As an independently owned and operated cleaning business, with a long history of success, our priority has always been safety. Fostering a safety culture within our company ensures that all of our employees work in a safe environment while reducing liability and costs for all of our clients. 

Our safety practices extend to our Managed Labor Services and our Janitorial Services, thanks to our internal Safety Management program. This program emphasizes three significant aspects of safety, which we consider crucial: Training, Risk Mitigation, and Risk Management. 

This article will look at how our safety services cover all three categories as well as the Janitorial and Managed Labor specific measures we take.

Training

As one of the country’s highest-rated labor and cleaning companies, our safety standards start the moment a new employee is hired. As a result, we provide extensive training in all areas of our company, from internal LACOSTA training in our LMS (Learning Management System) to Site and Skill specific training. The most important of these training programs, however, is our Safety training!

Our 52-Week Safety Program covers one specific safety topic per week, which allows our employees to develop a keen recognition of safety practices as they grow into their various roles. At this pace, our employees can create a comprehensive “toolbox” so they can remain prepared for a variety of situations and challenges. Additionally, by continuing our employee’s training past orientation and through their employment, we make sure that safety is always the first concern. 

Risk Mitigation

One of the best ways to prevent risk is to stop it before it even happens. This philosophy is the driving idea behind our Risk Mitigation training. To properly assess all risks and work to prevent them, we conduct a Pre-Start safety audit at every site. In this audit, we identify: 

• Potential Hazards- Anything on site that could pose a risk or danger is noted and accounted for.
• Site-Specific Equipment- If any personal protective equipment is required for our employees, we make sure it will be provided and maintained.
• Site-Specific Training- According to the site and nature of the job, we will ensure that all employees on that site have received the proper training required to do the job safely and efficiently.

Following our initial audit, ongoing Site Safety Audits make certain that we can maintain and adjust our standards as required.

Risk Management

To effectively manage potentially risky behaviors, every site goes through Safety Behavioral Observation Surveys (BOS). Surveys like these allow us to find the root of a problem by taking stock of our employee’s behaviors and correcting any noticed errors. 

Similarly, we conduct a Safety Task Assessment (STA) at every site. These assessments help our employees learn about all the hazards associated with a task they are given and how to handle mistakes and potential hazards. 

Unfortunately, all risk isn’t completely avoidable, so in the rare case that a dangerous situation arises, we have several measures in place to handle and correct the problem. 

Altogether, our safety assessments and managers combine to create a solid culture of safety that shows in all of our work.

Janitorial Cleaning Service Safety Measures

In contrast to smaller house cleaning services, our commercial cleaning services are designed for large-scale projects, requiring more comprehensive safety inspections and measures. All of our cleaning crew team members go through the stages of training mentioned above before receiving their site and job-specific safety training.

For commercial janitorial services, these specific training programs cover:

• Cleaning Supplies- As commercial janitorial services sometimes have to deal with heavy-duty sanitization, all of our employees are trained on the proper labeling, maintenance, and storage of cleaning products.
• Equipment- Because our cleaning services include various types of cleaning, our training details the required protective gear, specialized tools, and knowledge of the equipment that our team members need to succeed safely. 

Managed Labor Service Safety Measures

As an alternative to temp agencies, our Managed Labor services can provide highly trained staff up and down the supply chain. Our services include everything from warehouse management to assembly line production, so our Managed Labor Safety training encompasses a broad scope of labor-specific risks.

In addition to the standard Safety Training and measures listed above, our Managed Labor employees learn about:

• Safety Data Sheets- Better known by their acronym (SDS), these data sheets detail precisely how to handle, store, and dispose of hazardous materials. 
• Tools and Protective Equipment- All of our labor employees are trained in the maintenance, cleaning, and operation of all tools they use. Additionally, they make sure to use all of the correct personal protective equipment at all times.
• Conditions and Procedures- Before performing any task, our employees are extensively trained in the job procedures and are constantly aware of what safe working conditions look like. 

Safety has been and will continue to be our number one priority. By fostering this culture, we can provide the best services possible and remain safe while doing them!

LACOSTA

For more than 32 years, LACOSTA has provided industry-leading janitorial and managed labor services to our clients. With our focus on safety, customer satisfaction, and mutual accountability, we take pride in our service to you.

If you are interested in learning more about our services and our safety culture, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We would be happy to discuss how our methods and procedures would apply to your business in particular!