Welcome to the area dedicated to issues that apply to the cleaning sector.  You will also find general health and safety guidance in the   'A-Z', this information is relevant to all industry groups regardless of activity.  From here you can also access our 'Ask the Expert Facility'.

Not only will you have employees to take care of but members of the public who frequent your premises making use of your services as well as contractors and visitors.

The cleaning industry employs very large numbers of people in all sectors, from small offices to factories, schools to hospitals and shops. Cleaning activities can involve anything from dusting and vacuuming to cleaning windows and more major projects such as cleaning of factory roofs and industrial equipment.

Here we aim to provide health and safety advice for those people working in and managing the cleaning industry. It also provides links to the Cleaning Industry Liaison Forum, which is an HSE chaired committee comprising of industry trade associations, training bodies and trade unions.

The most common types of accidents in the cleaning industry are:

• Slips and trips
• Manual handling
• Falls from height

The main health risks affecting the industry are:

• Injury to backs and upper limbs
• Occupational dermatitis

HSE have produced some example risk assessments to help you see what a risk assessment might look like. They hopefully make clear that a risk assessment should be about identifying practical actions that protect people from harm and injury, not a bureaucratic experience. HSE believe that for the great majority of risk assessments, short bullet points work well. You can access these risk assessment in our download area under 'HSE free downloads'.

• General office cleaning
• Cleaning large retail premise
•  Cleaning contractor

Should you have any specific queries you can always 'Ask the Expert'.