Health and Safety Executive

OCE Cleaning accommodation and facilities Offshore COSHH Control approach 1 essentials General ventilation

This information will help offshore What this sheet covers dutyholders (owners, operators and This sheet covers the use of cleaning chemicals in accommodation and contractors) to comply with the Control facilities. It describes good practice for handling cleaning products and of Substances Hazardous to Health covers the key points you need to follow to help reduce exposure to an Regulations 2002 (COSHH), as amended, to acceptable level, as part of your COSHH assessment. protect workers’ health.

This guidance consolidates good control practice and reinforces existing knowledge with additional information. It will help you carry out COSHH assessments, review existing assessments, deliver training and in supervising activities involving substances hazardous to health.

It is aimed at staff whose responsibilities include the management of substances hazardous to health on offshore installations (eg occupational health specialists, COSHH assessors, supervisors etc). It is also useful for trade union and Hazards employee safety representatives. 3 Cleaning products are a wide range of chemicals and include Following the guidance is not compulsory surfactants, oxidizing agents, amines, bleaches, fragrances and and you are free to take other action. But colourants. if you do follow this guidance you will 3 Dusts generated during cleaning may contain allergic materials, eg dust normally be doing enough to comply with mite residues. the law. Health and safety inspectors seek 3 Chlorine-releasing chemicals (eg sodium hypochlorite bleach) will to secure compliance with the law and may produce toxic gases if mixed with, for example, acidic toilet cleaners or refer to this guidance as illustrating good ammonia containing products. practice. 3 Health effects include irritation, burns and dermatitis from skin contact; eye damage from direct contact; and breathing problems from Also see inhalation of vapours. OCE0 Advice for managers OCM3 Personal protective equipment (PPE) 3 Frequent hand contact with water can also cause dermatitis. Access 3 Restrict access to the chemical store. Storage 3 Provide a store with sufficient space, well organised, well lit and well ventilated. 3 The storage area should be designed to contain spills.

Cleaning accommodation and facilities OCE22 General ventilation

3 Clearly display the labels on chemical containers. 3 Minimise the amount of product stored. 3 Provide spill clean-up kits. Control procedures 3 Ensure a good standard of general ventilation, eg 5–10 air changes per hour. 3 Prepare a cleaning schedule for cleaning tasks. 3 Replace harmful cleaning products with milder alternatives, if available. 3 Prevent cross-contamination by providing colour-coded equipment (eg buckets) for different areas. Use disposable cloths for toilet areas. 3 Follow the label instruction for use. 3 Where possible, provide equipment with auto-dosing and cleaning-in- place. 3 Provide automated dispensing systems. 3 Make sure biocide containers are easy to pour from, don’t dribble and don’t trap liquid in a rim. 3 Do not mix with other products. 3 Keep lid on to stop spillages. 3 Labels all containers appropriately. 3 Dispose of empty containers safely, or return to the supplier. Never reuse them.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) – see OCM3 3 Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is normally not needed. Other protective equipment 3 Follow the instructions on product labels. 3 Where necessary, provide eye protection (visor or goggles). 3 Ensure workers wear protective gloves. Single-use gloves are acceptable. If you must use latex gloves, select low-protein powder- free gloves. 3 Tell workers to discard single use gloves every time they take them off. Maintenance, examination and testing Cleaning and housekeeping 3 Display the cleaning schedule. 3 The schedule should show: n the responsible person;

n the area, equipment and surfaces to be cleaned;

n the cleaning frequency; and

n the cleaning method.

3 The cleaner must sign the schedule with date/time. 3 Clear up spills immediately. Use protective gloves. You may also need RPE.

Waste 3 Empty waste to designated receptacles. If these are outside of accommodation areas, workers must wear designated PPE.

Cleaning accommodation and facilities OCE22 General ventilation

Personal hygiene and skin care Employee checklist 3 Provide hand wash basins with hot and cold running water Is the equipment in good 3 Provide pre-work skin creams, which will make it easier to wash dirt condition and working from the skin, and after-work creams to replace skin oils. properly? Caution: ‘Barrier creams’ or ‘liquid gloves’ do not provide a full barrier. Look for signs of leaks, wear and damage before Health surveillance every job. 3 Conduct low-level health surveillance for asthma using a respiratory Clean up leaks and spills questionnaire administered by a suitably trained responsible person. immediately. 3 Conduct low-level health surveillance for dermatitis involving skin If you find any problem, checks by suitably trained responsible person. get it fixed. Don’t just carry on working. Training and supervision Co-operate with health 3 Provide supervision – ensure that safe work procedures are followed. surveillance. 3 Hazardous substances and their health effects. Use, look after and store 3 Explain the early signs of asthma and dermatitis. your PPE in accordance 3 Supervise storage and inventory record keeping. with instructions. 3 Training includes toolbox talks on: Discard single-use gloves n how to check that the equipment is working properly; every time you take them n personal hygiene; off. Discard other gloves n how to clean up spills correctly; and at the end of the shift. n what to do if something goes wrong. Wash hands before 3 Involve managers and supervisors in health and safety training. eating, drinking or using the lavatory. Essential information Other hazards OCE0 Advice for managers n Muscolosketal disorders – OCM3 Personal protective equipment (PPE) manual handling, awkward heavy items in restricted places n Sharps

n Hot surfaces

n Wet work

n Slips and trips

Further information Safe use of cleaning chemicals in the hospitality industry Catering Information Sheet CAIS22 HSE Books 2003 www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ caterdex.htm

You can find the full Offshore COSHH essentials series at www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm

This guidance was developed by representatives from the UK offshore oil and gas industry and trade unions, with HSE.

© Crown copyright 2011 Published by the Health and Safety Executive 03/11