Clean Worksite Safety
In the workplace, “good housekeeping” is the term used for keeping the worksite clean, neat, and free of hazards that can cause injury. Housekeeping is a safety concern that is often overlooked or taken for granted. But far too many accidents happen because people didn’t keep their work areas neat and clean. Poor housekeeping also increases the dangers when evacuating the workplace in an emergency. Housekeeping isn’t something to be swept under the rug. It is a legitimate and important safety issue.
Results of poor housekeeping practices:
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Injuries when employees trip, fall, strike, or are struck by out-of-place objects;
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Injuries from using improper tools because the correct tool can’t be found;
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Lowered production because of the time spent maneuvering over and around someone else’s mess and time spent looking for proper tools and materials;
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Time spent investigating and reporting accidents that could have been avoided;
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Fires due to improper storage and disposal of flammable or combustible materials and wastes;
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Substandard quality of finished products because of production schedule delays, damaged or defective finishes, ill-equipped employees, etc.;
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Lack of future work due to a reputation for poor quality; and
- “Wall-to-wall” OSHA inspections due to the poor “first impression” of the compliance officer.
Good housekeeping is everyone’s responsibility. Don’t assume that someone else is going to clean up a mess or take the proper precautions. Make it your business to remove hazards from the workplace. Fortunately, practicing good housekeeping is really very easy once you’ve made it a habit. These few seconds are well worth it if they can prevent a serious injury. And you’ll discover you work faster and better in a clean workplace.
Good housekeeping prevents accidents…it’s everyone’s responsibility!!
Download flyer: STOTW_15_Clean Worksite Safety.pdf (132.37 kb)
