Cleanliness and Personal Hygiene at Work

Everyday, billions of people go to their respective workplaces and stay there until the day is over, including you and me. It is of high importance to take note of the health and safety factors in our workplace as we would eventually be affected by them.  The  International Laabour Organization, ILO, put out and made available informational materials on various aspects of health and safety at work.

Featured in the succeeding paragraphs are information about the topic on the relevance and importance of controlling hazards towards health and safety at work taken from one of thesse materials. Personal hygiene Personal hygiene (cleanliness) is very important as a method of controlling hazards. Your employer should provide facilities so you can wash and/or take a shower every day at the end of your shift, no matter what your job is. Wash your skin and hair with a mild soap, rinse and dry your skin completely to protect it. Washing hands regularly, and eating and smoking away from your work area help to prevent ingesting contaminants.

Lack of personal cleanliness can affect your family's health. Your family can be exposed to the hazards you work with if you bring chemicals and other workplace contaminants home with you on your clothes, hair or skin. Before you leave work, wash/shower and change your clothes when necessary to prevent bringing workplace contaminants home. Leave your dirty clothes at work or, if you must wash them at home, wash them separately — not with the family wash.

Do not take workplace hazards home with you!

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It may seem that the amount of contaminant you can bring home on your clothes or skin is very small and cannot hurt your family. In reality a small exposure every day for months can add up to a big exposure. A classic example of this “spreading the hazard” involves asbestos, where wives of asbestos workers have developed asbestosis from exposure to the asbestos on their husbands' work clothes. Similarly, children have developed lead poisoning from exposure to lead which comes home on their parents' work clothes. If you wear protective clothing at work, such as aprons, laboratory coats, overalls, etc., these should be cleaned regularly and you should inspect them for holes or areas that are worn out. Workers who launder these clothes should be trained in the types of hazards they may work with and how they can be controlled. Inspect your underclothes at home for any signs of contamination with oils, solvents, etc. If you find any signs, then it means your protective clothing at work is not effective.

Personal hygiene is very important in terms of reducing health hazards. Dirty clothes can spread hazardous substances to your family.

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Every workplace should have some kind of first-aid facility Every workplace should have at least minimal first-aid facilities as well as adequate personnel trained to provide first aid. First-aid facilities and trained personnel are important components of a healthy and safe workplace.

Does your workplace have at least basic first-aid facilities?

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Points to remember about general cleanliness and personal hygiene

1. General cleanliness in the workplace is an important method of controlling hazards.
2. Good housekeeping reduces the risk of fire and is cost-effective.
3. Good housekeeping measures should be planned when work processes are in the design stage.
4. Safety signs are not a method of hazard control.
5. Personal cleanliness is an important method of controlling hazards.
6. Your employer should provide facilities so you can wash and/or take a shower every day.
7. Before you leave work, wash/shower and change your clothes when necessary to prevent bringing workplace contaminants home to your family.
8. Leave your dirty clothes at work. If you must wash them at home, wash them separately — never wash your work clothes with your family's wash.
9. Your protective clothing should be cleaned regularly. Inspect your protective clothing for holes and worn areas that could leave you open to exposures.
10. Inspect your undergarments for signs of contamination.
11. Your workplace should have at least minimal first-aid facilities.