Why Good Housekeeping is Important

Everything In Its Place: Why Good Housekeeping is Important

One of the first things to be sacrificed to increased production is good housekeeping, but inadequate housekeeping can frequently contribute to accidents by hiding hazards that cause injuries. It is not uncommon to see good housekeeping fall by the wayside as business grows, but it is important that it be maintained for safety, efficiency and productivity.

Good housekeeping is one of the surest ways to identify a safe workplace. You can tell how workers feel about safety just by looking at their housekeeping practices. Effective housekeeping is an ongoing operation not a hit-and-miss cleanup done occasionally. Workers must maintain order throughout the workday. It is an essential factor in good safety program.

Housekeeping is not just cleanliness. It includes keeping work areas neat and orderly, maintaining halls and floors free of slip and trip hazards and removing of waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards from work areas. It also requires paying attention to important details such as the layout of the entire workplace, aisle marking, the adequacy of storage facilities and maintenance. Good housekeeping is also a basic part of accident and fire prevention.

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 (e.g. dusts, vapors)

better control of tools and materials, including inventory and supplies

more efficient equipment cleanup and maintenance

better hygienic conditions leading to improved health

more effective use of space

reduced property damage by improving preventive maintenance

improved morale

improved productivity (tools and materials will be easy to find)

A good housekeeping program plans and manages the orderly storage and movement of materials from point of entry to exit. It ensures that work areas are not used as storage by having workers move materials to and from work areas as needed. Part of the plan could include investing in extra bins and more frequent disposal.

Worker training is an essential part of any effective housekeeping program. Workers need to know how to work safely with the products they use. They also need to know how to protect other workers by posting signs (e.g., "Wet - Slippery Floor") and reporting any unusual conditions.

Housekeeping order is maintained not achieved. Cleaning and organization must be done regularly, not just at the end of the shift. Good housekeeping is everyone's responsibility and integrating it into specific jobs can help ensure this is done.

Remember: Safety is everyone's responsibility and should not be learned by accident.