Safety & Sanitation Checklist

Electrics

• Electrical equipment in an office or place of work should be fitted by a fully qualified electrician. Once installed, it’s important that electrical equipment is checked regularly to ensure that it’s in working order. Hazards such as trailing leads, which might be dangerous to individuals working nearby, should be checked for and dealt with. Businesses should also look at the condition of any plugs and fittings used, to check that these are covered and protected correctly.

Location-Based Hazards

• A workplace can be a dangerous place, and even an office building can have areas such as rooftops that could be hazardous. The business should ensure that any areas of a work environment that could present a danger are clearly marked and that employees are protected by guard rails where needed. On work environments such as building or industrial sites, further initiatives are needed, and businesses should check that safety measures such as fall arrest harnesses are in place and that any scaffolding is properly secured.

Fire Hazards

• A business must adequately prepare for and protect against the risk of fire. Fire extinguishers for various types of fire should be present, while signs should be placed where relevant to warn of fire risks. Materials used by the business that might present a fire hazard should be correctly stored, for example, in a flammable liquids cabinet.

Water Facilities

• Not only must businesses ensure that drinking water is available to all in the workplace, but containers which hold different types of liquid should be secured and marked, to avoid individuals consuming liquid that they are allergic to, for instance.

Waste

• The majority of businesses will accumulate a significant amount of waste as part of their operations; this waste should be kept away from both staff and client areas for hygiene reasons and stored in a fitting place. Waste containers should be emptied on a regular basis and the container washed if need be.

Toilets

• Businesses are required by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to provide a suitable amount of toilets for employees. Facilities should be separate for each gender and include washing facilities, as well as cubicle doors which can be locked from the inside.