Sutton Cleaners Health and Safety Policy

Sutton Cleaners is committed to providing professional cleaning services while protecting the health, safety and welfare of our employees, clients, visitors and members of the public who may be affected by our work. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks, preventing accidents and promoting safe working practices across all cleaning activities and locations where we operate.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

The primary objectives of Sutton Cleaners are to prevent injury and ill health, comply with applicable health and safety legislation, and continuously improve our safety performance. We will provide and maintain safe systems of work, safe equipment, suitable information and training, and a working environment that supports the physical and mental wellbeing of our staff.

Management Responsibilities

Senior management at Sutton Cleaners holds overall responsibility for implementing and monitoring this Health and Safety Policy. Management will ensure that adequate resources are made available for health and safety, that responsibilities are clearly defined, and that arrangements are in place to identify and control risks associated with cleaning operations.

Managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that staff understand and follow safety procedures, that appropriate personal protective equipment is provided and used, that incidents are reported and investigated, and that any corrective actions are implemented promptly.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees of Sutton Cleaners share responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. Staff must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Employees are required to follow training and instructions, use equipment correctly, wear appropriate protective equipment, report hazards or near misses, and cooperate fully with health and safety measures.

No employee should undertake any task for which they have not been trained or that they believe cannot be carried out safely. Concerns about safety must be raised with a supervisor or manager without delay.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Sutton Cleaners carries out regular risk assessments for all significant cleaning tasks and environments, including domestic, commercial and specialist cleaning. These assessments identify potential hazards such as slips, trips and falls, manual handling, chemical exposure, electrical equipment use and working in occupied premises.

Based on these assessments, we establish safe working procedures and communicate them clearly to all relevant staff. Measures may include selecting safer products, using appropriate tools and equipment, setting clear work methods, restricting access to certain areas during cleaning, and ensuring effective supervision where required.

Chemical Safety and Control of Substances

The safe handling and use of cleaning chemicals is central to our operations. Sutton Cleaners ensures that all substances are assessed for risk and that staff receive training in their correct use, storage, dilution and disposal. Original product containers and labels are kept intact at all times to maintain clear identification and hazard information.

Where possible, Sutton Cleaners selects cleaning agents with lower health and environmental risks while still delivering professional results. Staff are required to use gloves and other protective equipment as specified, avoid mixing chemicals, and ensure adequate ventilation when using products that may release vapours.

Use of Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment

All equipment used by Sutton Cleaners, including vacuum cleaners, floor machines, steam cleaners and other tools, is maintained in good working order and inspected regularly. Staff must not use damaged or defective equipment and must report any faults immediately.

Appropriate personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, eye protection and non-slip footwear is provided where risk assessments indicate it is required. Employees are expected to wear and care for this equipment as instructed and to request replacements if items are damaged or no longer provide adequate protection.

Manual Handling and Physical Safety

Cleaning work often involves lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling equipment or materials. Sutton Cleaners provides training on safe manual handling techniques to reduce the risk of strains and other musculoskeletal injuries. Wherever possible, tasks are planned to minimise heavy lifting, and handling aids are used when suitable.

Staff must follow safe techniques when moving furniture, equipment or waste, avoid overreaching and overstretching, and ask for assistance with heavy or awkward loads. Work is organised to allow adequate breaks and to avoid excessive fatigue.

Client Premises and Public Safety

Sutton Cleaners recognises its responsibility to protect clients, their staff, visitors and members of the public during cleaning operations. Our teams work to reduce risks in occupied areas by using warning signs for wet floors, keeping walkways clear of equipment and cables, and coordinating work to avoid unnecessary disruption.

We respect client property and security procedures at all times and ensure that cleaning products and equipment are never left unattended in a way that could pose a risk to others, particularly children or vulnerable individuals.

Training, Information and Supervision

All Sutton Cleaners employees receive induction training that includes health and safety requirements, safe use of equipment, chemical handling and emergency procedures. Additional task-specific training is provided where needed, and refresher training is offered to maintain competence.

Information on safe working practices is communicated through instructions, briefings and on-site guidance. Supervisors monitor compliance with safety procedures and provide support, feedback and further instruction where necessary.

Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

Sutton Cleaners encourages prompt reporting of all accidents, injuries, near misses and hazardous conditions. Reports are logged and investigated to identify root causes and to prevent recurrence. Where appropriate, lessons learned are shared across the company and incorporated into updated procedures.

Emergency arrangements are in place for dealing with fires, spills, chemical exposure and other unforeseen events. Employees are instructed in evacuation routes, first aid arrangements and how to respond safely to emergencies while prioritising personal safety and that of others.

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes in our operations, legislation or industry best practice. Sutton Cleaners monitors performance through incident data, inspections, staff feedback and management review, and uses this information to improve our systems and procedures.

By working together, management and employees at Sutton Cleaners are committed to maintaining high standards of health and safety, ensuring that our cleaning services are delivered in a responsible and professional manner for the benefit of everyone involved.