Housekeeping

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Summary

All workplaces must keep work areas and worker facilities clean and in good condition. These areas include washrooms, locker room and lunch rooms. Poor housekeeping can frequently contribute to incidents by hiding hazards that cause injuries. If the sight of paper, debris, clutter, and spills is accepted as normal, then other more serious health and safety hazards may be taken for granted.

Employer Duties

To ensure proper housekeeping in the workplace, employers must make sure:

Employers must provide a changing room, if health or safety reasons make it necessary, for workers to change into work clothes from their street clothes. [OHS General Regs., S. 5.3]

Employers must also make sure that:

  • All parts of the ventilation systems are maintained, cleaned, and that ventilation openings are always free from any obstructions or contamination. [OHS General Regs., S. 11.4]
  • Emergency exits are designed and marked to provide a quick and unimpeded exit. [OHS General Regs., S. 15.1(a)]
  • Fire extinguishers are located for easy access in marked stations [OHS General Regs., S. 25.4(b)]
  • Any stock or piles of materials or debris at a project will not cause harm to workers [OHS General Regs., S. 27.5]
  • Rubbish and debris are lowered to ground level using suitable containers or chutes, and that larger items are lowered by cranes, hoists or other mechanical means. [OHS General Regs., S. 27.14]
  • Where work is done in areas that will create dust that is a hazard to workers, take steps to keep the dust to a minimum level. [OHS General Regs., S. 33.15]
  • Where tanks used for storing non-flammable hazardous liquids are used, the tank is supported so that any leakage from the tank will be noticeable. [OHS General Regs., S. 43.9(c)]
  • Where barrels or drums containing flammable liquids are stored in special storerooms or isolated storehouses, that storeroom or storehouse is made of fire-resistant construction and the floor slopes to a drain pipe that leads to a catch basin that is not connected to a sewer. [OHS General Regs., S. 43.17]
  • If they are to be reused, empty barrels or drums that have held acids or other non-flammable liquids are promptly cleaned and stored apart from other containers. [OHS General Regs., S. 43.21]
  • Storage battery rooms are not used for general storage. [OHS General Regs., S. 44.1 (2)(i)]
  • Floors in a storage battery room or area are washed promptly when spillage occurs. [OHS General Regs., S. 44.1(3)(e)]
     

Worker Duties

Workers are responsible to take every reasonable precaution to protect their own occupational health and safety and that of other persons at or near the workplace. [OHS Act, S. 16(1)(a)] This responsibility includes following housekeeping rules and procedures meant to keep the workplace clean and tidy.

Legislation

General Regulations EC180/87

Part 2 TOILET AND WASHING FACILITIES

Section 2.2 Toilet facilities

2.2 Every employer shall at each workplace provide proper toilet facilities which shall be maintained and kept clean and shall have adequate provision for privacy, heat, light and ventilation.

Part 4 LUNCH ROOMS OR EATING AREAS

Section 4.1 Lunch and rest room

4.1 In every workplace the employer shall provide a clean lunch and rest room that

(a) does not have a door opening directly into a toilet facility;

(b) is separate from any place where there is the possibility of food being contaminated by a dangerous substance;

(c) is not used for any purpose that is incompatible with its use as a lunch room;

(d) is adequately provided with

(i) light, heat and ventilation,

(ii) hand cleansing and drying facilities in close proximity,

(iii) sufficient tables and seating facilities for the use of workers,

(iv) suitable covered receptacles for the disposal of food; and

(e) is kept in a sanitary condition.

[EC2021-126, s. 3]

Part 5 HOUSEKEEPING - GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 5.1 General safety requirements

5.1 In every workplace the employer shall ensure that

(a) all personal service rooms such as locker rooms, lunch rooms, canteens, wash rooms and rest rooms shall

(i) be kept free of insects or vermin of any kind,

(ii) be maintained in a bright, clean and sanitary condition at all times, and

(iii) be adequately ventilated;

(b) surfaces of walls and ceilings, including windows and skylights, shall be kept clean and in a good state of repair;

(c) the floor space of any building or work area shall not be so crowded with machinery, products or materials as to constitute a hazard to workers;

(d) sufficient space shall be provided around individual machines or process units to allow for normal operation, adjustments and repairs;

(e) protruding nails in boards, walls, lumber or scrap materials shall be removed so as not to constitute a hazard;

(f) floors shall be even and free from anything which may create a stumbling hazard;

(g) floors shall be kept dry and in a non-slippery condition except in areas where floors remain wet because of the work process;

(h) where a worker is required to work on a wet floor, suitable foot wear shall be worn;

(i) every precaution shall be taken to prevent gasoline, oil or grease being spilled on floors; if gasoline, oil or grease is spilled on floors so as to constitute a slipping or fire hazard, the area affected shall be cleaned up immediately;

(j) combustible materials such as shavings, waste, oily rags, etc., shall not be allowed to accumulate on floors, benches or in places where they would constitute a fire hazard;

(k) flammable rubbish, weeds and grass shall not be allowed to accumulate in yards around buildings or around flammable material storage;

(l) waste chemicals such as heat producing (oxidizing) compounds shall be disposed of in safe areas;

(m) suitable receptacles of substantial construction which shall not leak shall be provided for the disposal of rubbish;

(n) waste material and debris shall be removed daily, or more often if necessary, from the building or structure to a suitable disposal area to prevent a hazardous condition;

(o) waste material and debris shall

(i) not be permitted to fall freely from one level to another, and

(ii) be lowered by chute, or in a suitable container;

(p) work areas shall be cleaned as often as necessary considering the nature of work carried on;

(q) where cleaning must be done during working hours i.e. sweeping, every effort shall be made to prevent dust;

(r) scrap materials, parts, etc., shall be properly disposed of when a job is completed;

(s) every scaffold, runway, stairway, passageway and ramp shall

(i) be kept clear of obstructions at all times,

(ii) be kept clear of ice, snow or other slippery materials, and

(iii) when necessary to ensure firm footing, be sprinkled with sand or other suitable abrasive material;

(t) small tools and gear shall, at the end of each work shift, be collected and stored in a suitable place;

(u) passageways shall be sufficiently wide and shall not be blocked by the piling of material, but shall be kept clear of obstruction at all times.

[EC2021-126, s. 3]

Section 5.2 Care of tools

5.2 No persons shall place any tool or other object where it may endanger other workers.

[EC2021-126, s. 3]

Section 5.3 Changing room

5.3 The employer shall provide a changing room if the nature of the work by a worker makes it necessary for the worker to change from street clothes for safety or health reasons.

[EC2021-126, s. 3]

Part 11 VENTILATION

Section 11.4 Maintenance

11.4 The employer shall ensure that all parts of ventilation systems are maintained, cleaned and that ventilation openings are always free of any obstruction or source of contamination.

Part 15 ACCESS TO WORKPLACES

Section 15.1 Safe access

15.1 The employer shall ensure that all places where work is performed shall have safe means of access and egress from each floor appropriate to the conditions of the work area and

(a) emergency exits shall be designed and marked to provide quick and unimpeded exit;

(b) doors shall not open directly on to stairways, but shall open to floors or landings having a width in excess of the swing of the doors;

(c) transparent glass panels which could be mistaken for doorways shall be clearly identified.

Part 25 FIRE PROTECTION

Section 25.4 Requirements

25.4 Fire extinguishers shall be

(a) protected from mechanical injury;

(b) located for easy access at suitably marked stations; and

(c) maintained in good operating condition.

Part 27 DEMOLITION

Section 27.5 Debris piling

27.5 No person shall stock or pile any material or debris in the project so as to endanger the safety of workers.

[EC2021-126, s. 3]

Section 27.14 Debris removal to ground

27.14 (1) Rubbish and debris shall be lowered to the ground level in suitable containers or chutes.

(2) Objects larger than rubbish or debris shall be lowered by cranes, hoists or other mechanical means.

Part 33 POWERED MOBILE EQUIPMENT

Section 33.15 Precautions on slope, bank

33.15 Where powered mobile equipment is used on a slope or bank which may give way, the employer shall ensure that adequate precautions are taken to stabilize the slope or bank, as the case may be, and to distribute the load of the equipment.

[EC2021-126, s. 29]

Part 43 HANDLING & STORAGE OF MATERIALS

Section 43.9 Hazardous liquid storage

43.9 The employer shall ensure that tanks used for storing non-flammable hazardous liquids shall meet the following requirements:

(a) labelled to identify the contents and indicate the nature of the hazard involved in handling it as well as instructions for handling of the hazardous liquid;

(b) located above ground or floor level;

(c) so supported that leakage from any part of the tank will be noticeable;

(d) surrounded with pits, catch basins or depressions of sufficient size to hold the entire contents of the largest tank in the event of rupture;

(e) covered with protective paint to prevent corrosion from moisture or fumes; and

(f) provided with stairways or permanent ladders and platforms where necessary, for convenient and safe access to all parts of the tanks with standard safe railings on both stairways and platforms and preferably with floors or platforms constructed of grating.

Section 43.17 Storerooms for flammable liquids

43.17 Where barrels or drums containing flammable liquids are stored in special storerooms inside factories or in small isolated storehouses, the storeroom or house shall be of fire-resistant construction and the floor of the storeroom or house shall slope to a drain pipe leading outside to a catch basin which shall not be connected to a sewer.

Section 43.21 Cleaning

43.21 Empty barrels or drums which have contained acids or other non- flammable liquids, if to be re-used, shall be promptly cleaned and stored apart from other containers.

Part 44 STORAGE BATTERY ROOMS

Section 44.1 Charging batteries

44.1 (1) The employer shall ensure that storage batteries that discharge flammable gases are kept electrically charged only in rooms or areas designed for that purpose.

(2) The employer shall ensure that the room or area required by subsection (1)

(a) is adequately ventilated to prevent the accumulation of flammable gases;

(b) is free from all sources of ignition;

(c) is marked at the entrance with a notice prohibiting smoking or open flames;

(d) has a floor of non-sparking material and with adequate drainage;

(e) when storage batteries are mounted in trays or on a rack, has level trays or a level rack constructed or covered with non- sparking material and of sufficient strength to carry the weight of the battery;

(f) has an adequate supply of fresh water for flushing and neutralizing spilled or splashed electrolyte;

(g) has wiring which complies with the CSA Standard C22.1-18, Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1 (24th Edition), Safety Standard for Electrical Installation, for the method of wiring in storage battery rooms;

(h) if equipment is used for hoisting or handling batteries, has equipment of adequate capacity;

(i) is not used for general storage.

(3) The employer shall ensure that

(a) storage batteries are kept clean and free from dust;

(b) vent openings in batteries are kept clear to prevent pressure build up in the battery during storage;

(c) a storage battery is adequately secured;

(d) smoking shall not be allowed in battery storage rooms;

(e) floors in storage battery rooms or areas are washed promptly when spillage occurs;

(f) when a storage battery is of no further use, it is disposed of in a manner which prevents spillage of electrolyte.

(4) The employer shall ensure that only competent persons are permitted to change or charge batteries.

[EC2021-126, s. 38]

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. O-1.01

Section 16 Duties of worker

16. (1) A worker, while at work, shall

(a) take every reasonable precaution to protect the worker's own occupational health and safety and that of other persons at or near the workplace;

(b) cooperate with the employer and with the other workers to protect the worker's own occupational health and safety and that of other persons at or near the workplace;

(c) wear or use such individual protective equipment as is required by this Act and the regulations;

(d) consult and cooperate with the committee or representative, if any;

(e) cooperate with any person performing a duty or exercising a power conferred by this Act or the regulations; and

(f) comply with this Act and the regulations and any policy or program established by an employer pursuant to this Act or the regulations.

(2) Where a worker believes that any item, device, material, equipment or machinery, condition or aspect of the workplace is or may be dangerous to the worker's occupational health or safety or that of other persons at or near the workplace, the worker

(a) shall immediately report it to a supervisor;

(b) shall, where the matter is not remedied to the worker's satisfaction, report it to the committee or the representative, if any; and

(c) may, where the matter is not remedied to the worker's satisfaction after the worker reports it in accordance with clauses (a) and (b), report it to an officer.

(3) Clause (2)(b) does not apply in respect of a complaint of harassment in the workplace.

[S.P.E.I. 2018, c. 45, s. 4]