SAFETY FIRST PRIORITY 

The personal safety and health of each employee is of primary importance.  Prevention of injuries and illnesses is of such consequence that it should be given precedence over operating productivity.  To the greatest degree possible, management should provide all mechanical and physical protection required for personal safety and health. A little common sense and caution can prevent most accidents from occurring.  To be safe, you must never stop being safety conscious.  Attend all company sponsored training and safety meetings.  Read all posters and warnings.  Listen to instructions carefully.  Accept responsibility for the safety of others.  Immediately report all accidents occurring on Company premises to your supervisor. Report any situation or condition you believe may present a safety hazard in your work area to your immediate supervisor.

Proper safety equipment is necessary for your protection. Management should provide the best protective equipment possible to obtain. Use all safeguards, safety appliances, or devices furnished for your protection and comply with all regulations that may concern or affect your safety. Wear your gear properly. Certain jobs require standard safety apparel and appliances for your protection.  Your supervisor should advise and furnish you with the protective equipment required for your job.  These items need to be worn and effectively maintained as a condition of your continued employment and part of a mutual obligation to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act.  The housekeeping job generally requires you wear the following protective clothing:

1. Safety goggles, glasses and face shields shall correspond to the degree of hazard, (chemical splashes).

2. Rubber gloves and aprons must be worn when working with acids, caustics or other corrosives.

3. Site-specific protective equipment may also be required (see your supervisor).

UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS

All Housekeeping Employees need to be able to identify potential hazards. 

Universal Precautions are defined as follows: All blood and other potentially infectious body fluids should be presumed to be infected.  If an employee discovers any type of body fluid (spill), they should contact their supervisor immediately.  

Supervisors should inform employees assigned to washroom cleaning, to wear rubber gloves and eye protection.  OSHA does not generally consider uncontaminated urine, fecal matter, or discarded feminine hygiene products to fall within the definition of regulated waste, as defined by 1910.1030.

HAZARD COMMUNICATION

According to the Hazard Communication Standard, which went into effect May 25, 1986, employers must establish a training and information program for employees if they will be exposed to any hazardous chemicals in their work area.  These employees will be provided with information about this subject and any time a new hazard is introduced into the work area.  This training will be performed prior to exposure to hazardous chemicals so that adverse health effects will be prevented.

• What is a Hazardous Chemical?  Any chemical product that may cause health or physical damage is considered to be hazardous.  The Hazard Communication Standard defines the term so broadly that it leaves very few chemicals that can be considered non‑hazardous.  For example, a common, every day cleaning product will be considered hazardous because it can be irritating if splashed into the eyes. 

• Labels - A part of this OSHA Standard states that employees must be informed of appropriate hazard warnings regarding the hazardous chemicals they will be using.  What many manufacturers have done is to take specific information provided by the chemical manufacturer and make that information available to employees through labeling.  

         Labels often include the following information.

Acute Overexposure - This means a sudden or concentrated contact of a chemical, with any part of the body, in a quantity that may be harmful.

Chronic Overexposure - This means gradual contact of a chemical with any part of the body over a long period of time, in a quantity, which may be harmful

Special Protection Information - Tells what protection should be used when "handling" each hazardous chemical.

Label Description and Placement for Various Packaging - Products are packaged and redistributed in different ways.  However, they will have a primary label defining the name of the product and the secondary or caution label defining the hazards associated with the product.

• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) - The federal Standard is designed so that the MSDS is the most comprehensive source of written information for the employee. No standard format is specified as long as all required information is included. The MSDS must be written in English, and since May 25, 1986, sheets on each hazardous chemical in the workplace must be available to employees in order to meet the criteria of the federal Standard.  Material Safety Data Sheets contain the following sections:

• Identity

• Hazardous Ingredients Information

• Physical/Chemical Characteristics

• Fire and Explosion Hazard Data

• Physical Hazards/Reactivity Data

• Health Hazard Data

• Precautions for Safe Handling and Use

• Control Measures