Sanitation Safety Procedures
These are basic safety procedures, and are not meant to be comprehensive instructions. They are only basic guidelines to give a general idea of safe chemical handling and sanitation safety practices. Specific areas may require specific safety procedures. To print on a single page, set all margins to 0, on Print Preview.
1. Make certain to wear the proper safety apparel when working on the job and conducting sanitation cleaning procedures. This safety equipment includes proper footwear (rubber boots), rain suit, quality rubber (or equivalent) gloves, and hard hat/bump cap, as required at a specific plant. Proper eye protection is to be worn whenever mixing, applying, or removing chemical detergents and/or sanitizers. This is to include hand-scrubbing as well as foaming/spray application of detergents and/or sanitizers. Eye protection is defined as goggles or face shield. Ear plugs may also be required by plant management.
2. Never mix any detergent or sanitizer products together, unless specifically trained by plant management, and/or detergent company representative. Toxic solutions, or gasses may be created. For instance: A chlorine (bleach) based detergent mixed with an acidic compound will produce hazardous chlorine gas.
3. When mixing a powder with water always mix the powder into water. Do NOT add water to a powder. This procedure means that a weaker solution is made stronger as chemical powder is added, instead of starting with the strongest solution first and making more dilute. This helps to prevent a chemical eruption from the solution.
4. If a chemical solution comes into contact with the skin or eyes, flush with cool low pressure water for at least 15 minutes. In the event of eye contact, use an approved eye wash station. Immediately inform management of any detergent/sanitizer contact with eyes or skin, after initial 15 minute water flush.
5. If a noxious or hazardous gas is released (ammonia or chlorine), evacuate the plant according to proper evacuation instructions. Inform fellow employees and management, while evacuating. Do NOT try to handle a chemical/ammonia gas release yourself. There are people who are trained and equipped to conduct this. In short, if it hurts to breathe…leave.
6. Never spray water into an electrical box, or open electrical connections. Electrocution may occur.
7. Make certain to follow proper lock-out procedures before cleaning moving equipment, as directed by plant management.
8. Be aware of emergency shut-offs on all equipment you are cleaning. Also, take the time to find out how to shut off equipment that fellow sanitation employees are cleaning, and vice versa. This is good common sense and teamwork.
9. Do NOT engage in horseplay. Seemingly harmless pranks (ie-hose shots) can have tragic safety consequences. Safety is not a joke.
10. Your safety, and the safety of others, is a personal responsibility as well as a plant management responsibility. Fore-thought and common sense in your work habits can, and will, prevent accidents. Be a part of an accident free sanitation department. All accidents are preventable.
We, at LW Chemicals, Inc., stand ready to assist your sanitation operation, and provide more comprehensive information on cleaning, upon the utilization of our services. Contact us today.