A new U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration web page will help cleaning and maintenance industry employers protect the safety and health of their employees.

The new Safety and Health Topics page, "OSHA Assistance for the Cleaning Industry," (http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/products/topics/cleaningindustry/index.html) provides information on potential hazards, such as slips, trips and falls, OSHA standards, and links to free resources from OSHA and other organizations. The web page was developed by OSHA with input from ISSA, a cleaning industry trade association, as part of the OSHA and ISSA Alliance (http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/alliances/issa/issa.html).

"OSHA is the leading resource on safety and health issues for employers and employees in all industries," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. "This new Safety and Health Topics page is another example of OSHA's commitment to assist employees with identifying and preventing workplace hazards in the cleaning industry."

The page features information from OSHA and other organizations on the types of hazards common in the cleaning and maintenance industry. Visitors may examine topics related to hazardous or toxic substances, cleaning chemicals and electrical risks, and possible solutions to avoid these hazards. In addition, the page features links to standards frequently cited by OSHA in this industry, such as bloodborne pathogens, asbestos and hazard communication.

OSHA and ISSA have worked together under the Alliance for two years, providing more than 77,000 ISSA members and other stakeholders with valuable information and training resources. ISSA represents more than 4,800 distributor, manufacturer, building service contractor and in-house service provider members.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

U.S. Labor Department releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.

This Web page was developed with the support and assistance of ISSA.