Safety Tips to Follow When Cleaning

When it comes to keeping to keeping a work place clean, there’s so much more to think about than just performing the actual cleaning itself. You have to think about storage, health and safety issues, signage, disposal, just to name a few. Given the nature of dealing with cleaning chemicals, you want to make sure that this is something you’re getting right at work.Check out some of OpenWorks’ safety tips to follow when keeping your facility clean and safe:Get rid of all the clutter firstTaking the time to pick up any clutter from the floor and other surfaces before you begin cleaning will make the tasks itself a lot easier. This will prevent potential trips or falls and damage of any equipment. It also prevents you from having to repeatedly clear up when cleaning.Make sure all electrical cords are tucked awaySomething that doesn’t immediately come to mind when we’re cleaning, but should, is making sure that all electrical cords are tucked away. Phone chargers are the first thing we think about, but consider extension cords or other wires you have running across your floor or around a skirting board. Make sure these are safely out of the way of your cleaning equipment and chemicals.Always read the directions on the chemicals you are usingIt’s easy to underestimate or even ignore reading the directions on product labels. However, it’s important to remember that those directions are there for a reason. Reading all instructions and warning messages on a product’s label will give you a thorough understanding as to its proper use, and will ensure that you’re using the product as safely as possible.Avoid carrying tall piles of itemsFor the reason that you are likely to block your line of sight while carrying a tall pile of items. It also increases the chances of you dropping something and hurting yourself. If making multiple trips when carrying cleaning equipment and products isn’t feasible, consider investing in a cart or trolley. Store chemicals in well-ventilated areasYou don’t want to store chemicals or other cleaning products in an environment that is either too hot or too cold. Well-ventilated areas will preserve the quality of the product, and will prevent the concentration of any fumes in the event of a spill. Read more about how to store cleaning products in our post here.Use safety signs where necessaryIf you are cleaning a facility, you should utilize safety signs to alert employees or customers to nearby chemicals or equipment. Wet floor signs in particular are an absolute must to prevent slips and trips and other potential hazards.Never mix chemicalsA product’s label will detail the correct way to use it, but as a rule of thumb, never mix chemicals together. This has the potential to create hazardous compounds that could prove very dangerous. It’s a far better idea to use the same product the right way two or three times to achieve your desired results rather than mixing your own and risking creating noxious fumes. Dispose of cleaning products properlyA product’s label should tell you how it should be disposed of. Failing that, cleaning products generally either go in the trash or down the sink, depending on what they are and how you use them. You can either check with the manufacturer by getting in touch using the information on the product’s label, or you can verify with a local waste disposal facility. And, if like OpenWorks, you don’t like the thought of contributing to local landfill, consider using green products that use recycled packaging and lessen their impact on the environment.For more information about OpenWorks, check out our website here.