CLEANING AND FACILITIES
CLEANING AND FACILITIES
Managing health and safety across commercial cleaning and facilities management
1 in 4
cleaning workers suffer a work-related injury or illness every year.
Slips from wet surfaces, chemical exposure, musculoskeletal strain and lone working are the dominant risks. Cleaning staff often work in isolation, at unsocial hours, in environments they do not control.
Your legal framework
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH Regulations 2002, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and Management Regulations 1999 all apply. Where cleaning staff work on client premises, responsibilities must be clearly defined between contractor and client under shared workplace provisions in the Management Regulations.
The highest-consequence risks
Slips on wet floors
Cleaners create the wet surfaces that then injure them or building occupants. Wet floor signs, one-side-at-a-time mopping and prompt drying all reduce risk.
Chemical exposure and COSHH
Cleaning products include bleaches, degreasers, biocides and acids. Skin and respiratory exposure are both significant. COSHH assessments are legally required.
Lone working and personal safety
Early morning, evening and out-of-hours cleaning creates lone working situations with delayed emergency response. Check-in systems and personal safety devices are critical.
Musculoskeletal strain
Repetitive mopping, vacuuming, heavy laundry handling and prolonged kneeling all create cumulative injury risk. Equipment specification and work rotation reduce this.
Five priorities for cleaning operations
1
Complete a COSHH assessment for every product in use. Safety data sheets, risk assessments, PPE specification and disposal procedures must be documented for every cleaning chemical.2
Implement a lone working procedure. A check-in and check-out system, emergency contact protocol and personal safety device provision protect staff working in isolation.3
Train all staff on manual handling before deployment. Role-specific manual handling training covering the actual tasks performed reduces musculoskeletal injuries significantly.4
Define responsibilities clearly in client contracts. Shared workplace duties under the Management Regulations must be addressed in every contract. Who provides induction, information and controls is a legal question.5
Carry out site-specific risk assessments. A generic cleaning assessment does not cover the specific hazards of each client site. Documented site assessments are required before work begins.
Did you know?
Cleaning operatives have a higher rate of occupational skin disease than almost any other workforce. The combination of repeated wet work, chemical exposure and infrequent glove use means that without active COSHH management, dermatitis is almost inevitable over a cleaning career.