The Importance of… using the correct cleaning equipment!

Slips and trips are the most common cause of injury at work. On average, they cause 40 per cent of all reported major injuries and can also lead to other types of serious accidents, for example falls from height.

Floor cleaning is significant in causing slip and trip accidents, both to cleaning staff and others.  It is an employer’s legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of all employees and anyone who may be affected by their work, so far as is reasonably practicable.  Failure to do so can mean substantial financial costs for a business, not to mention suffering to any injured people.

There was a recent case where washing up liquid was being used to clean linoleum floors in an office instead of the regular floor cleaning product.  This caused an alarmingly high number of slipping accidents.  When the offending floor was finally cleaned using the right product, the slip resistance of the floor improved instantly.

Here are a few top tips to make sure you are using the right product for your needs:

• Detergent is essential if there is any oily or greasy contaminant on the floor.  Water on its own is not effective.
• Always ensure the correct concentration of detergent is being used.  This is critical to its effectiveness.  A solution that has too much detergent can actually be as ineffective as one with too little.
• Make sure the detergent is left on the floor for enough time to allow the effective removal of grease before rinsing.
• Choose the correct type of equipment for each specific job e.g. mopping is usually only effective on smoother floors because it only skims the surface of the floor, regardless of the effort used.
• Equally, choose the correct type of product for the overall environment e.g. those with specific hygiene requirements such as kitchens / healthcare settings
• Effective training and supervision should be used to ensure the equipment and cleaning materials are being used in the correct way.

All these should help to ensure a high standard of cleaning in your workplace.  Call us today to find out how we can help your business maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and take the weight off your shoulders.