Guidelines on workplace cleaning in the offing

The  Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) is working to develop policies and guidelines on effective cleaning at the workplace.

The Minister, Mr Akwasi Oppong Fosui, has therefore, cautioned corporate organisations and institutions to ensure that they employed only qualified cleaners to clean their workspaces to avoid contamination.

He said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Director of Finance at the ministry, Mr Alexander Quainoo, at a cocktail organised by the Contract Cleaners Association of Ghana (CCAG) in Accra.

Also, he said the policy would come up with how frequently public buildings should be maintained.  

Health concerns

According to him, with the current spate of cholera outbreak in the country and the outbreak of Ebola in neighbouring countries, it is prudent that organisations and institutions employ best practices in the cleaning of their workspaces.

The employers, he said, had the responsibility to control the general environment and immediate surroundingsof their facilities.

The outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in some countries in West Africa and the recent cholera outbreak in Ghana “put the onus on heads and owners of institutions to take the health and safety of their staff very serious,” he said.

However, he added that cleanliness was a major responsibility of all persons at their workplaces regardless of their position in the establishment.

CCAG’s role

The President of CCAG, Mr Samuel Laing, said the association, which was formed some 21 years ago, was made up of companies that were into the day-to-day cleaning of offices and buildings. 

According to him, the association, which had over 100 members, was working at bringing sanity into its work by ensuring that it brought on board companies in the cleaning industry who were not members of the association.

This, he said, would help to streamline the  associations’ activities, as well as ensure standardisation in the work of its members.

In line with that, he said members of the association met occasionally to share ideas on best practices, adding that the association also organised regular seminars for its members.

Mr Laing said the association was also working at introducing innovation into its operations by using modern tools and equipment.

In the long term, he said the association would come out with syllabus and certificates for people after training.

Workplace hygiene

A past president of the association, Mr George Abanye, who spoke on effective workplace hygiene, said the workplace environment exposed people to increased contamination.

Telephones, doorhandles and washrooms, according to him, were easy places where people could pick up infections.

According to him, a clean office environment had an impact on productivity and, therefore, called on employers to engage the services of janitors who understood their work. 

Writer's email: rebecca.quaicoe-duho@graphic.com.gh