cleaning industry health and safety measures
Preventive and interventional methods used in the cleaning industry to maintain health and safety for all workers and tertiary persons.
Building cleaners maintain the cleanliness and overall functionality of various types of buildings such as offices, hospitals and public institutions. They perform cleaning duties like sweeping, vacuuming and mopping floors, empty trash and check security systems, locks and windows. Building cleaners check air conditioning systems and notify the appropriate persons in case of malfunctions or problems.
Competences and skills
53 ESCO relationsEssential knowledge 1 competence
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Cross-sector
1 competenceEssential skills and competences 23 competences
Occupation specific
3 competencesarrange furniture
Move and set up pieces of furniture, such as chairs and tables, in order to prepare seminars and meetings or restore the initial appearance of a room or building after an event or meeting.
operate janitorial tools
Use janitorial tools and equipment such as floor buffers, dust clothes, vacuum cleaners, and cleaning chemical solutions.
perform minor repairs to buildings' systems
Make minor repairs and adjustment to the heating, cooling or plumbing system or other electrical systems.
Sector-specific
10 competencesclean particular areas manually
Perform cleaning activities in specific areas by hand, when the surface is small or obstructed and the only means to clean such places is manually.
follow organisational guidelines in the cleaning industry
Apply and follow all protocols or guidelines described by the company within your specific cleaning area. It can also involve wearing the foreseen uniform or piece of clothing at all times or using specific equipment or materials.
inform on toilet facilities malfunctions
Report to the concerned services when the toilet is not functioning properly or when related equipment is broken and post "out of order" sign on the respective cubicles.
maintain facility security systems
Ensure that proper and functional security systems are in place, including alarm systems, fire alarms, sprinklers and emergency exits.
maintain inventory of cleaning supplies
Follow the stock of cleaning materials, order new material when the stock is empty and follow their usage to maintain a constant supply.
maintain personal hygiene standards when cleaning
Make sure to keep yourself clean and tidy and wear protective equipment when performing cleaning activities, as required by the health and safety procedures of the task or the organisation.
manage routine waste
Treat routine waste carefully when performing cleaning activities and ensure that the waste collection and surrounding areas are maintained clean at all times.
remove dust
Remove dust from furniture, blinds and windowsills using specialised dust cloths or hand-cleaning items.
report major building repairs
Notify the supervisors or managers concerning the need to undertake major repairs or adjustments to the building.
restock toilet facilities' supplies
Make sure that toilet supplies such as soap and toilet paper are always available for customer use.
Cross-sector
10 competencesclean building facade
Perform cleaning activities of the main face of a building, using appropriate equipment, as required by the complexity and height of the building.
clean building floors
Clean the floors and stairways of buildings by sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping them, according to hygienic and organisational standards.
clean glass surfaces
Use cleaning products to clean any surface covered by glass.
clean surfaces
Disinfect surfaces in accordance with sanitary standards.
- Scope note
- Including walls, floors, tables, kitchen and service equipment
handle chemical cleaning agents
Ensure proper handling, storage, management and disposal of cleaning chemicals (CIP) in accordance with regulations.
- Scope note
- The chemicals include hazardous materials.
maintain cleaning equipment
Clean and preserve the equipment and material used for cleaning purposes in a proper state.
operate floor cleaning equipment
Set up, maintain and operate roto, extractor and walk behind scrubbers and other floor care equipment to clean carpets and scrub hard floors.
perform cleaning activities in an environmentally friendly way
Undertake all cleaning duties in a manner which minimises environmental damage, follow methods that lessen pollution and wastage of resources.
green
perform cleaning duties
Perform cleaning duties such as waste removal, vacuuming, emptying bins, and general cleaning of the working area. Cleaning activities should follow health and safety regulations if required.
sort waste
Manually or automatically sort waste by separating it into its different elements.
Optional knowledge 8 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
5 competenceshardware, plumbing and heating equipment products
The offered hardware, plumbing and heating equipment products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
lawn care
Procedures, equipment and products used to maintain the cleanliness of lawns and other grass surfaces in parks or residences.
locking mechanisms
Types and characteristics of locking devices and key types such as tumble, rotating disc or rotating pin.
- Scope note
- It includes electrical locking and security systems.
snow removal safety hazards
Range of dangerous situations faced when conducting snow-removing activities such as falling from heights and roofs, frostbite, eye injuries, and other injuries associated with the use of snowblowers and other mechanical equipment.
wood preservation
Measures and techniques used to ensure the wood's durability and resistance against humidity, insects, and fungi.
green
Cross-sector
3 competencesfire safety regulations
The legal rules to be applied for fire safety and fire prevention in a facility.
hygiene in a health care setting
The procedures related to maintaining a hygienic environment within a health care setting such as hospitals and clinics. It can range from hand washing to cleaning and disinfection of medical equipment used and infection control methods.
sterilization techniques
The methods and techniques used to destroy or remove microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria that can contaminate medical instruments or any type of material in a health care setting.
Optional skills and competences 21 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
11 competencesclean toilet facilities
Clean the toilets and wipe the sinks, mirrors and cubicle furniture according to the required standards, providing special attention to details.
dispose food waste
Dispose or collect food waste with the purpose of recycling or throwing away from the production process. Follow established procedures for their disposal taking care of the environment and the safety matters according to legislations.
green
monitor building security
Check on a regular basis that the building's doors, windows, and locks are properly and securely closed and that no hazards are likely to happen.
perform ground maintenance activities
Clean building grounds of rubbish, glass or any other trash, mow grass or trim bushes.
perform pest control
Carry out crop spraying pest and disease operations in line with National industry and customer requirements. Carry out slurry and fertiliser spreading in accordance with local environmental regulations
- Scope note
- Working with pesticides may require a special certificate in some countries and reording the data about the usage of pesticdes.
perform weed control operations
Carry out crop spraying for weeds and plant disease operations in line with National industry and customer requirements.
provide lawn care
Care for lawns by applying techniques of organic, hybrid and integrated lawn care. Provide all necessary nutrients.
green
remove snow
Perform snow ploughing and snow removal from roads, driveways, and sidewalks.
spray pesticides
Spray pesticide solutions to keep insects, fungus, weed growth, and diseases under control.
supervise the work of cleaning staff
Coordinate the work of staff in the cleaning areas by planning and monitoring the work of cleaning staff and giving feedback on their activity.
use snow-removal equipment
Use equipment such as shovels, snow rakes, snow blowers, ladders or aerial lifts to remove snow from various structures such as rooftops and other building structures and public spaces.
Cross-sector
10 competencescarry out pressure washing activities
Use high pressure equipment in order to clean areas, surfaces and materials.
clean furniture
Remove dirt, marks and other unwanted material from furniture.
clean rooms
Clean rooms by cleaning glasswork and windows, polishing furniture, vacuuming carpets, scrubing hard floors, and removing garbage.
clean wood surface
Use a variety of techniques on a wood surface to ensure it is free of dust, sawdust, grease, stains, and other contaminants.
communicate with waste collectors
Communicate with workers who collect waste from various places and transport it to the waste treatment facilities in order to ensure optimal cooperation and efficient operation of waste treatment and disposal procedures.
disinfect surfaces
Apply the correct cleaning procedures, taking into account safe handling of disinfectants, to remove contaminants, pollutants, and bacterial risks, from various surfaces, such as buildings exteriors, vehicles, and roads.
dispose medical waste
Carry out the appropriate technique to safely dispose all types of medical waste such as infective, toxic and radioactive waste.
green
dispose of hazardous waste
Dispose of dangerous materials such as chemical or radioactive substances according to environmental and to health and safety regulations.
green
follow safety procedures when working at heights
Take necessary precautions and follow a set of measures that assess, prevent and tackle risks when working at a high distance from the ground. Prevent endangering people working under these structures and avoid falls from ladders, mobile scaffolding, fixed working bridges, single person lifts etc. since they may cause fatalities or major injuries.
perform procurement processes
Undertake ordering of services, equipment, goods or ingredients, compare costs and check the quality to ensure optimal payoff for the organisation.