Cleaner Wandsworth Health and Safety Policy

Cleaner Wandsworth is committed to providing professional cleaning services in a safe and responsible way for our clients, our employees, contractors, visitors and members of the public. This Health and Safety Policy sets out the principles, responsibilities and procedures that guide our day-to-day operations and supports compliance with applicable health and safety legislation and recognised industry best practice.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health arising from our cleaning activities, and to continually improve our health and safety performance. We aim to identify and control risks associated with domestic, commercial and specialist cleaning tasks, and to promote a positive health and safety culture across the company.

To achieve these objectives, Cleaner Wandsworth will:

Ensure that health and safety considerations are integral to all planning, supervision and delivery of cleaning services.

Provide suitable and sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to employees and contractors.

Maintain effective communication on health and safety matters with staff, clients and other stakeholders.

Regularly review this policy and associated procedures to reflect changes in legislation, guidance, working practices and service areas.

Management Responsibilities

The management of Cleaner Wandsworth holds overall responsibility for implementing and maintaining this Health and Safety Policy. Management will provide the resources necessary to ensure safe systems of work and to support continuous improvement.

Management responsibilities include:

Assessing health and safety risks arising from cleaning operations and ensuring appropriate control measures are in place.

Ensuring all staff receive appropriate induction and ongoing training relevant to their role and the environments in which they work.

Providing suitable equipment, materials and protective clothing and ensuring they are properly maintained.

Investigating accidents, incidents and near misses, identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee and contractor working on behalf of Cleaner Wandsworth has a responsibility to take reasonable care of their own health and safety, and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.

Employees are required to:

Follow all safety procedures and instructions provided by the company and clients.

Use equipment, tools and cleaning products only as trained and intended.

Wear personal protective equipment provided for specific tasks and environments.

Report hazards, defects, accidents, incidents and near misses to their supervisor as soon as reasonably practicable.

Refrain from misusing or interfering with anything provided in the interests of health, safety and welfare.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Cleaner Wandsworth carries out risk assessments for its cleaning operations in homes, offices and other premises. These assessments identify significant hazards, including slips and trips, manual handling, exposure to cleaning chemicals, working at height for certain tasks, use of electrical equipment and interaction with building users.

Findings from risk assessments are used to establish safe systems of work, including task-specific procedures and training. Where work is undertaken in client premises, we will liaise with the client to understand any site-specific risks and to ensure our staff follow any relevant site rules and safety arrangements.

Chemical Safety and COSHH

We recognise that cleaning products must be handled and stored safely. All substances used by Cleaner Wandsworth are assessed in line with relevant control of substances regulations. Staff are trained in the correct dilution, application, storage and disposal of cleaning agents, including disinfectants and specialist products.

Where possible, we select products with reduced environmental and health impacts without compromising cleaning effectiveness. Staff are instructed never to mix chemicals, to ensure adequate ventilation when using certain products and to follow manufacturer instructions and company guidance at all times.

Manual Handling and Equipment Use

Many cleaning tasks involve manual handling activities such as lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling equipment and waste. Cleaner Wandsworth is committed to minimising manual handling risks by providing appropriate trolleys, tools and equipment and by training staff in safe lifting and handling techniques.

All equipment, including vacuum cleaners, floor machines and other electrical tools, is selected and maintained to appropriate safety standards. Staff must visually inspect equipment before use, report defects immediately and must not use any item they believe to be unsafe.

Personal Protective Equipment

Where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means, Cleaner Wandsworth will provide personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, eye protection or appropriate footwear. Staff must use this equipment as instructed and ensure it is kept in good condition. Damaged or worn items must be reported and replaced promptly.

Working in Client Premises

When working in residential or commercial premises, our staff will respect and cooperate with the client’s own health and safety arrangements. This may include signing in and out, following emergency procedures, observing restricted areas and coordinating cleaning activities around other building users to minimise disruption and risk.

Staff are instructed to maintain clear work areas, use caution signs where necessary, and take particular care around stairs, entrances and frequently used routes to reduce the risk of slips and trips.

Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, injuries, near misses and unsafe conditions must be reported to management as soon as practicable. Cleaner Wandsworth will record, monitor and investigate these events to identify trends and prevent recurrence.

Employees must familiarise themselves with emergency procedures for the premises they are working in, including fire evacuation routes, assembly points and first aid arrangements. Where required, Cleaner Wandsworth will provide first aid resources and ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for accessing emergency assistance.

Training, Consultation and Continuous Improvement

Cleaner Wandsworth provides ongoing health and safety training appropriate to each role, including induction training for new starters, refresher training and task-specific instruction. Where necessary, additional training will be provided for work in higher-risk environments or using specialist equipment.

We encourage employees to raise health and safety concerns, suggestions and improvement ideas. Constructive feedback is considered as part of our commitment to reviewing and improving policies, procedures and working practices.

Policy Review

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary to reflect changes in legislation, guidance, company operations and service locations. The latest version of the policy is made available to employees and clients on request. Adherence to this policy is a condition of working for or with Cleaner Wandsworth, and all parties are expected to contribute to maintaining a safe working environment at all times.