12 Month Health & Safety Template

 

Month 1 Introduction

The purpose of this health and safety program is to establish company standards for working in client buildings, driving in company vehicles and working in company office/shop.

The company has identified 12 key topics to be covered in monthly safety meetings that all employees must attend.

It is intended that this manual is a “living” document to be upgraded and added to with input from employees, owners and managers.

1. Introduction
2. PPE- personal protective wear
3. Electrical Cords
4. Work area signs, tape
5. First Aid
6. Reporting
7. Meetings
8. Lifting
9. Driving
10. Vans/Equipment maintenance
11. SDS Sheets, Chemical storage, mixing
12. Security

 

 

Month 2  PPE Personal Protective Equipment

Gloves- gloves should be worn at all times when mixing chemicals, handling strippers, sealers, solvents, disinfecting.

Areas gloves should always be worn- restrooms, cafeteria’s

Situations- involving blood, vomit, any bodily fluids.

Buildings- healthcare, nursing homes, medical, clinics, etc.

Protective Eyewear – shall be worn when mixing chemicals, using an aerosol sprayer, using any cleaning product that is caustic or corrosive.

Footwear-  no open shoes are allowed at any time. When wet scrubbing floors or walking on wet flooring of any kind boots or rubber covers over shoes are required. Keeping separate foot wear for these jobs is highly recommended.

Masks- masks are required when working in close proximity to co-workers or client staff (6 feet or less).

Masks are required at all times in the following buildings: nursing homes, medical, clinics, doctor offices, dentists.

If disposable throw out, if washable clean after each day.

 

 

 

Month 3 Floors Signs, Caution Tape and Containment

Slip and fall accidents are one of the biggest hazards in the cleaning industry for clients and our employees. Below are best practices and situations where caution is required.

Wet Floor Cleaning-  all areas where floors of any kind are wet through scrubbing, cleaning or applying of sealers are required to have a wet floor sign.

In areas where dwell time is required and an employee is not present to watch, caution tape is needed to prevent people from walking in the area unexpectedly.

Wet Carpet– in areas where wet carpet meets flooring, caution signs are required.

Disinfecting– when heavily disinfecting an area caution tape is required to keep people out of the area completely with a 10 foot buffer from where you are working (depending on product used).

Blocking- Do not block or obstruct stairwells, exits or accesses to safety and emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers or fire alarms.

 

 

Month 4 Electrical Cord Safety

• Never jerk cords out of outlets.
• Report any cords that have missing ground prong
• Report any cords with open wires or missing insulation
• Never use machines in wet areas with missing ground plug or open wires
• Extension cords should be of sufficient gauge to carry the power required without over-heating
• Never bypass safety attachments on equipment
• Use corner guards around cubicles
• Place wet floor signs out if cords block walkways

 

Month 5 First Aid

The company provides every employee with a business size card of the following phone numbers in the case of an emergency.

Building manager- Poison Control- Company Supervisor- Police- Fire- Ambulance- Hazmat – Local Hospitals

• Become familiar with where non-emergency first aid is located upon entering a building and having the walk thru.
• If using a company van, where the company first aid kit is located.
• Ask where fire alarms are located and become aware of all exits.
• In the event of an accident request and fill out an accident report or phone your supervisor to verbally explain the events so they can.
• Try to remain calm and take notes of what happened as soon as possible

Attached is a list from our local hospital, city, county etc. of what to do in these situations until an ambulance arrives.

Wound, Broken bone, Burn, Eye injury, Neck, Heat Exhaustion, Frostbite, Cold

 

 

Month 6 Safety Reporting, Meetings and Training

Training- is required of all company employees including office, sales, operations on a monthly basis. All employees are required to attend training and sign off on attendance.

In the event an employee cannot make a safety meeting your supervisor will follow up and provide training one on one to meet these requirements.

Currently the company provides free training for CPR through a 3^rd party if anyone is interested. Optional

Safety Meetings- are held on the 3^rd Monday of every month at 9am, attendance is mandatory

Reporting- your supervisor has an accident report, all accidents minor or major are to be reported to your supervisor and filed.

After each accident the company will provide an assessment of what took place and any corrective measures, training, equipment upgrades needed to prevent future accidents.

 

 

Month 7 Lifting Safely

• Never lift anything if your hands are greasy or wet.
• Never lift anything if known to be over 50 pounds
• Wear HEAVY gloves when lifting objects with sharp corners or jagged edges
• Always use your knees to lift
• Hold objects as close to your body as possible.
• Never bend your back over and yank to lift an object
• Never lift an object over your head
• Keep your back straight
• Do not twist your body or waist, move your feet with your whole body
• Make sure the pathway is clear

 

 

Month 8 Driving Company Vehicles

The most dangerous part of specialty commercial cleaning is driving company vehicles to client buildings. The company has included a list of best practices and required training for all company drivers.

Only employees authorized to drive and are listed with our insurance company are allowed to drive, with no exceptions.

All drivers must attend a safe driving course every 2 years with our 3^rd party vendor.

All drivers must pass a random drug test 2x per year.

Drivers are fully responsible for all vehicle maintenance and sanitation.

Each shift drivers are to use company checklist for a vehicle inspection and report any maintenance issues before leaving the shop.

Secure portable cleaning machines to the vehicle with chains or straps to eliminate or minimize shifting of the machines.

Do not place all the heavy cleaning equipment on one side of the vehicle

Do not move vehicle when the truck-mounted cleaning machine obstructs your view.

Obey all traffic patterns and signs at all times.

No smoking is permitted in any company vehicle

 

 

Month 9 SDS Sheets and Booklet

The Hazard Communication Standard is designed to provide employees with the information they need. Company has provided information on the proper use of hazardous chemicals (in writing) to ensure the information is provided to employees who will be exposed.

 This written program describes how the requirements for labels and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets, and employee information and training, are going to be met in a client’s building and at our shop.

Do not use solutions or solvents from unlabeled containers

Follow the instructions on each label and in the corresponding Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each cleaning solution or solvent product used.

Each van and housekeeping closet under company control has a SDS booklet containing all solutions carried on site or in company van

Do not mix different solutions

Any bottle, sprayer, container must be labeled with the chemical contained within that bottle and any acute hazards.

Never use bleach

Only company authorized products are to be used

 

 

Month 10 Cleaning Equipment & Maintenance

Slurry from stripping, especially if finish was removed, must be disposed of properly.

It is never OK to pour the finish or floor solutions out onto a paved area or into a storm drain

It is normally OK to dump waste water into a sewage line that leads to a treatment plant

All floor machines, shop vacs are to emptied and wash out after each service

Mops are to be washed out or thrown away after each service

Electrical cords are to be wrapped on the handle attached to the machine

Truckmount tanks are to be emptied, rinsed and disinfectant applied after every commercial service

Battery operated equipment is to be recharged at the end of each shift

When using truck-mounted equipment, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, exhaust from all engines should be pointed away from doors or windows.

Do not park company vehicle near plants, shrubs or on clients grass unless specifically allowed by the client.

 

 

 

Month 11 Chemical Overview

Most cleaning chemicals are designed to work specifically at the concentration called for on the label instructions. It is required to follow the instructions on the label and measuring cup provided by the company.

The ph scale ranges from 0 to 14. Water is neutral — ph 7. Almost anything dissolved in the water, in any amount, will affect the ph. Numbers below 7 are acid. Numbers greater than 7 are alkaline. The further from 7 the stronger the acid or alkaline. Each whole number difference represents a tenfold change. PH 4 is ten times as acidic as a pH 5 solution.

• All our janitorial accounts and shop have automatic dispensing systems, never break, modify the system.
• To effectively and safely dissolve powdered cleaning agents, mix with hot water, mix, stir thoroughly.
• Do not mix solvent bottles labeled “Oxidizer” with bottles labeled            “Corrosive” or “Caustic.”
• Never ever mix bleach and ammonia based products

Below is a master list of all company authorized products

1. Floor stripper
2. Sealer
3. Carpet pre-conditioner
4. Restroom disinfectant
5. List all the specific products you use

 

 

Month 12 Security Policy

Below is a list of security measures that all employees must follow unless given direct consent from a supervisor or during an emergency.

• Each employee is given PIN number for office/shop alarm
• Do not share pin’s with any co worker or non-employee.
• No customer lists, marketing material or contact information is allowed to be copied, downloaded or printed for any reason.
• All employees using company computers, phones or electronics must use their personal log in.
• Office and shop are to be locked and alarm set after every shift past 5pm
• Training material, education is the property of the company and is not to be kept or shared with non-employees.
• When using company vehicle doors are to be shut and locked when left unattended.
• Gate at driveway entrance is to be shut and locked by any employee after 5pm
• Client keys and fobs are to be signed in and signed back out after each use. Bringing client keys home is not allowed.
• Vehicle and equipment keys are to be left on the master board after each use. Taking keys home is not allowed.
• Taking any garbage, equipment, supplies, etc from a client building is never allowed even if the client was throwing the item out.

Certified Company Health and Safety Program

Start Date

Completion Date

Employee Name

Infractions

Corrective Actions