The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the importance of maintaining a clean workplace. It’s now normal to have disinfectants available for sanitizing surfaces. Prior to the pandemic, however, workers already expected a safe environment at their jobs, safeguarded against hazards such as spills, tripping risks, and infectious diseases.
Creating a secure feeling in the workplace isn’t random — it involves planning and implementation of procedures that maintain a clean and sanitary work setting.
Identifying Your Workplace’s Unique Cleaning Requirements
Different work settings, such as factories, healthcare facilities, and offices, have different cleaning needs. The initial step in ensuring your workplace is clean and sanitary involves identifying the most effective strategies for your specific setting.
Healthcare settings demand stricter cleanliness protocols compared to many other workplaces, but maintaining clean common areas to reduce pathogen transmission is essential in all work environments. Additionally, every workplace should implement strategies to promptly clean spills on floors to prevent accidents like slips and falls.
Organizing Workplace Cleaning Routines
Without a professional cleaning crew, the responsibility of organizing cleaning tasks and assigning them to staff members becomes crucial. In smaller establishments like boutiques, it’s typical for staff to rotate cleaning responsibilities. A visible schedule in a communal area can be sufficient for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene.
In larger workplaces, it’s common for companies to engage cleaning services, although employees still play a role in maintaining sanitary conditions by properly disposing of food waste in kitchen or lounge areas and avoiding creating clutter that could result in an unsanitary environment.
Regardless of the workplace size, identifying areas with high foot traffic and frequent contact is essential. Regular disinfection of surfaces in communal spaces like lounges and meeting rooms is necessary, potentially multiple times daily based on usage. Also, it’s important to regularly clean and sanitize areas such as stairway handrails, elevators, and bathrooms.
Establishing Food Consumption Policies in the Workplace
In certain work environments, eating a sandwich at your desk may be acceptable. At worst it might lead to a few crumbs on your keyboard, but it’s unlikely to endanger others. However, in healthcare settings, eating outside designated areas like breakrooms could pose risks. In industrial settings food spills could damage costly equipment and risk personal injury. Thus, it’s vital to have specific rules regarding where employees can consume food and beverages.
Keep the Workplace Sanitary by Providing Cleaning Materials
Ensure that cleaning materials are stored in specific locations known to all employees. Supplies such as paper towels, cleansers, hand sanitizers, and protective gear like gloves and masks should be easily accessible. When selecting cleaning products, opt for eco-friendly options to avoid contributing to indoor air pollution.
Fostering a Sanitary Culture in the Workplace
Beyond just providing supplies and setting schedules, engaging everyone in maintaining a sanitary and healthy workplace is crucial. Here are some strategies to cultivate a culture of cleanliness:
- Instruct staff on the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the importance of keeping surfaces and communal areas clean. Consider bringing in external trainers for this purpose, as it offers a unified learning experience for both management and staff.
- Communicate the significance of proper hygiene and disinfection routines. Regular handwashing is key in curbing the spread of illnesses such as the flu, colds, and COVID-19.
- Encourage diligent hand hygiene by ensuring the availability of hand sanitizers and soap in bathrooms, kitchens, and lounges.
- Place signs in bathrooms and shared spaces to remind staff about the importance of handwashing.
Investing in high-quality, non-toxic cleaning products is a great way to establish a culture of cleanliness.
Engaging a Professional Cleaning Company
Employing a professional cleaning company ensures that your staff can concentrate on their tasks in a clean and healthy environment. Such services come equipped with all necessary supplies and staff.
While it remains essential for employees to manage basic cleanliness tasks like proper trash disposal, regular handwashing, and tidying up after themselves, larger tasks such as cleaning restrooms, floors, and sanitizing spacious communal areas are taken care of by the cleaning company.
