Workbook Follow safe work practices in the cleaning industry

Transcription

1 Workbook Follow safe work practices in the cleaning industry US 7442 UNIT 7442 v7: Follow Safe Working Practices in the Cleaning Industry Level 2 Credits 6 Name

2 US 7442 Level 2 Credits 6 Creative Commons This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial Licence. You are free to copy, distribute and transmit the work and to adapt the work. You must attribute Careerforce as the author. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. For more information contact Careerforce 2

3 People credited with this unit standard are able to: Keep the public safe during cleaning. Use cleaning equipment safely. Use cleaning agents safely. Keep yourself safe at work. Prevent infection and contamination. Workbook Graphics Write Discuss (Talk to another trainee) Read Follow the instructions? Need More Help 3

4 Vocabulary At the beginning of each reading, there is a list of vocabulary or words that you need to know to do your job as a cleaner. The words are always in a pink table. Word Warning Sign Cordon Meaning A sign that tells people to be careful of something dangerous. Things with a cord or line between that separate an area from people. Example A cleaner puts up a warning sign before mopping the floor. A cleaner puts a cordon around the area where he is working, before vacuuming the floor. The Vocabulary Table has three (3) parts 1. Headings The headings go across the top of the table. Word Warning Sign Meaning A sign that tells people to be careful of something dangerous. Example A cleaner puts up a warning sign before mopping the floor. Cordon Things with a cord or line b t th t t A cleaner puts a cordon d th h h i 2. A list of words (vocabulary) The list of words goes down the left hand side of the table. Word Warning Sign Meaning A sign that tells people to be careful of something dangerous. Example A cleaner puts up a warning sign before mopping the floor. Cordon Things with a cord or line between that separate an area from people. A cleaner puts a cordon around the area where he is working, before vacuuming the floor. 3. Information about each word The information about each word goes across the table. Word Warning Sign Cordon Meaning A sign that tells people to be careful of something dangerous. Things with a cord or line between that separate an Example A cleaner puts up a warning sign before mopping the floor. A cleaner puts a cordon around the area where he is Read the Meaning of the word Read it carefully. You may need to read it more than one time. Word Warning Sign Cordon Meaning A sign that tells people to be careful of something dangerous. Things with a cord or line between that separate an Example A cleaner puts up a warning sign before mopping the floor. A cleaner puts a cordon around the area where he is Then read a sentence that uses the word to talk about cleaning. Word Warning Sign Meaning A sign that tells people to be careful of something dangerous. Example A cleaner puts up a warning sign before mopping the floor. Cordon Things with a cord or line between that separate an A cleaner puts a cordon around the area where he is 4

5 Contents Part One Keep the Public Safe during Cleaning... 6 Health and Safety in Employment Act Responsibilities and Rights How do You Keep You and the Public Safe Warning Signs Workplace Hazards Five Common Hazards in the cleaning Industry Eliminate, Isolate or Minimise Check What You Have Learned Part Two Use Cleaning Equipment Safely An Electrical Safety Certificate Reading Electrical Safety Certificates How do You do a Safety Check of Your Cleaning Equipment Reporting a Fault Check What You Have Learned Part Three Use Cleaning Agents Safely Unlabelled Bottle of Cleaning Agent Preparing Cleaning Solutions Safely Safety Data Sheets A Cleaning Agent Table Reading Tables Preparing Cleaning solution When There is Poor Ventilation What do You do if There is a Spill of Cleaning Solution How do You Work Safely When Using Cleaning Agents Using the Correct Cleaning Product Store Cleaning Agents Safely Warning Signs How to Dispose of Soiled Solutions Check What You Have Learned Part Four Keeping Yourself Safe at Work Personal Health Hazards Personal Protective Equipment Personal Protective Equipment Signs Emergency Procedures What Should You do in an Emergency Reporting Accidents Looking After Your back

6 Vacuum Back Pack How do You Bend, Lift and Carry Safely How do You Work on Step Ladders Safely Check What You Have Learned Part Five Communication at Work Spoken Communication Written Communication Other Ways of Getting Health and Safety Information Workplace Hazard Identification Systems Hazard Register Part Six Safe and Hygienic Work Practices Hand Washing Rules for Hand Washing Hand Washing Technique Handrub How to Work From Clean to Dirty Colour-coded System Laundering Cleaning Cloths Checklist for Working Safely Remember to Work Safely

7 Part One: Keep the Public Safe during Cleaning Sometimes cleaning can make a workplace unsafe. This part of the workbook teaches you how to work safely to keep you and the public safe. In Part One you will learn: About the Health and Safety in Employment Act. Learn about the responsibilities and rights of employees (workers). How to keep you and the public safe when you are cleaning. When to put out a warning sign, cordon or barrier. When to take down a warning sign, cordon or barrier. Five (5) common hazards in the cleaning industry. What to do about these five (5) workplace hazards. The meaning of Minimise, Isolate and Eliminate. Here is a list of vocabulary (words) used below. Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Law an Act A set of rules about one particular topic e.g. food safety and hygiene. A law that is made and passed in Parliament. There are three different laws on food safety and hygiene in New Zealand. The Food Hygiene Regulations Act was passed in Some words have more than one meaning. The word act has more than one meaning. When the word act has a capital (big) letter Act, it means a law made and passed by Parliament. Acts are laws made by Parliament. Acts must be followed and usually there is a Government Department that makes sure this happens. At work, you may have to read and understand different kinds of information. In Part One, you will read information from the: Health and Safety in Employment Act

8 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 has sections with rules. These rules make sure that you are safe and healthy at work. All workers are protected by this Act full time, part time and casual workers are all protected. Let s look at a small part of the Health and Safety in Employment Act Section 19 says what employees have to do to keep themselves and other people safe at work. Part 2 Duties relating to health and safety in employment 19 Duties of employees Every employee shall take all practicable steps to ensure This means you have to use the safety equipment your employer gives you. (a) the employee s safety while at work (including by using suitable protective clothing and suitable protective equipment provided by the employer of, if section 10(4) applies, suitable This means you have to wear the safety clothing your employer gives you. protective clothing provided by the employee This means you can t do anything which hurts someone at work. (b) himself or herself); and that no action or inaction of the employee while at work causes harm to any other person. This means that you can t forget to do something and then someone gets hurt at work. 8

9 Acts are written in legal language which can be difficult to understand. Section 19 (a) is explained below in plain English. Section 19 (a) Keeping yourself safe. You have to keep yourself safe at work. This means: You have to wear the protective clothing that your employer gives you. You have to use the protective equipment at your workplace. Let s look at three examples from work where employees have not followed Section 19. Here is example 1. Example 1 Jane is preparing cleaning agents in the cleaner s storeroom. Her safety glasses keep steaming up so that she can t see. So, she takes them off. Some cleaning agents splash into her eye. Jane did not follow Section 19 of the Act because she did not wear the protective clothing (the safety glasses) supplied by her employer. What did Jane do wrong? Here is an example answer. She didn t wear the safety glasses her employer gave her What rule did she break? Tick () the correct answer. She didn t keep herself safe at work She did something that hurt someone else at work. She forgot to do something that caused someone else to get injured or hurt. 9

10 Acts are written in legal language which can be difficult to understand. Section 19 (b) is explained below in plain English. Section 19 (b) Keeping others safe. You have to keep other people safe at work. This means: You can t do anything that will hurt other people at work. You can t forget to do something which causes someone else to get injured or hurt at work. Let s look at another example from work where an employee has not followed Section 19: Example 2 Harry is up a ladder cleaning windows. He puts out signs to warn people to be careful. His workmate, Peter, comes back late from lunch. He runs back into the office. He doesn t notice Harry working up the ladder. Peter bumps into the ladder and Harry falls off and hurts his back. Peter did not follow Section 19 of the Act because his action (when he bumped into the ladder) caused Harry to have an accident. What did Peter do wrong? What rule did Peter break. Tick () the correct answer. He didn t keep himself safe at work He did something that hurt someone else at work. He forgot to do something that caused someone else to get injured or hurt. 10

11 Let s look at the last example from work where an employee has not followed Section 19: Example 3 Maria washes the floors at work every day. When she is washing the floors she always puts out signs to warn people that the floor is slippery when wet. One day, Maria forgets to put out the signs. A man comes into the office to deliver some boxes. He slips and breaks his arm. Maria did not follow Section 19 of the Act because her inaction (when she forgot to put out the signs) caused the delivery man to have an accident. What did Maria do wrong? What rule did Maria break? Tick () the correct answer. She didn t keep herself safe at work She did something that hurt someone else at work. She forgot to do something that caused someone else to get injured or hurt. 11

12 Responsibilities and Rights Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Responsibility Right Refuse A duty to deal with or take care of somebody or something. Something that a person is allowed by law to have, get or do. To say or show that you will not do something that someone wants you to do. You have a responsibility to keep yourself and other people safe in the workplace. Everyone has the right to be treated equally and fairly. Her supervisor asked her to carry the heavy box but she refused because she was afraid that she would hurt her back. Let s look at your responsibilities and rights you have under the Health and Safety in Employment Act Your Responsibilities Under section 19 you are responsible for keeping yourself and others safe. You are responsible for wearing protective clothing. You are responsible for using protective equipment. You are responsible for keeping other people safe. You are responsible for making sure you don t injure or hurt other people at work. Your Rights You have the right to be given protective clothing. You have the right to be given protective equipment to use. You have the right to refuse to do unsafe work. You have the right to be supervised or trained so that you will work safely. Your Employer s Rights Your employer has the right to expect that you will keep yourself safe at work. Your employer has the right to expect that you will keep other people safe at work. Your employer has the right to expect that you will wear protective clothing. Your employer has the right to expect that you will use protective equipment. Your employer and your team mates have the right to expect that you won t hurt them. 12

13 How Do You Keep You and the Public Safe When You are Cleaning? Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Slip Warning Sign Cordon Barrier Fall or nearly fall because you stand on something wet, oily or smooth. A sign that tells people to be careful of something dangerous. Things with a cord or line between that separate an area from people. Things that stop people from coming into an area. Wet floors are a hazard because people can slip and hurt themselves. Safe cleaners put up a warning sign before mopping the floor. Safe cleaners put a cordon around the area where they are working, before vacuuming the floor. Safe cleaners put up a barrier to stop people from coming into the area, before polishing the floor. Now it s your turn Write the correct word above each picture. The first one is an example answer. barrier Spell the words correctly. Check your spelling by looking at the pink box above. Cleaning can make an area unsafe. For example, after you wash a floor, the floor is wet and people may slip over. It is important that people can see where cleaning is going on so that they can be very careful. When Should You Put Out a Warning Sign, Cordon or Barrier? Cleaners put up a warning sign, cordon or barrier before they start cleaning so people know where the cleaners are working. If possible, use a cordon or a barrier to keep people away from the area where you are cleaning. If people must use the area when you are cleaning, use a warning sign. The words in black (bold) are in the vocabulary table at the top of the page. 13

14 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Hazard Something dangerous, something that may hurt you. Wet floors are a hazard for cleaners and for the public. Be careful where you put a warning sign, cordon or barrier. Put it where people can see it but do not put it where it could become a hazard. You do not want people to fall over a warning sign. When Should You Take Down a Warning Sign, Cordon or Barrier? Don t forget to take down the warning sign, cordon or barrier when you have finished cleaning. If you are washing floors, do not take down the sign if the floor is wet. Wait and take down the sign when the floor is dry. Before You Start Cleaning: Put up a cordon to separate the cleaning area from people, or Put up a barrier to stop people from coming into the cleaning area, or Put up a warning sign when people must walk through the cleaning area when you are cleaning. Can you make this cleaning area safe for the public? The cleaner has not put up any warning signs and the public use this area. Where would you put the warning signs? Draw them on the picture. Put up at least one (1) warning sign for each hazard. 14

15 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Hazard Slip Something dangerous, something that may hurt you. Fall or nearly fall because you stand on something wet, oily or smooth. Wet floors are a hazard for cleaners and for the public. Wet floors are a hazard because people can slip and hurt themselves. Caution Be Careful! Watch out! A warning sign tells people to act with caution because there is a hazard. Read Alofa s story about when to put out a warning sign My boss told me it is important to think about my safety and the public s safety. I always work safely. I do not want to have an accident. I do not want the public to have an accident. Everyday at work, I clean the Men s and Women s toilets. I always mop the toilet floors. Wet floors are a big hazard. Before I start to clean, I put out a warning sign so the public know that there is a hazard. I don t want someone to slip on the wet floor. I always think carefully about where I put the sign. I want the public to see the sign easily. But I don t want the public to fall over the sign. I put it by the toilet entrance. At work we have two warnings signs. I use the Caution Cleaning in Progress sign when I clean the toilets because it tells the public to be very careful because cleaners are working. When I have finished cleaning, I wait for the floor to dry. Then, I take down the warning sign and put it away. Questions: 1. Alofa puts out a warning sign because there is a hazard. What is the hazard? 2. What sign does Alofa put out? 3. Where does Alofa put the sign? 4. When does Alofa take down the warning sign? 15

16 Now, it s your turn Choose the thing you put out before you wash the floor by ticking the box below. Write about a cleaning activity you do where you put up a warning sign or cordon or barrier to warn the public. I will write about when I put out a 1. When do you put out the sign, cordon or barrier? 2. Why do you put it out? 3. What 2 things do you have to remember when you put it out? Put it Don t put it 4. When do you take it down? 16

17 Warning Signs In this workbook you will learn about different types of workplace signs. The first type of workplace sign is the Warning Sign. Cleaners need to understand and use warning signs at work. Here are some warning signs you will find in this workbook: Warning signs are usually bright yellow Some signs only have pictures. Some signs have pictures and words. Warning signs can be other colours, for example orange or red. Warning signs are usually a triangle shape can be other shapes. but they Triangle Diamond Sometimes, the warning sign is part of a bigger sign. Warning Sign All warning signs warn you to be careful. Other words you see on warning signs that mean be careful are: Danger, Hazard, Watch out, Caution, Beware Some warning signs are general. They only tell you to be careful.! means be careful Some signs warn you about the type of hazard. Danger, Electricity Can catch fire Poison, Don t take 17

18 Warning Signs Now it s your turn Put a in the box next to the correct meaning. The first one is an example. This sign warns you about a hazard: Caution Can Catch Fire Easily. Electricity! Can Kill You. Poison! Can Kill You or Make You Very Sick. This sign warns you about a hazard: Caution Can Catch Fire Easily. Electricity! Can Kill You. Poison! Can Kill You. This sign warns you about a hazard: Caution Electricity! Can Kill You. Can Catch Fire Easily. Wet Floor! Can Make You Slip and Fall. This sign warns you about a hazard: Caution Can Catch Fire Easily. Electricity! Can Kill You. Cleaning in Progress. 18

19 Workplace Hazards What is a workplace hazard? A workplace hazard is something unsafe or unhealthy that may cause accidents or hurt you or the public at work. In this part of the workbook, you will learn about five (5) common work hazards in the cleaning industry and what you can do to reduce or remove them. Before you read about these hazards, can you think of five (5) common hazards in your workplace? Write them here Talk with another cleaner. 1. What hazards did he/she choose? 2. Look at the two lists. Choose the most common hazards in your workplace? 19

20 Five (5) Common Hazards in the Cleaning Industry Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Equipment All the things you need to do a job. The cleaning company provides all the cleaning equipment. Condition How well something is working. Cleaners must check their equipment to make sure it is in good condition. Cord A thick string. Wire covered with plastic used to connect electrical equipment to the electricity. Safe Cleaners never pull electrical equipment by the cord. 1. Electrical Equipment Electrical equipment includes vacuum cleaners, scrubbers and floor polishers. Electrical equipment is 100% safe to use when it is in good working condition. Electrical equipment only becomes a work hazard, when it is broken or damaged. A vacuum cleaner cord can be a hazard. It can cause accidents. People can trip and fall over a long vacuum cleaner cord. To stop people from falling over the cord, cleaners should: 1. Warn the public, before using the vacuum cleaner. 2. Put out a warning sign. 3. Use the nearest power point so the vacuum cleaner cord is not too long. Be careful! Keep electrical equipment and electrical cords away from water or wet areas. Don t do this! 20

21 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Spill Spillage Liquid you drop by mistake. For example: water, a drink or cleaning agent. Safe cleaners always clean up a spill quickly, before someone has an accident. 2. A Spillage or Spill A spillage or spill is liquid for example water, a drink or some cleaning agent that drops on the floor by accident. A spill is a hazard because people can slip and fall. To stop people from slipping and falling, the cleaner should: 1. Warn the public, that there is a spill. 2. Put up a warning sign. 3. Clean up the spill. 4. Remove the warning sign, when the floor is dry. This is a Procedure. Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Poor (1) Poor (2) Poor lighting Not having much money or many things. Not good, not good quality, not enough. Not enough light to see clearly and well. He was poor so he couldn t buy himself the new clothes that he needed. See Poor lighting, Poor Ventilation Poor lighting is common at night because many buildings turn off lights to save electricity. The word -poor has two (2) different meanings. Poor (1) is meaning 1. This is the most common meaning. Poor (2) is meaning 2. This workbook uses meaning Poor Lighting Poor lighting is a hazard because people can not see clearly. For example, the public may not see cords or wet floors or buckets of water. 21

22 You may not see hazards such as broken glass. Make sure that you have enough light to see what you are doing. Poor lighting may be caused if an electric bulb has burned out. If there is a burned out bulb at the cleaning job, you should: Tell your boss (supervisor) In some buildings, the night lights come on every night to save power. Night lights are often used in the stairways. Night lights can be a work hazard if it is difficult to see clearly. If there is poor lighting at the cleaning job, you should: Tell your boss (supervisor) Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Poor (2) Ventilation Poor ventilation Not good, not good quality, not enough. To let air come into and go out of a room or building. Not enough fresh air to breathe. See Poor lighting, Poor Ventilation. Most buildings have ventilation systems because the windows do not open. Poor ventilation is common at night because many buildings turn off the ventilation at 5.00pm. 4. Poor Ventilation Poor ventilation can happen when: There is no air conditioning The air conditioning is turned off The windows do not open Poor ventilation can be dangerous if you are using cleaning agents. Some cleaning agents have chemicals that are poisonous. 22

23 Chemicals can cause breathing problems and other serious medical problems. To work safely when you use cleaning agents, you should: Work in an area with good ventilation. If there is poor ventilation, wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when you prepare cleaning agents. Use the correct amount of cleaning agents. DO NOT mix two (2) cleaning agents together. This can be very dangerous. Look after the Public: If you are using dangerous cleaning agents, cordon off the area from the public Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Reduce To make something smaller or less. Cleaners can reduce the noise of vacuum cleaners by putting on earplugs or ear muffs. 5. Noise from electrical equipment can be a work hazard because: It is difficult to hear an alarm. It is difficult to talk to others. Over time, it can damage your hearing. To reduce noise: Close office doors, if people are working in their offices. You should wear ear muffs or ear plugs. 23

24 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Reduce Eliminate a hazard To make something smaller or less in size, amount, or price. To remove a hazard. Cleaners can reduce the possibility of accidents by working safely. Cleaners can eliminate falls on wet floors by cleaning up spills quickly. Eliminate (remove), Isolate (keep people away) or Minimise (reduce) Before you start work, look for any hazards. Can you eliminate, isolate or minimise the hazard? If so, you may reduce the possibility of someone having an accident or getting hurt. 1. Eliminate a Hazard Sometimes, you can eliminate a hazard. This means that you remove the hazard. This is always the safest choice. Example: You break a glass bottle at work. The glass could cut somebody. You need to throw away the glass safely to eliminate the hazard. Procedure: 1. You use a dustpan to sweep up all the glass. 2. You wrap the glass in paper. 3. You write GLASS on the outside of the paper and put it in the rubbish bin. Result: Nobody will cut themselves on the glass. The hazard is eliminated. Now it s your turn Give two examples of hazards that you can eliminate at work. Explain how you will eliminate each hazard. Write the two (2) hazards here

25 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Isolate a hazard To separate the hazard from people. Cleaners use a cordon to isolate a hazard from the public. 2. Isolate a Hazard If you cannot eliminate the hazard, sometimes you can isolate the hazard. This means that you separate the hazard from people so they will not be injured or hurt. Example: You find that the vacuum cleaner has a frayed cord. It is too dangerous to use the vacuum cleaner. You need to isolate the hazard. Procedure: 1. You put a fault label on the vacuum cleaner. 2. You put the vacuum cleaner back in the cleaners cupboard in a separate place from the other vacuum cleaners. 3. You tell the boss (supervisor) about the frayed cord. Result: Nobody will use the vacuum cleaner. The hazard is isolated. Now it s your turn Give two examples of hazards that you can isolate at work. Explain how you will isolate each hazard. Write them here

26 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Minimise a hazard To make the hazard less or less likely to happen. Cleaners can minimise the risk of hearing loss by wearing ear plugs or ear muffs when they use noisy equipment. 3. Minimise a Hazard Sometimes it is not possible to eliminate or isolate a hazard. All you can do is to minimise the hazard. This means you have to work safely and carefully to reduce the hazard. Example: Procedure: Result: You vacuum the floors every night. The vacuum cleaner is noisy. Noise can damage your hearing. You need to minimise the hazard. You wear ear plugs, when you are vacuuming. Wearing ear plugs will reduce the possibility of noise damaging your hearing. The hazard is minimised. Now it s your turn Give two examples of hazards that you can minimise at work. Explain how you will minimise each hazard. Write them here

27 Eliminate, Minimise or Isolate With some hazards, you may have the choice to eliminate, isolate or minimise. The best action is always to eliminate the hazard. Here is an example below where you have three (3) choices. A Water Spill It is raining heavily. When you arrive at work you notice that the rain water is coming in under the door. The floor by the front door is very wet. The water is a hazard because people could slip and fall. When you find a hazard at work, you must eliminate, isolate or minimise the hazard. Use these sentence parts, to finish sentence 1, 2 and 3 below stop the water spreading by putting cloths around the spill. put up a cordon around the spill. clean up the spill. 1. To eliminate the water hazard, you could, 2. To isolate the water hazard, you could 3. To minimise the water hazard, you could Why is eliminate the best choice? 27

28 Vocabulary List for Part One Warning sign Cordon Barrier Slip Hazard Caution Minimise Isolate Eliminate Reduce Equipment Cord Spill Poor lighting Poor ventilation 28

29 Check What You Have Learned In the reading below are the important ideas that you will need to know to pass this part of the workbook. Spell the words correctly. Use the vocabulary list on page 18 to check your spelling. There is one new word in this reading. Word Meaning Example Assessor A person who decides if you have passed a test or unit standard. An Assessor will watch you clean and ask you questions to find out if you know the information to pass this workbook. Reading Activity Eleven (11) different words or phrases are missing from the reading. You must choose the best word from the list below to put in each gap ( ). Write one word in each gap. hazards spills cordon isolate barrier lighting poor eliminate equipment minimise warning sign The Assessor will watch you to see that before mopping, vacuuming or cleaning the toilets, you put out a or you put up a or a. Remember, if you put up a warning sign the public must be able to read it clearly. The sign must also be in a safe place. The Assessor will ask you about the work hazards in the cleaning industry. They will also ask you how you can reduce these hazards. There are five (5) common in the cleaning industry. These are electrical, spillages or, ventilation, poor and noise. 29

30 When you are cleaning the Assessor will watch to see if you can find hazards and if you can reduce the hazards. You learned three (3) new words about how to reduce or remove a hazard. 1. When you remove a hazard, you the hazard. 2. When you keep the public away from the hazard, you the hazard. 3. When you try to work very safely so the hazard is less dangerous, you the hazard. 30

31 Part Two: Use Cleaning Equipment Safely In Part Two you will learn about: An Electrical Safety Certificate. How to do a safety check of your cleaning equipment. How to report machinery and equipment that does not work Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Current Now, up-to-date, covers the present period. Cleaners can only use electrical equipment that has a current Electrical Safety Certificate. Electrical Uses electricity to work. Vacuum cleaners are electrical equipment. You must turn on the electricity before they will work. Out-of-date The period you can use something has come to an end. Passed the Use by date. Tell the supervisor if the Electricity Safety Certificate is out-of-date. An Electrical Safety Certificate In the cleaning industry all electrical equipment must have a current Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC). The Electrical Safety Certificate shows that the equipment is safe to use. The Electrical Safety Certificate has a 6 month life. After 6 months, the certificate ends. The equipment must not be used after the end date because the certificate is out-of-date. If the Electrical Safety Certificate is out-of-date, tell your boss (supervisor) immediately so they can get a new one. Choose the equipment that must have an Electrical Safety Certificate. floor polisher / scrubber bucket vacuum cleaner dustrol, mop and broom 31

32 An Electrical Safety Certificate Here are two examples of Electrical Safety Certificates. All electrical equipment must have a current certificate. You will need to read the date on the certificate, to find out if it is current or out-of-date. There are different kinds of Electrical Safety Certificates. The blue certificate is the most common kind. However, you may sometimes see other types of certificates NEXT TEST DUE 31/01/2010 TEST DATE 31/07/2009 PLANT NO. / / End date of Certificate. A new test is needed on this date. If this date comes before today s date then the certificate is out-of-date. You must not use the equipment. If this date comes after today s date then the certificate is current. You can use the equipment. Date of Test Start date of Certificate. AS26949 This certificate does not have an end date. You have to work this out. Date of Test. Start date of Certificate. 21/01/2010 More Help? Would you like more help with reading Electrical Safety Certificates? Go to page

33 Reading Electricity Safety Certificates Is the certificate current or out-of-date? For this exercise, today s date is 21 January This is the same as 21/01/2010. The first one is an example Test Date: 26/07/2009 or 26 July 2009 NEXT TEST DUE 26 /01 /2010 TEST DATE 26/07/2009 End Date: 26/01/2010 or 26 January 2010 (Add on 6 months) Today s Date: 21/01/2010 or 21 January 2010 PLANT NO. / / The end date (26/01/2010) comes after today s date (21/01/2010) so the certificate is current. Current / Out-of-Date More Help? Would you like more help with reading and writing dates? Go to page 47. Now it s your turn Is the certificate current of out-of-date? For this exercise, today s date is 21 January 2010 or 21/01/2010. Label 1 Label 2 Label NEXT TEST DUE 01/03/2010 TEST DATE 01/09/2009 PLANT NO. / / NEXT TEST DUE 15/10/2009 TEST DATE 15/04/2009 PLANT NO. / / NEXT TEST DUE 18/ 01/ 2010 TEST DATE 18/ 07/ 2009 PLANT NO. / / Label 1 Label 2 Label 3 Test Date: Test Date: Test Date: Test Due: Test Due: Test Due: Today s Date: 21/01/2010 Today s Date: 21/01/2010 Today s Date: 21/01/2010 Current/ Out-of-Date Current/ Out-of-Date Current/ Out-of-Date 33

34 This blue Electrical Safety Certificate only has a start date. You must work out the end date. You do this by adding on 6 months. If the end date is Here is an example: AS26949 Test Date: 14/07/2009 End Date: 14/01/2010 (6 months after test date) Today s Date: 21/01/ /07/2009 The end date (14/01/2010) comes before today s date (21/01/2010) so the certificate is out-of-date. Current / Out-of-Date Need help to add on 6 months? The End Date is 14/01/ November 5 December 6 January February March Use this wheel to help you add on 6 months to the test date Start adding 6 months at the next month, not the month of the Test Date. For Example: 3 October April The Test Date is: 14/07/2009 or 14 July Start adding 6 months from 14/08/2009 or 14 August September 2009 or 14/09/ months passed September 1 August July June May 14/08/ month passed 14/09/ months passed 14/10/ months passed 14/11/ months passed 14/12/2009 5months passed 14/01/ months passed Start adding on six (6) months from here. 14 August 2009 or 14/08/ month The Test Date is 14/07/2009 or 14 July The End Date is: 14/01/2010 or 14 January

35 Now it s your turn Is each certificate current or out-of-date? You will need to work out the End date of each certificate. For this exercise, today s date is 21 January AS26949 Test Date: End Date: (Add 6 months to test date) Today s Date: 21/01/ /04/09 Current / Out-of-Date AS26949 Test Date: End Date: (Add 6 months to test date) Today s Date: 21/01/ /08/09 Current / Out-of-Date AS26949 Test Date: End Date: (Add 6 months to test date) Today s Date: 21/01/ /10/09 Current / Out-of-Date 35

36 How Do You Do a Safety Check of Your Cleaning Equipment? Before you start to clean, you must check that all your cleaning equipment is safe to use. You must do this every time you go to work. Safety Check for Electrical Equipment (Floor Polishers, Scrubbers, Vacuum Cleaners) 1. Always check the Electrical Safety Certificate first. If the Electrical Safety Certificate is current, it is Ok to use the equipment. If the Electrical Safety Certificate is out-of-date, you must not use the equipment. If the Electrical Safety Certificate is out-of-date: 1. Do not use the equipment 2. Write a fault label and tie it on the equipment 3. Put the equipment away. Keep it separate from the good equipment. 4. Tell your boss (supervisor) immediately. 2. Check the cord Do not use if the cord is damaged. 3. Check the plug The three (3) prongs must be straight not bent. straight bent 4. Check the motor The motor must be quiet when turned on. Do not use, If the motor is very noisy or smelly. 36

37 Safety Check for a Residual Current Device What is a Residual Current Device? Residual Current Devices (RCDs) are as important to the electrical industry as seat belts are to the car industry. An RCD is an electrical safety device that provides protection from getting a fatal electric shock. How does a Residual Current Device work? Portable Residual Current Devices These are RCDs that plug into the power point and then an appliance or extension cord plugs into them. The RCD can be moved from power point to power point as needed. These are very useful when using electrical equipment outside or in a damp environment. There are different types of Residual Devices but they all work by quickly turning off the electricity in situations where someone could get a fatal electric shock. For example, if someone touches a faulty appliance and electricity flows through their body to the ground, they could receive a severe electric shock or be electrocuted. If they are using an RCD, it will pick up any loss of electricity, where electricity is going to the ground rather than through the equipment and it will very quickly shut the electricity off and reduce the chance of serious injury. Water is a good conductor of electricity - if you are wet and touching the ground, it is even easier for electricity to flow through you. RCDs protect you if you are using electrical equipment in damp or wet areas of your home or workplace and when working with electrical equipment outside. If you have to use electrical equipment near water, always use a RCD = Residual Current Device so you do not get an electrical shock. 37

38 How to Test a Residual Current Device Reset button Test button A Residual Current Device has two buttons: 1. A Reset button 2. A Test button. How to Test a Residual Current Device (RCD) 1. Plug in the RCD into the power point. 2. Then plug the electrical equipment into the RCD. 3. Turn on the power at the power point. 4. Turn on the electrical equipment (for example, a vacuum cleaner) 5. Press Reset button. 6. Press the Test button. 7. If the electrical equipment turns off, the RCD is working correctly. 8. Before you start to use the electrical equipment, press the reset button to start the RCD. 38

39 Safety Check for Other Cleaning Equipment Do you know the names of this cleaning equipment? Write the word for the cleaning thing, above each picture. Spell the words correctly. Check your spelling on page 21. Name the parts of the mop using the words below Handle Strands Head Remember: When you check equipment, start at one end and carefully work your way to the other end. 39

40 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Condition How well something is working Cleaners must check their equipment to make sure it is in good condition. There may be some words that you do not know. If the words are not in the vocabulary tables, ask your supervisor to tell you the meaning. Safety check for mops, brooms, and dustrols 1. Check that the handle is in good condition. The handle must be smooth. 2. Check where the handle joins the mop head. This should be clean and not worn out. The mop head must be on tight. 3. Check that there are enough mop strands to be able to clean the floor well. The mop head should have a lot of strands. Safety check for buckets 1. Check that the bucket has NO leaks. 2. Check that the handle is in good condition. 3. Check that the rollers are in good condition. The rollers should turn easily. 4. Check that the foot pedal works. Handle Rollers Foot Pedal Safety check for signs 1. Check that the hinge works. (The hinge is at the top, the hinge joins the two parts of the sign). 2. Check that the sign is clean and easy to read. 40

41 Safety does not stop when the electrical equipment is in use. What hazards are there when you are using electrical equipment? 1. Yanking cords NEVER pull the plug from the wall by the cord. You can get bad electrical burns if you yank an electrical cord. 2. Water and electricity If you have to use electrical equipment near water, always use a RCD = Residual Current Device so you do not get an electrical shock. 3. Look after cords carefully NEVER put cords around your arm or around the vacuum cleaner, when you have finished. This will damage the cords. 4. Use safety guards correctly A safety guard is a special part that is fitted to electrical equipment to stop feet and hands from entering the dangerous part of a machine. If the equipment you are using has a safety guard, you must: NEVER remove the safety guard. Check that the safety guard is in good condition before using the equipment. 41

42 Reporting a Fault If there is something wrong with the cleaning equipment, you will need to report the fault. Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Fault Something that is wrong. The scrubber has an electrical fault. It does not work when I turn it on. Label Report A piece of paper that has information on it about the thing. To tell someone or write about what you saw, heard or did. A cleaning agent bottle must always have a label so you can read and choose the correct cleaning agent. If you have an accident you must report it to your Supervisor. If there is something wrong with any cleaning equipment, do not use it. You should: 1. Write a fault label. On the label write what is wrong with the equipment. 2. Tie the label on the equipment and put it in the cleaners cupboard. Keep it separate from the other cleaning equipment. 3. Tell your boss (supervisor) about the fault. 3. Report the fault to your boss (supervisor). Example of a fault label Hold means do not use Name of Equipment The fault (What is wrong?) Hold DO NOT USE Vacuum Cleaner Plug is broken 26/05/09 Your signature (Your name) Red means hazard or danger date 42

43 Now it s your turn to write a fault label Write a label for each fault. The first label is already started. 1. When you check the mop, you notice the handle can not be used. Hold DO NOT USE Mop Handle is / / The vacuum cleaner cord is Hold DO NOT USE More Help? Would you like more help with writing a fault label. Look at the table below. Use this table to help you write about the two (2) faults above. Choose a word from the left, the word is and a word from the right to say what is wrong. The cord The handle The head` The motor The plug The Electrical Safety Certificate is is Frayed, smelly, broken, noisy, damaged, loose, not working, dangerous out-of-date 43

44 Vocabulary List for Part Two Current Electrical Label Condition Fault Out-of-date 44

45 Check What You Have Learned In the reading below are the important ideas that you will need to know to pass this part of the workbook. Spell the words correctly. Use the vocabulary list on page 31 to check your spelling. There is one new word in this reading. Word Meaning Example Assessor A person who decides if you have passed a test or unit standard. An Assessor will watch you clean and ask you questions to find out if you know the information to pass this workbook. Six (6) different words or phrases are missing from the reading. You must choose the best word from the vocabulary list to put in each gap ( ). Write one word in each gap. out-of-date condition fault current label electrical Reading Activity Part One is about how to check your cleaning equipment. Before you start to clean, you must check that all your cleaning equipment is safe. You must do this every time you go to work. The Assessor will watch you do a safety check of all your cleaning equipment. Electrical Equipment Safety Check All electrical equipment must have an Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC). Always check that the date on the Safety Certificate is. You must not use the Electrical equipment if the Electrical Safety Certificate is - - because the equipment may not be safe to use. 45

46 Other Equipment Other equipment such as buckets, mops and signs must also be checked before your start to clean. Check each piece of equipment carefully. Make sure everything is in good. Part Two - Faults You will have to show or tell the Assessor how to report a fault. Reporting a Fault If there is something wrong with any equipment, you must not use it. You must write a fault label. On the you should write: 1. The name of the equipment. 2. What is wrong (the ) 3. Your signature (your name) 4. The date Then, Tie the label on the equipment and put it in the cleaners cupboard. Keep it separate from the other cleaning equipment. Tell your (boss) supervisor about the fault. 46

47 Need more help with vocabulary about cleaning equipment? cord handle vacuum cleaner mop Hold do not use dustrol plug bucket label Find the picture that goes with the underlined word in each sentence. Draw a line between the word and the picture I put water and cleaning solution in a bucket. I use a vacuum cleaner to clean carpet. I use a dustrol to remove dust and dirt from hard floors. Hold do not use Never pull a vacuum cleaner by its cord. You hold a mop, dustrol and bucket by its handle. Don t use a plug if it is broken. I fill in a fault label, if something is wrong with the equipment, I wash the floor using a bucket and mop. 47

48 Need more help with reading and writing dates? Different countries order dates in different ways. In New Zealand we write the day, then the month, then the year. Day Month Year Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat JANUARY January February March April May June July August September October November December There are different ways you can write the date. 26 day January month 2009 year This is the long way to write the date. Write the month in words. 26 / day 01 / month 2009 year This is the short way to write the date Don t write a word for the month. Write a number from 1 to 12. You write the date the short way on labels and forms. To write dates the short way, use a number not a word for each month of the year. Each month has a different number from for January 05 is for May 09 is for September 02 is for February 06 is for June 10 is for October 03 is for March 07 is for July 11 is for November 04 is for April 08 is for August 12 is for December January February March Write each date the short way. 01 April 02 May 03 June 14 June September /06/2009 July August September 13 April February October 10 November 11 December March August July November

49 Need more help with labels? NEXT TEST DUE 31/01/2010 TEST DATE 31/07/2009 PLANT NO. / / Date equipment was tested When was the equipment tested? NEXT TEST DUE 31/01/2010 TEST DATE 31/07/2009 PLANT NO. / / When current certificate finishes and a new test is needed. When is the next test due? Sun JANUARY Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Today is 21/01/2010 (21 st January 2010) On 31/01/2010 (31 st January 2010) the current certificate finishes and a new test and certificate is needed There are days before the certificate finishes. Is the certificate current / out-of-date? (ok to use) / (don t use) NEXT TEST DUE 31/01/2010 TEST DATE 31/07/2009 PLANT NO. / / When was the equipment tested? When is the next test due? Today is 21/01/2010 (21 st January 2010) Is the certificate current / out-of-date? 49

50 Part Three: Use Cleaning Agents Safely In Part Three you will learn: What to do if you find an unlabelled bottle of cleaning agent. How to prepare cleaning solutions safely. How to prepare cleaning solutions when there is poor ventilation. What to do if there is a spillage (spill) of cleaning solution. How to store cleaning agents safely in the cleaners cupboard. How to dispose of soiled solutions as described in the Resource Management Act of Cleaners work with a lot of cleaning agents. It is important to prepare and use cleaning agents in the correct way so you will be safe. You cannot eliminate the hazard of working with cleaning agents but if you work safely, you can minimise the hazards so that you will be totally safe. Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Cleaning Agent Unlabelled Cleaning product, cleaning chemicals. Un = Not + labelled = does not have a label A cleaning cupboard has many bottles of cleaning agents. Unlabelled cleaning agents must not be used because you do not know what they are for. There may be some words that you do not know. If the words are not in the vocabulary tables, ask your supervisor to tell you the meaning What Do You Do If You Find an Unlabelled Bottle of Cleaning Agent? 1. NEVER use a bottle of cleaning agent with no label because it is not safe. 2. Tell your boss (supervisor), so that they can remove it from the cleaning cupboard. 50

51 Vocabulary First aid Medical help you give to someone who is hurt, before they go to a doctor or the hospital. Who can give first aid at your work? Why is unlabelled cleaning agent unsafe? 1. You don t know what the cleaning agent is used for. 2. You don t know what amount of cleaning agent to use. You could use too much or not enough. 3. You could use it for the wrong job. For example: you may use a toilet cleaning agent to clean the floor. The toilet cleaning agent might damage the floor. 4. If the cleaning agent has no label, you will not know the correct first aid to use if there is an accident. Vocabulary Cleaning Solution Cleaning agent and water. When you make a cleaning solution, always add the cleaning agent to the water. If you follow these instructions, you will minimise the hazard of preparing cleaning agents: How Do You Prepare Cleaning Solutions Safely? 1. Always put in the correct amount of cleaning agent. 2. If you don t know how much cleaning agent to use, read the instructions on the bottle or use the dispenser bar. 3. Always add the cleaning agent to the water. 51

52 Vocabulary A Safety Data Sheet Safety information about one cleaning agent. A Safety Data Sheet is also called an SDS. A Safety Data Sheet Read the Safety Data Sheet before you clean up a spill. You don t need to read everything on a Safety Data Sheet. Here is a list of the parts you may need to read. If you need more information about the Safety Data Sheet, ask your boss (supervisor) to help you. A Safety Data Sheet looks like this: A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) are the same thing. They both give information about a cleaning agent. The name of the cleaning agent. The name is Liquid Bleach Personal Protective Equipment what safety clothes to wear? First Aid what medical help to give if there is an accident Spills how to clean up a spill 52

53 A Cleaning Agent Table A Safety Data Sheet only has information about one (1) cleaning agent. So, some cleaning companies take the important information from four or five Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and put it into one (1) table for you to use. You may see a Cleaning Agent Table similar to the one below, on the office wall or on the door of the Cleaning Cupboard at your workplace. The table below is called Safe Chemical Use. The table at your work may have a different name. Safe Chemical Use The table at the right has information about three (3) different cleaning agents. Cleaning Agent Fresh Shine Use Floor washing Disinfectant Furniture polish First Aid If in contact with skin, flush with water. If swallowed, drink water. Flush with water or drink water. Method of Use Put ¼ cup chemical into ½ bucket of hot water. Mop Floor. Spray some chemical on cloth. Clean Bowl Toilet Cleaner, Bleach, Disinfectant If swallowed, see doctor. Squirt on toilet bowl. This table has a Title. This table also has four (4) Headings. The Headings go across the page. Each heading tells you different information about the cleaning agent. The name of each cleaning agent goes down the page. When you want to read about one cleaning agent, you read across the page. This is the information for Fresh cleaning agent. Cleaning Agent Fresh Shine Cleaning Agent Fresh Shine Cleaning Agent Fresh Shine Safe Chemical Use Use Floor washing Disinfectant Furniture Polish First Aid If in contact with skin, flush with water. If swallowed, drink water. Flush with water or drink water. Safe Chemical Use Use Floor washing Disinfectant Furniture Polish First Aid If in contact with skin, flush with water. If swallowed, drink water. Flush with water or drink water. Safe Chemical Use Use Floor washing Disinfectant Furniture Polish First Aid If in contact with skin, flush with water. If swallowed, drink water. Flush with water or drink water. Method of Use Put ¼ cup chemical into ½ bucket of hot water. Mop floor. Spray some chemical on cloth. Method of Use Put ¼ cup chemical into ½ bucket of hot water. Mop floor. Spray some chemical on cloth. Method of Use Put ¼ cup chemical into ½ bucket of hot water. Mop floor. Spray some chemical on cloth. 53

54 Reading Tables When you read the table, you don t have to read everything. You can just look for the information you want. Use the Headings to help you find the right part of the table. The headings are explained in red. Use your finger to help you move across and down the table. Cleaning Agent Use (What it cleans) First Aid (Medical help) Method of Use (How to use it) (Name) Fresh Floor washing Disinfectant If in contact with skin, flush with water. If swallowed, drink water. Put ¼ cup chemical into ½ bucket of hot water. Mop Floor. Shine Furniture polish Flush with water or drink water. Spray some chemical on cloth. Clean Bowl Toilet Cleaner, Bleach, Disinfectant If swallowed, see doctor. Squirt on toilet bowl. Read the table above to find the correct answer. The first one is an example answer. You use Fresh to clean: The toilet The floor The furniture You use Clean Bowl to clean: The floor The furniture The toilet You clean the furniture with: Clean Bowl Fresh Shine If you swallow (take) Fresh you should: Drink water See the doctor You should see the doctor, if you swallow (take): Clean Bowl Shine How do you use Fresh? Spray on a cloth Squirt (spray) on toilet bowl Put into a bucket of hot water How do you use Shine? Put into bucket of hot water Spray on a cloth Squirt (spray) on toilet bowl 54

55 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Dispose of Get rid of, throw away Dispose of used cleaning cloths in the rubbish. How Do You Prepare Cleaning Solutions When There is Poor Ventilation? Poor ventilation = no fresh air Poor ventilation can happen when the air conditioning is turned off. When you are preparing cleaning solutions, try to work in a place that has good ventilation. If there is poor ventilation, you should: 1. Open the windows, to get some fresh air. 2. If the windows don t open, you must work safely. Put on a breathing (respiratory) mask, so you do not breathe in the cleaning agents. This will minimise the hazard. Follow these instructions to minimise the hazard of a spill: What Do You Do If There is a Spill of Cleaning Solution? 1. Tell people about the spill. 2. Put up a warning sign. 3. Read the Safety Data Sheet to find out how to clean up the cleaning agent. 4. Put on gloves and a mask (if needed). 5. Clean up the spill. 6. Dispose of the Cleaning Solution down the toilet. 7. After the floor is dry, remove the warning sign. If there is a big spill of cleaning solution or it is difficult to breathe: 1. Telephone the Fire Service on Warn everyone about the spill. 3. Put out a warning sign. DO NOT clean up the spill. 4. Make sure everybody on the floor, leaves the building immediately. You too! 55

56 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Leak Flammable, Inflammable A small hole that lets water or other things come out. Burns easily, catches on fire easily. Always check your bucket for leaks before you use it. Caution! This liquid is highly flammable. Do not use near open fire. Always check for leaks before using a spray bottle. Spray spray bottle spray can If you follow these instructions it will minimise the hazard of working with cleaning agents: How do you work safely when using cleaning agents? 1. Always wear gloves when using cleaning agents. 2. Spray cleaning agents on to a cloth, not onto things e.g. table tops. 3. Use a mask when using flammable cleaning agents. 4. Try not to breathe in cleaning agents when you work. 56

57 Using the Correct Cleaning Product There are different types of cleaning products. A cleaner should use the correct product for each job. Two main types of cleaning products are detergents and disinfectants. Detergents A detergent breaks down dirt so it can be wiped or washed away easily. A detergent is used to clean dishes, walls, floors and furniture. A detergent does not kill germs. Disinfectants A disinfectant is used to kill germs, viruses, bacteria and spores. A disinfectant is the correct product to use to minimise contamination and infection. A disinfectant is not a cleaning agent but it is often added to cleaning agents to give them germ killing qualities. For example toilet cleaner will have disinfectant in it. Disinfectants are grouped into low, intermediate or high level disinfectants depending on the type of micro-organisms they can destroy. DANGER!! DO NOT mix detergents and disinfectants together by yourself ALWAYS buy commercially made multi-use combination detergents and disinfectants. Some detergents and disinfectants when mixed together can cause a chemical explosion. Using the Correct Amount When you choose the correct cleaning product, also make sure that you use the correct amount. If you don t use enough cleaning product, the area will still be dirty. If you use too much cleaning product, you may leave chemicals on the things you were cleaning. This could cause a hazard. 57

58 Store Cleaning Agents Safely In this part, you will learn how to store cleaning agents safely in the cleaners cupboard. Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Container Cleaning Agent Something that you keep things in. Cleaning product, chemicals used for cleaning. Bleach comes in a plastic container. A cleaning cupboard has many different cleaning agents inside. Store To keep something for future use. Store cleaning equipment in the cleaners cupboard when they are not in use. How Do You Store Cleaning Agents Safely in the Cleaners Cupboard? Safety begins in the cleaning cupboard. It is important that the cleaning cupboard is clean and tidy and that these rules are followed: 1. When you have finished with the cleaning agents, store them in a safe condition. Wipe the bottle clean and make sure that the label can be read easily. 2. All containers must have a label. The label tells you the name of the cleaning agent and the use of the cleaning agent. If a container does not have a label, it is unsafe to use because you can not tell what type of cleaning agent it is. If you find a cleaning agent with no label, tell your boss (supervisor) immediately. 3. All cleaning agents should have a Safety Data Sheet. The Safety Data Sheet gives information about: How to store the cleaning agent. First Aid what to do to treat someone who gets cleaning agent on their skin, or in their eyes. Cleaning up a spillage or spill of the cleaning agent. 58

59 4. Store heavy containers at a safe height so they can be lifted and moved safely. The best place is on the bottom shelf. If heavy containers are stored too high you may hurt your back when you try to lift or move them. 5. Store flammable cleaning agents separately from other cleaning agents. Vocabulary Flammable Inflammable Burns easily, catches on fire easily. Caution! This liquid is highly flammable. Do not use near open fire. Warning Signs: Fire Signs Cleaners need to understand and use warning signs at work. Here are some fire warning signs you may see on bottles of cleaning agents. Some fire signs use pictures. Some fire signs use pictures and words. Some signs may say Fire Risk. Risk is the same thing as hazard. Some signs use the word Flammable or Inflammable. Flammable and inflammable both mean the same thing. They tell you that something catches fire very easily. 59

60 How to Dispose of Soiled Solutions In this part you will learn how to dispose of soiled solutions as described in the Resource Management Act of 1991 Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Dispose of Get rid of, throw away Dispose of used cleaning cloths in the rubbish. Soiled Dirty, used An example of a soiled solution is a bucket of dirty water from cleaning floors. The Resource Management Act of 1991 gives rules on how to dispose of soiled solutions. The Resource Management Act says that you must dispose of soiled solutions down the sewerage system NOT the storm water drains on the road. This means No, Don t This means Yes, Do A stormwater drain A sewerage system ALWAYS dispose of soiled solutions down the toilet or the cleaners sink in the cleaners cupboard. Why? When you put soiled water down the sewerage system or toilet, it will go to a water treatment factory. At the water treatment factory the water is treated or cleaned to remove poisons that could pollute or damage the environment (the land, the sea, the air). 60

61 NEVER dispose of soiled solutions down the outside drain because they lead to the storm water drains. Why? When you put soiled solutions down the storm water drains it will go out to sea. This dirty water could pollute or damage the environment (the land, the sea, the air). If you put soiled solutions down the storm water drains, you can be fined a large amount of money. Now it s your turn Draw a line ( sentence. ) to put each picture with the correct Never dispose of soiled solutions down the sink or the outside drains. Always dispose of soiled solutions down the toilet or the cleaners sink. 61

62 Vocabulary List for Part Three Cleaning Agent Unlabelled First Aid Cleaning Solution Store Leak Container Flammable/Inflammable Dispose of Soiled 62

63 Check What You Have Learned In the reading below are the important ideas that you will need to know to pass this part of the workbook. Spell the words correctly. Use the vocabulary list on page 48 to check your spelling. There is one new word in this reading. Word Meaning Example Assessor A person who decides if you have passed a test or unit standard. An Assessor will watch you clean and ask you questions to find out if you know the information to pass this workbook. Reading Activity Ten (10) different words or phrases are missing from the reading. You must choose the best word from the vocabulary list to put in each gap ( ). Write one word in each gap. leaks cleaning agent dispose first aid store unlabelled soiled flammable containers cleaning solution Part Three is about how to minimize hazards when you use cleaning agents. The Assessor will ask you to name four (4) hazards when using cleaning agents. Your Assessor will also ask you what you can do to minimise each hazard. 1. Cleaning Agents. Never use a cleaning agent that has no label. There are 4 reasons why: a. You don t know what the cleaning agent is used for. b. You could use the unlabelled cleaning agent for the wrong job. c. You don t know the correct amount of cleaning agent to use. d. If there is an accident, you don t know what to use. 63

64 2. Preparing Cleaning Solutions Safely Cleaning Agent and water is called a. When you make a cleaning solution always wear gloves. Always add the to the water when you make a cleaning solution. Always put in the correct amount of cleaning agent. 3. Poor Ventilation If there is poor ventilation, use a mask so you don t breathe in dangerous chemicals from the cleaning agents. 4. Spillages or Spills The Assessor may ask you the procedure for cleaning up spills. When Using Cleaning Agents Always check bottles for before you use them. Always wear gloves when you use cleaning agents. Always spray cleaning agents on a cloth. Part Three is about Safety Data Sheets and how to store cleaning agents. The Assessor may check that you can safely store cleaning agents in a cupboard. Remember to clean bottles before you them in the cleaning cupboard. Store big at the bottom of the cupboard. Store cleaning agents away from the other cleaning agents. 64

65 Do you know where to find the Safety Data Sheets for every cleaning agent? Ask your boss (supervisor) where the Safety Data Sheets are stored. Part Three is about how to dispose of cleaning solutions. Remember, always of soiled cleaning solutions down the toilet. 65

66 Part Four: Keeping Yourself Safe at Work Part Four is about your own personal safety and teaches you how to keep yourself safe at work. Personal Health Hazards In this section you will learn: What human products, sharps and contaminated waste are? How to clean up human products, sharps and contaminated waste. How to keep yourself safe from human products, sharps and contaminated waste. Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Human products Sharps Contaminated waste Things that the body makes, for example, blood. Things that can cut your skin, for example, glass. Rubbish that has germs or chemicals on it that can damage your health. Human products can carry disease. Sharps are a common hazard for cleaners who work in hospitals. Always wear gloves before you touch contaminated waste because it can carry disease. For cleaners, one of the biggest health hazards is from handling other people s rubbish and human products. What are Human Products, Sharps and Contaminated Waste? Human products are things that are made in people s bodies. The most common human products that cleaners might come across are blood, urine (wee) and faeces (poo). These human products can be a health hazard because they may carry germs (bacteria or viruses) that could make you sick. 66

67 How do you clean up human products? 1. Before you clean up human products, you should put on gloves to minimise the hazard. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly before you put on your gloves. 2. Finish cleaning up the human products. 3. Dispose of the human products in a rubbish bag or down the toilet. 4. Change your gloves. Before you put on new gloves, wash your hands again. Sharps In hospitals, sharps are needles (syringes), ampoules (glass containers with medicine in them) and other sharp things that can break your skin or cut you. If you find sharps (a syringe or ampoule) when you are cleaning: 1. Tell your supervisor. 2. Use something to pick up the sharps (Don t use your hands). 3. Do not throw the sharps in a rubbish bin. 4. Put the sharps in a special sharps container. In other work areas, you may find other kinds of sharps in the rubbish e.g. glass. If you find broken glass, always wrap it up in paper before you throw it in the rubbish. When you empty rubbish bins, follow these rules to minimise the hazard of cuts from sharps: 1. NEVER put your hands in a rubbish bin to pick up rubbish. The rubbish may have sharps or contaminated waste. 2. Look inside the rubbish bin to see if there is any glass or other sharps. 3. DO NOT pick up rubbish out of the small office rubbish bins. Pour the rubbish from the small rubbish bin into a bigger rubbish bag. Or pick up the small rubbish bag and put it into the big rubbish bag. 67

68 means Never When you are carrying rubbish bags: NEVER carry the bag on your back. NEVER carry the bag next to your body. means Always ALWAYS hold the bag away from your body. Unknown Vocabulary There may be some words that you do not know. If the words are not in the vocabulary tables, ask your supervisor to tell you the meaning. Contaminated Waste Contaminated Waste is rubbish that has something on it that could damage your health. Here are some examples of contaminated waste: A used tissue that someone blew their nose on. A paper towel with blood on it. Used toilet paper. A used water bottle. Half-eaten food. A used plaster. ALWAYS wear gloves, before you touch or pick up contaminated waste to minimise the hazard. 68

69 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) In this section you will: Review vocabulary for Personal Protective Equipment. Choose the correct Personal Protective Equipment for each cleaning job. Write the correct name of the Personal Protective Equipment under each picture. The first one is an example answer. Footwear (closed) Uniform or overalls Ear plugs Headgear Face mask Eye protection (glasses) Gloves Ear muffs Breathing (respiratory) mask gloves There are two Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) signs on this page. They are blue circles. Turn to page 71 to learn more about Personal Protective Equipment signs. 69

70 When Should You Wear Personal Protective Equipment? Wear gloves for every cleaning job. Make sure that the gloves do not have holes. Always wear closed Footwear. Closed footwear covers all parts of your feet. Wear footwear that does not slip on wet floors. You must not wear open footwear e.g. jandals. Wear earmuffs or ear plugs when you are using noisy equipment e.g. vacuum cleaners or polishers. Wear eye protection (glasses) when you mix cleaning solutions or when you are working in dusty areas. Wear a breathing (respiratory) mask when you prepare or use cleaning agents that are poisonous or flammable. Wear your uniform or overalls for every cleaning job because it makes you look professional. In this workbook you will learn about different types of workplace signs. All signs with a Red circle and a line tell you what you must not do. When you talk about the sign you usually say: No or Do Not or Don t Here is an Example: This sign means: No Smoking Do Not Smoke Don t Smoke Other words you see on warning signs that mean No are: Do Not, Don t, Not Allowed, Not Permitted, Prohibited 70

71 Choose the correct Personal Protective Equipment for each cleaning job. Question 1 is an example answer. Question 1: Answer: What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) do you wear when you are doing general cleaning? I wear my uniform, gloves and closed footwear. Spell the words correctly. Check your spelling by looking at the list of words on page 68. Question 2. Answer: What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) do you wear when you are vacuum cleaning? I wear my overalls, closed footwear and Question 3. Answer: What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) do you wear when you are mixing chemicals? I wear Question 4. Answer: What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) do you wear when you are cleaning toilets? I wear 71

72 Personal Protective Equipment Signs In this workbook you will learn about different types of workplace signs. All signs with a Blue circle tell you that you must do something. The Blue signs in this workbook tell you what Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be worn. Here is an Example: This sign means: Wear gloves Gloves must be worn Wear and Must be worn mean the same thing Here are some examples of blue Personal Protective Equipment signs that you may see in the workplace: Wear eye protection THIS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Must Be Worn IN THIS AREA Some Personal Protective Equipment signs only have pictures. Some signs have pictures and words. Some Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) signs are general. This sign only tells you to wear PPE. P.P.E must be worn in this area Some PPE signs tell you the personal protective equipment you must wear. This sign has pictures of the PPE you must wear. THIS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Must Be Worn IN THIS AREA 72

73 Personal Protective Equipment Signs Now it s your turn Put a in the box next to the meaning. The first one is an example answer. This sign means: You must wear protective footwear You must wear ear muffs You must wear gloves This sign means: You must wear protective footwear You must wear eye protection (glasses) You must wear ear muffs This sign means: A breathing mask must be worn Ear protection (ear muffs) must be worn Eye protection must be worn This sign means: A breathing mask must be worn Headgear must be worn Gloves must be worn 73

74 Emergency Procedures In this section you will learn: Workplace emergency equipment. The Evacuation Procedure. What to do in an emergency (Fire, Security Breach, Robbery). What to do if you find an unusual parcel. Vocabulary Word Meaning Sentence Emergency A serious event that needs immediate action. In an emergency ring 111 and ask for Fire, Police or Ambulance. A Procedure A list of actions you must take. Do you know the procedure for reporting an accident? First aid kit Fire alarm A box that has medicines in it, to help people who are hurt. A loud bell that warns people of danger. Do you know where the first aid kit is kept? If the fire alarm rings, you must leave the building immediately. All work places must have emergency procedures. Your supervisor will tell you about the emergency procedures for the place where you clean. Emergency Equipment All workplaces must have emergency equipment. Emergency equipment includes a first aid kit, and a fire alarm. When you start your new job or change to a new workplace, ask your supervisor to show you the emergency equipment at your new place of work. First Aid Kit: A first aid kit has medicines and things to use if you are sick or have a small accident that is not serious. You need to know where to find the first aid kit and who can give you first aid help (the first aider). This green sign tells you where the first aid kit is kept. Fire Alarm: Use a fire alarm if there is an emergency and you want everyone to leave the building. Every floor in a building will have a fire alarm. To use the fire alarm, break the glass and press the switch down to on. 74

75 Vocabulary Word Meaning Sentence Evacuation Moving from a dangerous place to a safer one. Do you know the evacuation procedures? The Evacuation Procedure How to leave the building in an emergency If you hear an alarm, you must: Leave the building IMMEDIATELY. Do not pick up your personal things. Use the closest emergency EXIT. Use the Stairs. DO NOT USE THE ELEVATORS (lifts). DO NOT RUN. STAY CALM. Meet at the assembly point outside on the footpath. Wait for the Fire Officers to tell you when it is safe to go back to the building. Evacuation notices All work places must have an evacuation procedure. The evacuation procedure on your floor will: Tell you where to EXIT the building in an emergency. EXIT means leave. Tell you where to meet outside. This is called the assembly point. EXIT This is an exit sign. You will find it above a doorway. It tells you where you can leave the building. In an emergency, leave the building by a door with an EXIT sign. Look for this sign outside your building. If you leave the building in an emergency, this is where you must wait. The Fire Officer will tell you when you can go back inside. 75

76 Green Safety Signs Green Safety Signs Cleaners need to understand many types of workplace signs. Green squares or rectangles tell you about safety. They tell you about first aid, emergency exits and safe places. Green signs usually have white pictures, symbols or writing. Here are some green signs you may see at work or on the street. Some green signs tell you where to get medical help if you hurt yourself. This green signs uses a symbol. The white cross is the symbol for first aid or medical help. You may see this sign on a first aid box or outside a hospital. Some first aid signs show you where the first aid kit is kept. You may see this sign in an office. Some green signs tell you how to leave a building safely. This EXIT sign tells you that you can leave the building in an emergency through this door. EXIT Some green signs tell you where to find a safe place. This sign tells you where you must wait outside if you leave your building in an emergency. 76

77 What Should You Do in an Emergency? Fire If you find a fire: DO NOT try to put out the fire. Close doors to isolate the fire. Tell everyone near you that there is a fire. Ring 111 and ask for Fire. Put on the Fire Alarm. Leave the building. Security Breach or Armed Robbery A security breach means there is a person or people in the building who are not allowed to be there, for example, a robber. If you hear or see someone in the building who should not be there, you should: Stay away from them, if you can. If you can t stay away from them, do everything they tell you to do. STAY CALM. Leave the building if you can. Ring the Police. Ring your boss (supervisor). Unusual Parcels If you find an unusual parcel: Don t touch the parcel. Put up a warning sign, barrier or cordon to keep people away. Ring the Police. Ring your boss (supervisor). In an emergency, the most important thing is that all people leave the building safely. 77

78 Emergency Procedures Do you know: 1. Who is the site first-aider? 2. Where is the first-aid kit kept? 3. Who do you report accidents to and where is the accident register (book) kept? 4. Where are the emergency alarms at your place of work? 5. How to turn on the fire alarm? 6. What to do if you see an unusual parcel? 78

79 Reporting Accidents In this section you will learn what to do if you have a near miss, an accident or a serious accident. Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Report To tell someone or write about what you saw, heard or did. If you have an accident you must report it to your Supervisor. near miss Almost have an accident. I had a near miss at work. I almost fell over on the wet floor. The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 also talks about accidents at work. It talks about what your employer must do if an employee has a near miss, an accident or a serious accident. The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, says that: If there is a near miss or an accident at work, your employer must write it in a register of accidents (an accident book). What Must You Do If There is an Accident? If there is an accident or near miss at work, you must report it to your supervisor immediately. Your supervisor will tell you the procedure for filling in the register of accidents (accident book). Who is your supervisor? What is your supervisor s phone number? Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Part 4, General Provisions, Section 25, Recording and notification of accidents and serious harm; Every employer shall maintain (in the prescribed form) a register of accidents and serious harm; and shall record in the register the prescribed particulars relating to; a) every accident that harmed (or, as the case may be, might have harmed) Any employee at work; or Any person in a place of work controlled by the employer; and b) every occurrence of serious harm to an employee, or as a result of any hazard to which the employee was exposed while at work, in the employment of the employer. This is from the Act. You don t have to read this. 79

80 Question: Answer: What company rules must you follow when you have an accident or near accident at work? You will need to ask your Supervisor. At my company if I have an accident or nearly have an accident, I must: 80

81 Looking After Your Back In this section you will learn about: Posture. How to lift, bend and carry safely. How to work on ladders safely. Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Posture How you hold or position your body. Bad posture can cause back pain. Posture is about how you hold your body when you stand; sit and move. It is important for your back health to have good posture. It is also important to have good posture when you are cleaning and using cleaning equipment (e.g. vacuum cleaning) To have good posture: Always keep your back straight. (Don t round your shoulders and back). If you hold your stomach in, it will help to keep your back straight. If you need to bend, keep your back straight. Only bend your legs. Make Sure the Cleaning Equipment is Fitted Correctly If possible, keep cleaning equipment at the right height for you. Some cleaning equipment (for example, squeegees) can be changed to suit your height. 81

82 Vacuum Back Packs Follow the manufacturer s instructions on how to wear a vacuum back pack correctly. Wear Right How to wear a Back Pack Vacuum correctly Step 1: Loosen the shoulder straps. Lift the back pack by one shoulder strap and then slide your free arm into the other strap. Step 2: Make sure the harness (belt) is resting on your hips. Step 3: Tighten the waist band so the bac pac vac rests comfortably on your hips. Step 4: Pull down on the shoulder straps and do up cross strap to secure bac pac. Reference: PacVac Pty Ltd

83 How Do You Bend, Lift and Carry Safely? Before lifting something, think about what you are going to do. Can you minimise any hazards, before you start? means Do Not, Don t, or Never Don t carry things up and down stairs, if possible. Use the lift. Never carry things a long way. Use a trolley. Never carry things if they are too big or too heavy. Use a trolley. means Do or Always Always check the floor. o Is the floor clear of things you can fall over? o Is the floor dry? Always wear shoes that will not slip. Always check the thing you are going to carry. o Is it safe to carry? o Wear gloves to help you hold it. 83

84 Bending, Lifting and Carrying Safely People sometimes hurt their backs when they are lifting things because they don t lift correctly. Here is an example of lifting a box safely. Read Bending first. 1. Bending 2. Lifting 3. Carrying 1. Get close to the box. 2. Stand with feet wide apart. Put one foot to the side of the box. 3. Keep your back straight, push you bottom out, and bend your legs to move yourself down to the box. 4. Hold the box tightly with both hands. 5. Get ready to lift. 6. Look in front. 7. Begin lifting up by slowly straightening your legs. 8. Use your legs to lift the box. 9. Keep the box close to your body. 10. Don t turn your body when you are lifting. This can hurt your back. 11. Carry the box close to your body. 12. Carry the box below your shoulders and above your hips. 13. Look carefully where you are going. 14. Never carry anything in front of your face. You will not be able to see where you are going. 15. When you put down the box, bend your knees. 84

85 How Do You Work on Step Ladders Safely? If you need to get something that is above your head, you may need to use a step ladder. Never climb on a chair. A step ladder Non-slip feet means Do Not, Don t, or Never Before using the step ladder: Never use a ladder that is bent or damaged. Never use a ladder that has missing parts. means Do or Always Always check the step ladder before you use it to make sure it is safe. Always check that the ladder has non-slip feet. Always put the ladder on a flat area. Always check that the ladder will not move. Only one person must use the ladder at one time. Put up a cordon or barrier, if people will walk past the ladder. When using a step ladder: Never climb a ladder with something in both hands. When you are on the step ladder, never move your body too far to the left or right. Get down and move the ladder, if necessary. When you are climbing the ladder, always hold onto the ladder with at least one hand. Always take any equipment off the ladder, before you move it. 85

86 Vocabulary List for Part Four Human products Contaminated waste First aid kit Sharps Report Emergency Procedures Fire alarm Evacuation Near miss Posture First aid 86

87 Check What You Have Learned In the reading below are the important ideas that you will need to know to pass this part of the workbook. Spell the words correctly. Use the vocabulary list on page 72 to check your spelling. There is one new word in this reading. Word Meaning Example Assessor A person who decides if you have passed a test or unit standard. An Assessor will watch you clean and ask you questions to find out if you know the information to pass this workbook. Reading Test Ten (10) different words or phrases are missing from the reading. You must choose the best word from the vocabulary list to put in each gap ( ). Write one word in each gap. report alarm near miss first aid sharps human products posture emergency evacuation contaminated waste Minimising personal health hazards when you are cleaning The three (3) common hazards talked about are: 1.. These are things that the body makes. For example, blood and urine (wee). They can be a hazard because they can carry disease. Your Assessor will ask you what you can do to minimise this hazard. 2.. An example is broken glass. Sharps can be a hazard because you could cut yourself. Your Assessor will ask you what you can do to minimise this hazard. 87

88 3.. This is rubbish that has something on it that can carry disease, for example, a used tissue or half-eaten food. Your Assessor will ask you what you can do to minimise this hazard. Personal Protective Equipment To keep yourself safe, always wear Personal Protective Equipment when you are cleaning. The Assessor will ask you the names of all the Personal Protective Equipment. You also need to know what Personal Protective Equipment to wear for each job. The Assessor will also watch to see that you wear the correct Personal Protective Equipment for each cleaning job. Emergency Procedures Every time you start at a new workplace, your boss (supervisor) will tell you the emergency procedures for your new workplace. Your boss (supervisor) will also show you the equipment. There will be a kit and a fire on every floor of the building. The Assessor may ask you to show him/her where the emergency equipment is on your floor. You must also know how to leave the building in an emergency. This is called the procedure. Remember: Never use the lift in an emergency. Always use the stairs. The Assessor may ask you what you would do if there was a fire, robbery or you found an unusual parcel. 88

89 Reporting Accidents If you have an accident or a at work, you must it to your boss (supervisor) immediately. Your boss (supervisor) will tell you the procedure for filling in the accident register (book). The Assessor will ask you what you must do if there is an accident. Posture, Bending, Lifting, Carrying and Working at Heights Looking after your physical health is very important. Always look after your back. The Assessor will ask you how you can look after yourself when you are cleaning, bending, lifting and carrying. The Assessor will also ask you how you can be safe on a ladder. Remember: when you are cleaning it is important to have good. Keep your back straight. 89

90 Part Five: Communication at Work In Part Five you will learn about Different ways of communicating to get health and safety information at work. Different workplace hazard identification systems. Good communication is how we keep ourselves and others safe at work. There are many different ways that you can get health and safety information at work. Spoken communication Written communication Other ways of communication Spoken Communication Talking to others Listen to your supervisor s instructions carefully. Your supervisor will give you information on how to keep safe. Always ask questions if you are not sure what to do. When you are working in a group or team, make sure you tell people when and where you will be working and what you will be doing. Make sure you know when and where the other members of the team will be working and what they will be doing too. Talking by two way radio If you are talking to your supervisor by two way radio, keep your sentences short and simple. Talk slowly and clearly. Always check that you have understood your supervisor s instructions. You can do this by repeating the instructions back to them. You may need to communicate by two way radio in an emergency. 90

91 You may need to use special words on a radio. Here are some common words your company may use: Radio words Reading you loud and clear Copy Say again Over Out Meaning I understand what you just said. I heard what you just said. Please repeat your last message. I have finished talking and I am listening for your reply. I have finished talking to you and do not expect a reply. Communicating by Mobile Phone or Pager You may communicate with your supervisor by text or pager. If your supervisor sends you a text or pages you, make sure that you reply so that they know that you received their message and understand what you must do. Written communication You may get instructions and information in writing. Here are some common workplace documents that you may need to read: cleaning schedules. work lists. Job breakdowns. Safety data sheets. Safe chemical use tables. Other Ways of Getting Health and Safety Information: Signs There are a range of health and safety signs that you will see in the workplace. Signs at workplaces are there to protect you and direct you. The colour and shape of a sign may tell you something even before you can see the picture or words on it. Many safety signs are one of the five following types. 91

92 1. Prohibition sign Don t do this! Colour and Shape Signs have Words to use with this sign A red circle with line across it A picture of something you must NOT do Do not, Don t, Not allowed, Not permitted, Prohibited, No entry 2. Caution sign Be careful, there s a hazard here Colour and Shape Signs have Words to use with this sign Three or four sides Orange or yellow Picture, symbol or words about a hazard Warning, Beware, Caution, Danger, Hazard, Watch out 3. Mandatory signs You must do this Colour and Shape Round and blue Signs have Picture of PPE you must use, or something you must do Words you might see Wear, Must be worn 92

93 4. Safety signs these show the way to safety Colour and Signs have Words you Shape might see The first aid kit is this way. Green square or Safety information Exit, Emergency rectangle Assembly Point, First aid 5. Fire equipment Colour and Signs have Words you Shape might see Red Words and Fire alarm, pictures Fire Extinguisher, Not all signs on a work site are the types shown above. Colours, shapes, meanings and words may be different. If you are not sure what a sign means, ask your supervisor. Sirens If you hear an alarm or siren, it means there is an emergency. You must evacuate (leave) the building immediately. Actions or Signals Sometimes (especially if it is noisy) people at a workplace need to use hand signals to communicate. If your company uses hand signals to communicate make sure that you know which hand signals they use. You will need to learn to understand and use hand signals correctly. 93

94 Workplace Hazard Identification Systems By law, all companies in New Zealand must identify all the potential work hazards there are at their worksites. There are different procedures and different documents they must use to identify and report on workplace hazards. To identify all the hazards, a manager will do an inspection of the workplace. The manager will do: An area analysis. A task analysis. A process analysis. Let s look at each one of these in more detail. An Area analysis The manager will make a plan of the workplace. Each area is labelled. For example, cleaning cupboards, stores areas, chemical stores, offices and so on. All first aid facilities are marked on the plan. For example: first aid boxes, emergency exit, evacuation assembly points and so on. The manager writes up a list of all potential hazards in each area and why. The manager makes a list of all chemicals used in each area. Task Analysis The manager makes a list of each occupation in the company. For example: Cleaner, Team leader, Supervisor, Manager and so on. For each occupation, the manager writes down all the tasks that a person in this job does. For example: Tasks that a cleaner does: Clean bathrooms. Clean offices. Clean kitchen and canteen areas. Empty rubbish bins. The manager then writes down all the steps involved in doing the task. For each step, the manager must identify all potential hazards. 94

95 Process Analysis A process is a method of doing or making something, especially one that is used in industry or manufacturing. In the cleaning industry, a cleaner will follow many processes. For example, a cleaner will follow a process when using cleaning agents and when removing stains from hard floors, furnishings and carpets. To do a process analysis, the manager: Makes a list of all the processes that happen. For every process, the manager makes a list of all the steps in the process. Identifies all potential hazards at each step of the process. Makes a list of all chemicals and materials used in the process. Lists the areas where chemicals and materials are kept. When the manager has identified all the potential hazards, this information is used in several workplace health and safety documents. The Hazard Register All companies must keep a hazard register. Using the information from the area, task and process analysis, the manager must then write down a list of all potential hazards. There is an example of a hazard register on the next page. Hazard Reports A hazard report has a list of all the health and safety issues or problems in a workplace that cannot be resolved (fixed). Regular Inspections The manager will also do regular inspections of the workplace to check that health and safety procedures are being followed. 95

96 Here is an example page from the Civil Aviation Authority Hazard Register. It lists all the hazards in the Administration Area. Hazard Register (Sample Only) E = Eliminate I = Isolate M = Minimise Page1).Office / Administration Area Hazards Identified Potential Harm Significant Hazard Yes No Visual Display Units(computers) Unsecured filing cabinets and book shelves Discomfort pain and Injury (DPI) - formerly known as OOS. - Stress -Fatigue Laceration, bruising, crushing, possibly death. E I M Hazard Controls X X Ensure (Approved Code of Practice for Safe Use of VDU s) is being complied with individual workstation assessments completed at commencement of employment and after reports of discomfort, pain and or injury. Training and Information about gradual process injuries and their prevention. Rotate tasks, alternate administration and computer workloads to vary tasks. Monitor workload, support employees to manage their workload to minimise stress and fatigue. Pain & discomfort surveys on employment, then six monthly and when pain and discomfort arises. Fatigue risk management systems are in place. Follow up of employees by health professionals as necessary for persistent workstation issues, after obtaining employees informed consent. X X Secure filing cabinets/shelves to walls. No stacking of heavy items on top of book shelves and filing cabinets. Ensure safe means of access and egress. Armed Robbery / Violence Injury/death X X Procedure in place to guide employees. Employees trained not to put themselves or others in an unsafe or dangerous situation. Emergency alarm is activated and monitored. Manual Handling, i.e. lifting, bending,stretching, moving heavy boxes, bags Sprains, strains, pain, discomfort. X X Identify high risk activities. Use trolleys or manual handling aids. Reduce /split loads into manageable weight and/or size. Two person or team lifting Training in correct manual handling techniques/aids TRAINING REQUIRED Hazard Control Review Date Date Checked Checked Date Checked Careerforce 96

97 Part Six: Safe and Hygienic Work Practices Hand Washing In Part Six, you will learn how to work safely and hygienically when you are cleaning by following industry practices. You will learn about: Hand washing. How to work from Clean to Dirty. Colour coded cleaning cloths. Laundering cleaning cloths. Vocabulary Word Meaning Example Handrub Alcohol-based cleanser or gel used to clean your hands. Use handrub, if soap and water are not available. Infection An illness caused by germs. Cold and flu are types of infection. Contamination Prevent Unwanted or dangerous germs that live on something. Stop something from happening. Dirty cloths can carry contamination. Wrap broken glass in newspaper to prevent accidents. 1. Hand Hygiene: hand washing and using handrub Hand hygiene is very important. Infection and contamination is often spread on dirty hands. Hand washing or using handrub helps to prevent the spread of infection. In some workplaces, you may be asked to wash your hands. In other workplaces you may be asked to handrub with an alcohol based cleanser or gel. If you are not sure which type of hand hygiene to use, ask your supervisor or an infection control person. This workbook explains the correct procedure for hand washing and using handrub. You can minimise the risk of picking up an infection or passing it on to others by washing your hands. NEVER touch your eyes, mouth or nose with dirty hands or gloves or you may catch an infection. 97

98 To prevent spreading contamination on your hands: Wash your hands thoroughly at the start of your cleaning shift. Use soap and water. Dry your hands on a towel or paper towel afterwards. You should also wash your hands with soap after removing your gloves and before putting on a clean pair. Wash your hands before you go on a break. Wash your hands after you finish you break. Always wash your hands after you go to the toilet. In some places, you must wash your hands when moving from area to area, for example, when cleaning in a hospital, in the isolation wards or operating theatres. Rules for Hand washing 1. Don t wear jewellery. 2. Wash your hands thoroughly using running water and soap for seconds. Use liquid soap for normal hand washing. Wash the back and front of the hands and wrists. 3. Wash between the fingers, wash the finger tips and under the nails. 4. Wash your hands if they are visibly dirty. (Visibly dirty means that you can see dirt on your hands), if not use Handrub. 5. Dry hands thoroughly use a paper towel. NEVER dry your hands on your clothes as you can carry germs from your clothes onto your hands. NEVER dry your hands on a hand towel that everyone uses it could be contaminated. 6. If there is a hot air dryer, make sure you keep your hands there until they are thoroughly dry because wet hands can spread germs. 98

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100 Handrub Handrub is an alcohol based hand cleanser or gel used to clean your hands. This can be used when your hands are not visibly dirty or soap and water are not available. Follow the instructions for Hand Hygiene Technique with Alcohol-Based Formulation below. Handrub for about seconds. 100

101 2. How Do You Work From Clean to Dirty? Start in the clean areas first and finish in the dirty areas. CLEAN to DIRTY If you are using one cloth, start in a clean area first and work through to the dirty area. This way you will not carry germs from dirty areas to areas that are clean. Read Alofa s Story about working from Clean to Dirty My boss told me it is important to prevent infection when I clean. I do not want to carry germs (bacteria and viruses) from one area to another area. He told me I should always start at the clean areas and finish at the dirty areas. Everyday at work, I must clean the kitchen and the toilets. I only use one cloth. So I start at the clean area and finish at the dirty area. I start in the kitchen because it is a clean area. First, I wipe the table and bench. Then, I clean the kitchen sink. Next, I wipe the top of the rubbish bin. Finally, I clean the toilets because toilets are very dirty areas. Dirty areas have lots of germs that can make you sick. At the end of the shift, I put the dirty cloth in a bag to go to the laundry. The steps in a procedure sometimes have numbers e.g Alofa doesn t use numbers. She uses the words first, then, next, and finally. These words tell the reader the order she does everything. Underline the order words in Alofa s story. 101

102 This is the procedure Alofa does when she works from clean to dirty. Can you put the tasks in the right order from 1 to 5? The first one is an example answer. laundry. 1 Then, I clean the kitchen sink. Finally, I clean the toilets. At the end of the shift, I put the dirty cloth in a bag to go to the First, I wipe the table and bench. Next, I wipe the top of the rubbish bin. Can you help Alofa? Alofa only has one cloth. She must work from clean to dirty. In the toilets, she has to clean: the toilet door handles the toilets and the hand basins Write one word in each gap. Write down the thing she must clean first, then, and finally First, Alofa must clean Then, Alofa must clean Finally, Alofa must clean 102

103 3. Colour Coded System Some cleaning companies use a colour coded cloth system for cleaning different areas. Each area has different coloured cleaning cloths. The colour of cloth tells you what you must use it for. It also tells you what you must not use it for. Every company has its own colour coded system. For example: Green Blue Yellllow cloth for hand basins Red cloth for cleaning toilets cloth for cleaning Kitchens and tea and coffee areas cloth for general areas e.g. offices Different Companies use different colour coded systems. What system does your company use? What colour-coded system do you use in the following areas General areas: Kitchens: Toilets: Infectious/other areas: Infectious and infection are in the same word family. An infectious area is an area that has diseases that you can get or carry to others. 4. Laundering Cleaning Cloths NEVER take your cleaning cloths home to wash in your washing machine. If you wash your cloths at home, you will bring germs into your home that may make your family sick. Your washing machine will not kill the germs because the water is not hot enough. The company will have a procedure for laundering (washing) cleaning cloths. 103

104 Checklist for Working Safely This section has a checklist of safe work practices that you must use when you are working. Before Cleaning Are you wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? Have you put out warning signs, cordons or barriers to warn the public that you will be cleaning in the area? Have you identified the hazards? What are you doing to eliminate, isolate or minimise the hazards? Does your electrical equipment have a current electrical safety certificate? Have you safety checked all your cleaning equipment? Have you labelled any faulty equipment and reported it to your supervisor? Are you following the correct procedures for preparing cleaning agents? During Cleaning Are you wearing the correct PPE for each cleaning task? Are you following the correct procedures for hand washing? Are you working from clean to dirty? Are you using colour coded cleaning cloths correctly? Are you following the correct procedures for working safely? Are you using a Residual Current Device for electrical equipment if you are working in damp or wet areas? Does your equipment fit you correctly? Are you following the rules for bending, lifting and carrying? 104

105 After Cleaning Have you removed signs, cordons and barriers? Have you reported any near misses, accidents or serious accidents? In an Emergency Do you know what to do if the emergency alarm sounds? Do you know where the exit signs are? Do you know where the emergency assembly point is? Do you know where the first aid kit is? Do you know how to report a near miss, accident or serious accident? 105

106 Remember to Work Safely: Someone is going to be working in the area you have just finished cleaning. You are responsible for the health and safety of yourself and other people. Cleaners have a duty to make sure that everything they clean is free of dirt, dust, soil, contamination and infection. It s not just cleaning; It s about a healthy environment 106

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