4.2.3 Housekeeping Program

An effective housekeeping program considers the orderly storage and movement of materials. At the minimum, the housekeeping plan includes:

– materials flow plan,
– workplace lay-out,
– worker training,
– responsibility matrix,
– financial resources (e.g. to purchase extra bins and build storage),
– waste disposal plan, and
– inspection plan.

Elements of an Effective Housekeeping Program

Successful implementation of housekeeping program is based on management commitment together with disciplined workers. The following are the recommended elements of an effective housekeeping program:

– maintenance – most important element (e.g. fixing broken windows and damage floors, regular painting and cleaning of walls, etc.),
– dust and dirt removal (e.g. vacuum cleaning dust and dirt in areas where dusts accumulate),
– employee facilities (e.g. regular cleaning of lockers, wash and change rooms, showers, toilets, etc.),
– surfaces (e.g. keeping floors and walls in good condition),
– light fixtures (e.g. regular cleaning and maintenance of light fixtures),
– aisles and stairways (e.g. wide enough and free from obstructions for easy movement of people, products and materials, adequately-lighted),
– spill control (e.g. prevent spills, drip pans and guard if spills might occur, immediate clean-up if spills do occur),
– tools and equipment (e.g. suitable storage with markings and orderly arranged),
– waste disposal (e.g. regular collection, grading, sorting and disposal of scraps), and
– storage (e.g. materials do not obstruct aisles and fire exits, stocking procedures followed and flammables and hazardous materials properly stored).

(Source: Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, 2018)