A clean plant or warehouse is a more effective one. In a clean facility, workers tend to take a greater pride in the operation, leadership shows, employees generally take less sick time, and the facility is often safer. In the many years that we have been in the cleaning equipment industry, one thing that has become clear is that the cleanest facilities we visit stick to a cleaning schedule. It is easier to keep a facility clean than it is to do a cleaning overhaul periodically.
Create a calendar or document the work that needs to be done; include daily, weekly, and monthly jobs. Use a checklist. Assign roles. Require that certain tasks be completed prior to the end of a shift. Don’t forget to check for hazards in the parking areas and sidewalks outside of the warehouse. Be sure to have cleaning supplies and equipment readily available for your staff. Floor cleaning will get done consistently if your business sticks to a cleaning schedule. Here are some additional benefits of a cleaning schedule:
Sustainability:
The trend towards sustainability has led many in leadership positions to consider environmentally preferable cleaning methods. By using a cleaning schedule it is possible to strategically design a workflow that uses fewer resources, reducing your business’s consumption of water and energy. For example, your cleaning schedule may designate certain areas to be cleaned first, allowing your business to close those areas off thus reducing your power consumption in those areas.
Leadership:
By using a cleaning schedule, leadership shines. Managers have more control over how often cleaning takes place and which tasks are completed. The schedule and role assignments can help ensure one or two employees aren’t taking on the bulk of the cleaning responsibilities. A cleaning schedule can help manage employee expectations, reflecting fair and clear leadership. Clean facilities are often more organized which can improve overall moral.
Safety:
Slippery spills, accumulated dust, and excess processing debris can all be safety hazards if left on the floors. When a facility is cleaned regularly, these hazards are more likely to be removed in a timely manner. It is also extremely important to keep exit areas free from clutter and debris in case of an emergency, such as a fire.
The benefits of a clean facility are plentiful. A cleaning schedule is a useful tool to ensure all tasks, even those that don’t have to be done very frequently, are completed. From empting garbage bins and cleaning restrooms to scrubbing and cleaning behind machines, a cleaning schedule is your best bet to make sure large and small jobs get done. Don’t wait until an area is dirty enough that an employee notices or a customer complains before it is cleaned.