What Cleaning and Waste Services Do

Every building needs cleaning and waste services. They keep people healthy, keep the building safe, protect surfaces and equipment, and show visitors that the organisation is well run. They are also among the services people notice first. A dirty washroom or an overflowing bin is seen by everyone.

In this course you will learn how cleaning and waste services are planned, how the work is done safely, and how to recognise good and poor practice. The course is for cleaning operatives, supervisors, and facilities staff who are new to these services.

What waste services do

Waste services collect waste from the building, keep different types of waste separate, store it safely and pass it to licensed carriers who take it for recycling, treatment or disposal. The law in most countries gives the organisation that produces waste a duty to make sure it is handled properly all the way to the end. Good waste services also reduce cost, because sending waste to landfill is usually the most expensive option.

Example 1. In a busy office, washrooms are checked and serviced several times a day. Complaints fall and staff say the building feels better cared for.

Example 2. A warehouse left cardboard piled next to the building. A small fire started in the pile at night. After this, waste was stored in closed containers away from the walls.