A Clean Office is a Safe Office

There is more to a clean office than keeping paperwork orderly and ensuring tack boards do not look over-cluttered. Additionally, it also goes beyond how the furniture is placed and how well the file cabinets are organized. A clean office involves the environment where workers spend most of their days and where good “housekeeping” tasks must occur routinely.

Where to Start

The first plan of action is to hire a janitorial service to work during off hours to ensure the common areas of the office areas are clean and dust-free.

• The break room should not contain any leftover trash or grime. The surfaces should be cleaned nightly, and the floor should be swept and mopped. This lowers the chance of contributing to germ-based illness and disease.
• The kitchenette or, if there is a full sized kitchen, should be sanitized nightly from top to bottom. This includes cooking surfaces, preparation areas, and the floors. This can prevent problems such as listeria from invading the workplace.
• The bathrooms should be sanitized nightly, trash-out’s should occur, and the floors should be cleaned every night.

When there is a janitorial service in place, the office workers do not have to worry about mishandling toxic chemicals or any other cleaning supplies. This will lessen the chance of workplace injuries as a result of handling these chemicals or the accidental ingestion of them. In addition to use of the proper chemicals, the janitorial service will also reduce the allergens in the air and other viruses that may be lingering.

Why is This Important

When an office is clean, there are fewer occurrences of sick days and workplace injuries. When there are piles of paperwork or other mishandled trash or items that should be thrown away, they quickly become trip hazards. By cleaning up the workplace environment, the janitorial service will be able to create a workplace that is safer for everyone. In addition, there will be less chance of accumulation of such items from occurring again.

When an office area is kept dusted, vacuumed, and sanitized there is less chance for allergies and viral infections to be an issue with workers within that environment. As a result, there will be fewer workers calling in sick. This means more workers will be in the office remaining productive for longer periods of time throughout the fiscal year. That is beneficial for every company’s bottom line. When workers feel well, they work in a more positive manner and will consistently produce better results.