Cleaning tasks are routine in workplaces and homes, yet they bring risks that can cause accidents, illness and injuries. Understanding how to reduce these risks is essential for safe and efficient work.
This guide explains the common hazards, safe use of chemicals, protective equipment and good practices that help ensure cleaning is done without harm.
Why Cleaning Staff Must Know Their Health and Safety Responsibility
Cleaning staff face hazards on every shift. They must know the risks and the controls. This protects them and other people.
Know the hazards
- Chemicals can burn skin or harm lungs.
- Wet floors cause slips and falls.
- Lifting and moving loads strains backs and shoulders.
- Sharp waste cuts hands.
- Cords and tools in walkways cause trips.
Act to prevent harm
- Read labels, safety data sheets and risk assessments before work.
- Dilute and use chemicals as instructed. Never mix products.
- Wear the right PPE. Use gloves, eye protection and masks when required.
- Put out wet floor signs. Block off areas when needed.
- Keep walkways clear. Coil cables. Store tools when not in use.
- Use trolleys. Split loads. Lift with safe technique.
- Ventilate when using strong products.
- Wash hands after tasks and before breaks.
- Store chemicals in labelled containers. Lock them away after use.
- Report spills, leaks, faulty kit and near misses at once.
Follow emergency steps for burns, eye contact and inhalation. - Know where first aid, eyewash and spill kits are kept.
- Dispose of waste in the right bins. Seal sharps and chemical waste.
Legal duty
The law requires workers to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others. Cleaning staff meet this duty by following training, using controls and reporting hazards without delay.
Common Cleaning Hazards
Cleaning work often involves exposure to hazards that can cause immediate or long-term harm. Knowing these risks helps prevent injuries and creates safer conditions for workers.
Chemical Hazards
Cleaning agents such as disinfectants, bleach and solvents can be dangerous if used without care. Skin contact may lead to burns, rashes or irritation. Breathing in fumes can cause coughing, dizziness or respiratory problems. If chemicals are mixed incorrectly, they may release toxic gases.
Slips, Trips and Falls
Wet floors are one of the main hazards in cleaning work. Spilt water or cleaning solutions make surfaces slippery and increase the risk of falls. Misplaced tools, cables or buckets left in walkways can also lead to trips. These accidents often cause bruises, sprains or broken bones and can be prevented by proper housekeeping.
Manual Handling Risks
Cleaning often requires lifting or carrying bins, buckets or heavy equipment. Repeated manual handling can strain muscles or damage the back. Pushing or pulling machines without the correct technique may also lead to injury. Using trolleys, keeping loads light and following safe lifting methods are simple steps to reduce these risks.
Safe Use of Cleaning Chemicals
Chemicals make cleaning effective, but they must be handled with caution. Safe practices reduce the risk of injury and ensure compliance with health and safety laws.
Reading Labels and Data Sheets
Every chemical product comes with labels and safety data sheets. These contain instructions on how to dilute, use and dispose of the chemical substance. This is where you’ll find find any specific hazard of the chemical, such as weather it is flammable or toxic.
Correct Storage and Disposal
Cleaning products need to be stored in secure areas away from heat sources and food. Containers should always be closed tightly to prevent leaks. Chemicals must never be mixed or stored in unlabelled bottles as this creates confusion and risk.
Training and Awareness
Training plays a central role in preventing accidents. Staff need to understand the risks linked to cleaning tasks and how to carry them out safely. An office cleaning course can equip workers with the knowledge to handle cleaning products, use equipment correctly and follow safe systems of work. Awareness training also helps staff recognise hazards before they lead to accidents.
Importance of Ongoing Training
Training is not a one-off activity. As cleaning products, tools and regulations change, refresher courses ensure staff remain up to date. Regular training sessions reinforce good habits and remind staff of the risks linked to unsafe practices.
Building a Safety Culture
The psychological elements of safety are just as important as physical hazards. Staff should be aware of the risks and controls, but they must also know that safety is a priority. You can use awareness sessions to promote a culture of psychological safety among cleaning staff, so they’re actively involved in risk management.
Emergency Preparedness
Even with good training and safe practices, accidents can still happen. Being prepared reduces the severity of incidents and protects staff.
Spills should be contained quickly using absorbent materials, barriers or spill kits. Staff must wear protective equipment and avoid direct contact with the substance. Spill response procedures should be clearly displayed and understood by all workers.
Exposure to chemicals, slips or cuts requires immediate first aid. Staff should know where first aid kits are located and how to use them. For chemical exposure, rinsing the skin or eyes with water is the first step, followed by seeking medical help if necessary.
Every workplace should display clear instructions for contacting emergency services. Accidents must be reported promptly to supervisors or managers. Accurate reporting ensures lessons are learned and similar incidents are avoided in the future.
Staying Safe While Cleaning
Cleaning is essential for hygiene and safety, but it must not create risks for those carrying it out. Understanding hazards, using chemicals correctly, wearing protective gear and following safe practices all contribute to safer work. Training ensures staff know what to do, while emergency planning prepares them for when things go wrong.
By treating cleaning as a skilled task that requires knowledge and care, workplaces and homes can remain safe for everyone. Safety in cleaning is not complicated, but it does depend on awareness, preparation and consistent action.
_DISCLAIMER: The information in this article does not necessarily reflect the views of The Global Hues. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information in this article.)Advertising opportunities_
