Health and Safety
L&S is an ISO 45001:2018 certified company and practises the high standards set by the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS), UK. Commitment to achieve our health and safety goals is an embedded value that L&S strives to improve everyday. Health and safety is the joint responsibility of the cleaners, supervisors and management in all functions.
Risk Assessment
Prior to taking up contractual or one-off jobs, the operations manager along with the site supervisor visit the site to look into the cleaning scope required by the client taking into consideration the health and safety aspect. Areas of concern with relation to job safety are discussed with the client.
Where the job involves high level external facade/glass cleaning using the use of a suspended platform like a cradle, tower scaffold or a mobile elevated work platform like a telescopic boom lift, a thorough risk assessment is done of the site by the Health and Safety Officer prior to taking up of a contractual or one-off job. In case of using the clients cradle, a cradle test certificate issued by a Dubai Municipality accredited testing company is requested from the client to ensure that it has been maintained properly and the cradle is safe for use.
Third-party training
For high level facade cleaning the glass cleaners are trained on the use of cradles, mobile tower scaffolds and mobile elevating working platforms such as cherry pickers, scissor lifts etc. This training is conducted by a Dubai Municipality accredited company.
Extensive safety checks
Regular monitoring at job sites is done by frequent visits of supervisors and surprise visits by operations executives, OHSE team.
Stringent policies
To ensure compliance with safety norms, disciplinary action is taken on the offenders for not adhering to the safety aspects.
For all cleaners, continuing education is a requirement. At specific times throughout the year, L&S holds classes through toolbox talks on site on such subjects as safety procedures to be followed during cleaning of offices, floors, toilets, proper usage of cleaning equipment and their maintenance, high level facade/glass cleaning.
PPE
L&S values the health and safety of its cleaners and therefore stresses on the use of PPE.
PPE such as disposable hand gloves, facemasks and rubber gloves are used by the cleaners for low level cleaning like cleaning of floors, toilets and pantries. For high level cleaning where use of step ladder, tower scaffold, cradle, mobile elevating working platforms like scissor lifts and cherry picker the use of hard hats, full body harness, safety shoes and industrial gloves is mandatory. Work which involves driving a road sweeper, the operator has to wear a high visibility reflective jacket and dust mask.
Based on the type of work to be done, the supervisor ensures that all cleaners are wearing the appropriate PPE prior to the commencement of the work assigned to them.
Working on site
Once on site, the supervisor briefs the cleaners on the sequence of cleaning steps that will be most efficient and also discusses the safety requirements. We also instruct on the use and proper display of the "Cleaning In Progress / Wet Floor" cautionary signboard to prevent the risk of slip hazard.
For janitorial cleaning, the supervisor trains the cleaner on how to dilute the chemicals based on the MSDS and PH value thereby greatly reducing the employee's and the client's exposure to full strength cleaning solutions.
In the case of high level external facade/glass cleaning, the supervisor and the OHSE officer ensures that prior to work commencement the client is informed well in advance by requesting a Permit-To-Work(PTW) on the site. Before commencing the work we also ensure that the cradle is having a valid test certificate and is safe to use.
Upon obtaining of the PTW from the client, the job is undertaken on the scheduled date. The supervisor ensures that all the cleaners are wearing their PPE and that the equipment to be used like mobile tower scaffold, cradle, scissor lift and cherry picker is inspected and fit for use.
The area of work is cordoned by using barriers with warning tape and placing a “Overhead Work / High Level Window Cleaning In Progress / Keep Away From Barricaded Area” cautionary signboard to avoid the risk of injury to pedestrians. An additional cleaner is also deputed on the ground for any assistance required by the cleaners who are working at height and also to ensure that no trespassing is done below the work area.
On completion of work, the client is informed and the PTW is closed.