OSHA Housekeeping Fact Sheet

You already know Desert Oasis Commercial Cleaners offer the best janitorial services in the Phoenix Valley. To compliment that it is important your business is OSHA complaint. OSHA is a department of the United States Department Of Labor and is an acronym for Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Read on to learn more about OSHA recommended housekeeping in the workplace to make sure your business not only looks great but is also OSHA compliant.

It is never easy to keep everything in order when a project is ongoing but despite everyones best efforts, if you work in an environment where there are facility inspections, you may receive reports regarding what can be interpreted as poor housekeeping. OSHA does not actually require mandatory housekeeping training but good employees obviously know the value of a tidy workplace. So although OSHA does not have a single standard for housekeeping, some of the following examples include provisions that address housekeeping.

OSHA Rules For Walking And Working Surfaces

OSHA rule 1910.22 says the following:

• “Aisles and passageways are to have sufficient clearance. They are to be kept clear, without obstructions that could create a hazard.”
• “Floors are to be clean and dry.”
• “Permanent aisles are to be marked.”

Some common violations may include:

• Isles that are blocked.
• Materials that lie across the floor on an isle.
• Overhanging materials on high shelves.
• Oily or wet floors and work surfaces.

Good Housekeeping And Building Evacuation

OSHA’s rules for exit routes are covered in OSHA rules 1910, .34, .35, .36, and .37

The exit route has to be an unobstructed and continuous path from any point in the workplace to a place of safety and consists of three components:

• Exit access.
• The exit.
• The exit discharge.

No equipment or materials can be placed or positioned within an exit route that must be a minimum of 28 inches wide at all points.

Chemical Storage And Fire Safety

OSHA has strict guidelines under rule 1910.106 for storing combustible and flammable liquids:

• “Flammable and combustible liquids are to be kept in covered containers”
• “OSHA sets limits on the quantities of flammable and combustible liquids that may be kept outside of protected storage”
• “Inside storage rooms must have approved self-closing fire doors”
• “The inside storage room must have one clear aisle at least three feet wide, and containers over 30 gallons cannot be stacked.”

Some common violations may include:

• Leaving materials in the aisle of a storage room.
• Using a storage room to stack drums.
• Blocking open a fire door with open containers of liquids that are flammable.

Poor Housekeeping and Fire Protection

OSHA discusses sprinkler systems in rules 1910.157 and .159 and include some housekeeping suggestions:

• “Fire extinguishers must be mounted, located, and identified so that they are readily accessible.”
• “Fire extinguishers are to be kept in their designated places at all times except during use.”
• “There must be at least 18 inches of clearance below sprinklers.”

Some frequent violations include:

• Leaving cartons and carts in front of fire extinguishers.
• Stacking materials too close to sprinklers.

Electrical Safety And Good Housekeeping

OSHA discusses generalized requirements for electrical systems in rules 1910.141:

• “Working space around live parts must generally be at least three feet for voltages of 600 or less”
• “Workspace in front of electric equipment operating at 600 volts or less must be at least 30 inches wide.”
• “Working space may not be used for storage”

A frequent violation is the following:

• When access to an electrical panel is blocked by storing items.

OSHA Sanitation Requirements

These requirements are found in OSHA rules 1910.141.

• “Floors are to be kept dry”
• “Disposal containers used for liquids or solids that may turn putrid must not leak, and they must have tight fitting covers”
• “Sweepings, wastes, and refuse must be removed”
• “No food or beverages can be stored in toilet rooms or in an area that is exposed to a toxic material”

Some violations include:

• Oily or wet floors
• The build up of trash
• Waste containers that are open

 

Desert Oasis Cleaning Services Offers Office Cleaning in Phoenix & Throughout The Valley.

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Our quality cleaning materials and experience mean we clean to a higher standard, which leads to better indoor air quality, fewer allergens and lower levels of bacteria creeping around the workplace, just waiting to infect your workforce or cause an accident. At Desert Oasis, we clean and sanitize everything, including the places that most other companies overlook.