Cleaning looks low-risk, but cleaners work with chemicals, wet floors, ladders, heavy bins, sharps and moving vehicles — often alone, in buildings full of the public. Committees and managers have good reasons to make sure their cleaning contractor manages safety properly. This guide explains what to look for. It is general information, not legal advice.
Who has duties?
Queensland’s Work Health and Safety Act 2011 places duties on any person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and others affected by the work.
- The cleaning contractor is a PCBU and has primary duties for its workers.
- The body corporate may also have duties, depending on the scheme and its arrangements — for example in commercial or mixed-use schemes, or where it engages workers. The position for residential-only schemes can differ, so seek advice for your circumstances.
- Where more than one party has duties, they must consult, cooperate and coordinate with each other.
Whatever the strict legal position, a body corporate that engages a competent, safety-conscious contractor reduces risk to residents, visitors and itself.
What to check before engaging
Insurance
- Public liability certificate of currency (check the amount, dates and entity)
- Workers’ compensation through WorkCover Queensland
Safety management
- A written WHS policy and safety management approach
- Safe work method statements or procedures for key tasks (soft washing, working at low heights, chemical use, manual handling)
- A process for reporting hazards and incidents
Training and induction
- Cleaners trained in chemical handling, manual handling and slip prevention
- A site induction for each building covering hazards, emergency exits, chemical storage, water and power, and who to contact
Hazardous chemicals
- Safety data sheets (SDS) available for every chemical used
- A register of chemicals kept on site
- Correct labelling, storage and personal protective equipment
- Preference for safer, lower-toxicity products where they do the job
Strata Cleaning Co. maintains a live hazardous chemicals register and SDS library in our management system.
High-risk areas in strata buildings
- Driveways and entries: moving vehicles. Cleaners should wear high-visibility clothing when working near traffic.
- Bin rooms: sharps, broken glass, heavy bins. Use gloves, safe lifting technique and a sharps procedure.
- Stairwells: slips on wet stairs. Signage and correct mopping technique.
- Working at height: high dusting and glass should use extension poles and safe platforms; anything beyond safe reach needs specialists.
- Washing external surfaces: wet, slippery areas and possible asbestos in older buildings, which must never be pressure cleaned.
- Lone work: cleaners often work alone; a check-in system matters.
Residents and the public
Cleaners work around residents. Good practice includes:
- wet-floor signage and dry pathways
- cables and hoses kept out of walkways
- equipment never left unattended in corridors
- noise kept within by-law hours
Incidents and near misses
Ask how incidents are reported to the body corporate. Serious incidents may need to be notified to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland. Our cleaners report incidents and hazards in our app, and managers are alerted immediately.
Hazards cleaners find
Cleaners are often first to notice building hazards: broken lights, trip hazards, blocked fire exits, damaged handrails, water leaks. Their reports help the body corporate meet its own maintenance obligations. See cleaning reports for body corporates.
Our approach
Strata Cleaning Co. runs an integrated management system aligned to ISO 45001, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, with documented procedures, site inductions, a chemical register and real-time incident reporting.
Book a free site visit, and ask us for our safety documentation.
By Strata Cleaning Co. · 29 September 2026