Toolbox Talk: Housekeeping
What is housekeeping? It’s a word that makes us think of keeping house or cleaning up at home.
Actually, housekeeping is even more important in running a factory, making a product, or performing services of any kind.
Messes and clutter are dangerous, especially in the workplace.
You might say to yourself that we have maintenance and custodial people to clean up after us, but that can’t be the whole story.
Even though we have people who are paid to do the cleaning jobs, each person must do his/her part in keeping the work area in good order.
Here is an example of what can happen when someone forgets the importance of “housekeeping”.
A maintenance man was using a ladder to do some overhead work. The area where he was working was pretty cluttered, but he didn’t think too much about it.
After all, it wasn’t his job to clean up. When he finished the job, he came down the ladder and stepped on a piece of paper lying on the floor.
What he didn’t see was a broken drill bit hidden under the paper.
His foot slipped and he fell, twisting his back. He was off work for several days due to the back strain.
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This incident brings up a lot of questions.
Was he justified in feeling that it wasn’t his job to clean up?
Would you ever suspect that something might be under a scrap of paper?
Wouldn’t most people expect to have a safe area to walk in, without having to think about hidden hazards?
What other things could cause a similar accident?
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We think we can all agree that everyone has a part in good housekeeping.
The workplace doesn’t have to look beautiful but it must be safe. Make it your business to practice good housekeeping as you go about your work.
You may save yourself or your fellow workers from a serious injury.
Effective housekeeping results in:
• reduced handling to ease the flow of materials
• fewer tripping and slipping accidents in clutter-free and spill-free work areas
• decreased fire hazards
• lower worker exposures to hazardous substances
• better control of tools and materials
• more efficient equipment clean-up and maintenance
• better hygienic conditions leading to improved health
• more effective use of space
• reduced property damage by improving preventive maintenance
• less janitorial work
• improved morale
A good housekeeping program identifies and assigns responsibilities for the following:
Clean up during the shift
• day-to-day clean-up
• waste disposal
• removal of unused materials
• inspection to ensure clean-up is complete
Do not forget out-of-the-way places such as shelves, basements, sheds, and boiler rooms that would otherwise be overlooked.
The orderly arrangement of operations, tools, equipment and supplies is an important part of a good housekeeping program.
The final addition to any housekeeping program is inspection.
It is the only way to check for deficiencies in the program so that changes can be made.
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” Winston Churchill
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