11 Tips for Effective Workplace Housekeeping

All workplaces should be “kept clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition.” The rule includes passageways, storerooms and service rooms. Floors should be clean and dry. Drainage should be present where “wet processes are used.”

Employers should select adequate flooring e.g., cement, ceramic tile or another material, as different types of flooring hold up better under certain conditions.

To help prevent slip, trip, and fall incidents, HSE.gov.uk recommends the following:

• If you have an accident or a near miss, make sure you report it to your employer promptly. They can use this information to prevent future accidents.
• If you see a spillage, clean it up or make arrangements for it to be cleaned.
• Report any damaged floors or mats.
• Play your part and keep the workplace tidy.
• If you see items on the floor where someone could trip over them, remove them or arrange for them to be removed or for the situation to be made safe.
• If you are given PPE, wear it and look after it. Report any faults or damage to your employer and make arrangements for a replacement.
• Tell your employer about any work situation that you think is dangerous, or if you notice that something has gone wrong with their health and safety arrangements.

2. Eliminate fire hazards

There are three main types of dust:

• Silica dust – created when working on silica containing materials like concrete, mortar and sandstone (also known as respirable crystalline silica or RCS);
• Wood dust – created when working on softwood, hardwood and wood-based products like MDF and plywood;
• Lower toxicity dusts – created when working on materials containing very little or no silica. The most common include gypsum (e.g. in plasterboard), limestone, marble and dolomite.

Stop or reduce the dust

Before work starts, look at ways of stopping or reducing the amount of dust the processes may generate. Use different materials, less powerful tools or other work methods to prevent dust from spreading. For example, you could use:

• The right size of building materials so less cutting or preparation is needed;
• Silica-free abrasives to reduce the risks when blasting;
• A less powerful tool – e.g. a block splitter instead of a cut-off saw;
• A different method of work altogether – e.g. a direct fastening system

Even if you stop some dust this way, you may want to look at other processes that could still produce high dust levels.

In these cases, the most important action is to stop the dust getting into the air. There are two main ways of doing this:

1. Water – water damps down dust clouds. However, it needs to be used correctly. This means enough water supplied at the right levels for the whole time that the work is being done. Just wetting the material beforehand does not work.
2. On-tool extraction – removes dust as it is being produced. It is a type of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system that connects directly onto the tool. This ‘system’ consists of several individual parts – the tool, capturing hood, extraction unit and tubing. Use an extraction unit to the correct specification (i.e. H (High) M (Medium) or L (Low) Class filter unit). Don’t just use a general commercial vacuum.

4. Avoid tracking materials

Protections such as a toe board, toe rail, or a net 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. Also, refrain from stacking objects in areas where workers walk, including aisles. Keep the layout in mind so workers are not exposed to hazards as they walk through areas.

Falling objects can lead to major injuries. It's also important to carefully observe whether items are precariously balanced on the shelves or not, as there's always a risk that they might fall. Ideally, workers should be tasked with the responsibility of double-checking items once they've been placed on the shelf to ensure they aren't at a risk of falling.

Discover how to perform a successful risk assessment, here.

6. Declutter

You must ensure chemicals and dangerous substances are stored and handled in a way that minimizes their risks and limits people’s exposure to them.

You can control risks by:

• storing chemicals according to the manufacturer’s instructions
• keeping the minimum quantity of hazardous substances necessary
• storing incompatible substances separately
• taking steps to prevent release or leakage of dangerous substances
• keeping a spill kit near to storage areas, and ensuring staff are trained in what to do in the event of a spill
• cleaning up any leaks or spills that occur immediately
• using appropriate precautions when handling substances – for example, wearing protective clothing or ensuring adequate ventilation
• ensuring employees who store and handle dangerous substances are properly trained
• checking containers used for short-term storage are properly labelled

If you store chemicals or dangerous substances that could create a fire or explosion, you must ensure that flammable substances are correctly stored in suitable containers and are not stored near to a source of ignition such as a heater.

You should also:

• place stores of liquid above ground where they’re unlikely to be damaged, e.g. away from traffic routes
• avoid overfilling containers
• supervise deliveries
• maintain gauges, valves, and pipework
• monitor oil use – unexpectedly high use may indicate a leak
• have procedures for dealing with emergency leakages
• use a secondary containment system such as a drip tray or bund (a storage area designed to prevent liquids escaping)

8. Use and inspect personal protective equipment and tools