Cleaner Kensington Health and Safety Policy

Cleaner Kensington is committed to providing professional cleaning services in a way that protects the health, safety and welfare of our employees, clients, visitors and the public. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks and maintaining safe working practices across all properties where we operate.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

We aim to prevent accidents, injuries, work-related ill health and damage to property or the environment. Our objectives are to identify and control hazards, provide safe systems of work, ensure staff are properly trained and supervised, and continuously improve our health and safety performance.

All work carried out by Cleaner Kensington will be planned and delivered so that health and safety considerations are an integral part of our day-to-day operations.

Responsibilities and Management

Overall responsibility for health and safety rests with the company management, who will ensure that adequate resources, equipment and information are available to meet legal and best practice requirements.

Supervisors are responsible for implementing this policy on site, monitoring safe working practices and ensuring that staff understand and follow the procedures relevant to their tasks.

Every employee of Cleaner Kensington has a personal responsibility to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. Staff must cooperate with management in all matters relating to health and safety.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We carry out risk assessments for our cleaning activities and review them regularly to ensure they remain current and effective. These assessments consider the type of premises, the tasks to be performed, materials used, equipment required and any specific client requirements.

Safe systems of work are developed on the basis of these risk assessments. They include clear instructions on the correct use of cleaning products and equipment, safe access and egress, safe handling of waste and procedures for working near members of the public or building occupants.

Where reasonably practicable, risks will be eliminated. Where this is not possible, they will be reduced and controlled through safe working practices, training, supervision and appropriate protective equipment.

Chemicals, Cleaning Products and COSHH

We recognise that the cleaning products we use may present risks if they are not handled correctly. All substances are assessed for their potential health risks and are stored, transported, used and disposed of in accordance with their safety data and relevant regulations.

Staff are trained to read and understand product labels, to follow usage instructions accurately and to avoid mixing chemicals. Only authorised and approved substances are used, and containers must be clearly labelled at all times. Chemical storage areas will be kept organised, secure and ventilated where necessary.

Use of Equipment and Machinery

All equipment used in the provision of our cleaning services, including vacuum cleaners, floor machines, steam cleaners, extension poles and access equipment, must be suitable for the intended task and maintained in good working order.

Portable electrical equipment will be inspected at appropriate intervals, and any defective items will be removed from use immediately and reported to management. Staff may only use equipment for which they have received training and instruction.

Cables, tools and machinery will be positioned to minimise trip hazards, and work areas will be kept as clear and tidy as reasonably practicable.

Manual Handling and Ergonomics

Many cleaning tasks involve lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling. We aim to reduce manual handling risks by using trolleys, mechanical aids and sensible work planning. Staff are trained in safe lifting techniques and encouraged to avoid carrying excessive loads or awkward items.

Wherever possible, tasks are arranged to reduce repetitive strain and awkward postures, particularly when working at height, reaching or bending. Employees should report any discomfort, pain or early signs of strain so that work methods can be reviewed.

Personal Protective Equipment

Cleaner Kensington provides personal protective equipment where the risk assessment identifies a need. This may include items such as gloves, masks, eye protection, non slip footwear, aprons or other protective clothing.

Employees are required to use the protective equipment provided, to take reasonable care of it, and to report any loss, defect or damage. PPE is considered a last line of defence and is used alongside other risk control measures, not as a substitute for them.

Working at Height

Certain cleaning activities involve working at height, for example when cleaning windows, ledges, high surfaces or stairwells. Such work will be planned and carried out using safe methods, including the use of suitable access equipment and adherence to manufacturer guidance.

Standing on furniture, makeshift platforms or unstable surfaces is strictly prohibited. Only trained staff may use ladders or specialist access equipment, and they must check its condition before use.

Welfare, Hygiene and Housekeeping

We promote good personal hygiene practices among our staff, including regular handwashing before and after tasks and appropriate use of gloves when handling waste or chemicals. Cleaning equipment such as cloths, mops and buckets will be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and replaced when necessary.

Work areas will be left clean, tidy and free of hazards at the end of each task. Spills will be cleaned promptly using suitable methods, and warning signs will be displayed as required until surfaces are safe.

Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, near misses, injuries, ill health symptoms and dangerous occurrences must be reported to management as soon as practical. This enables us to investigate, identify root causes and put in place corrective measures to prevent recurrence.

Staff receive guidance on emergency arrangements relevant to each location, such as fire evacuation routes, assembly points and the procedure for raising the alarm. Where first aid facilities are provided at client premises, our staff will follow local procedures and cooperate fully with site representatives.

Training, Communication and Consultation

Cleaner Kensington ensures that staff receive appropriate induction and ongoing training in health and safety, including the correct use of equipment, chemical safety, manual handling and emergency procedures. Training is refreshed periodically or when new methods, products or equipment are introduced.

We encourage open communication on health and safety matters. Employees are invited to raise concerns, suggest improvements or report unsafe conditions without fear of disadvantage. Information on health and safety requirements is shared through briefings, instructions and supervision on site.

Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our operations or relevant legislation. We use feedback from staff, clients and incident investigations to improve our procedures and working practices.

By working together and following this policy, Cleaner Kensington aims to deliver high quality cleaning services while protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone affected by our work.