Chemical Safety
“I have this wonderful product- can you use it?”
I can’t tell you how many times a client has told me that they have a chemical they use in their home that’s “just magic” and “can you use it in my home?”
During our consultation, I am very clear with my clients: we can use a preferred chemical provided that certain criteria are met:
First, the client submits the chemical for approval at least 14 days prior to use with a $50 administrative fee. The chemical will be approved if it is appropriate for the surface they would like us to use it on and they sign a liability waiver, agreeing to hold us harmless if that chemical should damage their fixtures.
After we receive their request, we will procure the chemical, its Safety Data Sheets, and all appropriate personal protective equipment that the chemical requires. We will hold a division-wide safety training for the approved chemical at our regular staff meeting. Then and only then, can we use it.
Why is it such a pain for us to use your chemical?
OSHA Compliance. OSHA regulations dictate what we can and cannot use. Several OSHA regulations govern the use of chemicals. First, we must offer safety training for every chemical we carry and use. Second, we must offer appropriate safety equipment to our staff while they are using this chemical. Third, we must have safety data sheets for this chemical on file and be able to produce them within 5 minutes of an employee need. Five minutes seems like a short time, but imagine that you have a dangerous chemical in your eye: five minutes can feel like a lifetime. A violation of any of these requirements is a minimum $15,000 fine.
Safety Data Sheets include valuable information, such as pH levels and chemical composition, safety information, required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), known hazards, and these pictograms— part of OSHA’s Globally Harmonized System for communicating hazards. There are 16 sections to a Safety Data Sheet, all of which an employer must read, understand, and keep on file.
Employee Safety. Employee safety is our priority. OSHA is not an organization that ruins consumers’ lives by creating arbitrary rules. They are a safety organization that promotes the health and wellbeing of our staff by creating and maintaining standards that are scientifically sound and that make sense. This includes a multi-step process for removing, then reducing, then mitigating risks.
Personal Protective Equipment
The risks that you are allowed to take as a consumer are much more than the risks I’m allowed to and willing to expose my staff to on a job site. If a Safety Data Sheet calls for PPE, we wear it. That’s why we need time to gather manufacturer data and properly train staff.
Employee Long-Term Health. If PPE is so important, why don’t you normally see us in heavy gloves and respirators? Because we have carefully curated a list of chemicals that is not only effective, but safe for humans. Sal Suds, for example, is plant-based, biodegradable, and safe for kids/pets/us. A lot of the “miracle products” clients want me to use have long term effects for employee’s skin, eyes, and respiratory system when used over a period of time.
Surface Protection. Often a product that works like a miracle is overkill for the surface. It can damage the surface over time. We are highly educated members of our trade and we spend a lot of time researching chemicals: if there’s a “miracle product” out there, we have probably already heard of it. If we aren’t using it on a daily basis, there’s probably a reason.
Case Study
We had a situation recently where a client pre-treated areas with Ajax, a consumer-available powdered cleaner. She didn’t think anything of it, but when you look at the Safety Data Sheets, you learn that gloves and tight-fitting safety goggles are required for use.
She didn’t tell the staff that she did this.
When my crew boss began cleaning with our own chemical, he noticed that it smelled odd. Then his hands started stinging. Thankfully, he just went through his House Cleaning Technician course, and he knew what to do. He immediately washed his hands and flushed out the sinks that she had treated. He ventilated the area and asked me for Safety Data Sheets. I was able to get them off of my phone and instruct him accordingly.
My employee and I handled the situation well, but it wasn’t necessary. It was a close call that could have been avoided. And it could have been much, much worse.
Because she robbed us of the opportunity to check safety data sheets, conduct appropriate safety training, use appropriate PPE, and maintain our OSHA compliance, my employees were put at risk. Although she was otherwise a good client, I let her go. I am not willing to work with someone who does not take my staff’s safety as seriously as I do.
Mixing Chemicals
If you pre-treat with chemicals and don’t tell your cleaning company, your cleaner could inadvertently create toxic gas resulting in their serious injury or death.
Do not put other people’s lives at risk!
Amber Starling, Author
Founder and President of
Good Witch Cleaning Services, LLC
IICRC Journeyman Textile Cleaner