Facility cleaning means a host of tasks ranging from sweeping floors, emptying trash, to wiping the entrance gate of the building compound. Waste management goes hand in hand with facility cleaning and as a facility manager one needs to be top of it. Reducing waste and managing it responsibly is also receiving greater awareness and importance in the recent times.
For staff who oversee cleaning of the facilities and offices the waste management function cannot be overlooked. In this article, you’ll learn the key tasks of waste handling that should not be missed out from your office or facility cleaning routine. Let’s begin…
Understanding Waste
Every facility or site generates waste. The nature of work and kind of facility determines the types of waste generated. For instance, waste from an industrial site will be different from that produced by a corporate office building. So, categorisation and segregation of waste materials and their handling procedures must be planned and spelt out to the contractor or staff who are assigned the duty of disposing the waste.
In Singapore, a majority of commercial buildings are standalone office buildings, business park facilities, shop houses, and industrial buildings. So, let us focus on these and discuss waste management tasks in their context. Typically, you may enlist the task requirements as specifications in the tender contract that you may award to licensed cleaning companies. So, what should you include and look out for?
Waste Management Tasks to Include
Here are 7 tasks you may want to include –
- Wastepaper baskets in staff offices, general offices, subject rooms, and litter bins along common corridors/ in toilets should be emptied regularly on every working day
- Rubbish and other allied refuse arising from the use of the buildings and its immediate surroundings should be collected and deposited in bags or containers and brought to the Bin Centre immediately after sweeping or cleaning
- Arrange with a NEA approved Waste Collector for the daily bulk disposal of general waste from the bulk refuse bin centres
- Clearing all debris found on site. This may include any food, etc., left over from functions and events held in the building
- Dead cat, dog, rat, snake, etc. found in buildings or their surroundings must be collected and disposed of. Thereafter cleaning of the soiled areas of the building with chemicals must be done to rid any unpleasant odour
- Monitor and maintain equipment in Bin Centre, outdoor bin, etc and report any fault found
- For large facilities record the weight of daily waste collected and consolidate monthly and quarterly figures
Wrapping it Up
While checklists for office and facility cleaning are usually created and adhered to but when it comes to waste management the procedures may often get overlooked. Proper handling and management are key especially in our neat and green city of Singapore. So, observe the tips shared here and keep your facility 5-star clean!
