How good is your office housekeeping? As elsewhere in the workplace, housekeeping plays an important role in keeping workers safe.
Good housekeeping in offices is just as important to general safety as it is in other areas of your workplace.
In addition to keeping offices, restrooms, break rooms, supply rooms, mailrooms, and other office areas clean and sanitary, you also have to make sure the following housekeeping issues are satisfactorily managed:
Entryways, Exits, and Stairs
All entryways and exits should be kept clean, dry, and clear of all obstructions. All stairways must be kept clean, dry, and free of debris. No accumulation of any material should be allowed on stairs or in stairways or stairwells.
Lighting
Halls and stairwells should be well lighted to help reduce accidents and promote security. Lightbulbs, lamps, and light fixtures must be repaired or replaced as necessary to maintain adequate lighting at all times.
Floors
- Keep all walking and working surfaces clean, sanitary, and orderly.
- Keep work surfaces dry.
- Provide warning signs for wet floor areas.
- Use mats at entryways on wet days.
- Clean up small spills immediately.
- Use no-skid waxes and other nonslip floor coatings.
- Block off and repair any damaged flooring.
- Re-lay or stretch carpets that bulge or have become bunched.
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Electrical Cords
- Electrical cords should be inspected routinely and kept in good condition.
- Damaged cords and plugs should be replaced right away.
- Equipment that requires grounding must be of the three-wire grounded-connection type.
- Extension cords should not be used to replace permanent wiring.
- Cords should be kept out of aisles and other walking areas.
Supplies
- Stack cartons on a firm foundation and not so high that the stack is unstable and could topple over.
- Store heavier materials on lower shelves and lighter supplies on top shelves.
- Provide a ladder or stepstool to reach supplies on upper shelves safely.
- Store supplies to allow a clear space of 3 feet or more under water sprinkler heads.
- Do not allow stored materials to obstruct aisles, stairs, emergency exits, or fire alarms and extinguishers.
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