Warehouses differ from most other facilities when it comes to janitorial procedures. They’re meant for the storage of products and inventory, and various other resources for anywhere from short to long periods of time. They’re large, open facilities typically with high ceilings, and involve a lot of foot and (possibly) vehicular traffic coming in and out every day.
It’s necessary to have in place a very solid set of janitorial procedures in order to ensure that warehouse operations run as smoothly as possible, and to enable warehouse staff to be as productive as they can be. With that said, here are 5 must-have warehouse janitorial procedures:
Categorize: Daily, Weekly, & Monthly
The reason this is important is that, first, creating and implementing a janitorial calendar will help keep you and your staff organized. Everyone will know what they need to do, and when, just like any other work-related responsibility they may have. Second, knowing which tasks need to be performed when will help ensure your warehouse receives the appropriate janitorial attention on time. It’s an easy way to hold everyone accountable!
Stress the Prep Work
Including prep work in your warehouse janitorial procedures will save you and your staff a lot of time and energy. By removing warehouse vehicles from the premises and clearing the floor of garbage and other items, you’ll be able to more effectively perform janitorial tasks with no interruption.
Implement a Top Down Approach
Beginning your warehouse janitorial tasks by addressing the high(est) surfaces first will save you a lot of time. Imagine you clean the floors first and then move to the high surfaces. In the process, a lot of dust and debris is knocked loose from the high areas, which falls to and settles on the floor. Then you’d have to clean your floors again.
Focus on Floor Maintenance
Floor maintenance is perhaps the most critical part of warehouse janitorial. Not only does a smooth, clean floor contribute to efficient operations, but it reflects well on your business. An improperly maintained warehouse floor, on the other hand, can lead to trips, slips, falls, and accidents, which is bad for your staff and your business.
Clean Those Light Fixtures
Ignoring the dust and debris that builds on light fixtures will, over time, literally darken your warehouse. Yes, overhead lighting is hard to reach and requires a lot of time and effort to clean, but ignoring this step in your warehouse janitorial procedures poses a few risks. First, letting dust and debris build up for months (and sometimes years) may disable your lighting, which will add to your costs. It may even lead to electrical accidents, which can harm your staff, damage your inventory, or lead to other more dangerous incidents. In any case, the buildup of dust and debris will dim your lights over time, and the lack of proper lighting can lead to costly (or dangerous) mistakes and accidents.
