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Q: What housekeeping requirements does OSHA have for my company?
A: OSHA has a few standards that address housekeeping. These include 1910.141 on Sanitation, 1910.22(a) on housekeeping dealing with walking working surfaces, 1910.106(e)(9) on flammables, 1910.176 on storage housekeeping. In construction, 1926.25 includes general
provisions of basic housekeeping. Finally, OSHA can use the general duty clause if needed. OSHA regulations have housekeeping requirements including:
1. Keeping workplaces “clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition to the extent that the nature of the work allows”
2. Maintaining floors “so far as practicable, in a dry condition”
3. Keeping floors, working places, and passageways “free from protruding nails, splinters, loose boards, and unnecessary holes and openings”
4. Keeping aisles and passageways “clean and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard”
5. Keeping combustible wastes “to a minimum, stored in covered metal receptacles and disposed of daily”
6. Keeping outside grounds around buildings “free of weeds, trash, or other unnecessary combustible materials”
Ensure employees take responsibility for identifying and eliminating hazards. Keep their own work area neat, clean, and safe. Keep aisles, passages, and stairways clear and uncluttered. Put tools and materials away in their assigned places when they’re not being used. Report anything that’s broken or not working properly so it can be fixed.
Cari Gray is an Industrial Safety Consultant Specialist with the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC).
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