Keeping your office space orderly is ideal not only to make sure that your employees are productive but also to promote safety in the workplace. If cleanliness and order are not observed in the office, you are exposing not just your office to serious hazards, but yourself and your employees as well. To avoid this, you must make it a point to keep your office in optimum condition. If you want to learn more about the harmful repercussions of unclean office space, read on as we dive deeper into the potential hazards that pose threats to your and your employees’ safety in the workplace.
1. Untidy offices are the perfect breeding grounds for germs and bacteria
According to science, there are germs everywhere. However, it’s an entirely different story if cleaning practices are not observed. Germs can practically thrive on any surface–desktops, chairs, mugs, the microwave, the office fridge, doorknobs, cutleries, and so much more. If office cleanliness is neglected, the growth of bacteria and other harmful pathogens increase. This will raise the likelihood of employees getting sick due to prolonged exposure to harmful bacteria, therefore compromising the manpower your office has.
To combat this, see to it that various cleaning products are readily available such as disinfecting wipes, hand sanitisers, dishwashing soaps, and other cleaning paraphernalia. In this way, your employees have something to clean their working space in and the items that they commonly use.
2. Disorganized documents are serious fire hazards
Paper is made of combustible material, which means it can easily be lit on fire. While its use is practically unavoidable in an office setting, its fire hazard level is controlled if papers are handled and organized accordingly. If not, they can cause significant damage and pose a serious threat to workplace safety. That’s why when your office handles a lot of paperwork, make sure that you implement a system that helps to organize them in a safe manner. Also, see to it that proper disposal of other flammable items are enforced so that hazards are mitigated, and safety in the workplace is promoted.
3. Clutter can delay an emergency evacuation
As a safety precaution, most buildings implement an evacuation plan in case an emergency scenario happens such as fire or earthquake. To help in its implementation, the administration of the building your office is in would usually remind you to keep emergency exits clear of any blockage, and for good reason–clutter in any shape or form near fire exits, corridors, beside workstation aisles, near the washrooms, or anywhere, can make an emergency evacuation challenging. The presence of clutter can decrease the amount of space that employees work with to find their way out of the building, and sometimes even make them trip and fall over, causing more problems.
To make sure that evacuation plans are executed well, follow your building admin’s instructions by keeping clutter off of alleyways so that your employees can safely exit the building during emergency situations. If at all possible, avoid clutter in any part of your office by organizing everything well, or by consulting the help of a Singapore professional office cleaning services company.
Conclusion
The most common benefit of keeping your office clean is the ability to promote productivity among your employees, while safety is commonly overlooked. But nonetheless, it’s just as important because failure to keep your office in order can pose multiple threats such as the propagation of harmful germs and bacteria, increased likelihood of an office fire, and causing complications to an emergency evacuation.
If you are looking for a commercial cleaning company to help you get your office in order, give APlus Clean Solutions a call. We are a commercial cleaning company that specializes in office, house, and general cleaning in Singapore. To learn more, dial +65 8233 6300 to speak to us.