Cleaning businesses involves handling chemicals –some really dangerous, so if you have newly hired employees, it is very important to provide them information about safe and hazards in handling chemicals. Provide a material safety data sheet so that your employees will know more about chemical use, but don’t rely on this coz what they really need is proper training.
As owner, it is your responsibility to give your employees proper training. You have to provide them training which are informative and useful for their new job. And to come up with an appropriate training for you employees, you have to plan them out.
Plan your lessons in advance and create handouts focusing on all the information necessary for your employees to know – everything about the business and their job. You must also categorize the chemicals you are using in your daily cleaning assignments. There would be a lot of chemicals involved in a cleaning business such as all-purpose cleaners, carpet cleaners, window cleaner, disinfectants and others. In each category, you can discuss the chemical in whole so that your new employees will everything they need to know about it. For certain chemicals that needs further clarification, provide your new employees additional information so that they can easily remember it.
Make several copies of your material safety data sheet and give them out to your new employees so that they can become familiar with all of it and in case of emergencies they will know what to do. When you discuss these with them, make sure to put in labels on chemicals so that they can determine which items you are taking about and to avoid confusions. It will also be helpful if you can provide a glossary of terms since there are many chemicals and names that they need to remember and digest.
Make sure that your new employees understand the importance of having the material safety data sheet. They should be made aware that this data sheet had essential health and safety information regarding the chemicals they will be handling on the job and it should be read and understood.
Understanding the content of the safety data sheet will also help your new employees decide on the proper dress code when handling specific chemicals as well as the care they will do when handling them. Accidents and injuries with the use and handling of these chemicals will be avoided if your new employees are properly trained.
On job emergencies – On any average day, work starts and time passes by routinely without any incident. But sometimes unexpected things happen, whether the incident is life threatening or only a small spill, or the building lost electricity, you have to make sure that your staff is prepared and knows how respond.
When lights go out – cleaning is usually done in the evening and after office hours, so when there is a power disruption, your workers will not be able to continue cleaning. However, this does not mean that they should immediately leave the building. Most building have emergency lighting, but if it doesn’t and the building is totally dark, your staff should make their way to the entrance so that can see. Employees should contact the supervisor and they may have to use a cell phone since phone may not be working. If they do not have a cell phone, instruct them to wait 30 minutes to see if the power is restored and if not, then they can leave the place and get a phone to contact a supervisor.
Spills – cleaning businesses handle different kinds of chemicals so it is important that cleaning staff are properly trained on chemicals that they are using and where the find the MSDS. No matter how careful your people are in handling these cleaning products there will always be an occasional spill.
A lot of cleaning products contain chemicals which can cause burns, eye irritation or skin irritation. Personal protective gears such as gloves and goggles should always be worn when cleaning up spills. If its only as small spill, wipe it with a clean cloth and allow it to dry. Barricade anything that couldn’t be wiped up immediately or use a chair or something that can be easily seen when you don’t have any barricade tape so that people won’t walk through, then clean it up. Methods on cleaning up the spill will depend on the chemical spilled; employees can look it up in the MSDS on how to clean it up. But if an employee have ay question dealing with the spilled chemical, they should be instructed to immediately call their supervisors.
Falls – Some people are pretty much embarrassed when they fall and would want to act like nothing has happened. But instruct your employees to encourage the person to stay still until they are sure the person is okay. If necessary call for help. After helping the person, check the cause of the fall. If it is due to a slick floor, a hole in the carpet or a loose tile, report it immediately. Make a written report of the accident a soon as possible after the incident.
Fires. Your cleaning staff should know where fire extinguishers are located. They should also be made aware of the location of the emergency phone numbers. If an employee comes across a small fire and knows how to use a fire extinguisher should put it out soon and call their supervisor. If the staff is unable to put out the fire, they should immediately leave the building, call the fire department, supervisor and their company’s contact person.
Health problems – sick employees should be encouraged to stay home so that the virus will not spread.
While working there also sudden health problems that come up and your employees should also be trained how to deal with them.
Choking. If your employee don’t have any first aid training and there is one else to do the first aid, they should call 911 and ask for help.
Heart Attacks. Victims should be made comfortable and they should immediately call 911.
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