Housekeeping Toolbox Talk
In this housekeeping toolbox talk, review the basics of construction site housekeeping to avoid safety hazards.
Housekeeping Safety Talk
Construction sites are oftentimes very hectic and busy with many workers, contractors, and vendors simultaneously working together on different things within the site. These sites can present many dangers to everyone involved if good housekeeping is not done. A tidy work area reduces the risks of injuries and can also increase fire safety. Learn best practices in this quick 5 minute safety talk on housekeeping!
What is Housekeeping?
Housekeeping on a construction site refers to the practice of keeping your site clean and tidy. Should you really strive to keep a construction site clean and tidy knowing there will only be another mess later? The answer is yes, you should always practice good housekeeping techniques in your work area.
Good Housekeeping Rules that Help
Tidying up is the last thing anyone wants to do at the end of a long day. There are some tips you can put in place that will make that job a little easier. If you implement these housekeeping rules and try using them all day long you should see a reduction in injuries as well as a cleaner job site.
Housekeeping Do's
Housekeeping Dont's
There are a few things you should not do on a construction job site. These include:
Flammable Material
If working with flammable and explosive materials here are a few tips to follow:
Reasons for Housekeeping
If good housekeeping is not practiced on a job site then it tends to just become one big pile of mess. That pile can then be a big, hazardous obstacle course for everyone that works there. This can lead to injuries and accidents.
Poor housekeeping contributes to causing accidents by hiding hazards that can cause injuries. If you accept that paper, materials, trash, and tools all over the site are normal and refuse to clean them up then you may miss when more serious health and safety hazards are present.
Poor housekeeping can also contribute to fires. Avoid excessive storage of boxes and other combustible material. make sure stored materials never block any exit, walkways, electrical panels, or equipment.
Accidents Caused By Poor Housekeeping
Keeping a site clean and organized is an ongoing operation. Periodic or pain cleanups are not effective and are often costly and do not reduce accidents. Housekeeping must be done regularly not just at the end of the shift.Poor housekeeping can cause accidents. These can include but are not limited to:
Construction Site Housekeeping Checklist
We all know by now that construction sites can present many hazards to workers and keeping the site clean of debris can help reduce these hazards. Here is a housekeeping checklist that can help you see if your site is up to standard and what you can do to improve housekeeping.
Working Area
Materials and Storage
Waste
Vehicle Housekeeping
If your job site can not answer yes to these questions you may need better housekeeping practices and could warrant further investigation.
Good Housekeeping is a Good Safety Practice
The benefits of good housekeeping far exceed the small additional effort that it takes each day. It also sets the tone for a safe construction job site, making your job and other workers' job easier. If you have any questions about the housekeeping practices on your job site please ask your supervisor.
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