California Janitor Safety Supplemental Poster

California Janitor Safety Supplemental Poster

Promote safer work practices for janitors, custodians, housekeepers, and other cleaning employees with the California Janitor Safety Supplemental Poster. This workplace safety poster provides a highly visible reminder of common hazards faced by employees performing janitorial and custodial work.

Janitorial employees may encounter a wide range of workplace hazards while cleaning buildings and maintaining facilities. These can include slips and falls, chemical exposure, electrical hazards, ergonomic risks, waste-handling hazards, and injuries associated with lifting, reaching, bending, and repetitive work.

What Are Common Janitorial Workplace Hazards?

Janitors, custodians, housekeepers, and cleaning employees may perform many different tasks during a workday. Recognizing potential hazards before beginning a task is an important part of preventing workplace injuries.

Common janitorial and custodial safety hazards can include:

• Wet or slippery floors
• Trips caused by clutter, cords, equipment, or other obstacles
• Exposure to cleaning chemicals
• Improper chemical mixing or storage
• Electrical equipment and electrical hazards
• Lifting and moving trash, supplies, or equipment
• Repetitive motions and awkward working positions
• Waste handling and exposure to sharp objects
• Improper use of ladders or step stools
• Working alone or in isolated areas
• Emergency situations and workplace violence

Prevent Slips, Trips and Falls

Slips, trips, and falls are important hazards for janitorial employees because cleaning work frequently involves wet floors, equipment, cords, supplies, and movement throughout a facility.

Employees should promptly address spills, use appropriate warning signs when floors are wet, keep walkways clear of clutter and obstacles, wear appropriate footwear, and remain alert to changing walking-surface conditions.

Cleaning Chemical Safety

Janitorial employees may regularly work with cleaning products, disinfectants, and other chemicals. Employees should follow workplace procedures and product instructions when handling chemicals and should understand the hazards associated with the products they use.

Cleaning chemicals should be properly labeled and stored, and employees should use appropriate personal protective equipment when required. Employees should never mix cleaning chemicals unless specifically instructed that the products can be safely combined.

Personal Protective Equipment for Janitorial Work

Depending on the task and hazards present, janitorial employees may need personal protective equipment such as gloves, eye protection, protective clothing, or other equipment.

Employers should evaluate workplace hazards and provide appropriate protective measures and employee training based on the work being performed.

Ergonomics and Safe Material Handling

Janitorial work can involve frequent lifting, bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, and repetitive movements. Employees should use safe work techniques and appropriate equipment to help reduce physical strain.

Whenever practical, employees should avoid unnecessary twisting and overreaching, keep loads close to the body when lifting, use carts or other material-handling equipment when appropriate, and request assistance when an item cannot be safely handled by one person.

Safe Waste Handling

Employees should use care when collecting and disposing of workplace waste. Trash bags and containers can contain broken glass, sharp objects, chemicals, or other materials that may cause injuries.

Employees should follow established waste-handling procedures, use appropriate personal protective equipment, and avoid reaching blindly into trash containers or compacting waste by hand.

Electrical Safety for Janitorial Employees

Cleaning employees may work around electrical cords, outlets, powered cleaning equipment, and other electrical devices. Damaged electrical equipment, wet conditions, and improper equipment use can increase the risk of electrical injury.

Employees should inspect equipment as required, report damaged cords or electrical equipment, follow manufacturer instructions, and avoid using electrical equipment in unsafe wet conditions unless the equipment is designed and approved for that use.

California Janitorial Safety Resources

Cal/OSHA provides safety and health educational materials specifically for janitors, custodians, and housekeepers. California's janitorial safety resources address topics such as slips and falls, chemical hazards, electrical hazards, ergonomic hazards, workplace injuries, emergencies, and other risks associated with janitorial work.

Employers should evaluate the hazards present in their individual workplaces and provide employees with appropriate safety procedures, information, training, and protective measures.

Is the California Janitor Safety Poster Required?

This California Janitor Safety Supplemental Poster is intended as a supplemental workplace safety and employee-awareness resource. It should not be represented as a substitute for California's generally required workplace postings or other notices that may apply to an employer.

California employers should determine which state, federal, industry-specific, and local workplace posting requirements apply to their business and should comply with applicable Cal/OSHA safety and employee training requirements.

Who Can Use This Janitor Safety Poster?

This poster can help reinforce workplace safety awareness for employees working in areas such as:

• Commercial janitorial services
• Office buildings
• Schools and educational facilities
• Hotels and hospitality facilities
• Healthcare facilities
• Retail businesses
• Warehouses and industrial facilities
• Government and public buildings
• Property management operations
• Housekeeping and custodial departments

California Janitor Safety Poster Specifications

• 36"W x 24"H
• Landscape orientation
• Printed in full color
• Laminated with high-quality laminate

California Workplace Safety and Compliance Resources

Labor Law Compliance Center provides California employers with labor law posters, workplace safety posters, specialty postings, and compliance resources. Employers can also review our California Labor Law Posters page for additional California workplace posting information and available compliance products.