The term housekeeping, when applied to farming and agricultural operations does carry some sense of what it means in the hospitality industry, and in general domestic and commercial service.
Housekeeping is a word that prefers really to all areas of a operation being kept in good order, being kept clean and being kept safe.
On a farm or agricultural operation, there are a number of different areas that need to be kept continually safe and clean, both the good running of the business itself, but also for the safety of the employees and of the family who own or run a company.
Farms traditionally revolve around agricultural machinery, mainly tractors, combine harvesters, utility vehicles, as well as a number of different cars and trucks.
Depending upon the nature of the work at the farm is involved in, there may well be different chemicals, different pieces of machinery and different tools all of which could pose a potential hazard.
Housekeeping is are keeping all of these areas safe, on a continual basis, and making sure that anyone involved in any area of this work has an attitude that these areas are important and need to be kept free from any risk or danger to any individual, whether an employee, a member of the family or a member of the public who may be on the farm for different reasons.
Any area that is considered a work area, whether it includes machinery or livestock or anything else, needs to be designated as a potential risk zone, and such strict housekeeping protocols need to be in place in order to safeguard the well-being of everyone who may on any occasion be there.
Housekeeping practices include the need to recognise appropriate storage, how any materials or equipment that are kept in this area are used and also how any mistakes or spillages or damage machinery are cleaned up or dealt with for repair.
Where good housekeeping practices are protocols are not in place it creates a potential hazard. Housekeeping is a preventative measure, and is about attitude and practice.
Encouraging people to keep an area clean is a prerequisite of most good housekeeping protocols. This can include informal picking up of rubbish or debris that may be lying around, as well as a more formal cleaning protocol with certain people designated to make sure that all areas are kept clean on a regular basis.
Storage is crucially important, both at a practical level and also has an attitude of good housekeeping practice. The old expression a tidy mind applies very much to this area. If an area looks unkempt, it is likely that there are a number of practices that could be considered unsafe or sloppy, which could ultimately lead to more hazards and risks.
Housekeeping is primarily about preventing injury. Health and safety has become a term that many people either slightly ridicule, or think it’s just an excuse to be risk averse. It is in fact quite the opposite. It is about understanding the nature of risk in order to evaluate the acceptability of a risk, and take whatever precautions may be necessary.
When looking at the importance of housekeeping in relation to a farm or agricultural operation, there are a number of areas of topics that need to be carefully considered.
The first one is what is often termed as the adequacy of the workplace. This really means that it is important that what ever workplace is designated as such has certain elements that make it possible to keep it safe.
The first one of these is to make sure that all the passages and walkways through the worksite are sufficiently wide and high to enable people to move safely through them, either on their own or with a colleague, or when carrying or transporting such machinery.
There needs to be appropriate and safe lighting throughout the workplace, with provision for backup if any reason lighting fails. Employees should be aware of the need for emergency lighting in the event of fire or other related incident that might disable the electricity used in this particular workplace.
Ventilation is also really important. A number of farm buildings and related agricultural premises well have different uses, and may well include storage of certain chemicals, livestock feed or other potential farm products. Having good ventilation is crucially important.
The type of flooring involved in the workplace is also really important. There need to be slip resistant floors and rants throughout the premises in order that people who are moving about or carrying goods machinery can do so safely without the fear of falling over or slippage of any materials or maybe carrying.
A number of pieces of a workplace may well have sharp edges that are either visible or slightly hidden. It is a basic premise of all workplaces that any door or frame or desk or structure in a workplace that has a sharp edge needs to have its eliminated. Just knowing that it is there is not good enough.
A sharp edge and easily turn into a highly dangerous weapon in a few seconds if someone is distracted or not paying attention, and is a risk that can be easily identified and should be dealt before for any harm can be caused by it.
A good workplace needs to have quite a high degree of signage about a number of things, one of which is clear and visible directions as well all entrances and exits of the workplace are located. This is in part in order to allow a good workflow of people throughout the premises, but is also to do with fire safety.
In the event of a fire or an explosion of any type, it is imperative that people have a clear route they follow quickly without the need to stop and think or talk or read signs.
A number of farms will use hoists in different parts of different buildings throughout the premises, and it is important is kept in good working order. It is not a good idea to suddenly discover that a hoist has not been serviced or kept properly at just the time when it needs to be used. There should be a protocol specific to hoists that shows when they have been serviced and by whom.
Finally the most important area in many ways is to make sure that all toilets and handwashing facilities are provided, are kept clean and are always in a optimum hygienic state.
One of the biggest obstacles to housekeeping in farming and agricultural operations is simply that of attitudes. This can often be a problem amongst a workforce has been there for a considerable period of time, and as such is simply resistant to change.
This resistance is not normally about the practical issues of what is involved, but is normally simply a process of habit and safety. People can become almost too comfortable in a working environment if it never changes, a process that is sometimes referred to as being institutionalised.
The sense of being institutionalised is normally thought of as referring to big corporations, such as banks and insurance companies. In fact, it can apply to any business of any size or operation, where the people have worked there for a long period of time.
One of the solutions to this is to bring in the new and younger workers in addition to the existing workforce. They can sometimes be employed as workers themselves, possibly in terms, apprentices or simply people on some type of work experience.
They will normally be more open to new ideas and looking at things regarding health and safety in a more objective and realistic light. This can have a knock-on effect on existing workers as well, both positive and negative.
The positive aspect is that they may be willing to look at things in a new light and help change the work place into a safer and less risky environment.
The downside is that it may create a sense of conflict within the workforce, between existing workers and newer people, who can sometimes be seen as being a bit abrasive or even a bit arrogant in thinking they know better than the older colleagues or peers.
This is not to say that this approach should not be used, it is simply a case of man management which is handled correctly can have immense benefits to the workplace, and as such to the health and safety of the business.
New younger workers can be encouraged to report work areas that they feel are unsafe, for any reason. This can include things that are inherently unsafe, or simply things happen on a day-to-day basis.
Some of the most common areas normally include things such as defective lighting, flaws that need sweeping or keeping clean, spillages on the floor normally from oil and grease, and the most important area in many ways mentioned above making sure that toilet facilities are kept clean and hygienic.
Sometimes a new workforce will have more time on their hands than existing employees. There may be a number of reasons for this, but one side-effect is that they can be told very simply that if they have time on their hands they can apply that time to doing housekeeping work.
It can be made very clear to them that the nature of the workplace in terms of health and safety is of crucial importance, and that there was a lot they can do to make sure it is kept safe on a daily basis simply by looking around and using their commonsense.
If any farm or agricultural operation can be thought of in environmental terms in two ways. The most common is to think of it as an environment include a physical sense in which the work of the farm is carried out. This can include the land, the buildings, animals and livestock etc.
These to create housekeeping issues in their own right, but the time environment can also apply in a much smaller sense in the day-to-day workplace that exists, and where a buildup of the normal day-to-day work materials and practices can generate health and safety risks that can be managed and dealt with.
One of the most common issues that can easily be ignored is that of dust. Does not take much imagination to realise how much dust can exist in any type of form or agricultural business.
What is often not appreciated so much is at dust can be a major source of fire hazard. The comparison is often made with that of kindling. Anyone who starts a fire, will probably appreciate that it can often need materials that are known as kindling materials to start the fire off, before adding larger pieces of wood to it.
Dust is known to have a very low kindling temperature, and can burn in a manner that is often compared to that of petrol or gasoline in that it can act in such a way that seems like an explosion.
Back to the amount of dust that is bound to accrue on any farm or agricultural operation, and it will quickly be realised that this is a serious issue.
On one hand it is impossible not to have dust around the business, however clean it is kept, or however much the team protocols are put in place and adhere to, at the same time it is important to identify areas of risk.
The really important thing is to understand where a build up of dust could lead to a fire if the area around the dust is particularly flammable, and these are areas that need to be kept clean at all times.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that dust explosions have occurred with much severity in feed mills, and grain storage elevators. Apparently the explosion normally occurs when some type of electrical spark ignites the dust and leads to a fire with potentially awful consequences.
But can also be ignited by sparks that can fly from people using welding equipment, often in a perfectly safe manner. Sparks are a side-effect of welding which is frequently used in different types of grain and feed holdings, as well as in other types of farming and agricultural businesses.
It is important to apply the principles of housekeeping to welding equipment, and the areas around any machinery were welding takes place. This can apply to welding helmets as well as welding curtains. Making sure these are safe to use on a regular basis not only reduces the possibility of fire risk, but also reduces the possibility of an employee being damaged in any way in a physical sense due to poor or damaged equipment.
A quick look around any farm or agricultural business will immediately show the huge range of different types of materials and tools that are used in the day-to-day work of the farm.
What may not be so obvious immediately is the need for some type of proper storage system to everything that is either loose or does not have its own proper place in a designated zone.
The importance of storage is twofold. Firstly it creates systems are all types of material kept in a specific place that is worked out beforehand, and which people will know where appropriate materials are.
This is back to the principle of a tidy mind, and helps generate both systems and practices that people know where things are meant to be kept, and can make sure that they are always put back in a proper place, even if it is not their responsibility to do so.
The second really important issue about storage refers to the materials that are being stored. this may seem quite obvious, but it is important to make sure that any material of a particular length or wait stored in a way appropriate both to itself and to other materials alongside it.
All types of material frequently used, may be taken out of storage and replaced, or new materials or similar design and nature replaced instead. There needs to be a storage system in place to make sure that the layout of these materials is such that there is no risk or minimal risk of a heavy for long object injuring someone because has been stored improperly.
Generally speaking, the heavier the object, then the nearer to the ground it should be stored, and similarly with any really long or unruly materials. The principal consideration should be that there should be as little danger as possible of a heavy unwieldy material falling on someone when another piece of material is being removed from the same storage area.
The other really important area storage refers to all types of fuels and lubricants. Given the amount of machinery on any farm agricultural business, including tractors, UTV’s, generators etc the amount of fuel that will be on a farm is likely to be considerable, and the risks posed to the farm if the fuels are not stored properly could be immense.
How fuel is stored will vary depending on the nature of the operation, but a couple of basic tips can help improve safety enormously. There are likely to be designated or professional storage containers available to all types of fuel that will be used on the farm, and it is important that these are the only storage containers that are used.
They are likely to be labelled, and also quite like to be colour specific. This should help provide a degree of communal understanding of the fuels that can lead to better safety management.
It is also hopefully fairly obvious that these fuels should be kept as far apart from any other materials that could be considered flammable, that dust around them should be kept to a minimum and that the whole area should be kept clean as possible.
Any spillages should be cleaned up immediately, and that should be protocols in place at your specific guidance as to what type of cleaning materials and cleaning practices should be in place for each specific fuel.
It is also important to add that any individual who handles any type of fuel or spillage in the course of their work they make absolutely sure that they have cleaned themselves as best as they can, both in terms of using cleansing agents for their hands and other body parts that may have been exposed,and also that they regularly change their work clothes when not in their own work environment.
A quick look around any farm or agricultural business will immediately show the huge range of different types of materials and tools that are used in the day-to-day work of the farm.
What may not be so obvious immediately is the need for some type of proper storage system to everything that is either loose or does not have its own proper place in a designated zone.
The importance of storage is twofold. Firstly it creates systems are all types of material kept in a specific place that is worked out beforehand, and which people will know where appropriate materials are.
This is back to the principle of a tidy mind, and helps generate both systems and practices that people know where things are meant to be kept, and can make sure that they are always put back in a proper place, even if it is not their responsibility to do so.
The second really important issue about storage refers to the materials that are being stored. this may seem quite obvious, but it is important to make sure that any material of a particular length or wait stored in a way appropriate both to itself and to other materials alongside it.
All types of material frequently used, may be taken out of storage and replaced, or new materials or similar design and nature replaced instead. There needs to be a storage system in place to make sure that the layout of these materials is such that there is no risk or minimal risk of a heavy for long object injuring someone because has been stored improperly.
Generally speaking, the heavier the object, then the nearer to the ground it should be stored, and similarly with any really long or unruly materials. The principal consideration should be that there should be as little danger as possible of a heavy unwieldy material falling on someone when another piece of material is being removed from the same storage area.
The other really important area storage refers to all types of fuels and lubricants. Given the amount of machinery on any farm agricultural business, including tractors, UTV’s, generators etc the amount of fuel that will be on a farm is likely to be considerable, and the risks posed to the farm if the fuels are not stored properly could be immense.
How fuel is stored will vary depending on the nature of the operation, but a couple of basic tips can help improve safety enormously. There are likely to be designated or professional storage containers available to all types of fuel that will be used on the farm, and it is important that these are the only storage containers that are used.
They are likely to be labelled, and also quite like to be colour specific. This should help provide a degree of communal understanding of the fuels that can lead to better safety management.
It is also hopefully fairly obvious that these fuels should be kept as far apart from any other materials that could be considered flammable, that dust around them should be kept to a minimum and that the whole area should be kept clean as possible.
Any spillages should be cleaned up immediately, and that should be protocols in place at your specific guidance as to what type of cleaning materials and cleaning practices should be in place for each specific fuel.
It is also important to add that any individual who handles any type of fuel or spillage in the course of their work they make absolutely sure that they have cleaned themselves as best as they can, both in terms of using cleansing agents for their hands and other body parts that may have been exposed,and also that they regularly change their work clothes when not in their own work environment.
If the term is applied to farming operations, housekeeping does have some meaning for what it means in hospitality and domestic service.
Housekeeping refers to keeping all areas of an operation clean, safe and in good order.
Many areas of a farm or agricultural business need to be kept safe and clean.
Traditional farm machinery revolves around tractors, combine-harvesters, utility vehicles, and many other vehicles.
Depending on the nature of the work, there may be different chemicals or pieces of machinery that are used, all of which could pose hazards.
Housekeeping is the responsibility of keeping these areas safe. It also involves ensuring that all family members and employees are aware of the importance of these areas and are free from any danger or risk to them.
Any area that could be considered a working area for machinery, livestock, or other animals should be designated as a risk zone. Such strict housekeeping protocols are necessary to protect the health and safety of anyone who may be in such an area.
You need to be able to identify the right storage area, how it is used and any damage or mistakes that may have occurred.
Good housekeeping practices can be undermined by poor protocols. Housekeeping is a preventative step. It’s about attitude and practice.
A good housekeeping protocol will encourage people to keep a place clean. This could involve a simple pick up of any trash or debris lying around. Or, it can be a more formal cleaning process with specific people who are responsible for making sure all areas are clean.
Storage is important on both a practical and moral level. It is important to keep this area tidy. If an area is messy, it’s likely there are many unsafe or sloppy practices, which can lead to greater risks and hazards.
Preventing injury is the main purpose of housekeeping. Many people view safety and health as something to be ridiculed, or simply consider it an excuse to avoid taking risks. It is actually the exact opposite. It is about understanding what risk means to understand the nature of the risk so that you can assess whether the risk is acceptable and take precautions if necessary.
Consider a variety of topics when considering the importance housekeeping for a farm or other agricultural operation.
The first is often called the “adequacy” of the workplace. This basically means that it is essential that any workplace designated as such have certain elements that allow it to be safe.
First, make sure all walkways and passageways on the worksite have sufficient width and height to allow for safe movement, whether one is walking alone, with a colleague, or carrying or transporting heavy machinery.
It is essential that there be adequate, safe lighting in the workplace. There should also be backup lighting in case of an emergency. Employees should be informed about the necessity for emergency lighting in case of fire or other similar incident that could disrupt electricity in this workplace.
Ventilation is very important. Ventilation is also important because there are many different uses for farm buildings. Some may be used to store chemicals, animal feed, or other potential farm products. Good ventilation is critical.
It is crucial to determine the type of flooring in your workplace. The flooring must be safe for people moving around the building or lifting heavy objects.
Many pieces in a workplace could have sharp edges, which may be either obvious or partially hidden. A workplace should have no doors, frames, desks, or other structures that have sharp edges. This is a fundamental principle. The mere fact that it is there doesn’t make it any less unacceptable.
A sharp edge can become a very dangerous weapon within seconds if someone isn’t paying attention or distracted. It is important to identify this risk immediately and deal with it before it can cause any harm.
A well-designed workplace must have ample signage. This is a part of allowing a good workflow for people throughout the premises. It is also important to fire safety.
It is crucial that people know where they are going in the event there is a fire, explosion or other type of emergency.
There will be hoists used by many farms in different locations throughout the farm. It is vital that these hoists work properly. It is not a good idea suddenly to discover that your hoist was not maintained or serviced at the correct time. Hoists should have a protocol that clearly shows who has serviced them and when.
Last but not least, ensure that all toilets and handwashing facilities have been provided and kept clean.
Attitudes are a major obstacle to housekeeping in agricultural operations and agriculture. This can sometimes be a problem when a workforce has been in place for a while and is resistant of change.
This resistance is not usually about practical issues, but rather a matter of habit and safety. People can get too comfortable in their work environment if they don’t see any changes. This is often referred to as institutionalisation.
A sense of being institutionalized is often thought to be referring only to large corporations, such banks and insurance firms. It can be applied to any business regardless of size or operation, provided the people have been working there for a significant amount of time.
One solution to this problem is to hire newer and more youthful workers. They might be available as workers or apprentices.
They will generally be more open and willing to listen to new ideas. This can have a positive and negative effect on current workers.
One positive aspect of their work is that they may be willing and able to see things in a new way and make the work environment safer and less risky.
It may lead to conflict within the workforce between older workers and younger people. This can sometimes lead to them being seen as arrogant or abrasive in their belief that they know better than their older colleagues.
This is not a denial of this approach. However, it is a case where man management can have enormous benefits for the workplace and the safety and health of employees.
You can encourage younger workers to report areas they feel unsafe. This could include situations that are inherently unsafe or those that occur on a daily basis.
Some of the most common areas include floors that are difficult to light, floors that require sweeping or cleaning, spillages from oil and grease, and in many other ways the most important, making sure that the facilities are clean and hygienic.
Sometimes new workers will have more free time than current employees. Although there are many reasons why this might be, they will often tell you that if they have the time they need to do housekeeping.
They should be able to clearly communicate that the workplace is safe and healthy.
It is possible to consider any farm or agricultural operation as an environment in one of two ways. It can be viewed as an environment, which is a sense of the physical conditions in which the farm operates. This includes the land, buildings and animals, as well as livestock.
These factors can cause problems with housekeeping, but also in the everyday workplace, where the buildup and use of work materials can present safety and health hazards that can be managed.
Dust is an issue that cannot be overlooked. It doesn’t take much imagination or creativity to understand how much dust can exist in every type of business, agricultural or otherwise.
The dangers of dust being a fire hazard are often not well understood. The analogy is often made to kindling. Anyone who has ever tried to light a fire knows that it may need some kindling materials before they can add larger pieces of wood.
Dust is well-known for its low kindling temperature. It can also burn in a way that is often compared with gasoline and petrol.
Recall the amount of dust that will accumulate on any farm or agricultural operation and you’ll quickly realize this is a serious problem.
While it’s impossible to avoid dust around the business no matter how well the protocols are followed or the company is cleaned up, it is equally important to identify areas that could pose a risk.
The most important thing is to recognize where dust accumulation could lead to a flame if the dust is particularly flammable.
Anecdotal evidence indicates that dust explosions have happened with severe consequences in feed mills and grain storage elevators. It is believed that an electric spark ignites the dust and causes it to explode, which can have potentially disastrous consequences.
It can also be ignited with sparks from people using welding equipment. It is usually safe. Sparks are a side effect to welding. This is used in many types grain and feed holdings.
It is important to observe the rules of good housekeeping when welding equipment is in use. This goes for welding helmets and curtains as well. Regularly making sure they are safe to use reduces the likelihood of a fire and also decreases the potential for injury.
Although housekeeping is often related to safety issues and farm operations, it can also be applied to simple areas.
A material spillage could prove to be extremely dangerous. It could lead to injury or slippage.
There’s also the possibility that an item is leaking liquid, which could indicate that it is dangerous.
This is especially important for machinery used in agriculture, including vehicles or tractors.
The idea is that it is very important to ensure that any liquid that has spilled onto a floor is cleaned up promptly.
To prevent slippage, cover any area that has a leakage.
Once the village is located, signs should be posted to warn people of the danger or hazard posed by the spillage.
After the spillage has been cleaned up, any signage that is visible should be left in place until the area becomes dry and clean.
Also, be aware that in the context a farm/agricultural operation, people walking through areas may be carrying different types of machinery or parts of machinery as well as sensitive items like Power Tools.
These items are often heavy and difficult to transport. If an individual carries one too much, it can lead to severe injuries. You must be alert to any liquid that may get sprayed.
This also raises a very important question about who has to clear up this potential hazard.
Most safety and healthcare laws recognize that an employer and employee are in a partnership regarding health and safety issues. This partnership should reflect both in the legislation relevant to the specific industry and the nature the business.
It is possible for the partnership to be different and you need to know what it means for each business. The employer has a duty to care for employees as well as the public and must ensure that there is safety in the workplace.
It is quite possible for one or two people to be assigned the specific roles in a workplace. They will be expected document their work on a daily basis to show that these areas have been checked and supervised.
If an employee observes a spillage of other risks, it is possible for them to be held responsible. It is possible that an employee could be held liable if they fail to recognize a risk or cause damage.
Although this is a general recommendation, it is imperative that everyone who works in the agricultural industry ensures that their work places are safe. This applies to both their own safety and those of their family members.
It is easy to see the many types of materials and tools utilized in farm work.
Not all items are required to be stored in the designated areas.
There are two main reasons storage is so important. First, it creates systems. All types of material are kept in a particular place. It is designed so that people will be able to find the right materials.
This is a return to the principle behind a neat mind and helps create systems that allow people to know where things are kept and to make sure they are returned in a proper location, even though it is not their responsibility.
The second, most important aspect of storage is the material being stored. It may seem obvious, but it’s important to make sure any material with a specific length or waiting time is stored in a way that is both appropriate to it and other materials.
All types of material can be taken out of storage to be replaced or new materials of a similar design or nature may be used. A storage system is needed to ensure that materials are stored correctly so there is no chance of them being damaged or thrown away.
The heavier an object is, the closer it should be stored to the ground. The same applies for any long or unruly material. The main consideration should be to minimize the risk of heavy, unwieldy objects falling on people when other pieces of material are being removed from the same area.
Other important storage areas include all types of fuels or lubricants. A farm’s machinery, including UTVs, generators, and tractors, will likely have a large amount of fuel. This could pose a risk to the farm.
How fuel is stored will depend on what type of operation it is. But, there are some simple tips that can increase safety. There will likely be professional storage containers designated for each type of fuel used on the farm. It is essential that these containers be the only ones used.
They are likely to have a label and be color specific. This should allow for a better understanding by the public of the fuels.
It should be obvious, hopefully, that these fuels are to be kept as far as possible from any other materials which could be considered flammable. Also, dust around them should remain at a minimum and the entire area should stay as clean as is possible.
Spillages must be cleaned up immediately.
It is also important that individuals who deal with fuel spillage or any other type of fuel in the course their work ensure that they thoroughly clean their bodies and that they change their work clothes whenever possible.
