Although most businesses are aware of the importance of cleanliness in office and reception spaces, the factory floor can sometimes be neglected. However, having a good level of cleanliness is essential in a factory as not only can it have an impact on health and safety in the workplace but it could even have an impact on the product quality being produced, with an unhygienic factory floor allowing bacteria like E.Coli and Salmonella to grow and thrive.
The Statistics
Worryingly, around 22 workers every year die in accidents in the workplace. As if these statistics weren’t disturbing enough, more than 3000 reports have been made of major workplace injuries over the last few years, and over 4000 injuries were reported during the same period which kept employees from attending work for a week or longer. Dirty factory floors contribute to those statistics.
Health & Safety Inspections
In the UK, there are regular Health & Safety inspections to determine the level of cleanliness and hygiene at every business, and failure to comply with the government’s guidelines can not just put the lives of workers at risk, but an also result in the business being fined or possibly even being closed down completely. To guard against this eventuality, meeting all of the necessary standards is vital, and some of these involve implementing appropriate cleaning methods.
Grime and dirt builds up over time on equipment and floors which may impact not only employee safety but also business productivity. By taking an approach of regular cleaning paired with periodic deep cleaning, it is possible to meet the required inspection standards. Although it’s possible to do this in-house, if you hire a commercial cleaning company who are highly experience in cleaning of factory floors, you can be guaranteed a better overall result and be confident that the appropriate safety standards are being met.
Factory Cleaning – A Time Consuming Task
Factories are, by their nature, difficult to clean. Cleaning every machine daily would be impossible, but regular cleaning of floors is vital to ensure no trips or slips occur, as well as daily cleaning of workstations, removal of waste and sanitising of toilets and bathrooms as well as other communal areas like kitchens.
Although some companies think that they can save money by getting employees to clean their factory floor areas, this is actually not an efficient use of workers’ time and adds additional health and safety risks. However, using a professional cleaning company ensures that standards are maintained and that cleaning is done efficiently and on a schedule that works for the business’ day to day functioning.
Having a safe and clean environment not only protects your workers from harm and injuries, it will also boost production levels and quality of the products that the factory makes. A clean factory floor boosts employee morale and creates a positive and productive workforce that are happy to come to work and give their best. Engaging a professional cleaning company therefore adds value to your business, saving you money in the long run.