Effective cleaning is crucial for protecting your health and the health of others, as many types of microorganisms and contaminants can pose a serious risk to people’s wellbeing. In fact, keeping the workplace sufficiently clean is a legal requirement under the Workplace (Health, Safety, and Welfare) Regulations 1992, Regulation 9.

One way of ensuring your workplace meets legal requirements is to implement an effective cleaning schedule, particularly for high-touch surfaces such as door handles, railings, shared appliances and tools, light switches, etc.

Some examples of health risks that cleaning can prevent include:

• Common viruses, such as flu, and cold, in all types of workplaces.
• Food-borne viruses, such as E. coli, salmonella, and campylobacter, can pose a risk in hospitality for example.
• Infections that can transfer via body fluids, for example in healthcare settings and those which involve puncturing skin like tattoo parlours.
• Food allergens, e.g. from food in a restaurant. Even tiny traces of an allergen can cause a reaction in those who are allergic.
• Non-food allergens, such as dust, can be present in all types of workplaces and could trigger a reaction in people who have a sensitivity.

By following an effective cleaning procedure, you can help to prevent these from harming people’s health and safety.

Some safety factors to consider when cleaning at work include the following:

• Follow any cleaning schedules or workplace risk assessments for cleaning to ensure that you carry out cleaning in an organised and effective way, as well as address the key areas that have been identified in the risk assessment.
• Follow any training you have received. For example, if you have undertaken training to minimise slips, trips, and falls as part of a cleaning routine, ensure you follow guidance when undertaking cleaning duties. 
• Use the right products for the cleaning activities you carry out. They should be able to kill the microorganisms that pose a risk in the premises without being harmful.  They should be suitable for the settings they are used and follow COSHH guidelines.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidance, including any recommended concentrations and dilutions of chemical substances. Likewise, you should store them safely and in accordance with instructions.
• Follow the NHS guidance for effective cleaning. Their guidance is to always work from the cleanest area towards the dirtiest area (to minimise further contamination of the cleaner areas), from top to bottom rather than going between different areas and covering all areas with an ‘S-shaped pattern. Be careful to not go over the same area twice.
• Wear PPE, such as gloves and aprons. Gloves are important for protecting your hands from the risks posed by wet work and chemical products, such as contact dermatitis. It may also be useful to wear an apron, to prevent any potential chemical contamination that could penetrate your clothes and harm your skin, or that you could carry away on your personal clothing and that can continue to pose a risk.
• Ensure that there is sufficient ventilation. This will minimise harmful substances in the air, e.g. the fumes that some chemicals could give off while in use which could cause health issues like occupational asthma.

Make sure to always wash your hands after cleaning, even if you were wearing gloves.

PK Safety has an extensive range of janitorial and PPE products available. Please contact us today or call one of our team on 01443 741999 to see how we can help your organisation.