Chemical and equipment safety training

1. CHEMICAL & EQUIPMENT
SAFETY
BEST PRACTICES FOR YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT

2. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EQUIPMENT BREAKS
DOWN?
• FORCED OPERATIONS ON IMPAIRED EQUIPMENT CAN RESULT IN INJURIES.
• SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION ARE IMPORTANT STEPS TO
KEEPING THE EQUIPMENT IN SHAPE, WHICH IN TURN WILL KEEP WORKERS SAFE.
• A PROPER REPORTING PROCEDURE NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED TO EXPEDITE THE
MAINTENANCE PROCESS.
• TAGS AND/OR LABELS SHOULD BE PLACED PROMPTLY TO NOTIFY ANY
POTENTIAL USER OF THE BROKEN TOOL.

3. WHAT IS AN SDS AND WHY IS IT SO
IMPORTANT?
• A SAFETY DATA SHEET (FORMERLY CALLED MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET) IS A DETAILED
INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENT PREPARED BY THE MANUFACTURER OR IMPORTER OF A
HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL. IT DESCRIBES THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE
PRODUCT. SDSS CONTAIN USEFUL INFORMATION SUCH AS TOXICITY, FLASH POINT, PROCEDURES
FOR SPILLS AND LEAKS, STORAGE GUIDELINES, AND EXPOSURE CONTROL.
• SEE SDS EXPLAINED TO LEARN HOW TO READ A SAFETY DATA SHEET.
• SAFETY DATA SHEETS ARE ONE OF MANY TOOLS FOR EVALUATING CHEMICAL HAZARDS. BEFORE
BEGINNING WORK WITH A HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, CONSULT SEVERAL SAFETY SOURCES TO
OBTAIN SUFFICIENT INFORMATION ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF.
• SEE SAFETY DATA SHEET SOURCES FOR ACCESS TO AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF SDSS AND OTHER
CHEMICAL HAZARD INFORMATION RESOURCES.
• EMPLOYEES MUST KNOW HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND AN SDS. TO LEARN MORE,
SEE SAFETY DATA SHEETS EXPLAINED.

4. CHEMICAL SAFETY
CHEMICALS SHOULD:
a) NEVER BE MIXED TOGETHER, AND ALWAYS DILUTE HIGHLY CONCENTRATED PRODUCTS WHEN
RECOMMENDED
b) ALWAYS KEPT IN THEIR ORIGINAL CONTAINER, OR A CONTAINER THAT IS CLEARLY LABELED
WITH THE NAME OF THE CHEMICAL
c) ALWAYS HAVE AN SDS SHEET AVAILABLE, IN THE CASE OF A SPILL, OR EMERGENCY
d) UTILIZE TAGS, LABELS, AND CAUTION SIGNS WHEN NEEDED
• MIXING CHEMICALS (UNLESS SPECIFICALLY STATED ON THE PRODUCT) CAN BE POTENTIALLY
DANGEROUS FOR THE CLEANING STAFF AND OTHERS EXPOSED TO THESE CHEMICALS.
• THEY CAN RELEASE EXPLOSIVE OR TOXIC FUMES WHICH CAN BE HARMFUL. FOR EXAMPLE,
MIXING BLEACH WITH A CLEANING PRODUCT CONTAINING AMMONIA RELEASES LUNG-
IRRITATING TOXIC GASES.

5. USING PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• IT IS THE EMPLOYER’S DUTY TO PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY PPE TO THE CLEANING STAFF FREE
OF CHARGE.
• PPE (PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT) INCLUDES:
• FACE SHIELDS, GOGGLES, GLOVES, APRONS, SAFETY SHOES, AND GLASSES ARE ALL PART OF PPE.
IN SOME CASES, RESPIRATORY PROTECTION, WHICH CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING, MAY ALSO
BE REQUIRED.
• IF YOU SEE THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE THE PROPER PPE, STOP WHAT YOU
ARE DOING AND LET YOUR SUPERVISOR KNOW IMMEDIATELY.

6. SAFE LIFTING PRACTICES
• REPEATED INCORRECT POSTURE CAN LEAD TO CHRONIC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS.
WHEN IT COMES TO PICKING AND KEEPING EQUIPMENT, ESPECIALLY HEAVY ITEMS LIKE PAILS
OF WATER, YOU NEED TO PROPERLY BEND YOUR KNEES AND SIT DOWN WHILE KEEPING YOUR
BACK STRAIGHT INSTEAD OF STOOPING DOWN. THIS POSTURE MINIMIZES PRESSURE ON THE
SPINE AND HELPS PREVENT INJURIES.
• HEAVY BUCKETS:
• A THIN HANDLE CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT CONTACT PRESSURE ON HANDS, ESPECIALLY WITH
PROLONGED USE. THE HANDLE SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH PADDING FOR A FIRM, CUSHIONED GRIP
THAT WILL DISTRIBUTE WEIGHT PROPERLY AND BALANCE THE PRESSURE.

7. LIMITING THE SPREAD OF GERMS
MICROFIBER MOPS V. RAG MOPS:
MICROFIBER MOPS ARE THE NEW AGE HOUSEKEEPING PHENOMENON. THEY ARE EASY ON
WORKERS’ BACK AND MUSCLES. THEY LEAD TO MORE SAVINGS, CLEANER FLOORS,
HAPPIER STAFF AND QUICKER RESULTS. MICROFIBER MOPS IN MOST CASES HAVE
REUSABLE MOP HEADS WHICH CAN BE CHANGED AS NEEDED. WORKERS DON’T HAVE TO
REPEATEDLY BEND, TWIST AND TURN TO WRING THEM OUT AS WITH RAG OR STRING
MOPS. SOILED MOPS CAN BE SET ASIDE FOR LAUNDERING, SAVING RESOURCES AND THE
EFFORT OF CHANGING WATER WITH CLEANSER FREQUENTLY. THEY ARE MORE HYGIENIC
AS WELL.

8. COMMON WORKPLACE INJURIES
• SLIP AND TRIP SAFETY IN WET, OILY, AND WAXED AREAS BEGINS WITH PROPER SAFETY BOOTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WEARING STRIPPING SHOES WHILE WORKING WITH WAXED FLOORS CAN MINIMIZE
SLIPS AND TRIPS.
• IT IS ESSENTIAL TO KNOW THAT NO FOOTWEAR HAS ANTI-SLIP PROPERTIES TO SUIT ALL KINDS OF
RISKY CONDITIONS. CONSULTING THE SHOE MANUFACTURER CAN HELP YOU CHOOSE SUITABLE
ONES.
• PROPERLY-FITTED FOOTWEAR ALSO PREVENTS FATIGUE AND STRESS, IMPROVES COMFORT, AND
ADDS TO THE OVERALL HEALTH AND SAFETY
• REACHING OUT OR STRETCHING REPEATEDLY MAY CAUSE PAIN AND STIFFNESS IN THE
SHOULDERS, NECK, BACK AND ARMS. THOUGH IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH SURFACES AT A HEIGHT
WHILE KEEPING THE ARMS AT YOUR SIDES, IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR ERGONOMIC SAFETY TO AVOID
STRETCHING BEYOND THE RECOMMENDED LIMIT. INSTEAD, TOOLS SUCH AS LIGHTWEIGHT
EXTENSION RODS AND LONG-HANDLED MOP POLES SHOULD BE EMPLOYED TO REACH THE
REQUIRED AREAS.
• KEEP YOUR FREQUENTLY USED ITEMS CLOSE TO YOU WHEN USING A JANITORIAL CART.
• TO GET THE MAXIMUM OUTPUT FROM AVAILABLE TIME AND EFFORT WHILE MAINTAINING PHYSICAL