Housekeeping

The Benefits

The benefits of good housekeeping

Many accidents are caused or aggravated by untidy conditions on site.

There is a duty for all of us to keep our workplace in good order. Good housekeeping is essential in running a safe site.

– Less Risk of Accidents, Injuries, and Fires

– Less time wasted trying to find Tools, Equipment, and Materials

– A more pleasant workplace

Points

– Ensure all surplus flammable material is removed from the workplace

– When stacking material make sure that the stack is stable and not too high

– Never rely on others to clean up for you, it is your responsibility

– Place trailing electric cables and hoses aways from walkways and workshop floors

– Clean up spills of oils and other materials liable to cause slips immediately

– Put rebbish into bins and skips provided

– Put your tools and equipment and PPE in the toolboxes and lockers provided

– When working at height do not leave any material on scaffold, platforms or girder flanges

– Joiners must denail timbers and steelfixers must bent over tie wires an soon as possible

– Remove surplus banding and place in bins as soon as possible. Bend back protruding ties or bands if they can’t be removed

– Do not block Fire Exits or Emergency Escape Routes with boxes, materials, timbers, etc.

– Always remember that a tidy site is safer and happy to work on. Untidy sites have the most accidents

– Evacuation route should be displayed.

– All people shall ensure WORK environment is maintained in a manner that is
neat, orderly, and free from tripping hazards

– Housekeeping and daily cleanup within each area is critically important to the safe and successful execution of the work.

– Smoking shelters shall be provided at portable office locations and cleaned daily,
Throughout the progress and until completion of the work, workers shall clean
up, remove, and dispose of all surplus working materials, containers, trash, and
debris.

– Upon completion of the work, all workers shall promptly remove all construction
equipment, buildings, temporary construction, and tools from the site.

Procedure

This is a sample for the housekeeping procedure in construction sites for your information.

Ex) Contractor shall, at all times, keep their work areas tidy and clean not allow rubbish or scrap to accumulate. If a storage area is required, consult main contractors so that any request can be considered and where appropriate an area allocated for this purpose. All waste shall be disposed of in accordance with Waste Management Plan of Hazardous wastes shall be properly contained, identified and segregated from other waste. The burning of waste is not permitted. Combustible rubbish shall be disposed of at the end of each shift or more regularly if necessary.

HSE staff and supervisors shall as part of their normal site inspections monitor housekeeping in each work area and if necessary require the subcontractors to increase their housekeeping efforts.

Contractors are responsible to ensure that dedicated housekeeping crews are allocated to keep work areas clean and tidy. In addition, Subcontractors personnel shall made available to the HSE group.

The number involves in the housekeeping crew shall be dependent upon the type of work and numbers of personnel employed to carry work.

Contractors shall ensure that all of their employees will participate in Weekly general Housekeeping which will take place every Thursday.