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Workplace Housekeeping Practice

A 5-Step Process

​By Mansour Baker, SHRM-CP

Posted  10 February 2020

Good housekeeping shall always remain an important element to the company in its efforts of ensuring a safe and healthy work environment. The company takes cognizance of the fact that a workplace’s accident and injury experience may be gauged simply by looking at its housekeeping practices. Workplaces with poor housekeeping have poor safety results. Workplaces with superior housekeeping have very few accidents and injuries.

​The company shall adhere to the principle that the best protection against the dangers of work hazards is good housekeeping.

​Aside from the accident prevention benefits, the company shall value good housekeeping as a means of promoting efficient work performance.

Organized cleanliness shall be promoted as an overriding attitude among all employees of being spotlessly clean and placing everything in their proper place for easy access. It shall be the philosophy and way of organizing and managing the workflow and work-space with the intention of increasing efficiency by eliminating waste, improving process flow and reducing job obstacles. It shall be the method for arranging a workplace and keeping it organized.

​All company properties shall be designated a specific place where it shall always be kept and maintained.

​The company shall promote the participation of all its employees in deciding what items should be kept, where it should be kept, and how it should be stored.

A 5-step process to organize workplace housekeeping

1. Sort

​Employees shall review all their assigned tools, materials, equipment, files, documents, etc. Only essential items that are needed to efficiently and effectively execute job functions shall be kept. All other items shall either be stored or discarded.

2. ​Systematize

​Employees shall ensure that they perform their jobs systematically. They shall be responsible for straightening or setting in order their workplace to promote efficiency. Employees shall arrange their assigned tools, equipment, materials, parts, documents, files, etc. in a manner that promotes workflow.

3. Sweep

​Employees shall be responsible for systematic cleaning or the need to keep their workplace clean as well as neat. At the end of each work shift, the work area shall be cleaned, and all assigned items returned to their proper places. Maintaining cleanliness shall be a part of the daily work.

4. Standardize

​Employees shall ensure that their work practices are always standardized. Employees shall make sure that they know exactly what their job responsibilities are.

5. Self Discipline 

​Employees shall be responsible for maintaining and reviewing their work standards.

Exhibit 1

The company shall implement a 5-step process in ensuring organized workplace housekeeping.

Employees Housekeeping Practices

Employees shall ensure the following housekeeping practices:

• All work areas, storage facilities, and common areas shall be kept clean, neat and orderly. 
• All aisles, stairways, passageways, exits and access ways to buildings shall be kept free from obstructions.
• It shall be the responsibility of an employees to pick up and clean up.
• Unless otherwise instructed, an employee using a company washroom shall ensure that the toilet bowl is flushed and clean after use, and faucets closed securely to avoid water wastage.
• Employees shall be responsible for ensuring that materials and supplies that are no longer needed are not accumulated and properly disposed of.
• Tools, equipment, machinery and work areas shall be maintained in a clean and safe manner. Employees shall be responsible for reporting defects and unsafe conditions to their line manager.
• Employees shall be responsible for returning tools and equipment they use to their proper place after use or when not in use. 
• Wastebasket shall be emptied daily into the recycled waste disposal units.
• Adequate lighting shall be maintained in all work areas.
• Consumption of food and beverages is strictly prohibited in areas where hazardous substances are stored or used.
• Unless otherwise instructed, employees shall switch off all electronic and electrical devices assigned to them at the end of each workday.
• Unless otherwise instructed, the last person leaving the room shall be responsible for switching off the air-conditioning unit and the lights.

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