Why Workplace Hygiene Should Be a Key Part of HR Training and Employee Responsibility

Including workplace hygiene in the HR curriculum should be mandatory. An HR manager is ultimately employed to look after his/her employees, and maintaining employee health is a part of that responsibility. A hygienic workplace ensures employee health, and a healthy staff is essential for enhancing overall performance levels. The more health issues there are, the greater the number of absences, resulting in decreased staff and overall performance.

It is also the duty of the employee to take care of personal hygiene along with workplace hygiene. One should pay utmost attention to personal appearance. If an illness is present, it should be reported to the manager to ensure it does not affect colleagues. An unhygienic environment fosters infectious diseases, exacerbating health-related concerns.

As employees spend more than half of their day at the workplace, it is crucial to maintain conditions that facilitate better performance. Areas such as drinking water, kitchens, toilets, and cafeterias are where pathogens can thrive; hence, they should be sanitized and cleaned regularly.

Any hazardous materials found should be reported to a senior. Fire extinguishers should be available in case of emergencies, and employees should be equipped with the skills to handle such situations.

-Arti Bakshi

[Human Resource, Human Resource Magazine, HR Magazine, HR Writeups, HR Trivia](http://www.humanresource.net.in)

Dear Arti Bakshi,

“Industrial hygiene is that branch of art and science devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of those environmental factors or stresses, arising in or from the workplace, that may cause sickness, impaired health and well-being, or significant discomfort and inefficiency among workers

Personal Hygiene:

Sanitary health habits that include keeping the body, hair, teeth clean, wearing clean clothes and washing hands and body regularly especially when handling food and drinks.

Industrial Hygiene is only a part of occupational health.

Fire protection, prevention, control and extinguishmenr, emergecy planning and preparedness, accident prevention etc are part of occupational safety.

Occupational Safety, Health and environment are specialization and HSE personnel are supposed to take care of it.

I am doubt whether HR personnel are equipped with that kind of HSE specalization.

It will be better if HSE personnel are assigned to do the job.

Regards,

Ksava Pillai