Work health and safety issues

Work health and safety issues

The cleaning policy must address work health and safety issues relevant to environmental cleaning, including:

• the use of standard precautions
• immunisation against hepatitis B virus (see Staff screening, immunisation, and infection management)
• the use of personal protective equipment in specified circumstances (see Personal protective equipment)
• the protocol for managing exposure to blood or body substances (see Exposure to blood and other body substances)
• correct product use and the location of safety data sheets in the event of chemical exposure
• contact details for the relevant jurisdictional poisons authority.

Employers have an obligation under work health and safety legislation to obtain safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals used in the workplace, including potentially toxic cleaning products, and to ensure staff have appropriate immunity to blood-borne viruses.

Safety data sheets identify the chemical ingredients, related hazards, information on safe handling and storage, first aid information, and other safety information. Safety data sheets are available free of charge from suppliers of hazardous chemicals.¹

A register of hazardous chemicals used, handled or stored at the workplace must be prepared and kept up to date at the workplace. This register must include the current safety data sheet for each of these chemicals, and must be readily available to all workers who use or may be affected by the chemicals at the workplace.¹