Use electrical or battery powered cleaning equipment for a variety of surfaces
Overview
This standard is part of the competence area related to providing cleaning services, including the use of equipment. It is about using electrical or battery powered cleaning equipment for a variety of surfaces. It is for cleaning operatives who need to ensure electrical or battery powered equipment is fit for purpose and safe to use. This could be any type of electrical or battery powered equipment including, suction cleaners, spray cleaners and rotary floor buffers, although this is not an exhaustive list. In this context electrical equipment is defined as any equipment which plugs into the mains and has a cord, lead or cable. Battery powered equipment does not have a cord. This standard addresses a variety of surfaces for cleaning and is designed for cleaning operatives. It is suitable for cleaning furniture, floors fixtures and fittings.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Preparation and protection
1. carry out health checks and follow organisational procedures for safe working practice
2. follow dynamic risk assessment requirements of your organisation within the workplace
3. take the relevant actions depending on the outcome of risk assessments carried out
4. ensure all required products and protective equipment are available
5. wear the relevant protective equipment while carrying out cleaning
6. follow organisational procedures for reusing or disposing of protective equipment
7. ensure the safe systems of work and requirements are followed
8. select the appropriate colour-coded equipment
9. ensure any relevant safety and warning signs are displayed clearly
Using equipment
10. use specialist equipment for disinfection, including fog, mist, vapour and ultraviolet (UV) systems and follow relevant procedures for re-entry
11. check that you have access to the required equipment and perform the relevant safety checks of testing date and label
12. ventilate the area if required
13. adjust equipment appropriately for the requirements of the task and in accordance with your organisation's health and safety procedures
14. check and prepare the surface for cleaning
15. ensure the working area is free from slipping and tripping hazards
16. ensure that the battery pack is charged in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and your organisation's procedures
17. ensure that the cable, cord or lead of the electrical appliance is correctly positioned and connected
18. use the correct operating technique for the equipment concerned
19. select the appropriate cleaning agent for the surface to be cleaned
20. prepare any cleaning agents in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and your organisation's procedures
21. ensure that the surface to be cleaned is covered so that the whole area is cleaned properly
22. check the condition of the surface after cleaning
23. empty any leftover cleaning agents from the equipment and dispose of these safely
24. clean and test the equipment in accordance with your organisation's procedures and return to the storage area
25. reinstate the work area
Controlling the risk of infection
26. follow your organisation's requirements for mitigation of risk of infection in the workplace
27. follow the cleaning procedures depending on environment and identified risks
28. examine areas for cleaning and identify any high contact touch points
29. carry out cleaning in accordance with work schedule and required frequency depending on the outcomes of risk assessment
30. use cleaning products including specialist cleaning solutions, antibacterial and antiviral chemicals
31. use disposable cleaning equipment to reduce viral loading in the areas being cleaned
32. follow the enhanced cleaning, decontamination and disinfection procedures for suspected or confirmed virus contamination
33. dispose of used cleaning and protective equipment in accordance with specified safety procedures
34. clean and disinfect reusable cleaning equipment
35. wash and dry your hands thoroughly and safely in accordance with organisational requirements
36. ensure the hand washing facilities are maintained with an adequate supply of washing solution, disinfection gels and a hygienic means of hand drying
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
Preparation and protection
1. the health checks and relevant procedures for safe working practice
2. your organisation's principles of dynamic risk assessment within the workplace
3. the relevant actions depending on the outcome of risk assessments carried out
4. the products and protective equipment for carrying out cleaning and infection control
5. how to reuse the protective equipment or dispose of it in line with your organisation's safety procedures
6. how and where to display the relevant safety and infection control signage for cleaning areas
7. the organisational requirements for safe systems of work
8. your organisation's requirements for minimising risk of infection while working on premises
9. how to check that the equipment is safe for use
10. why it is important to choose the correct colour coded equipment and how to use it
Using the equipment
11. how to use specialist equipment for disinfection using fog, mist, vapour and ultraviolet (UV) systems
12. the electrical or battery powered equipment appropriate for the task you are undertaking
13. why it is important to ventilate the area correctly
14. the location of the charging or electrical power supply point
15. the relevant safety checks for equipment
16. why it is important to ensure the working area is free from slipping and tripping hazards
17. the cleaning agents which are appropriate for different types of surface
18. the correct method for the preparation of the solution
19. how to adjust the working equipment safely
20. how to prepare the surface for cleaning
21. your organisation's procedures for charging of battery packs
22. the correct operating technique for the equipment
23. how to ensure full coverage of the surface to be cleaned
24. how to inspect the surface post-cleaning
25. how to dispose of cleaning agents safely and in accordance with your organisation's procedures
26. why it is important to clean and test equipment before returning it to the storage area
27. how to reinstate the work area
Controlling the risk of infection
28. your organisation's procedures for mitigating the risk of infection
29. the frequency of routine cleaning in communal areas, facilities and high-contact areas
30. the enhanced cleaning, decontamination and disinfection procedures for suspected or confirmed virus contamination
31. the areas for cleaning and how to identify high contact touch points
32. the range of specialist cleaning products and how to use them safely and effectively
33. the cleaning procedures to follow, depending on the environment and risks identified
34. your organisation's procedures for cleaning and disinfection of reusable equipment
35. your organisation's procedures for disposing of used cleaning equipment and protective equipment
36. the duration of hand washing procedures after the protective equipment is removed