Accidents on the job are often caused by the failure of those responsible for the worksite or company premises to make sure things are maintained, repaired, and kept in good order. From an industrial perspective, this is the duty of workplace upkeep to keep everyone safe, commonly referred to as the employer’s housekeeping responsibility.
Housekeeping is complex. It requires the coordination of management with workers and those specifically assigned to housekeeping tasks, like custodial personnel. Housekeeping, to be effective in protecting people from harm, must also be a part of all the workplace systems and operations. It is a critical component of all industrial projects. Training of workers in housekeeping safety by the employer is likewise vital. Workers need to be educated on the exact hazards they face on the job, and how they can contribute to safety with housekeeping strategies.
Housekeeping in the Construction and Maritime Industries of Indiana and Illinois
Two local industries where housekeeping is particularly important in preventing worker injuries on the job are our (1) construction (both commercial and residential) and (2) maritime industries. Construction is one of the top employers in both Indiana and Illinois, and remains one of the most dangerous jobs here. For more on construction worker accident risks, read: Construction Worker’s Risk of Dying on the Job Jumps 41% According to New Report.
As for our local maritime industry, the Illinois Department of Transportation explains that Illinois has one of the nation’s largest “multimodal transportation networks” where our local waterways connect trade from the Atlantic Ocean, via the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway, with the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River. Meanwhile, according to the American Maritime Partnership, Indiana ranks twelfth (12th) in the country for domestic maritime industry jobs, due in large part to the Hoosier State being the largest steelmaker in the United States with Indiana ports at Gary, Burns Harbor, and Indiana Harbor taking in over 25 Million tons of iron ore annually to feed our steel mills.
Due to the hazardous conditions facing workers in both construction and maritime work, the need for employers in Illinois and Indiana to undertake industrial housekeeping on a very regular and routine basis is very high – and more so than in other worksites where worker hazards are less prominent.
What is Housekeeping in an Industrial Environment?
As a general concept, industrial insiders, researchers, regulators, safety agencies, and advocates for accident victims and their loved ones refer to “housekeeping” with a broad brush, since there is no single federal regulation that defines it, but instead a series of federal regulations that refer to housekeeping as a safety requirement.
These federal regulations apply to a variety of industries and working conditions facing workers with all sorts of specialties or trades. They include:
- Walking-working surfaces 29 CFR 1910.22(a) & (d)
- Fire Prevention plan standard 29 CFR 1910.39(b);(c)(2)
- Sanitation 29 CFR 1910.141(a)(3)
- Material handling 29 CFR 1910.176(c)
- Grain handling facilities 29 CFR 1910.272(j).
Of particular importance is the need for reasonable and prudent housekeeping when hazardous materials, toxic chemicals, or flammables are involved in the project or located on the worksite. Federal regulations for these housekeeping duties involve things like:
- Asbestos 29 CFR 1910.1001(k); 1018(k)
- Cadmium 29 CFR 1910.1027(k)
- Chromium VI 29 CFR 1910.1026(j)
- Explosives /blasting agents 29 CFR 1910.109(g)(4)(vi)(f)
- Flammable liquids 29 CFR 1910.106(e)(9) & (h)(8)
- Lead 29 CFR 1910.1025(h)
- Silica 29 CFR 1910.1053(h).
For more on the dangers facing workers whose tasks include working with these high-risk products, read our earlier discussions:
- Silica Injuries in Indiana and Illinois: Rising Danger from Deadly Work Exposure to Industrial Sand
- Chemical Accidents: Burns, Inhalation, or Neurological Work Injuries on the Job in Indiana or Illinois
- Haz Mat Semi-Truck Accidents in Indiana and Illinois: The Dangers of Hazardous Materials Being Hauled on our Roadways
- Asbestos Exposure Still Happens – Indiana Supreme Court Helps Mesothelioma Victims.
Housekeeping Failures Can Cause Serious Injuries or Death on the Job
Any industrial environment will have its own risks and hazards that can cause serious injury to anyone on the premises. These hazards may be obvious or they may be hidden. It is the employer’s duty, along with any others with possession, custody, or control of aspects of the worksite, to make sure that workers are kept safe from all hazards.
Housekeeping is an intrinsic part of the employer’s legal duty of care and safety; any company program for accident prevention can never be successful without it.
Elements of housekeeping to keep industrial workplaces safe for workers include the following:
- Warning systems for fire (e.g., smoke detectors and emergency lights);
- Regular checking of these warning systems to make sure they are in good working order;
- Emergency devices and equipment should be provided on the site and be in good condition and repair (e.g., fire extinguishers; gloves for biohazard spills, etc.);
- Locks on storage containers and facilities where hazardous materials, toxic chemicals, and flammables are kept;
- Routine checking to make sure these locks are being used and are in good repair;
- Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) for all workers as needed for their specific job tasks and work areas;
- Regular inspection with repair or replacement as needed of all PPE;
- Survey of the entire worksite with careful organization to keep things like flammable materials far away from any heat source, such as hot ashes or an open flame;
- Providing a Designated Smoking Area for workers with enforcement so workers are not smoking in other areas where a lit cigarette might cause an accident or injury;
- Removing clutter from the worksite, including sweeping up sawdust; taking trash or rubbish to dumpsters or other receptacles; and removing debris to keep walkways and worksites free from fall hazards;
- Walking all stairwells, aisles, and walkways to make sure they are clean and neat without any footing hazards, from debris to wet surfaces;
- Providing storage locations for equipment, tools, and machines so they can be properly and safely stored;
- Making sure no shelves or scaffolds are overstocked and overloaded;
- Having well-defined emergency exits with regular checks to make sure they are clear of any impediments and readily available in case of an unexpected event;
- Electrical cords should be taped down to prevent tripping;
- All working areas should be well-lit;
- All working areas should be well ventilated;
- There should be routine inspections of all machinery, tools and equipment with upkeep or replacement as needed, such as sharping of blades and removal of accumulated dirt and grime; and
- Making sure all dangerous chemicals, hazardous materials, and flammables are clearly labelled for how they are to be used and stored, in languages (e.g., English, Spanish, French) easily understood by the workforce.
For more, read “11 tips for effective workplace housekeeping: Every worker plays a part,” written by Sarah Trotto and published by Safety+Health Magazine on July 1, 2015.
Housekeeping Accidents on the Job in Indiana and Illinois
Good housekeeping practices on the industrial worksite can greatly reduce or even eliminate dangers that might otherwise cause catastrophic injuries. To be effective, companies must make sure that housekeeping is respected for its importance to safety, and not taken for granted. Mopping to make sure that workers have secure footing is just as important as providing proper storage for hazardous materials.
When housekeeping efforts are not implemented in a reasonable and prudent manner, then workers are at risk of serious injuries that include things like:
- Falls from scaffolds or other heights
- Slipping or tripping on stairs or floors
- Electrical burns or electrocution
- Burns from worksite fire caused by flammables or debris (e.g., oily rags after hot work combusting)
- Inhalation of toxins
- Crushing incidents involving poorly stacked or stored cargo or freight.
When accidents happen because of poor housekeeping on the job site, then state laws or federal statutes may provide avenues for justice to the injured worker and their loved ones. These include worker’s compensation as well as personal injury claims involving negligence, defective products, premises liability, and more, where medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, lost future earning capacity, and more may be sought.
For more:
- The Jones Act vs. the Longshoreman and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act for Maritime Workers
- Injuries to Longshoremen and Harbor Workers in Indiana and Illinois: Maritime Accidents
- The Two Main Differences Between Workers Compensation and Personal Injury Claims for Accident Victims in Indiana and Illinois
- Multiple Employers on the Construction Site: Who Is Liable For Construction Worker Accidents?
Housekeeping is important on every jobsite here in Indiana and Illinois. Employers who disrespect housekeeping and fail to make sure that housekeeping tasks are being done as often as needed to keep people safe, may be held legally liable after an accident. Please be careful out there!
