Health and Safety Policy for Cleaners Queen's Park

Cleaners Queen's Park is committed to providing professional cleaning services while protecting the health, safety, and welfare of our employees, clients, visitors, contractors, and the wider community. This Health and Safety policy outlines the standards, procedures, and responsibilities that guide our daily work across our service areas.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our main objectives are to prevent accidents and work-related ill health, safeguard the public in and around the premises where we work, comply with all applicable health and safety legislation and best practice guidance, and continuously improve our approach to risk management in cleaning operations, both domestic and commercial.

We recognise that high cleaning standards and high safety standards go hand in hand. Effective planning and supervision ensure that our cleaners can work efficiently without compromising their own safety or that of our clients.

Management Responsibilities

The management of Cleaners Queen's Park is responsible for implementing and maintaining this Health and Safety policy. Management will provide appropriate resources to support safe working, carry out and regularly review risk assessments for cleaning tasks, ensure safe systems of work are in place for all services, including regular and one-off deep cleans, provide suitable equipment and approved cleaning products, and review this policy periodically to ensure it remains current and effective.

Managers and supervisors must lead by example, promote a positive safety culture, and ensure that all cleaners understand and follow company procedures when working in homes, offices, and other premises in the local area.

Employee Responsibilities

Every cleaner working with Cleaners Queen's Park has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Employees must follow all safety instructions and training, use equipment and materials correctly and for their intended purpose, report all hazards, accidents, incidents, and near misses to management, wear any required personal protective equipment, and cooperate with health and safety investigations or reviews.

Failure to follow safe working practices may put colleagues and clients at risk and may result in disciplinary action where necessary to protect others.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Before commencing work at a client property, our cleaners consider the specific risks present at the site. Risk assessments cover factors such as slips, trips and falls, manual handling tasks like moving light furniture or equipment, safe use of cleaning chemicals, electrical safety around appliances and sockets, working at height when using steps or ladders, and security and access arrangements at client premises.

Where higher risk tasks are identified, additional controls will be put in place, such as using appropriate equipment, limiting access to certain areas, or adapting the cleaning method to reduce risk. Cleaners are instructed to stop work and contact a supervisor if they believe a task cannot be carried out safely.

Use of Cleaning Chemicals

Cleaning products are selected and used to achieve effective results while reducing potential harm to people and the environment. We ensure all products are used strictly according to manufacturer instructions and safety data information, decanted only where required and clearly labelled, never mixed together in ways that could create hazardous reactions, stored safely and securely, and kept out of reach of children, pets, and vulnerable persons during and after cleaning visits.

Cleaners are trained in correct dilution, ventilation requirements, and emergency procedures in the event of spills, splashes, or accidental exposure.

Equipment Safety

Cleaners Queen's Park provides suitable, well-maintained equipment for tasks in homes and workplaces throughout the area. All equipment is inspected regularly for signs of wear or damage, repaired or replaced where necessary, used only for its intended purpose, and transported and stored safely to avoid injury and property damage.

Electrical equipment such as vacuum cleaners and floor machines must be checked visually before use. Damaged plugs, cables, or casings must be reported immediately and the item taken out of service.

Manual Handling and Ergonomics

Manual handling is a routine part of many cleaning tasks. To reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, our cleaners are trained in safe lifting techniques, encouraged to use equipment such as mops with adjustable handles and wheeled buckets to minimise strain, instructed to avoid carrying loads that are too heavy or awkward, and advised to break larger tasks into smaller stages where possible.

Cleaners are expected to request assistance when faced with lifting or moving items that may exceed safe limits or present a risk of damage.

Personal Protective Equipment

Where risks cannot be fully controlled by other means, personal protective equipment will be provided. This may include gloves, eye protection, masks or respirators where necessary, and protective footwear. All employees must use and look after the personal protective equipment issued to them and report any defects or missing equipment without delay.

Health, Hygiene, and Welfare

Cleaners Queen's Park promotes good hygiene practices for both staff and clients. Employees must maintain high personal hygiene standards, wash or sanitise hands regularly, and follow any site-specific hygiene rules. When dealing with potentially contaminated materials, such as bathroom waste or pet-related mess, additional precautions are taken, including the use of appropriate protective equipment and correct waste disposal methods.

We also encourage staff to report any health condition that could affect their ability to work safely, particularly when working in environments where vulnerable individuals may be present.

Training, Information, and Supervision

All cleaners receive induction training covering company health and safety rules, safe use of chemicals and equipment, emergency procedures, and incident reporting. Ongoing training and refresher sessions are provided to ensure that skills and knowledge remain up to date.

Supervisors monitor working practices across our service locations and provide guidance, support, and corrective action where required to maintain safe and consistent standards.

Accident and Incident Reporting

All accidents, injuries, near misses, and dangerous occurrences must be reported to management as soon as possible. We maintain records of all incidents and investigate them to understand root causes, identify improvements, and prevent recurrence. Where necessary, we will also cooperate fully with external authorities and follow any statutory reporting requirements.

Consultation and Continuous Improvement

Cleaners Queen's Park values the input of its employees and clients in developing safer working methods. We encourage feedback on potential hazards, near misses, and suggestions for improvement. This Health and Safety policy is reviewed regularly and updated in line with changes in legislation, industry guidance, or our working practices.

By working together and following the principles set out in this policy, Cleaners Queen's Park aims to provide a consistently safe, reliable, and professional cleaning service throughout our local service areas.