Health And Safety Policy

Cleaners Chelsea Health and Safety Policy

Cleaners Chelsea is committed to providing professional cleaning services in a manner that protects the health, safety, and welfare of our employees, clients, visitors, contractors, and the wider public. We recognise our duties under relevant health and safety legislation and industry standards, and we work to exceed minimum requirements wherever reasonably practicable.

This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks associated with domestic and commercial cleaning services. It applies to all members of staff, including managers, supervisors, cleaners, temporary workers, and contractors acting on our behalf.

Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary health and safety objectives are to:

Prevent accidents, injuries, and work-related ill health arising from our cleaning activities.

Provide and maintain safe systems of work, safe equipment, and suitable working environments.

Identify hazards, assess risks, and implement effective control measures specific to each site.

Ensure all staff receive appropriate information, instruction, supervision, and training.

Promote a positive health and safety culture based on cooperation, communication, and continuous improvement.

Comply with all applicable health and safety laws and recognised industry best practice.

Management Responsibilities

Senior management at Cleaners Chelsea has overall responsibility for the implementation and continual review of this Health and Safety Policy. Management will:

Provide adequate resources, including time, personnel, and equipment, to manage health and safety effectively.

Ensure that risk assessments are carried out for cleaning tasks, sites, and equipment, and that control measures are implemented and monitored.

Ensure that suitable cleaning chemicals, tools, and machinery are selected, maintained, and used in accordance with manufacturer guidance and legal requirements.

Establish clear procedures for incident reporting, investigation, and corrective action.

Review this policy regularly and whenever there are significant changes in operations, legislation, or identified risks.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees share responsibility for maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. Every member of staff must:

Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.

Follow all health and safety instructions, procedures, and training provided by Cleaners Chelsea.

Use personal protective equipment correctly and look after it in accordance with instructions.

Report hazards, near misses, and accidents to their supervisor as soon as possible.

Refrain from misusing or interfering with anything provided for health, safety, or welfare.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Cleaners Chelsea conducts risk assessments for typical cleaning activities and, where necessary, for specific sites. These assessments identify significant hazards such as slips and trips, manual handling, chemical exposure, use of electrical equipment, working at height for certain tasks, and lone working.

Based on these assessments, we develop and implement safe systems of work that may include:

Standard operating procedures for routine cleaning tasks.

Clear signage and cordoning off of wet or hazardous areas.

Restrictions on the use of certain chemicals or equipment to trained staff only.

Prohibited practices where risk is deemed unacceptable.

All staff are informed of relevant risk assessments and must follow the prescribed safe systems of work at all times.

Chemical Safety and COSHH

Many cleaning products contain substances that may pose health risks if not handled correctly. Cleaners Chelsea manages chemical safety through the following measures:

Selection of cleaning agents that are effective yet aim to minimise health and environmental risks.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health assessments for relevant products, with information available to staff.

Clear labelling and secure storage of chemicals, ensuring substances remain in their original containers wherever possible.

Provision of training in safe handling, dilution, application, and disposal of cleaning products.

Provision of appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gloves, masks, and eye protection, where required.

Personal Protective Equipment

Cleaners Chelsea supplies suitable personal protective equipment to staff where risk assessments identify a need. This may include gloves, safety footwear, protective clothing, eye protection, or respiratory protection depending on the task and environment.

Employees are required to wear PPE as instructed, maintain it in a clean and serviceable condition, report any defects immediately, and store it correctly when not in use.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Many cleaning tasks involve lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling equipment and materials. To reduce the risk of strain or injury, Cleaners Chelsea:

Provides manual handling training that covers posture, lifting techniques, and practical ways to minimise physical stress.

Assesses manual handling tasks and uses mechanical aids where reasonably practicable, such as trolleys or extension tools.

Ensures cleaning equipment is kept in good condition and that staff are trained in its safe use, including vacuum cleaners, scrubbers, and other machinery.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slips and trips are among the most common risks in cleaning work. To manage these hazards, we:

Use appropriate wet floor signage and keep it in place until floors are dry and safe.

Plan work to minimise obstruction and trailing leads in walkways.

Ensure that spillages are cleaned promptly and reported where necessary.

Encourage staff to wear sensible, slip-resistant footwear suitable for cleaning tasks.

Lone Working and Site Security

Certain cleaning tasks may be carried out outside normal working hours or in premises where staff may work alone. In such cases, Cleaners Chelsea:

Assesses the risks associated with lone working, including access, communications, and emergency arrangements.

Implements procedures for signing in and out of sites where appropriate.

Ensures that staff know how to contact assistance in the event of an incident or concern.

Training, Information, and Supervision

Cleaners Chelsea believes that competent, informed staff are essential to safe working. We provide:

Induction training covering general health and safety, emergency procedures, and company rules.

Task-specific training for the safe use of equipment, cleaning techniques, and chemical handling.

Refresher training and toolbox talks to reinforce good practice and address new or emerging risks.

Supervision proportionate to the experience of staff and the level of risk involved in their tasks.

Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, incidents, and near misses must be reported promptly to a supervisor or manager. Cleaners Chelsea investigates incidents to identify root causes and prevent recurrence. We maintain appropriate records in line with legal requirements.

Staff receive training in site-specific emergency procedures, which may include fire safety, evacuation routes, first aid arrangements, and the reporting of security concerns.

Monitoring, Review, and Continuous Improvement

Cleaners Chelsea monitors health and safety performance through inspections, audits, incident reviews, and feedback from employees and clients. Lessons learned are used to improve risk assessments, working methods, and training content.

This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed periodically and updated as required to reflect changes in legislation, operational practices, and identified risks. Our goal is to maintain safe, responsible, and professional cleaning services for all clients and staff.