Every business will have processes in place that ensure they are maintaining the highest level of Health and Safety and reduce the risk of workplace accidents.
When you think of the ways in which employers maintain Health and Safety on their site, you typically jump to things such as employee training, regular reviews and audits, scheduled testing of things such as fire alarms, run through drills and line markings.
But one of the most key factors in maintaining Health and Safety is in fact the cleanliness of your site. When a site is not clean and well maintained, the well-being and safety of your employees can be very quickly compromised.
HSE: Key Statistics
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are a UK government agency responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare.
The organisation are continually gathering data and research into occupational risks in Great Britain and every year they post an updated report on the key statistics around health and safety in the workplace.
Here are just a few key statistics from their most recent 2018 report:
1.4 million working people are suffering/have suffered from a work-related illness in 2017/2018
30.7 million working days were lost due to work related ill health and non-fatal workplace injuries in 2017/18
144 workers were killed at work (2017/18)
92 members of the public were killed due to work related activities (2018/19)
These figures help to highlight just how important it is that you as an employer are doing everything you can to maintain the highest levels of safety in your workplace, and that includes maintaining the highest level of cleanliness across all areas of the business.
So, how can your cleaning contractor help you to reduce the number of risks and accidents within your workplace?
Identifying areas of increased risk
Whether you are just starting work with your cleaning contractor, or you have been working with them for several months or years, regular evaluations and site reviews are a key part of their work.
These evaluations help to identify any areas that need improvements and where the risk of accidents and injuries is potentially being increased by a lack of cleanliness.
Following an evaluation, your cleaning contractor should suggest any procedures/services you may want to consider, to ensure these highlighted areas are improved.
Improving and maintaining your site
A cleaning contractor can very quickly improve your site and maintain a healthy, happy and safe environment for your employees, reducing injuries, accidents and illness in a variety of ways.
For example, by simply improving cleanliness in public areas such as your washrooms and kitchen facilities, this will help to reduce contamination from improper hygiene, and ultimately reduce the number of work-related illnesses at your site.
Another example is through maintaining clean flooring. Trips and slips are one of the most common causes of accidents and injuries in the workplace and by simply improving the condition of your flooring, this will help to reduce this risk.
A simple method for this is installing Barrier Matting. Using carefully specified matting throughout your buildings in areas of high foot fall can reduce slip risks, helping to maintain a high level of health and safety, as well as reducing potential damage to flooring and carpets.
If your business is based in a sector where risks are increased, such as rail, industrial, chemical etc. your cleaning contractor should be specilaised in your industry.
There’s always increased risks from improper handling, maintenance and/or storage in these types of sectors, so it is vital your cleaning contractor has the proper knowledge and experience to meet your needs and requirements effectively.
A specialist cleaning contractor will help ensure all areas of your site, as well as your equipment is clean and safe for use at all times, reducing the risks and maintaining health and safety.
Clear Communication
If your cleaning contractor is maintaining your site on a regular basis, they are likely to identify areas where health and safety is at risk that you may have missed.
By having regular communication with you, your cleaning contractor will be able to communicate these issues, discuss the best way to resolve it and have the issue resolved very quickly, helping you to maintain the highest level of safety at all times.
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