Toolbox Talks Housekeeping
OK, let’s be honest — not many people enjoy cleaning. We get it. However, when you’re at work, people may not take too kindly to working in anything close to resembling a pig pen 😉 It’s not that they are being hard to get along with, it’s just that debris and clutter could cause injury to anyone working in the area. So, put on your Mary Poppins hat and get cleaning your work area! And while you’re at it, read our toolbox talks housekeeping messages to your crew to really cement the culture in their brains.
Table of Contents
Toolbox Talks Housekeeping #1
Keep Your Work Area Clean: You may not realize it, but a messy work area creates an unsafe work environment. Therefore, it’s very important to take the time to clean up any mess you find. Poor housekeeping can result in slip, trip and fall injuries. For example, tools left in aisle-ways can create tripping hazards or wet spots on the floor can create slip hazards. Please place all trash and debris in proper containers, dispose of hazardous materials in approved marked containers and keep your work area free of unnecessary tools, equipment, materials, and waste of any kind. When you practice good housekeeping regularly, you can mitigate/eliminate any danger to you and your co-workers in the area. If you need assistance with housekeeping challenges, contact your Supervisor.
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Keep Your Work Area Clean: You may not realize it, but a messy work area creates an unsafe work environment. Therefore, it's very important to take the time to clean up any mess you find. Poor housekeeping can result in slip, trip and fall injuries. For example, tools left in aisle-ways can create tripping hazards or wet spots on the floor can create slip hazards. Please place all trash and debris in proper containers, dispose of hazardous materials in approved marked containers and keep your work area free of unnecessary tools, equipment, materials, and waste of any kind. When you practice good housekeeping regularly, you can mitigate/eliminate any danger to you and your co-workers in the area. If you need assistance with housekeeping challenges, contact your Supervisor.
Toolbox Talks Housekeeping #2
Housekeeping 101: Don’t underestimate the importance of a neat and tidy workplace. Housekeeping issues can lead to all kinds of hazards that can cause injury. Housekeeping is not just cleanliness, it includes keeping work areas neat and orderly, floors free of slip and trip hazards, and removing waste materials and other fire hazards from work areas. It also requires paying attention to important details such as the layout of the whole workplace, identifying safe walking routes, the adequacy of storage facilities and maintenance. Effective housekeeping is an ongoing process. Please refrain from “panic” clean-ups, which are costly and ineffective when it comes to reducing incidents. Please remember that good housekeeping is the responsibility of everyone, regardless of title or role at work.
Copy this content to your clipboard using the “copy” button below, and paste into your own Toolbox Talk template.
Housekeeping 101: Don't underestimate the importance of a neat and tidy workplace. Housekeeping issues can lead to all kinds of hazards that can cause injury. Housekeeping is not just cleanliness, it includes keeping work areas neat and orderly, floors free of slip and trip hazards, and removing waste materials and other fire hazards from work areas. It also requires paying attention to important details such as the layout of the whole workplace, identifying safe walking routes, the adequacy of storage facilities and maintenance. Effective housekeeping is an ongoing process. Please refrain from "panic" clean-ups, which are costly and ineffective when it comes to reducing incidents. Please remember that good housekeeping is the responsibility of everyone, regardless of title or role at work.
Toolbox Talks Housekeeping #3
Clean It Up Anyway: How many times have you noticed a mess in a work area that you never made? It’s easy to just shake your head and walked past it. In all honesty, this happens more than we would like to admit. You may not feel responsible for cleaning up someone else’s mess, but if you don’t then you or one of your co-workers could get injured as a result. A messy work area creates hazardous conditions for everyone, so please take the time to clean untidy work areas even if you didn’t make the mess. You may think to yourself, “I’ll deal with it later.” However, later may be too late. By then, one of your co-workers could be seriously injured. Please remember that while it may not be your mess, it may become your injury. Please make housekeeping an ongoing part of your day.
Copy this content to your clipboard using the “copy” button below, and paste into your own Toolbox Talk template.
Clean It Up Anyway: How many times have you noticed a mess in a work area that you never made? It's easy to just shake your head and walked past it. In all honesty, this happens more than we would like to admit. You may not feel responsible for cleaning up someone else's mess, but if you don't then you or one of your co-workers could get injured as a result. A messy work area creates hazardous conditions for everyone, so please take the time to clean untidy work areas even if you didn't make the mess. You may think to yourself, "I'll deal with it later." However, later may be too late. By then, one of your co-workers could be seriously injured. Please remember that while it may not be your mess, it may become your injury. Please make housekeeping an ongoing part of your day.
Toolbox Talks #4
Practice Ongoing Housekeeping: A work area can be clean at the start of a shift but over time things can get pretty cluttered. You may notice tools, equipment and other materials building-up which makes for a messy work environment. Throughout your day, take a good look around and remove anything that isn’t required in your work area so it is as neat and tidy as possible. What else can you do? Well, you can make a habit of cleaning up after yourself. Pick up any trash or debris and dispose of it properly. Mop up spills immediately, before someone slips. You can also implement a routine cleaning schedule so housekeeping doesn’t get out of hand in your area. This will also minimize the time needed at the end of shift to clean up a larger mess. Please remember that an uncluttered workplace shows respect for those who work there.
Copy this content to your clipboard using the “copy” button below, and paste into your own Toolbox Talk template.
Practice Ongoing Housekeeping: A work area can be clean at the start of a shift but over time things can get pretty cluttered. You may notice tools, equipment and other materials building-up which makes for a messy work environment. Throughout your day, take a good look around and remove anything that isn't required in your work area so it is as neat and tidy as possible. What else can you do? Well, you can make a habit of cleaning up after yourself. Pick up any trash or debris and dispose of it properly. Mop up spills immediately, before someone slips. You can also implement a routine cleaning schedule so housekeeping doesn’t get out of hand in your area. This will also minimize the time needed at the end of shift to clean up a larger mess. Please remember that an uncluttered workplace shows respect for those who work there.
Toolbox Talks #5
The Small Things Can Cause Injury Too! It is sometimes very easy to overlook the little things in your work area, and not see them as something that could present real harm to you and your co-workers. However, keep in mind that sometimes it’s the little things that can cause the greatest injuries. For example, what if you noticed a small piece of debris, like an empty energy drink can, laying on the stairs. You think to yourself, “It’s small, so it can’t hurt anyone, right?” What happens if your co-worker travels down those stairs while carrying materials, doesn’t notice the can and slips on it? They could fall and become severely injured. Please remember that regardless of the size of any hazard in your work area, you should always take the time to remove it to prevent injury to others.
Copy this content to your clipboard using the “copy” button below, and paste into your own Toolbox Talk template.
The Small Things Can Cause Injury Too! It is sometimes very easy to overlook the little things in your work area, and not see them as something that could present real harm to you and your co-workers. However, keep in mind that sometimes it's the little things that can cause the greatest injuries. For example, what if you noticed a small piece of debris, like an empty energy drink can, laying on the stairs. You think to yourself, "It's small, so it can't hurt anyone, right?" What happens if your co-worker travels down those stairs while carrying materials, doesn't notice the can and slips on it? They could fall and become severely injured. Please remember that regardless of the size of any hazard in your work area, you should always take the time to remove it to prevent injury to others.
Need more topics? No problem! Click here to find Toolbox Topics on the hazards of holidays!