Healthcare Facility Housekeeping Toolbox Talk

NOTE TO DISCUSSION LEADER: Before coming to this talk, you might walk around the hospital and visit various work stations t note safety hazards attributable to poor housekeeping habits. Report what you discover to employees attending the safety talk.

If you want to learn about attitudes toward safety, just take a look at housekeeping habits. Good housekeeping is indeed one of the most important aspects of safety. Of the 1,883 Ohio hospital accidents and injuries reported in 1979, a total of 343 were the result of falls from the same level, and 122 resulted from striking against objects. These are the kinds of accidents you can expect if you practice poor housekeeping. Good housekeeping is not just something for hospital housekeepers– good housekeeping should be practiced by everyone.

The hospital could spend a large sum of money to improve the quality and safety of the work environment, but the environment would still be unsafe if you and your co-workers did not practice good housekeeping. Safety entails everyone working as a team to maintain good housekeeping standards. Make sure you follow the rules to prevent accidents by practicing good housekeeping.

• Make sure all containers are labeled; the labels should be legible, not blurred by liquids that have run down the outsides of the containers.
• Do not store supplies where they may be mistaken for something else. For example, it is not a good idea to store cleaning powders with staples like sugar, flour, and salt.
• Be familiar with special chemicals, gases, and liquids that are used in your work area, and know the ones that can and cannot be stored together. Some substances, like oxygen and fuel gases, have the potential for disasters when stored nearby.
• Dispose of hazardous substances–like flammable liquids and chemical reagents used in the hospital laboratory–by the safe method prescribed. If you aren’t sure how to dispose of a substance, check with your supervisor.
• Clean up your work area immediately after completing each task; never leave an area cluttered with tools or supplies that could present tripping hazards.
• Clean up spilled liquids right away; they can cause slips and falls.
• Pick up broken glass immediately with a broom and dustpan, never with your hands.
• Do not allow “debris,” such as cleaning rags and newspapers, to accumulate anywhere in the hospital, because this creates a serious fire hazard.
• Respect “Wet Floor” signs; they are used for your protection.

Good housekeeping is one of the most important aspects of any fire safety plan. Accumulated debris can cause plugs, and clutter in hallways slows the movement of personnel and equipment during fires. So, those who want to prevent fires should begin with good housekeeping.

In addition to all the safety benefits it contributes, good housekeeping results in a more pleasant working environment. Almost everyone prefers cleanliness and neatness to filth and clutter.