Cleaning hygiene operative - Commercial Cleaning Operative
Health and science
Level 2 -
Providing a hygienically clean environment in which service users, staff and other users can thrive, work and develop.
Reference: OCC0843B
Status:
SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 9223/02 Domestic cleaners
- 9223/01 Commercial cleaners
Technical Education Products
Employers involved in creating the standard:
British Cleaning Council, British Institute of Cleaning Science, Environmental Excellence, Exclusive Services Group, National Carpet Cleaners Association, OCS, Poppy Dazzlers, Principle Cleaning Services, Skills Angle, Sodexo.
Summary
Overview of the role
This occupation is found in a range of workplaces where specialised cleaning techniques and skills are needed to maintain a safe and hygienic environment.
Cleaning hygiene operatives will work both independently and as part of a team. They will report to a cleaning supervisor or service leader. They will work both during normal working hours and outside of normal working hours, depending on the environment they are in. They may also need to provide services immediately throughout the day.
Healthcare cleaning and hygiene operatives work in places where infection control and sanitation are important for the wellbeing of service users. High levels of cleanliness are needed to avoid the growth of bacteria and the spread of diseases and viruses.
Places a healthcare cleaning operative may work in include hospitals, care homes, doctors or dentist surgeries, and healthcare settings within prisons.
Commercial cleaning and hygiene operatives work in environments where people mix and that must be thoroughly cleaned to ensure they are always safe and hygienic. This could include environments with heavy footfall. These environments need high levels of hygiene and cleanliness to prevent the growth and spread of micro-organisms and bacteria.
Places that a commercial cleaning operative may work in include food and delivery premises, hotels and accommodation, shopping centres, offices, public transport and stations, public spaces, factories, education buildings, leisure facilities and government buildings.
Purpose of the occupation
The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide a full range of cleaning and disinfection services set by a client. They use their knowledge of standard operating procedures (SOPs)and legal requirements to provide safe and hygienic environments for service users.
Healthcare cleaning operatives must carry out their duties in line within the National Healthcare Cleaning Standards which applies to all NHS facilities.
Commercial cleaning operatives must carry out their duties in line within the regulations, processes, and procedures specific to the environment they clean. Operatives will always be required to work within the limits of the client contract.
Who the employee will interact with
Healthcare cleaning operatives may interact with service users such as patients and residents with specific needs, contractors, and visitors to the premises. They will also interact with clinical or care staff as they are often part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Commercial cleaning operatives may interact with service users such as students, domestic home residents, office or factory workers, guests and visitors to the premises. They will also interact with clients, employees, and contractors as they may be part of a multi-disciplinary facilities team.
Responsibilities
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for following strict health and safety requirements and meeting a high level of cleanliness.
All operatives will be responsible for maintaining the tools and equipment they are given to carry out their role, reporting any defects or replacements that are needed to the right person.
Employers involved in creating the standard:
British Cleaning Council, British Institute of Cleaning Science, Environmental Excellence, Exclusive Services Group, National Carpet Cleaners Association, OCS, Poppy Dazzlers, Principle Cleaning Services, Skills Angle, Sodexo.
Typical job titles include:
Keywords:
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
Duties
Duty D1
Deliver services to contract specifications, cleaning schedules and follow processes for out-of-scope requests
Duty D2
Organise and prioritise workloads and respond to the changes of the working environment as required
Duty D3
Comply with health and safety, environmental requirements and infection prevention and control policy and procedures
Duty D4
Select and apply techniques for safe removal of soil and contaminating material
Duty D5
Carry out cleaning tasks using appropriate cleaning agents
Duty D6
Use cleaning or disinfection procedures correctly
Duty D7
Monitor the environment for signs of pest infestation
Duty D8
Safely use cleaning equipment, materials, personal protective equipment (PPE), and products in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, legal and organisational requirements
Duty D9
Maintain working relationships and communicate effectively with customers in order to meet their needs
Duty D10
Maintain storage areas using housekeeping best practice
Duty D11
Dispose of cleaning products and materials in line with legal requirements
Duty D12
Accurately record and report work, using industry-standard methods
Duty D13
Follow site-specific security protocols and data protection requirements
Duty D14
Use data to support the cleaning process
Duty D18
Prepare area or items to be cleaned in line with clients’ instructions and contract requirements
Duty D19
Deliver routine hygienic cleaning of the commercial environment in line with local standards, policies, guidelines, and operating procedures
Duty D20
Undertake specialist cleaning projects in a commercial environment, both planned and reactive, in response to specific issues or incidents using the appropriate cleaning techniques
Occupational Progression
This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.
In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.
It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.
Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.
Health and science