Clean Or Change Furnace Filters Regularly. Replace disposable filters. Wash, brush or vacuum permanent filters.

[framed_box width=”” borderColor=”#0324df” borderThickness=”2″ textColor=”#0138b1″ rounded=”true” align=”center”]If you smell gas, get everyone out. Use your neighbor’s phone to call a qualified repair person or the gas company immediately. If possible, shut off the gas main from outside the home.[/framed_box]

[framed_box width=”” borderColor=”#990000″ borderThickness=”2″ textColor=”#990000″ rounded=”true” align=”center”]Caution: Never attempt to repair gas lines yourself.[/framed_box]

But in a work setting, it means much more. Housekeeping is crucial to safe workplaces. It can help prevent injuries and improve productivity and morale, as well as make a good first impression on visitor. It also can help an employer avoid potential fines for non-compliance.

The practice extends from traditional offices to industrial workplaces, including factories, warehouses and manufacturing plants that present special challenges such as hazardous materials, combustible dust and other flammables. Experts agree that all workplace safety programs should incorporate housekeeping, and every worker should play a part. In addition, housekeeping should have management’s commitment so workers realize its importance. Here are 11 tips for effective workplace housekeeping.

1. Prevent slips, trips and falls
Slips, trips and falls were the second leading cause of nonfatal occupational injuries or illnesses involving days away from work in 2013, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

2. Eliminate fire hazards

Employees are responsible for keeping unnecessary combustible materials from accumulating in the work area. Combustible waste should be “stored in covered metal receptacles and disposed of daily,” according to OSHA’s Hazardous Materials Standard (1910.106).

3. Control dust
Dust accumulation of more than 1/32 of an inch – or 0.8 millimeters – covering at least 5 percent of a room’s surface poses a significant explosion hazard. This dust accumulation is about as thick as a dime or paper clip.

4. Avoid tracking materials
Work-area mats – which can be cloth or sticky-topped – should be kept clean and maintained. This helps prevent the spread of hazardous materials to other work areas or home, Gray said. Check all mats to ensure they are not tripping hazards.

5. Prevent falling objects
Protections such as a toe board, toe rail or net can help prevent objects from falling and hitting workers or equipment.

6. Clear clutter
A cluttered workplace can lead to ergonomics issues and possible injuries because workers have less space to move, Gray said.

8. Use and inspect personal protective equipment and tools
Workers’ compensation cases stemming from employees who did not wear PPE when cleaning up spills or other material, such as broken glass or plywood, and then suffered cuts or splinters.

9. Determine frequency
All workers should participate in housekeeping, especially in terms of keeping their own work areas tidy, reporting safety hazards and cleaning up spills, if possible.

10. Create written rules
Experts agree that housekeeping policies should be put in writing. That way, Norton said, they are formal and defined. Written protocols could specify which cleaners, tools and methods should be used.

11. Think long-term
Housekeeping should be more than a one-time initiative – it should continue through monitoring and auditing. Keep records, maintain a regular walk-through inspection schedule, report hazards and train employees to help sustain housekeeping. Set goals and expectations, and base auditing on those goals.

What to do if you see a downed power line

Never, ever touch a downed power line or go near one. Power lines are not insulated like power cords. Always assume the power line is live.

• Don’t touch a fallen power line or anything touching the wire.
• Do not touch anything or anyone in contact with a fallen power line or other equipment.
• Keep children and pets away from fallen electric wires.
• Do not drive over a fallen power line.
• Call 911 immediately to report a fallen power line.

What to do if a power line touches your car

If your vehicle comes in contact with a downed power line

• Stay inside! The safest place is in your car. The ground around your car may be energized.
• Honk the horn, roll down your window and yell for help.
• Warn others to stay away. Anyone who touches the equipment or ground around the vehicle may be injured.
• Use your mobile phone to call 911.
• Fire department, police and PG&E workers will tell you when it is safe to get out of the vehicle.

If there is a fire and you have to exit a vehicle that has come in contact with downed power lines

• Remove loose items of clothing.
• Keep your hands at your sides and jump clear of the vehicle, so you are not touching the car when your feet hit the ground.
• Keep both feet close together and shuffle away from the vehicle without picking up your feet.