Want to Get the Jump on Spring? Jump into Spring Cleaning

Every year around this time the approach of spring reminds us of the need to tackle some of those housekeeping tasks that may have been pushed to the back burner over the past few months.

A good spring cleaning can enhance safety at your workplace if it’s done with an eye to eliminating hazards. Why not welcome in the spring by taking a careful look at  some occasional and infrequent housekeeping tasks.

De-Clutter

Over time, clutter builds up in most work areas. The problem is that clutter creates hazards. Flammable clutter, for example, is a fire hazard. General clutter may create tripping and blocked-exit hazards. De-cluttering, then, is not just for looks, it also improves safety.

Spring cleaning is the perfect time to dispose of:

Trash.Got a pile of broken pallets on the loading dock? Dumped a lot of construction debris on the back lot? Anything that’s not in use that has piled up should be removed from the site. This will reduce fire hazards, when combustible materials are removed; tripping hazards, when items that are blocking walkways or taking up valuable storage space go away; and pest harborages, when unused materials that make good nesting areas are hauled off.

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Equipment. That frayed sling or wobbly ladder may have been taken out of service, but if it can’t be readily repaired, why is it still hanging around? If it’s there, even if it has a “do not use” tag on it, someone in a hurry or not paying close attention might use it anyway—and regret it afterward. Equipment that has been removed from service and won’t be promptly—or ever—repaired should be permanently removed from the premises.

Chemicals. Old or unused chemicals create unnecessary workplace hazards. They may be flammable or toxic, and many chemicals that are not dangerous when purchased can become so as they deteriorate over time. Dispose of chemicals that are no longer in use, have passed their use-by dates, and have missing or illegible labels. Be sure employees dispose of chemicals properly according to the requirements of the MSDS.

Clean and Repair

Besides clearing out the clutter, your spring cleaning can address infrequent needs that will boost worker safety and health.

For example, maybe it’s time to clean and/or service:

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. A health hazard evaluation conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that properly maintained HVAC systems were associated with a decreased incidence of lower respiratory symptoms, allergies, and asthma among building occupants. Proper maintenance controls mold, bacteria, allergens, and other contaminants within the system.

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Signs and labels. Signs and labels are important for workplace safety, warning workers of low clearances, identifying machinery controls and power sources, showing workers which direction materials in pipes are flowing, and much, much more. But they also take a lot of abuse. Replace damaged signs and illegible labels, clean signs that have become too grimy to read, and re-hang signs that have been knocked askew.

Offices. University of Arizona researchers famously found that office phones, computer keyboards and mice, and desktops harbor 400 times more infectious bacteria than office toilet seats. Yet in most offices, vacuuming and emptying the trash are the only regular cleaning performed. Encourage workers to take disinfecting wipes to office surfaces—not just once a year but daily if possible—to reduce infectious illness transmission in the workplace. Also have your cleaning crew do an extra thorough job from time to time.

Tomorrow, we’ll continue our discussion of workplace housekeeping and maintenance with a look at who’s responsible for what as well as some housekeeping issues to keep in mind during workplace inspections.

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