Equipment, products and safety agreements
The safety of our household helpers is paramount. That is why we would like to review some agreements about equipment, products and a healthy workplace.
On this page
Equipment and products
Your household helper will be working with the equipment and products you have available. There are a few mandatory items required for certain tasks so that your household helper can work safely. Together, run through what equipment and products you have and see if it is necessary to purchase additional items.
Below is an overview of the required equipment and products:
Equipment
- Stable stepladder, in good condition, with a maximum of three non-slip steps
- Two plastic buckets, in good condition
- Dust pan and brush
- Vacuum cleaner (and vacuum cleaner bags)
- Mops
- Dust rag or microfibre cloth
- Sponge
- Scouring sponge
- Chamois cloth or microfibre cloth
- Dishcloths
- Toilet brush
- Window squeegee
- Floor squeegee, in good condition
- Broom
- Scrub brush
- Iron, in good condition
- Adjustable ironing board
- Wash line or laundry rack
- Laundry pegs
Products
- Washing-up liquid
- Toilet cleaner
- All-purpose cleaning product
- Additional product for floor cleaning
- Laundry detergent
Please note! The products should not contain ammonia or chlorine, as this is unhealthy for your household helper.
Safety
A safe workplace keeps everyone happy. Help give your household helpers a five-star workplace! With the tips from our checklist, your household helpers can get to work with confidence.
You can read more tips from our adviser here.
Read all the tips in our checklist ‘Safe Workplace’.
Tips for hot and cold days
Physical labour can be difficult on hot days, especially in an workplace with no air conditioning. We offer the following tips for protecting our household helpers from the heat:
- Make sure your household helper has sufficient water.
- Keep the windows closed during the day.
- Keep the heat out as much as possible with blinds, curtains or shutters.
- Set frozen bottles of water in front of a fan to cool the air.
- Don't give your household helper tasks to do outdoors in the blazing sun (e.g. cleaning windows).
- If possible, let your household helper start earlier in the morning.
How warm should your house be when your household helper arrives?
- Make sure your home is heated to at least 16 degrees when your household helper comes to work.
- Make sure your household helper has hot water available to work with.
- Have your household helper perform outdoor tasks when the weather is pleasant. (such as window cleaning, patio cleaning, washing shutters and grocery shopping)
- Spread salt in time to keep the area around your home non-slippery.
- Refrain from pouring water on your pavement in freezing weather. It will rapidly become a dangerous sheet of ice. Our household helpers are also given these guidelines.
For extra tips read this.
Ergonomics
Sometimes you don't realise it, but your employer goes to considerable lengths to provide you with a healthy workplace. Consider, for example, the ergonomically adjusted office desk. At Helan Household Help, we make sure your household helpers know all about working ergonomically, too.
Read our household helper Tara's story on the importance of ergonomic equipment.
Do you still have a question, comment or suggestion?
You'll find plenty of answers to practical questions on this page. Still have an unanswered question or suggestion? Contact us using the contact form. We will assist you as soon as possible.
Do you have a specific question about your household help? You can also request your consultant's contact details this way.
