Over the past few years, people’s standards for cleanliness and sanitation in work environments have changed. Since COVID-19 got everyone thinking about the importance of keeping things clean to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases, they expect to be provided with an environment that continues to meet those needs now that the pandemic is over. Employers can live up to those expectations by following the advice below about how best to ensure employee safety and health at work.
Develop and Stick to a Cleaning Schedule
Making an important task part of a routine is the best way to make sure it doesn’t get overlooked, which is why it’s important to develop a strict cleaning schedule. While businesses can and should hire commercial disinfecting services to provide periodic deep cleaning, that won’t necessarily be enough to keep up with ordinary daily demands. When it comes to minor tasks like cleaning and disinfecting the break room, to give just one example, it’s best to write up a set schedule and assign each person a specific day or time of the day to do their part.
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Focus on High-Traffic Areas
Whether they choose to have professional cleaning crews come in after work each day or entrust some simpler tasks to office workers, the focus should be on high-traffic areas and high-touch surfaces. Those areas often include break rooms, bathrooms, and entryways. Conference rooms may also need to be cleaned more often. In most cases, office workers are responsible for keeping their private areas clean.
Keep Food in Certain Areas
Just about every modern office has a break room, and that’s the perfect place to get in a meal or a snack at work. Break rooms usually have easy-to-clean and sanitary flooring, counters, tables, and chairs, so containing crumbs, spills, and other issues is a breeze. The same may not be true in other areas of the office. While most employees would refuse to obey rules prohibiting snacking at their desks, try to keep food out of shared spaces that aren’t break rooms or cafeterias to avoid attracting pests.
Perform Routine Inspections
Managers or assigned safety officers should be tasked with performing routine inspections of the workplace. They should look for not just signs that cleanliness hasn’t been made a priority but also for potential hazards in the workplace that could cause personal injuries or otherwise jeopardize employee health and safety. Whoever is tasked with performing regular inspections should be trained to identify and record the items that are most likely to create unsafe conditions. Factors to consider include:
- Waste
- Noise
- Lighting
- Temperatures
- Ventilation
- Vibration
- And others
Don’t restrict inspections to commonly accessed areas. If there are hazards in the company storage room, for example, people need to know about them. Once issues have been identified, it’s easier to find ways to address them or to bring them to the attention of company higher-ups if professional services are required.
The #1 Way to Create a Safe, Healthy Environment
By far and above the best way to keep employees safe and healthy at work is to hire a commercial cleaning company to come in and disinfect surfaces as often as required to prevent unnecessary health risks. Not sure how often to have certain areas or surfaces cleaned? Reach out to an expert in the field to ask for a professional opinion.
