For many persons, the concept of “effective” cleaning simply means that their surrounding areas are clean and orderly. But in a work place setting, effective cleaning means much more than that. Effective cleaning can be the difference between a safe work environment and one that’s a ticking time bomb. Safety consultants have long shown that a clean work environment not only boosts an entity’s image and facilitate an environment that is conducive to productivity and staff morale, but that it ensures that safety hazards are eliminated as much as possible. Here are four ways effective office cleaning can prevent workplace accidents.
Prevent Falls
Falls, slips and trips account for most of the frequent types of workplace injuries that occur. In order to stem these kinds of injuries, workplaces must ensure that floors are kept clean and dry. Using the correct type of cleaning agents is important as grease for example, can be hard to get rid of. Using the wrong cleaning products can end up spreading the slippery grease instead of getting rid of it. That is why it is always advised that businesses use professional cleaners who know how to get the job done.
Prevent Fires
It should be workplace policy that all employees avoid letting material that are combustible pile up around the work area. Anything that can cause a fire should be stored properly or disposed of. Therefore, office cleaning should be a thorough and regular activity. Additionally, employees should take precaution against coming into contact with flammable liquids. Business owners should make sure that passageways and fire exit doors are clean and free of obstructions in the event a fire occurs.
Prevent ergonomics issues
Working in a cluttered environment can cause ergonomics problems as there is less space for employees to operate in, which can lead to injuries. Injuries such as cuts are prone to occur when people are working in tight, cluttered spaces. This kind of environment can cause body aches, the most common of which is back pain. With limited space, employees will tend to twist their bodies this way and that, instead of actually moving around to do or look for something. Routine cleaning will get rid of harmful clutter.
Control dust
Dust can range from being a nuisance to a full-blown fire hazard. In fact, according to Quincy, a Fire Protection Association, having more than 0.8 millimeters of dust covering at least 5% of an area (making the accumulation similar in size to a paper clip) is enough to pose a serious fire risk. Because of this, businesses should make sure that regular dusting is done by experts to keep dust levels down. It is to be noted that dust can also affect the effectiveness of cleaning equipment and so using the right equipment for cleaning like a high-quality industrial vacuum, and caring for them properly, will ensure that the job is done right.
Effective cleaning becomes even more critical for large manufacturing companies and warehouses that use equipment that can cause accidents. Because of the risk the equipment poses such as creating combustible dust, proper cleaning will play an integral role in such a business’ overall safety plan.
