Good housekeeping is not merely the cleanliness
of the house or work area. It includes keeping work areas neat and orderly;
maintaining walkways and floors free of slip and trip hazards; and removing of
waste materials (e.g. paper, waste oil/chemicals/lubricants) and other fire
hazards from work areas. It also requires paying attention to important details
such as the layout of the whole workplace, aisle marking, the adequacy of
storage facilities, and maintenance.
Effective housekeeping can eliminate
some workplace hazards and help get a job done safely and properly. Poor
housekeeping can frequently contribute to accidents by hiding hazards that
cause injuries. If the sight of paper, debris, clutter and spills is accepted
as normal, then other more serious health and safety hazards may be taken for
granted.
The
following tips on good housekeeping can be applied in the office or at home and
can be shared with family and friends to ensure we prevent all accidents
associated with poor housekeeping practise:
· Have a place for
everything:
Resist the urge to pile things up, have a defined place for keeping things so
it would be easier to find them when needed.
· Clean as you go: Develop a routine
for cleaning up your work area during the day and at the end of the day so
there is no piling up.
· Put things away when
you’re done with them: If dismantling anything, stack parts away neatly in
their assigned location so they do not could cause obstruction or become a trip
hazard.
· Get everyone
involved:
Whether your co-cleaners are your hubby and kids (no matter the age),
housemates or your office mates, encourage everyone to help out with the
cleaning and organizing. Setting standards and allowing everyone to participate
can go a long way in keeping the environment clean.
· Create storage solutions: Open bins and
baskets are perfect storage solutions for some but for others, closets and
cabinets with hidden elaborate storage systems work best. Consider what you’re
most likely to use and incorporate it.
· Never go to bed or leave
the home with dishes in the sink. Make a commitment to making your bed at
the start of each day, ensure toilets and bathrooms are always in top-notch
conditions then cleaning your sink at the end of it. Toilets and sinks are
major focal points for disease causing pathogens and when they’re clean what’s
around them looks cleaner and healthier.
· Make cleaning an easy routine: Make cleaning a part
of your routine. Incorporate cleaning activities such as clearing your desk of
papers at the end of each day and other household chores into your daily
routine. Develop a cleaning schedule if possible.
· All rubbish should be placed in tidy bins or skips to be
removed:
In this way, should a fire occur, it is confined to a small area and dealt with
quickly and efficiently, thus preventing the fire spread.
· Tag out tools and
equipment for maintenance: If tools get damaged, get them repaired or replaced and
label as required. Do not leave them lying around to cause hazards.
· Put away all work
clothes after tasks: When work is completed, put personal protective
equipments and other gear in lockers provided, don’t just leave things about
hoping they’ll be there when you return.
· If you notice rubbish
piling up which you cannot remove, bring this to the attention of the
responsible party who will make arrangements to have it removed.
· When working at a
height above 1.8 meters and you notice loose objects on boards or walkways, put
them somewhere where they cannot be dislodged. They could fall and injure
someone.
· Do not leave used
coffee cup and dirty food containers around workstation or living rooms; take
back to the kitchen where it can be washed.
· Segregate waste: Put waste such as plastics, paper or metals
in separate bins or collection bags so they can be reused or recycled
accordingly. Household or domestic waste should be collected and disposed
separately.
· Secure all cables and
cords around your work area or home with a duct tape along the wall so they
don’t pose trip hazard.
· Remember, a clean
work area is a productive work area.
Effective
housekeeping is an ongoing operation for a good housekeeping practice plays a
vital role in accident prevention. Adopting a continuous housekeeping habit can
prevent up to 33% of accidents by ensuring everything is in its place and there
is a place for everything. The best habit to adopt as a culture is “clean as
you go” then you will be able to live a healthier life a d be safe at all times
around the home or work environment.
Written by O’
Reese of En-pact Solutions Limited, 2013
Twitter: @O Reese2
@EnpactHSE
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