Custodial Safety Rules

Custodial safety rules can be posted in equipment and supply storage closets to serve as a quick reminder to the custodial staff.

There are many physical demands placed on custodians each day since their job entails lifting, moving objects and being in constant motion. To ensure that these employees remain safe on the job, many businesses have adopted custodial safety rules.

Chemicals

Custodians are exposed to a wide variety of chemicals every day as they use chemical products to clean and disinfect the workplace. Safety rules for custodians require all chemicals and cleaning products to be kept in labeled bottles and never to be mixed. It's also important for custodians to wear gloves to limit contact with chemicals and to know what to do in the event that a chemical comes in contact with a person's skin or eyes.

Lifting

Safety rules for custodial jobs contain information on appropriate and safe lifting since custodians are often required to move furniture as part of their cleaning duties. To prevent back injuries, custodians need to bend at the knees and use their leg muscles to lift the object rather than lifting with the back. If available, custodians should team lift an object or use a dolly.

Safety Gear

To help prevent injuries, custodians need to wear the appropriate safety gear for the specific task they are doing. Custodians using equipment to mow and trim lawns need to wear earplugs and safety glasses while those cleaning up blood, vomit or bodily fluids need protective gloves.

Slips and Falls

Wearing proper non-slip shoes is important to prevent slipping on wet floors. When performing maintenance or cleaning using a ladder, it's important that custodian safety rules are followed to prevent falls. Ladders should be on secure ground before climbing. Ladders with broken steps should not be used.

Injuries

If a custodian suffers an injury while on the job it's important that he immediately report it to his supervisor or to the human resources department. Many human resource departments have established procedures for handling workplace injuries and can get an injured custodian in to see a doctor right away. If needed, the human resources department can also start the paperwork for worker's compensation.

References

• Example of Custodian Safety Rules