How to create a hygienic work environment

Maintaining a hygienic work environment is especially important in certain sectors, such as healthcare and catering. However, all workplaces should be kept clean. After all, failing to create hygienic conditions can lead to a range of ill-effects. For example, it can cause sickness rates to increase among employees, which is bad news for companies’ bottom lines. It can also lower morale levels. No one wants to work in unclean conditions.

To help ensure your workplace is spic and span, you can follow the advice provided in this simple hygiene guide.

Basic housekeeping

First and foremost, it’s vital that you engage in good basic housekeeping. For example, your workspace should be vacuumed, swept or mopped on a regular basis to get rid of dust and dirt. Also, all work surfaces including desks should be wiped with suitable cleaning products. In addition, it is important to clean computer equipment and phones as these items are particularly likely to accumulate germs.

Food preparation areas including kitchens and break areas must be kept clean at all times too.

Washroom sanitation

Of course, it’s no good going to great lengths to keep your working area clean if you then fail to provide suitable washroom sanitation. All toilet areas should be well stocked with toilet roll and soaps. These spaces should also be thoroughly disinfected on a frequent basis.

Encouraging good practices

Your personnel may not spend much time thinking about workplace hygiene, especially if you rely on a cleaning firm to keep your premises in good order. However, it is important to let your staff members know that they have their own roles to play in minimising germs.

For example, remind them of the importance of keeping their workstations clean and try to discourage them from eating at their desks. No matter how careful they are, people are bound to create some level of mess when they consume food in front of their computer screens and this can cause bacterial levels to build up.

Also, it’s a good idea to put signs up in your toilets to help ensure that people always wash their hands.

Disposing of rubbish

Another important area of hygiene control concerns waste disposal. It’s crucial that you have an effective system in place for getting rid of rubbish. For example, any food waste much be disposed of quickly before it can present a risk to health.

The right tools for the job

To follow these basic principles, you’ll need to have access to all the relevant tools and resources, including suitable cleaning chemicals, bins, soap dispensers, toilet roll holders and so on.

Luckily, it’s now simple to purchase items like these. Companies such as Brammer offer a full range of industrial cleaning and janitorial products and should have everything you need.

Keeping on top of hygiene does require some effort and expenditure, but this is a worthwhile investment. It can help to keep your personnel healthy and happy, and it can make your environment a more pleasant place in which to spend time.

Posted by Tim Sandle