During the working day would you allow a complete stranger to walk into your office and wander through unchecked? Normally there are plenty of ‘gate keepers’ to manage and monitor who has access to your workplace during the day. I am constantly amazed though at the lengths that most companies will go to in order to ensure that their workplace is secure and safe during business hours but once the clock runs past 5.00 there seems to be a disregard for what goes on after hours on their site. There is an assumption that everything will be right.

Using a cleaning service providor who doesn’t have the security of your premises as its highest priority is not worth the risk

In most cases commercial office cleaning is carried out ‘after hours’, which in my opinion is the best time for services to be performed. It allows for a more thorough and complete service, mainly due to the fact that –

• Cleaning can be carried out without getting in the way of staff
• No issues with noise due to the normal cleaning process i.e trying to vacuum while staff are still taking/making telephone calls
• Reducing the slip & fall risk associated with the normal service of hard floor surfaces i.e wet tiles

For obvious reasons, after hours cleaning requires the cleaning team to have access to the clients premises. That normally involves the supply of keys or similar electronic swipe access and in most cases codes for security systems that are deactivated whilst the cleaners are on site. So wouldn’t you want to ensure that you knew a bit about the personnel entering your site? Absolutely!

At a minimum anyone contracted to clean your site should meet some minimum criteria to ensure the security of your workplace.

Anyone entering your site after hours should have a current police check.
They should have photo identification from the company they represent.
You should have met the person/s who will be coming on site to carry out the regular cleaning.
If for some reason they can’t attend to carry out the regular service then you should know who is replacing them.
They should be inducted on your site to ensure that they are safe whilst carrying out the service. An understanding of emergency procedures is essential.
They should also be familiar with the security system and who to contact in an emergency or if any security breach has occurred.
Some form of performance bond or financial investment on the part of the cleaner is a great incentive to make sure that they have your interests as their main priority.
When recruiting for a new cleaning service provider or if you are reviewing your current arrangments, ensure that these very important points form part of your selection criteria for your site. Contracting a supplier who does not respect your premises and the importance of its security, could be expensive and embarassing, if you get it wrong.