MAINTENANCE

OF CLEANING
EQUIPMENT
A vacuum cleaner is a
device that uses an air pump
to create a partial vacuum to
suck up dust and dirt, usually
from floors, and optionally
from other surfaces as well.
The dirt is collected by either
a dust bag or a cyclone for
later disposal.
 Vacuum cleaners, which are used in
homes as well as in industry, exist in a
variety of sizes and models— small battery
operated hand-held devices, domestic
central vacuum cleaners, huge stationary
industrial appliances that can handle several
hundred liters of dust before being emptied,
and self propelled vacuum trucks for
recovery of large spills or removal of
contaminated soil.
A floor buffer is an electrical
appliance that is used to clean and
maintain non-carpeted floors, such
as hardwood, marble, tile or
linoleum. It is also known as a
floor polisher or floor burnisher. If
it is a high speed floor buffer with
a pad it rotates at over 1000 RPM
(rotation per minute). It has a
large, round scrubbing pad
spinning in a circle in one
direction which is powered by a
small motor, usually directly over
the center of the pad.
VIDEO PRESENTATION ON HOW TO USE FLOOR
POLISHER
Correct Maintenance of Tools and Equipment

A further part of a health and safety

strategy is to maintain tools and equipment
regularly. This helps to identify safety
problems before they become a serious
hazard. Only qualified people should carry
out the maintenance. They should also keep
records of their inspections.
 Management
There is one important way to follow the rules and to
manage the safe use and maintenance of tools and
equipment. This is to assess and control the risks.
Employers should conduct Risk Assessments that
cover the setting up, use and maintenance of tools and
equipment at work. The risk assessment process must
identify the environments in which workers will use the tools
and equipment; any local conditions that may affect safety;
and how the workers will actually use each item in practice.
 Risk assessments such as these
let employers know what orientation
and training they need to run. The
assessments also show what
information employers must make
available in the form of posters, user
guides and Safety Signs.
 General Rules in the Use of Cleaning
Equipment
 1. Check electrical appliances and equipment
before use. Check if there are frayed wires, loose
plugs ad connections. Never use any appliance
that is defective.
 2. Handle equipment with care and make sure it
does not bump on hard surfaces.
 3. Clean and store equipment in their custodial
room immediately after use.
4. Empty dust bags of dry vacuum cleaners before
they overload and after each use.
5. Follow manufacturer’s operating instruction.
6. Schedule a regular check-up of equipment to
prevent serious breakdown.
7. To avoid electric shock or short circuit, do not
expose equipment to rain or water. Store them
indoors to protect them from getting wet. Electrical
equipment should never be used in wet surfaces