British Cleaning Council Calls for Minimum Workplace Cleanliness Standards

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• British Cleaning Council Calls for Minimum Workplace Cleanliness Standards

05 November 2024

The industry body for the cleaning sector wants the government to establish minimum standards of cleaning in workplaces to reduce sick days and protect against future pandemics.

The British Cleaning Council claims that such an initiative could help reduce the national bill for employee sickness which reportedly reached £103 billion in 2023. 

This suggestion was a key recommendation of The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Cleaning and Hygiene Industry’s 2022 report. 

A set of simple minimum standards should be co-designed by relevant authorities such as OFSTED and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the BCC says.

Chair of the BCC, Delia Cannings, said: “If we are considering how to make workplaces healthier, then cleanliness and hygiene must be part of that discussion.

“We’ve all been at work with a colleague who is coughing and sneezing and wondered if we will pick up their bug when we use the kettle or the microwave. Having mandatory, enforceable standards of cleaning and hygiene at work will help prevent this kind of sickness spreading and keep staff healthy and well.

“The legal responsibilities of employers with respect to cleanliness are vague, leaving staff vulnerable to picking up illnesses while at work and then spreading them further through society at large. I don’t think they are fit for purpose.

“Most employers support safe and clean working environments. Engaging trained professional cleaning companies gives reassurance that environments are conducive to good health and wellbeing however, sadly, the reality is that some employers do not embrace this principle, therefore the issue is exacerbated.

“Formal, minimum standards would ensure workplaces take cleanliness and hygiene seriously, protecting their staff and society as a whole, saving the country a fortune in sick days and boosting the economy. We all agree that prevention is better than cure.”

Picture: a photograph of two people, one holding a mug and the other pouring themselves a coffee from a cafetiere. Image Credit: Unsplash

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 05 November 2024

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