Health And Safety Policy

Cleaners Westminster Health and Safety Policy

Cleaners Westminster is committed to providing professional cleaning services while maintaining the highest standards of health and safety for our employees, clients, visitors and members of the public. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks associated with domestic and commercial cleaning work across our service area.

Policy Statement and Objectives

Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health and incidents arising from our cleaning activities. We aim to create and maintain safe working conditions, safe systems of work and a positive health and safety culture throughout the company.

We will ensure that health and safety is an integral part of planning and delivering all cleaning services. Management at every level is responsible for implementing this policy and for promoting a proactive approach to risk management and continuous improvement.

Management Responsibilities

Cleaners Westminster management will lead by example and demonstrate visible commitment to health and safety. We will:

Ensure that all work is properly planned, risk assessed and resourced so that it can be carried out safely and without risk to health.

Provide information, instruction, training and supervision to enable employees to carry out their duties safely and competently.

Maintain and review this policy regularly to ensure it remains suitable, effective and aligned with current good practice in the cleaning industry.

Consult with employees on health and safety matters and take account of their feedback to improve working practices.

Ensure that incidents, near misses and complaints relating to health and safety are reported, investigated and used to prevent recurrence.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees and contractors working on behalf of Cleaners Westminster have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Employees must:

Follow all health and safety procedures, instructions and training provided by the company and clients.

Use equipment, tools and cleaning products correctly and only for their intended purpose.

Report any hazards, defects, spillages, faulty equipment, injuries or near misses to their supervisor as soon as possible.

Wear the required personal protective equipment and maintain it in good condition.

Refrain from any behaviour that could compromise safety, including horseplay, misuse of equipment or working while unfit due to fatigue, alcohol or drugs.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Cleaners Westminster will identify hazards and assess risks associated with all cleaning activities, including routine work and non-routine tasks. We will:

Carry out and maintain suitable and sufficient risk assessments for typical cleaning tasks such as mopping, vacuuming, window cleaning, use of cleaning chemicals and waste handling.

Develop safe systems of work based on these assessments and communicate them clearly to all staff.

Adapt risk assessments to specific client premises and take account of particular site conditions, vulnerable people, access routes, shared workspaces and building-specific risks.

Review risk assessments periodically and following any significant change in work methods, equipment, substances used or incident reports.

Chemical Safety and Cleaning Products

The safe use of cleaning chemicals is a core part of our health and safety approach. Cleaners Westminster will:

Select cleaning products that are suitable for the task, effective and, where reasonably practicable, less hazardous to health.

Ensure all containers are clearly labelled and that safety data information is available to staff.

Provide training on correct dilution, application, storage and disposal of cleaning agents.

Prevent mixing of incompatible chemicals and ensure good ventilation when using products that produce vapours or aerosols.

Require the use of appropriate gloves, eye protection and other protective equipment where risk assessments show this is necessary.

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment is provided where hazards cannot be adequately controlled by other means. Depending on the task, this may include gloves, eye protection, masks or respirators, protective footwear and aprons. Employees must wear the specified items for each task and report any damage or defects so that replacements can be arranged promptly.

Manual Handling and Ergonomics

Manual handling activities such as moving equipment, carrying supplies and handling waste can present risks of strain and injury. Cleaners Westminster will:

Provide training in safe lifting and carrying techniques and the avoidance of unnecessary manual handling.

Use trolleys and other aids where practicable to reduce the need for carrying loads.

Encourage staff to work at a comfortable height, avoid over-reaching and take short breaks from repetitive tasks where possible.

Review work routines and equipment layout to minimise awkward postures and repetitive strain.

Slips, Trips and Falls

Slips and trips are a common risk in cleaning work, especially when floors are wet. To minimise these risks, we will:

Use appropriate signage to warn of wet floors and cleaning in progress.

Plan work to restrict access to areas where floors are being cleaned and ensure safe alternative routes are available where possible.

Use suitable cleaning methods and products to reduce residual slipperiness.

Keep walkways, stairs and access points free from trailing leads, stored materials and other obstructions.

Equipment, Maintenance and Electrical Safety

All equipment provided by Cleaners Westminster will be suitable for use in the cleaning environment and maintained in a safe condition. We will:

Inspect and maintain vacuum cleaners, floor machines, extension poles and other tools at appropriate intervals.

Ensure electrical equipment is visually checked for damage before use and withdrawn from service if any defect is identified.

Use suitable extension leads and avoid overloading sockets. Employees must not attempt unauthorised repairs.

Client Premises, Coordination and Visitors

When working at client premises, our staff will cooperate with client representatives, follow site rules and coordinate activities with other contractors where necessary. We will identify any specific on-site hazards and ensure our employees understand emergency procedures, fire exits and assembly points. We will carry out our work in a way that minimises disruption and risk to clients, visitors and occupants, including those who may be vulnerable or have reduced mobility.

Training, Information and Supervision

Cleaners Westminster will provide appropriate induction training for all new staff and refresher training as required. Training will cover general health and safety awareness, safe use of equipment, chemical safety, manual handling, accident reporting and emergency procedures. Supervisors will monitor working practices to ensure that training is applied correctly and will provide guidance and support where improvements are needed.

Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, incidents and near misses must be reported promptly so that they can be investigated and corrective actions taken. We will keep appropriate records of incidents and use this information to improve our systems of work. Employees must familiarise themselves with emergency procedures at each work location, including fire alarms, escape routes and first aid arrangements, and follow instructions given by designated responsible persons.

Wellbeing and Continuous Improvement

Cleaners Westminster recognises that good health and safety management supports the wellbeing, morale and performance of employees. We encourage open communication about health and safety concerns and welcome suggestions for improvement. This policy will be reviewed regularly and updated when necessary to reflect changes in legislation, industry standards, company operations and the findings of audits, inspections and incident investigations.

This Health and Safety Policy applies to all cleaning services delivered by Cleaners Westminster and is communicated to all employees and made available to clients on request.