil.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

• Clean up anything that spills, even water, to prevent slips and other incidents.

• Put everything back where it belongs when you are finished with it. Out-of-place tools and other objects are not only hard to find, but can cause serious incidents.

• Keep your workplace free of dust, dirt, and debris. Dirt can contaminate work and spread disease. Dust can get in your lungs. Some forms of dust and debris can lead to fires.

• Dispose of scrap and other rubbish immediately and in proper containers. Be particularly careful about getting rid of oily rags – in approved containers only – and papers, wood and other combustible materials.

• All passageways, including halls, doorways and stairwells should be kept clear. If there is an emergency, the route to safety must not be blocked. Don’t forget electrical and other cords in aisles; they can trip you up.

• Items must be stacked properly. Racks, bins and storage areas should not be overloaded or they may topple. Other objects should be securely placed so they do not fall.

• All access must be clear to emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers, control switches, safety showers,

eyewash stations and first aid boxes.

• All hazardous substances should be properly stored in well-ventilated areas with labeled containers.

• Lightbulbs and lighting tubes should be replaced regularly and lighting systems must be working. Inadequate lighting causes many injuries.

• Keep all tools and equipment in good repair. When you see something needing special maintenance or repair, report it immediately.

• Don’t forget to clean up after yourself in the lunchroom. Throw away your lunch bags, other food wrappers and wasted food. Rinse your dishes, utensils and clean the counters if you spill something.

FINAL WORD

Keeping your workplace clean and tidy has many positive effects. It is worth the time and effort. If you clean up as you work, you will find it will not slow down your productivity. You will find you have little cleaning to do when you are finished. A clean and tidy workplace is likely to be a safe and productive one.

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1. Housekeeping is up to the custodian only; it’s not your job.

True False

2. Poor workplace housekeeping can lead to...

a. fires

b. slips trips and falls

c. electric shock

d. all of these

3. Give an example of a workplace housekeeping problem in your workplace.

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4. How could it be solved?

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

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5. You must maintain free access to emergency equipment such as safety showers and fire extinguishers.

True False

6. What would you do?

It’s your turn to make a delivery in the company van. You open the door to find a mess. Amid the dust and grease in the cab, you see a cylinder of flammable solvent sitting in the sun on the dashboard, a flashlight rolling around on the floor where it could block use of the pedals and an unsecured fire extinguisher just waiting to hit you in the head in an emergency stop. Should you jump right in and drive? Should you report the problem to your supervisor?

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__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

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QuizHow to Clean Up at Work

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StatisticsSeven Statistics on Slipping Hazards

Whether moving too quickly on an icy walkway or hurrying out of the shower across tile in your birthday suit to catch a ringing telephone, it’s surprising how quickly you can end up on the floor or ground with a throbbing head, or excruciating pain from an elbow or tailbone smacking the ground. Here are seven facts relating to slipping hazards and consequences:

1. Here are two things to know about footwear in the workplace: People working in predominantly wet conditions should wear footwear with a pattern that is deep enough to penetrate surface water and make direct contact with a floor. However, people working in predominantly dry conditions should use footwear having flat-bottom construction to ensure maximum contact area with the floor.

2. Ten common slipping hazards include spills of liquid or solid materials; wet cleaning methods; rain or snow inside doorways; changes in floor surfaces, such as joins between carpeting and wood flooring; a change from a wet to a dry surface; dusty or sandy surfaces; the incline of a ramp; loose/bumpy flooring; low light; and unsuitable footwear. (SafeWorkAustralia)

3. Shoes with urethane or rubber soles have greater slip resistance than shoes with vinyl or leather soles.

4. Five housekeeping practices that can help reduce slipping hazards in the workplace include removal of debris, snow and ice; prompt cleanup of spills; regular cleaning of floors; providing mats in areas prone to getting wet—

such as building entrances; and cleaning the casters on wheeled carts. (Ontario Ministry of Labour)

5. Slips and trips are the most common cause of major injuries at work, with 95 percent of major slips resulting in broken bones. (Health and Safety Executive, United Kingdom)

6. It takes about seven minutes for a wet-mopped spill to dry, meaning that the area is going to be extremely slippery during that time. A better solution is to use a dry paper towel to soak up and dry a spill.

7. Footwear accounts for 24 percent of all slip and fall accidents. (National Floor Safety Institute)

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Must ReadWorkplace is No Place for Poor Housekeeping

A worker precariously piles bags of rock dust in a mine. Part of the pile falls over onto a rail line used to transport miners. A train strikes the debris at high speed and derails, with one car overturning in water. One worker drowns and several others are injured.

A chicken processing plant in North Carolina catches fire in the early 1990s, with 25 workers dying and 50 others suffering injuries. Investigation revealed that exit doors were either locked, blocked, or unmarked. There was only one fire extinguisher, no working alarm system, and inadequate lighting.

These two examples show what can happen when housekeeping is given low priority in the workplace, although the plant fire’s causes went far beyond poor housekeeping, because some doors were deliberately kept locked to prevent theft.

Some people are tidy by nature, while others never seem to outgrow the “it’s my bedroom and I’ll keep it how I like it” mentality of their teens.

Your home’s state of cleanliness is your personal business, but this freedom doesn’t extend to the workplace. It cannot, because your messes could cause a serious injury or fatality.

A small mess in an area can appear innocent enough - a few items kept on the floor close

to a workstation because an employee doesn’t want to make longer trips to where the items should be stored.

However, in addition to creating a tripping/falling or fire hazard, a small mess in one area can soon turn into a big one throughout the workplace. Others who are normally neat can become complacent and adopt an if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em attitude.

Bad housekeeping needn’t be as blatant as turning a work area into a pigpen, or using a staircase as a storage room. It can be far more subtle.

CONSIDER THESE EXAMPLES:

• Leaving a cabinet or drawer open, creating the perfect opportunity for an unsuspecting coworker to knock his head into it, or trip over it.

• Stringing extension cords across a floor, without taping them down.

• Walking past a spill on a floor, thinking the person who made it is probably getting equipment to attend to it, or if he isn’t, he — not you — should be.

• Leaving sharp items protruding from a shelf, even slightly, because someone didn’t want to take a few extra seconds to

stack them safely.

• Blocking, even for a short time, exits, aisles, stairs, emergency eyewash stations or showers, first aid equipment or fire fighting equipment.

• Ignoring a burned-out light in a stairwell or other area where an unsuspecting person could trip and fall.

• Letting waste paper, wood chips, or other items that pose a fire hazard pile up in a work area.

• Failing to keep machinery clean and free of excess oil, shavings, and other potentially hazardous materials.

Not everyone is a born neat freak, and in the privacy of your own home, it’s your choice to go for the “lived-in” look. In the workplace, however, neatness really counts. In a matter of seconds an unattended spill or a blocked stairway can create a lifetime of misery for both an injured worker and the person whose actions caused it to happen. Don’t go there.

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To order this housekeeping poster, visit SafetyPoster.com

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