Environment and Cleanliness at the Workplace 2009

By: IIUM Student (Interviewed Black Ant)

For information, that every second, somewhere in the world, forests about the size of a football ground are being cleared, posing a grave danger to the survival of mankind.

Q 1: Definition of Environment

Anything around us that we stay and live consist of land, water, air and sunlight. I stress the role of public awareness that could play in weaning man away from this path of destruction.

Trees on land look greener. The water looks clearer if absence of pollution. The air we breathe is clean and healthy. If any of these starts to pollute, our lives are in danger, where our life ages will be shortened. Those are referred to physical or external.

What about mental and emotional? We need peace and not to experience sound pollution that could make us deaf, and inhibit flow of our brilliant ideas. Social interactions, too part of the environment. We must try to get rid or at least reduce the number of social ills among the public members especially to the youth, the nation’s future generation.

Q 2: The Meaning of Cleanliness

Could you please elaborate on the meaning of the term “cleanliness” by referring to examples in the workplace?

Cleanliness means no dirt around. All items are properly placed and managed. Not only to things and other office equipment but also to the people around the work place. The clothes that the staffs are wearing and their habitual must look clean. Personal belongings should not be hanged around, but to put them at place that could not be seen easily by others at least. For concept of cleanliness be practiced, it is the responsibility and awareness of us all. Cleanliness must start from the top. Means from the bosses themselves, then the subordinates would follow. Bosses who emphasized on cleanliness will earn respect from the rest for sure. “Follow by example.”

The cleanliness of our employees' workplace speaks volumes about our firm and how we will be portrayed to our clients. There are many firms that choose to have their employees perform the day-to-day office cleaning tasks causing the employees will get too busy to carry out these small tasks. Hence, the cleaning will become a neglected priority. Actually, it is not consider done at all. Then, there are other employers that do not find it important to have a clean environment at all.

In fact, there is more to janitorial cleaning services than hitting the floor with a mop or simply vacuuming the reception area and dusting around the cubicles. Environmental concerns regarding harmful chemicals and workplace safety have taken commercial cleaning services to a completely new level of cleanliness. By utilizing the most advanced eco-friendly green certified cleaning system and cleaning supplies, we will reduce our employee absenteeism due to air-borne illnesses in the office and poor air quality.

We will keep our property value and extend the life of our assets by properly cleaning our facilities. In addition, our employees' morale will rise because we are showing them that we care of their environment. This will result in increased worker productivity.

We must find a quality office cleaning company from the professionals who offer a full range of solutions, which are based on our company's individual needs. Firms that will handle all our janitorial needs from post construction cleanup to buffing, waxing, and stripping the floors, carpet and rug cleaning and protection, to porter and matron services.

Workplace cleanliness is very important for employee moral. Just like we want our customers to have a good impression of our business we will also want our employees to have the same impression. A dirty and ugly workplace will reduce overall moral and increase turnover of employees.

Q 3: Who are are untidy workers love to throw his/her rubbish anywhere? Why?

To me most of them are smokers and take things easy. Hard to find them who is really preferred clean environment. If have time just seen how a smoker behave during and just after smoking. Usually, they will leave workstation, and go to the pantry or at staircase near the lifts. Then they start to smoke. When the cigarette butt nearly finish they will throw it onto the ground or floor and press it with their shoes. Some time they just leave the butt even still in fire, and normally they will never throw the butt into the proper bins. To me smokers are the polluters and should not be existed around us.

Q 4: When could it happen? What could perhaps be the rationale?

First, it happens when the bosses are not stressing or ignoring the concept of cleanliness. Then to be followed by most of the subordinates. Secondly, related to culture which also not emphasizing on cleanliness. What they prefer is the high performance and higher productivity only. Cleanliness is second or third priority. The rationale should be that cleanliness should be given the prime priority and emphasize and everyone is responsible. Just imagine if all around us are cleaned? We enjoy healthy and safety life, will reduce absenteeism and our life expectant longer. No religion in the world that denying cleanliness is unimportant. To normal and positive attitude persons, to live longer be what they mostly wanted.

Q 5: Why do individuals commit (do) it? Any explanation?

They do that may be due to exposure and home background, influenced by close friends, or of having ignorance attitude. Their mentality is not cared of others much. Even toward their family members. They are not far sighted enough. They just think of short-term pleasure and seldom think long-term or far-forward expectation. They never concern of their faces’ outlooks after every smoking. To them, after smoke, they will feel fresh and more productive to re-start their daily jobs. Most of them also thought anything that happen is due to act of God. They never think of when they are going to get serious sickness or die. Because seldom of them talk about death. But, they will realize that when they encounter the last breaths, which already too late.

Q 6: Could you please suggest specific situations where people might do it? A reason to support the suggestion?

At home, in restaurants, hotels, stalls, bus stations, in the fields, etc. Few will smoke when alone. However, many will start smoking when in front of others, especially if in the same smoker’s group. I still remember, I nearly scuffled with two Chinese men at one food stall. At first I had found a table which quite far from others in order to avoid eating with the smokers. I was wrong then when the two men had seats at the table where I was. In waiting the food being served they started smoking and the smoke heavily surrounded my face, and they simply did not care and aware of that. Suddenly I stood up and scolded them to smoke somewhere else or I left the table. They did not show angry at me, they just calmed like nothing had happened. Harshly, I left to another table. Hence, we could assume that the smokers are inhuman to other people’s feelings.

Q 7: How would a person or more than one person make the act happen? Appreciate if you would elaborate?

When they are alone. May be when they in gathering of many people coming. Let us assume that you have a dirty work area like that typically found in garages and warehouses. The floors are dark, full of dirt, the bathrooms have graffiti, the garbage cans are overflowing and the office has oil all over it. Your workers see this dirt and think to themselves "what a junk yard" and will perpetuate the problem by not taking care of their work. In other words they will continue to throw their stuff around because it is useless to be the only one taking care of the property.

Q 8: Counter strategy - Do you think the existing system or procedure within the organization has been able to discourage staff from committing similar (unethical, undesirable) act(s)? In what way?

Let me give you an example of a company that cared little of the condition of their building and the environment where their workers engaged in their assignments. Even though they paid slightly above market wages they continued to have recruitment problems. Injuries were higher than the standard due to oil being all over the floors and equipment thrown haphazardly around.

The cost of putting equipment and tools in their proper places, finding appropriate storage areas, and doing a little housecleaning has a reciprocal effect on other aspects of your business. A clean business can reduce injuries, help maintain morale, reduce turnover, decrease the long-term cost of building maintenance, give a positive impression to other businesses, and help in recruiting /maintaining the most qualified employees.

It should also be understood that when appropriate maintenance and upkeep is done on the building when they are needed the organization can save money in the long run. Neglecting the necessary maintenance and the protective qualities of a fresh coat of paint can cause major water and structural damage later on. You wouldn't think of not doing maintenance on your equipment would you?

With the daily, scary news about H1N1 flu and other strains of disease descending upon the world, people are beginning to think and talk about what measures they can use to prevent sickness from spreading.

The fear of a pandemic can be even greater in schools and office settings than in the home, because of the sheer number of individuals who come into contact with one another on a daily basis. This is especially true because, in general, so much of each day is spent away from home.

A healthy workplace not only will reduce the likelihood of illness but also raise morale and performance, impacting the bottom line. To attain a cleaner work environment, start where you spend the most time — in your workspace.

EXTRACT

What you can do

To stay well in the workplace, practice good health habits, and follow your instincts; if you feel ill, stay home. Taking care of yourself impacts everyone else in your life.

Many companies are very strict when it comes to cleanliness in workplaces. The main reason behind this policy is that clutter is terrible. Further, it also decreases output and effectiveness. It is therefore important to clean up after working just the same as what a person does in his daily activities.

Business firms in Japan created a production principle, which is called "5S". Each of these has a corresponding Japanese concept that pertains to the methodology of both cleaning and business. The principles behind 5S is all about avoiding misuse, hastening the regular functions, and upgrading the value of the business environment. As a person working in an office, the philosophy behind 5S can be quite useful on a regular basis.

What is 5S?

Seiri or Sorting

To start sorting, a person must check everything on his desk and file cabinets. He must sort through his files may it be on paper or on computer. He can then separate the important from the not so important. If he needs the items, he can keep them in his desk. If not, he must discard them or store them somewhere else. The idea is to reduce the items in the person’s desk to be able to lessen the time looking for pencils or files.

Seiton or Set in Order

This indicates that every files and items have their right place and are categorized. This can be done regularly after a day’s work. Are the pencils in the pencil cases? Are the files and notes in their proper order and place? Making a habit of setting everything in order can become addictive because a person will discover the pleasure of finding every item so easily.

Seiso or Sweeping

This means cleaning up after every mess. A person uses a clean and tidy desk in the morning and leaves it the same way as it was before he goes home. This is not just doing it due to feelings of consideration for others. It is also for practicality’s sake. Knowing exactly where the files are improves productivity and speeds up work.

Seiketsu or Standardizing

Standardization means that a person is using a system that the others commonly used. It is based on a uniform manual on company activities and work environment tidiness. A person should know exactly what his role for a specific activity is when the firm hands out jobs for sorting and cleaning.

Shitsuke or Sustaining

Cleaning is not just an activity for a day. It needs to be a continuous process. Once a person has started with his 5S, he needs to sustain this or else he will start all over again. Although 5S seems to be simple, it demands a lot of devotion and obligation to be effectively implemented. With 5S, working in the office can become a great time.

Removing Old Blood Stains

1. Soak the stained garment in a pail of cold water for several hours or overnight. This will help loosen and dissolve the old blood stain.

2. Run the stained cloth in your usual water wash using pure soap flakes or a mild detergent.

3. If there are still remaining stains, use the mixture of one tablespoon of meat tenderizer and two tablespoons of cold water. This mixture will result to a paste.

4. Spread this paste mixture on the old blood stain and scrub it with your fingers.

5. Keep it there for 30 minutes or an hour.

6. Remove the excess mixture with cold water and rinse well.

Whatever kind of blood stain your cloths have, there is always a recommended solution for that. Try any of these and if none works, better call a professional cleaner to do the job.