Housekeeping Safety Program

The Housekeeping Safety Program establishes requirements for maintaining clean, orderly, and hazard-free workplaces to help prevent slips, trips, falls, fires, struck-by incidents, blocked access, and other workplace injuries. Good housekeeping is an essential part of workplace safety and includes keeping floors, aisles, stairs, walkways, work areas, storage locations, and access routes free from unnecessary materials and hazards. Employees are responsible for maintaining their work areas and promptly correcting or reporting unsafe housekeeping conditions. The program addresses workplace housekeeping, slip and fall prevention, trip hazards, walking-working surfaces, spills, debris, waste disposal, material storage, aisles and passageways, emergency exits, electrical panels, fire extinguishers, and access to emergency equipment. Spills and wet or slippery conditions must be cleaned promptly or appropriately guarded until corrected. Cords, hoses, tools, materials, and equipment must be positioned or stored so they do not create tripping hazards or obstruct walkways. Combustible waste and unnecessary accumulations of materials must be routinely removed, and materials must be stacked and stored securely. Effective housekeeping safety practices, routine inspections, employee training, and prompt hazard correction help maintain safe walking and working surfaces and reduce preventable workplace accidents.