Seven Industrial Cleaning Tips for a Productive Facility
There is no such thing as a quiet day at a warehouse, workshop or factory. Between shipment deliveries, manufacturing processes, storage and distribution, these industrial spaces are activity hubs. When done right, they should run like a well-oiled machine – which is why anything that disrupts their harmony is a big issue for efficiency.
A quick way to make the wheels come off your operation is to try to operate in a messy facility. Not only is it a safety hazard, but most people work less effectively in messy environments so it slows down your productivity, too.
We put together this guide to give you seven tips on how to effectively clean and organize your industrial space.
1. Put a cleaning plan in place.
Start by identifying different cleaning zones so that you can assign employees responsibility to different areas based on their roles. It’s also a good idea to encourage staff to have a ‘clean as you go’ mentality to prevent messes from building up. Keep in mind that zones may require monthly, weekly or daily cleaning.
2. Keep floors clean and cleared.
Trips, slips and falls make up a significant portion of all workplace injuries. An easy way to prevent this is to ensure your floors are clean and clear of clutter. Find a floor cleaning approach that works for your business and implement it to keep your floors in tip-top shape.
3. Use shelves to maximize space.
Regardless of the type of space you work in, shelves are a great solution to keeping it organized and running smoothly. Not only do they maximize space, but they keep floors clear and help prevent trips and falls. In some facilities, a little extra floor space can make a big difference in making it easier to move equipment around.
4. Keep your facility stocked with cleaning supplies and equipment.
Making cleaning supplies and equipment readily available at your facility is an important step in ensuring your team actually uses them. Have equipment like mops and buckets ready for spills, and cleaning supplies like disinfectants and paper towels stocked for smaller jobs.
5. Make waste bins readily available, and be sure to empty them regularly.
Providing recycling and garbage bins throughout your facility will help encourage workers to use them and properly dispose of waste materials. Clearly indicate which types of materials are acceptable in the bins, and remember that materials like paper, wood, glass and metal can usually be recycled. It’s important for waste bins to be regularly emptied, otherwise they might overflow and cause a bigger mess to clean up.
6. Regularly turn inventory.
In a warehouse, it’s important to turn stock, even if it isn’t moving. Try to rotate out old stock instead of sending out newer items to prevent anything from sitting idle in the warehouse for too long. Stock that isn’t moving will waste space, money and accumulate dust.
7. Use cleaning as a form of inspection.
Maintaining a clean facility can contribute to some serious money saved for your business. An easy cost-saving strategy is to use cleaning as a form of inspection across your facility. Regular cleaning will prevent equipment and machinery from breaking down and ensures that every area of the facility is attended to.
From safety, to cost-saving, to productivity, there are a lot of reasons to maintain a clean industrial facility. Implement these tips to get your facility running better than ever.
Learn more about how Bunzl Canada can help provide for all your industrial business needs.