Janitors, Custodians, and Housekeepers Module 2: Physical Hazards.

Janitors, Custodians, and Housekeepers

Module 2: Physical Hazards

This module:• Will demonstrate that janitors, custodians, and

housekeepers may complete many different tasks

• Is one in a series of modules that will discuss hazards janitors, custodians, and housekeepers may encounter

• Will cover physical hazards and provide tips for prevention – Module 1 will cover chemical hazards from cleaning

products– Module 3 will cover exposure to biological hazards– Module 4 will cover musculoskeletal hazards– Module 5 will cover removing graffiti– A stand alone module entitled “Working Alone in Safety”

may also be of interest

• Provide sources of additional information

Janitors may be responsible for a large variety of tasks:

• Vacuuming• Sweeping and Mopping• Waxing floors• Cleaning bathrooms• Dusting furniture• Moving furniture• Emptying trash• Restocking supplies• Wiping counters • Scrubbing• Unstopping drains/

repairing faucets• Mowing lawns

• Removing stains• Heating/Air conditioning• Ventilation• Insect control• Maintaining and cleaning

doors and windows• Delivery/Pick up of items• Extra security• Weather emergencies• Lab spills• Helping with disabled cars• Minor repairs• Painting and carpentry

In a variety of buildings:

• Hospitals• Schools• Universities• Laboratories• Factories• Offices• Restaurants

• Stores• Nursing Homes• Clinics

Physical Hazards

• Falls from ladders and elevated platforms

• Wet, slippery floors

• Falling objects

• Moving or rotating machinery parts

• Electrical equipment and wires

• Hot equipment

• Sharp objects, scrap metal, broken glass

• Noise from machinery or cleaning equipment

• High temperatures

Preventing falls from ladders

To reduce the risk of falls from ladders:

• Use ladders with slip-resistant feet

• Inspect ladder before climbing

• Do not use chairs, boxes, or tables as a substitute for a ladder

• Set ladder on a flat, firm surface

• Face the ladder when standing on it and when climbing up or down

• Keep the center of your body between the side rails of the ladder

• Don’t work from the top two steps of a ladder

Preventing falls from elevations

• Don’t work on an elevated floor or work location without guardrails in place.

• Don’t stand on guardrails to gain extra height.

• Don’t lean over railings.

Preventing slips, trips, and falls:

• Wet, slippery floors are a major cause of slips, trips, and falls. To help prevent accidents:– Wear safety shoes with non-skid

soles – Keep floors free from water or

grease– Clean floors regularly– Use slip-resistant waxes on floors– Clean up spills immediately– Put up warning signs around spills

or wet floors

Preventing slips, trips, and falls:

• Use rubber mats in areas where the floors are constantly wet

• Report to your supervisor any repair needed to non-slip tiling or other non-slip floor products

• Report to your supervisor any uneven floor surfaces.

Preventing slips, trips, and falls:

• Keep floors and stairs free of debris and obstructions

• Make sure mats and carpet are free of holes and bumps

• Report poor lighting and replace burned out bulbs as soon as possible

• Report or fix any other tripping hazards immediately

What are the best shoes?

To prevent slips and falls use shoes with:

• Slip-resistant soles and a good tread

• Tightly tied laces• No leather or smooth soles• No open-toes• No platform or high heels• No porous fabric such as canvas

Preventing injuries from falling objects

If there is a risk of injury from falling objects on the head or feet, wear a hard hat and/or safety shoes.

Foot that was in the crushed boot

Preventing injuries from machinery

• Become familiar with the hazards associated with particular machines.

• Do not work with or around machinery in which safeguards have been removed.

• Report to you supervisor about a damaged or missing safeguard.

Machinery with moving or rotating parts must be equiped with guards.

Preventing injuries from machinery

Lockout• Equipment that starts up

unexpectedly, especially during cleanup or maintenance, can cause many serious injuries

• To reduce the risk of injury, unplug equipment before doing clean-up, maintenance, or repairs.

• If the equipment is hardwired, follow the specific lockout procedure for that equipment before cleaning it.

Electrical Hazards

Electrical hazards can be caused by any of these:

• Faulty electrical tools and equipment

• Faulty appliances and wiring

• Electrical outlets• Switch panels• Electric transformers

Preventing injuries from electrical equipment

• Inspect equipment, cords and fittings for damage prior to use

• Turn equipment OFF before connecting to a power supply and before making any adjustments

• Make sure cords do not create a tripping hazard

• When unplugging equipment, pull on the plug not on the cord

• Keep cords away from heat, water and oil. These can damage the insulation and cause a shock

Cord with waterproof seal

Preventing injuries from electrical equipment

• Do not use electric tools in wet conditions or damp locations

• Do not clean electric equipment with flammable or toxic solvents

• Do not carry electrical tools by the power cord

• Do not tie power cords in knots

• Do not plug several power cords into one outlet

• When in doubt, always ask your supervisor

Preventing burns from hot equipment

• Do not handle or touch hot (or those that may be hot) articles or surfaces with bare hands

• If needed, wear heat-protective gloves

• Organize your work area to prevent contact with hot objects and flames

• Open hot water faucets slowly to avoid splashes

• Report any faulty equipment to your supervisor

Preventing injuries from sharp objects, scrap metal, broken glass

Never pick up sharp objects, scrap metal, broken glass with bare hands.

Use dust pan and brush, heavy gloves.

Never put sharp objects such as needles, razor blades, or broken glass into waster bins without wrapping and labeling the items carefully to protect those emptying the bins.

Preventing hearing loss from noisy machinery or cleaning equipment

• Turn off noisy machinery when not in use.

• Wear hearing protection provide by your employer when operating or working around noisy machinery or equipment.

Preventing illness from working in hot environments

• Where possible, use ventilation to draw heat and steam away from work areas

• Isolate or insulate hot equipment, where possible

• Drink plenty of water

• Use cool rest areas near the work area for breaks

• Use cooling fans to increase air speed and sweat evaporation.

• Where possible, do heaviest work during coolest times of the shift

• Recognize the signs and symptoms of heat stress

Resources used for this overview:

• OSHA Hospital eToolhttp://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/housekeeping/housekeeping.html

• International Labor Organization - International Hazard Datasheets on Occupationhttp://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/hdo/htm/cleaner.htm

• Healthy Workplaces: Successful Strategies in the Food Processing Industry. Washington Department of Labor and Industries. Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program. Technical Report Number: 67-1-2001

Special thanks to the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia for the use of photos and text from:

• Health and Safety for Hospitality Small Business. http://tourism.healthandsafetycentre.org/s/Booklet.asp

Resources used for this overview:

Additional Resources • WISHA Core Safety Rules (WAC 296-800)

(Basic safety and health rules needed by most employers in Washington State)

http://www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/rules/corerules/default.htm

• Additional Safety Rules(Fall protection, ladders, machine safety, lockout/tagout,

electrical, hearing conservation, etc.)http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/RULES/Find/RuleName/default.htm

• Look for more in-depth modules on many of the topics covered in this module at :

http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/TrainTools/Online/Courses/default.asp

• Workplace Safety and Healthhttp://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/default.asp

WISHA Consultation Services

Safety & Health program review and worksite evaluation

• By employer invitation only• Free• Confidential• No citations or penalties• Letter explains findings• Follow-up all serious hazards

For additional assistance, you can call one of our consultants. Click below for local L&I office locations:

http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Basics/Assistance/Consultation/consultants.asp

Thank you for taking the time to learn about safety and health and how to prevent injuries and illnesses.