How Cleaning Can Prevent Health & Safety Risks

Posted by admin, May 23, 2018

You might be excused for thinking that cleaning is simply a matter of keeping up appearances – creating a good impression for customers and an attractive working environment for employees.

If that were so, our job would be far simpler! In fact, the real consequences of poor cleaning practices are evident in every aspect of corporate and public organisations, and are in reality, a critical aspect in the upholding of Health & Safety.

Two-thirds of businesses are failing to follow Health & Safety laws, and while the visual impact of clean, hygienic premises may not be a safety consideration in itself, a clean environment has serious consequences for the ‘health’ of every business.

Offices

• Only 3% of offices maintain their equipment to a sufficient standard of hygiene. And this, when an average office desk harbours 400 times as many bacteria as a typical toilet seat! Keyboards are more germ-friendly still.
• 48% of staff are unhappy with the hygiene at their workplace, with particular reference to washrooms. In fact, 51% of employees admit to having been ‘appalled’ by the condition of their workplace washroom facilities.

While the office may seem like one of the safest places to work, poor cleaning and hygiene standards can make this environment filled with risks. One case study reveals exactly how this so-called low risk sector saw an accident all due to inadequate cleaning – which could have been avoided had the company pursued a more reputable cleaning partner.

An investigation by an environmental health officer into a slipping accident to an employee at a commercial sales office highlighted the need for a review of the company’s cleaning regime in their risk assessment.

The employee had slipped on an area of flooring that had been mopped but not dried properly. The company’s ‘General Procedures and Safety Precautions’ had stated ‘Do not walk on wet or newly polished floors’, however, wet cleaning took place during working hours when staff were always moving around their desks.

Healthcare

• Every year, five thousand people die from hospital-acquired infections. And at any given time, about 1 in 20 in-patients has an infection related to hospital care. (Source: Clean Hospitals)

The consequences of such a slapdash approach to cleaning are serious enough in a regular office building – sickness, work absences, staff dissatisfaction – but in surgeries, clinics and hospitals, the problem becomes dangerously amplified.

An example case of this substandard approach to cleaning has been reported by a Health and Safety inspector when they witnessed an accident at a local hospital.

A hospital worker opened the door of a meeting room and stepped into the corridor where she slipped and fell. The vinyl floor had just been cleaned and was still wet. Although she was not seriously injured, this was largely a matter of chance – there was the potential for a serious injury on another occasion. Enquiries were then made about how floor cleaning operations and procedures were managed by the hospital and their cleaning partners.

Education

• In schools and colleges, the ‘top five’ illnesses are the common cold, sore throat, ear infection, stomach flu and conjunctivitis. Regular school cleaning and waste management are essential in preventing harmful micro-organisms from spreading around the building and onto furniture and equipment where it can be easily transmitted.

As educational environments hold the safety of both adults and children within their responsibility, health and safety should be a priority in every respect of how the institution is managed – and this includes choosing a cleaning partner who holds the same high standards for the student’s health and wellbeing.

Unfortunately, a case which has revealed the detrimental effects of poor cleanliness has shown exactly why choosing a cleaning partner isn’t just a ‘box-ticking’ exercise.

A university was found to have one in ten university staff reporting an accident at work.

The university had also received two improvement notices from Health & Safety inspectors in the last three years.

As managers and staff recognised that there was room for improvement, a DVD was made using contributions from staff across the university to highlight what can happen if health and safety is not taken seriously.

Shoddy cleaning practices: The true cost

Health & Safety issues are becoming increasingly critical in every type of commercial and public establishment. Did you know that:

• Slips and falls account for more than a third of all workplace accidents? (These are mainly the result of slippery floor surfaces. Such accidents which could easily be avoided by competent, responsible cleaning practices. All too often, wet cleaning takes place during working hours when staff are moving around their desks).
• 18% of customers admit to not returning to a retail establishment because of poor levels of hygiene in the facilities provided.
• One national retailer was so conscious of the vital role played by its cleaning contractor that it initiated a programme of innovative changes to its cleaning operations, creating a market-leading in-store environment – and generating a six-figure cost reduction into the bargain.

So where does Glenn come in?

• Every quarter, we carry out a Health & Safety and environment audit on every client’s site.
• We structure this audit by means of a comprehensive risk assessment and Health & Safety check sheet. It covers all the likely risks and hazards in the areas that we work.
• Since it includes questions for our clients around their internal H&S policy, many use it as part of the documentation for their internal audits.

It should now be clear that expert cleaning is not merely a ‘nice to have’ but a prime consideration in the management of every commercial and social organisation.

With 20 years’ experience in the business, nobody is better placed to advise on legal requirements, and to execute the programmes that will keep your premises safe, healthy and attractive to staff and customers alike.

To find out more about how we can transform your cleaning regime, call us today to arrange a site visit.