What would our working and living spaces look like without the tireless efforts of cleaning specialists? It’s hard to imagine; after all, they play a crucial role when it comes to cleanliness and hygiene. At the same time, it is easy to overlook how strenuous and sometimes hazardous the jobs in building cleaning are: Cleaning specialists are exposed to hazards every day that can lead not only to accidents, but also to occupational diseases and long-term health problems. Occupational safety is therefore an important issue in building cleaning.
To ensure that cleaning specialists can carry out their daily work in a healthy and safe manner, occupational health and safety focuses on three key points: Identifying the hazards posed by cleaning agents and equipment, effectively coordinating work processes , and developing preventive strategies to protect health.
We will give you an overview of occupational safety in building cleaning: What are the most common hazards? What measures can be taken to ensure occupational safety during cleaning? And what legal requirements apply?
Why is occupational safety so important in building cleaning?
There are numerous reasons why occupational safety is essential in the building cleaning industry:
- Healthy employees: Your employees are the heart of your company. Make sure they stay healthy and fit for work – for as long as possible. By complying with occupational health and safety regulations, you improve occupational safety and can thus prevent accidents and occupational diseases.
- More productivity: You are committed to occupational safety – your employees also notice this form of appreciation. Healthy and motivated employees are more productive and achieve more.
- Lower costs: Every accident and occupational disease suffered by your employees entails high costs, for example through lost time, medical expenses and compensation payments. Appropriate occupational safety prevents this from happening and saves the company money.
- Attractive employer: Occupational safety is very important to you – this not only signals appreciation and reliability within your workforce, but word also spreads outside the company. In this way, you improve your attractiveness as an employer in the building cleaning industry, attract qualified specialists and retain them in the long term.
- Legal requirements: As an employer in the building cleaning sector, you are legally obliged to ensure the health and safety of your employees in the workplace. One of the regulations that provides the legal framework for this is the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
What are the hazards in building cleaning?
Slipping on a freshly mopped floor or burning your skin with cleaning chemicals: employees in building cleaning are exposed to many hazards that can have consequences for their health and safety. The hazards associated with cleaning activities can be divided into the following categories:
- Physical strain: Cleaning specialists sometimes lift and carry heavy loads, which can lead to back pain and muscle tension. Working in unfavorable postures for long periods of time also contradicts the principles of ergonomics. Wet floors or uneven surfaces pose the risk of slipping or tripping. Especially when cleaning windows and facades, there is a risk of cleaning specialists falling from ladders or lifting platforms from heights, which can be life-threatening.
- Hazardous substances: Cleaning agents and disinfectants are designated hazardous substances. They are used daily in building cleaning and, therefore, pose a potential health and safety risk. If cleaning specialists handle them improperly and come into contact with them, for example, this may result in skin irritation, chemical burns and even poisoning. Since cleaning work usually takes place in a moist environment, skin diseases or inflammations can easily occur.
- Biological agents: Cleaning specialists wage a daily battle against bacteria, viruses, and fungi in dirty rooms. In the process, they can catch infectious diseases themselves. Mold is particularly insidious in damp rooms: Respiratory diseases and allergic reactions are possible consequences.
- Psychological stress : There is high pressure to be profitable in the cleaning industry. Cleaning specialists also feel this: They have to clean as large an area as possible in as short a time as possible. The result is stress and a hectic pace, which can lead to serious mistakes.
Depending on the specific location, there are other factors that can negatively affect the health and safety of employees in the building cleaning industry, such as noise, heat, cold und lighting.
How to take measures to maintain health and safety at work – step by step
Before you develop concrete measures for occupational safety, you should start with a risk assessment . The key question is: What hazards are my cleaning specialists exposed to? Consider not only physical strain but also psychological stress. Identify and document these hazards.
The risk assessment is the basis for all further steps: It identifies potential risks to health and safety in building cleaning.
In the next step, you as an employer take a series of measures to minimize the risks for your cleaning specialists. The measures can be divided into three categories:
Technical measures
- Provide your workforce with ergonomic work equipment and cleaning devices that have low noise and vibration levels.
- Only use closed cleaning systems and have them serviced regularly. Make sure that the devices are suitable for commercial use and meet the requirements of the workplace.
• Relieve your cleaning specialists by, for example, having collaborative cleaning robots carry out hazardous tasks. The so-called cobots can perform tasks independently and enable close interaction between humans and machines during cleaning.
Organizational measures
- Prepare risk assessments for cleaning specialists and develop occupational safety instructions.
- Make sure that your workforce receives training and instruction on occupational health and safety regulations as well as those on working hours and breaks.
- If necessary, create a skin protection plan, as the skin of employees working in the field of building cleaning is exposed to specific demands.
- Appoint safety representatives to assist with occupational safety measures. In the building cleaning industry, it is common for team leaders or supervisors to take on Safety Officer duties.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Provide your employees with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). These include, for example, protective gloves, safety goggles, and respiratory masks.
- Train your employees on how to properly use, check, and maintain PPE.
There is also another important aspect to consider in building cleaning: Cleaning specialists usually work in clients' buildings and premises, which can involve various risks, such as hazardous substances, machinery, and internal traffic. These hazards are not always transparent and foreseeable – or they change so quickly that cleaning specialists cannot adapt to them in time. It is therefore particularly important that clients inform you and your employees in advance about specific hazards and thus support you in taking appropriate protective measures.
Sustainability and occupational health and safety in the cleaning industry
Sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role in the cleaning industry. However, this not only relates to responsible use of resources, but also to employees' well-being.
The focus is on the developing environmentally friendly cleaning products. This is where sustainability and occupational safety go hand in hand: Conventional cleaning products often contain toxic ingredients, such as acids or chlorides. This harms both the environment and cleaning specialists' health. This may result in skin irritation and mucous membrane problems. The aim is to use more gentle agents in the future that are better tolerated by both the environment and people.
However, sustainability and occupational safety do not only converge when it comes to cleaning products. In general, all work equipment should be quiet and free of harmful substances in order not to adversely affect workers' health. One example is quiet, smart vacuum robots that efficiently filter dirt and dust while improving the working environment.
Legal requirements for occupational health and safety in building cleaning
As an employer in Germany, you are obliged to ensure the health and safety of your employees in building cleaning. This is regulated by a series of legal requirements that explicitly relate to occupational health and safety in the building cleaning industry. The most important legal regulations are the Occupational Health and Safety Act (ArbSchG) and the Occupational Safety Act (ASiG).
The Occupational Health and Safety Act generally regulates the employer’s duty of care towards its employees with regard to occupational safety in the workplace. The Occupational Safety Act specifies these obligations: It includes, among other things, regulations on topics relevant to occupational safety, such as risk assessments, training, operating instructions, and personal protective equipment.
In addition, there are other laws and regulations that apply to building cleaning:
- Workplace Ordinance (ArbStV),
- Industrial Safety Ordinance (BetrSichV),
- Hazardous Substances Ordinance (GefStoffV),
- PPE Use Ordinance (PSA-BV) and
- Ordinance on Occupational Health Care (ArbMedVO).
The Hazardous Substances Ordinance paves the way for the safe handling of cleaning agents by specifying appropriate operating instructions. The professional association for the construction industry has developed the so-called WINGIS software , which contains basic information and protective measures for many products – and thus offers a simple solution to prevent occupational accidents involving cleaning products.
Have you ever heard of DGUV Rule 101-605 “Building Cleaning Industry”? The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) issues this industry rule to provide companies in the building cleaning industry with practical assistance in occupational safety. In addition to legal requirements and typical hazards, it also involves proven protective measures. It is therefore an important instrument for promoting occupational safety in building cleaning.
Conclusion
Employees' health and safety always comes first. In order to ensure this, occupational safety plays a key role – especially in building cleaning: Cleaning specialists are exposed to many hazards every day. Risks can be minimized by providing employees with comprehensive training and awareness on how to handle hazardous substances and machinery.
In order to develop and implement effective protective measures, employers, employees and clients must work hand in hand. Building cleaning industry regulations such as German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) provide concrete assistance.
In summary, good occupational health and safety contributes not only to employees' well-being. Increasing productivity and strengthening company image are additional positive side effects for your cleaning business. In short: occupational safety is worth it – on more than one level.