| As a cleaning company you use various chemicals | | | | the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) for the |
| in your day-to-day operations. Products such as | | | | products they are using and this information must |
| floor finish, toilet bowl cleaners, disinfectants, | | | | be easily accessible by employees. MSDS sheets |
| carpet spotters and all-purpose cleaners contain | | | | are usually kept at the work location in the janitor |
| various ingredients that can pose a hazard to | | | | closet. |
| your employees' health and well-being. An every | | | | Training. Employers must train employees on how |
| day task such as cleaning a rest room can lead to | | | | to properly use chemicals including what personal |
| a nightmare if one of your employees is injured | | | | protective equipment (gloves, goggles, respirator), |
| or harmed because of improperly using chemicals. | | | | they need to wear when using the product. |
| No business likes being overburdened with federal | | | | Record Keeping. You are required to keep records |
| and state regulations. However, to protect | | | | of any employee that is exposed to hazardous |
| yourself and your employees it is important that | | | | substances. You should also consider keeping a |
| your cleaning company abide by OSHA's (the | | | | training log of when and what types of training |
| Occupational Safety and Health Administration) | | | | you provide to your employees. |
| Hazard Communication Standard. | | | | What products should you consider as hazardous? |
| This standard is also known as the Right-To-Know | | | | Products that contain chemicals that pose fire |
| Law or Hazcom - citation number | | | | hazards, are reactive, explosive or corrosive, or |
| 29CFR1910.1200. The overall goal of this law is to | | | | chemicals that cause skin irritation or are |
| protect employees from physical and health | | | | potentially toxic are the types of chemicals that |
| hazards that they may be exposed to while on | | | | will fall under the Right to Know guidelines. |
| the job. Employees need to know the hazards | | | | However, even if a product is not deemed |
| and identities of the chemicals they can potentially | | | | hazardous by OSHA it is important that you train |
| be exposed to while doing their job. Your cleaning | | | | your employees on the proper use of the |
| employees also need to know what protective | | | | chemical. Products improperly used may not be as |
| measures are available to prevent exposure to | | | | effective as they should be. In addition, if your |
| chemicals or potential injuries that could be caused | | | | employees do not dilute chemicals properly or mix |
| by chemicals. Besides being a law, failure to | | | | chemicals together that should not be mixed, they |
| comply with the requirements of this regulation | | | | can cause problems to your employee's health or |
| means that you are putting your employees at | | | | may damage the surfaces that are being cleaned. |
| risk. | | | | Always ask for the product's MSDS sheet when |
| As an employer you are responsible for the | | | | buying cleaning chemicals. If you are buying your |
| following: | | | | cleaning products through a janitorial distributor |
| Notification. As an employer you must tell your | | | | they should have the MSDS information for you. |
| employees that they have the right to | | | | If you buying products at a retail store you may |
| information about the products they are using in | | | | have to contact the manufacturer directly or go |
| the workplace. This information includes possible | | | | on-line to find the product's MSDS. |
| health affects and hazards caused by the | | | | Making sure you train your employees on the use |
| chemicals they use while working. | | | | of chemicals is no guarantee that an incident will |
| Providing Information. You must respond to any | | | | never happen. However, a small investment of |
| employee who requests information about the | | | | your time in properly training your employees and |
| products they are using, and you must provide | | | | keeping the required paperwork can keep your |
| this information in a timely manner. You must also | | | | cleaning company out of hot water if an incident |
| let your employees know where they can find | | | | does happen. |