Hygiene in the workplace
Hygiene in the workplace is about much more than just regular cleaning: it protects employees’ health, ensures order and clear structures in day-to-day working life, and prevents dirt, germs or harmful substances from being spread via workwear, tools or shared areas. But how well are your workplace procedures organised to keep workwear, changing rooms and shared areas hygienic?
In this FAQ, you’ll find out which requirements apply, how to sort workwear correctly, implement the “black and white” principles and make efficient use of lockers. We’ll show you simple measures you can take to systematically improve workplace hygiene and create a safe, well-organised working environment.
- 6 reasons for good hygiene in the workplace
- Regulations on hygiene in the workplace
- Risks arising from poor hygiene and a lack of tidiness
- Keep work clothes separate
- Storing workwear hygienically
- Black-and-white separation
- Requirements for changing rooms
- Measures to improve hygiene
- Cabinets for good workplace hygiene
- Products to improve hygiene in the workplace
Why is hygiene in the workplace so important?
Hygiene in the workplace is a key factor in health, safety and productivity. In many work environments – such as offices, production halls, workshops, laboratories, care facilities or storage areas – large numbers of people use the same rooms, equipment and surfaces every day. This makes it easy for viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms to spread. Clear hygiene rules and regular cleaning are therefore particularly important for minimising health risks.
If basic hygiene rules are neglected, cold or flu viruses, for example, can spread rapidly throughout the whole team. Regular cleaning and staff practising good hygiene help to significantly reduce the level of germs.
Furthermore, good workplace hygiene offers other important benefits:
- Protecting staff health: Clean workplaces reduce the risk of infection. Regular cleaning and disinfection of frequently used surfaces, such as door handles, work surfaces, keyboards and machinery, prevents pathogens from spreading unchecked. This is particularly important in communal areas such as break rooms, changing rooms, kitchens, toilet facilities and meeting rooms.
- Compliance with legal requirements: Mandatory hygiene regulations apply in many sectors. Particularly in the food industry, the catering sector, laboratories and the healthcare sector, businesses must meet certain hygiene standards, for example as part of hygiene management plans or HACCP guidelines. Compliance with these requirements protects both staff and customers and prevents legal consequences.
- Higher productivity: A well-maintained and organised working environment has a positive effect on staff motivation and concentration. Tidiness and cleanliness make day-to-day work easier and create an environment in which staff can work more efficiently.
- A positive impression for customers and business partners: The condition of workspaces says a lot about a company. Clean and well-organised premises convey a sense of professionalism and attention to detail. Customers, visitors and business partners notice these aspects and associate a well-maintained working environment with the company’s quality and reliability.
- Sustainability and value retention: Regular cleaning and maintenance extend the lifespan of furniture, floors and technical equipment. This enables businesses to reduce costs in the long term and conserve resources. The use of environmentally friendly cleaning products also supports sustainable business management.
- Greater well-being in everyday working life: A clean and well-organised working environment has a positive effect on general well-being and supports employees’ mental performance. A messy or dirty workplace can cause stress and impair concentration.
What are the regulations governing hygiene in the workplace?
Hygiene in the workplace is not just a matter of organisation, but is also regulated by law. Various laws, regulations and technical guidelines require employers to design workplaces in such a way as to ensure the health and safety of employees. These include, amongst other things, clear guidelines on cleanliness, hygiene standards and suitable sanitary and changing facilities.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) forms a key legal basis. It obliges employers to take measures to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and to provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.
Under the HSWA, employers must, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees at work. In addition, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess risks to the health and safety of their employees and to implement appropriate preventive and protective measures. Particular risks to vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women or new mothers, must also be taken into account.
In practice, this means that workplaces must be organised in such a way that health risks – such as those arising from poor hygiene, inadequate cleaning or unsuitable workplace conditions – are avoided or controlled as far as reasonably practicable. Employers are obliged to plan, implement and regularly review appropriate measures.
In addition to laws and regulations, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 also play an important role. They set out specific requirements for workplace conditions and provide practical requirements for maintaining safe, clean and hygienic workplaces. The Regulations include, amongst other things, requirements concerning:
Sanitary conveniences
Washing facilities
Toilet facilities
Changing facilities
Cleaning and maintenance of workplaces
The specific hygiene requirements vary depending on the sector and working environment:
In office environments, the focus is often on the cleanliness of communal areas such as kitchens, staff rooms and toilet facilities. Regular cleaning, adequate hand-washing facilities and clear hygiene rules for staff help to reduce the spread of microorganisms.
In production facilities and workshops, the requirements are usually more extensive. Here, fixed cleaning and maintenance schedules, personal protective equipment and measures to keep machinery, tools and work surfaces clean are often put in place.
Laboratories are usually subject to particularly strict hygiene and safety requirements. Depending on the area of work, these may include, amongst other things, special protective clothing, controlled work procedures, disinfection measures and a strict separation of work areas and sample areas.
Particularly high hygiene standards also apply in food-processing establishments, the catering industry and the healthcare sector. In these sectors, even minor hygiene shortcomings can pose health risks to many people. That is why additional regulations, such as food hygiene rules or sector-specific hygiene protocols, apply in these areas.
These regulations give rise to specific obligations for employers: they must take appropriate measures to ensure hygienic working conditions and to prevent health risks arising from poor hygiene. These include, in particular:
- Provision of suitable cleaning and hygiene products
- Creating clear cleaning and hygiene plans
- Induction and training employees’ adherence to correct hygiene practices
- Regular checks of hygiene standards
- Documentation of the measures implemented
A structured hygiene plan helps businesses to identify risks at an early stage and ensure consistently hygienic working conditions.
What risks arise from a lack of hygiene and tidiness in the workplace?
A lack of cleanliness and tidiness in the workplace can have far-reaching consequences for health, health and safety, and operational processes. If hygiene standards are neglected or work areas are disorganised, the risk of infections, accidents at work and disruptions to work processes increases. Consistent workplace hygiene is therefore essential, particularly in organisations with large numbers of staff or shared workspaces. Below are some typical risks that can arise from inadequate hygiene and a lack of order:
Contamination and health risks
In many work environments, staff share the same work surfaces, equipment, machinery or communal areas. Without regular cleaning and disinfection, viruses, bacteria and other pathogens can spread rapidly.
Shared areas such as kitchens, toilet facilities, break rooms, meeting rooms and work equipment are particularly at risk. The consequences range from colds and gastrointestinal illnesses to severe infections. In sensitive sectors such as food processing, the catering industry, the healthcare sector or laboratories, poor hygiene can even pose serious health risks. Good hygiene standards and regular cleaning significantly reduce this risk.
Accidents at work caused by untidiness
A cluttered workplace also poses a safety risk. Objects left lying around, materials stored in a haphazard manner or blocked walkways increase the risk of tripping, falling and other workplace accidents.
Particularly in workshops, production areas or warehouses, a lack of organisation can mean that tools and materials cannot be found quickly or are stored incorrectly. A clearly organised workplace therefore not only improves health and safety, but also supports efficient workflows.
Contamination caused by workwear being stored incorrectly
A frequently underestimated risk arises when work clothes and personal clothes are not stored separately. Depending on the job, work clothes may be contaminated with dust, germs, chemicals or other residues.
If work clothes and personal clothes are stored together, these contaminants can be transferred. In some sectors, there is also a risk that harmful substances or pathogens may be unintentionally carried home.
To avoid this, it is important to consistently separate work and personal clothing. This not only prevents contamination but also ensures greater organisation in day-to-day working life. In practice, this is often achieved using locker rooms or equipment cupboards. These allow work clothes, personal clothing and, where necessary, work equipment to be stored separately from one another. Cabinets with separate compartments or two distinct sections have proved particularly effective, as they enable a clear hygienic separation.
Such solutions help companies to comply with hygiene standards whilst ensuring clear and organised storage.
Do work clothes have to be kept separate from everyday clothes?
Employers are generally obliged to provide suitable storage facilities for workwear. Whether a strict separation of workwear and personal clothing is required depends on the nature of the work and any potential hygiene risks.
- No or very little soiling: Provided that workwear remains clean whilst on the job and there is no risk of the employee’s skin or clothing becoming soiled, workwear may be stored alongside personal clothing.
- Possible contamination or odour problems: If workwear regularly comes into contact with dust, dirt, moisture, food, other substances or strong odours, separate storage facilities must be provided. This prevents contaminants from being transferred to personal clothing. Typical sectors where separate storage is required include, for example, the skilled trades, emergency services, the fire service, the care sector and food processing. In these sectors, workwear is often subjected to greater wear and tear or is at risk of contamination.
Special regulations for workwear and protective clothing
Additional regulations apply to activities involving an increased risk of contamination. These include, for example, hospitals, care homes, laboratories and the chemical industry. Employers are obliged to
provide suitable workwear and protective clothing
store this separately from personal clothing
and ensure it is cleaned or sanitised regularly.
Contaminated workwear must not be taken home from such areas. Furthermore, protective clothing must not be worn in break rooms or staff lounges to prevent the spread of germs or harmful substances. A basic distinction is made between two types of clothing:
Workwear without protective properties (e.g. service clothing or uniforms)
Protective clothing or personal protective equipment, which specifically protects against contamination or hazards (e.g. lab coats, protective suits or overalls).
Whether protective clothing is required and what separation of clothing must be implemented is determined as part of the risk assessment. The company doctor and the occupational safety specialist are often involved in this process.
The aim of these measures is to prevent contamination, to protect the health of employees and to ensure hygienic working conditions.
How should workwear be stored hygienically?
Workwear should be stored in such a way as to prevent contamination and ensure that hygiene standards are maintained. A clear separation between clean workwear, soiled clothing and personal clothing is therefore essential.
In practice, cloakrooms, changing rooms- or equipment cupboards are frequently used for this purpose. They enable organised storage and ensure that dirt, germs or hazardous substances are not transferred to clean clothing or other areas.
Cupboards with separate compartments or two sections have proven particularly effective, as they support hygienic separation in accordance with the black-and-white principle. This allows workwear, personal clothing and personal belongings to be stored in a clear and separate manner.
As well as improving hygiene, such practical storage solutions also enhance tidiness in the workplace, make changing clothes easier and support safe and efficient work processes within the company.
What does ‘black-and-white separation’ mean?
The black-and-white separation system is an important hygiene concept for the safe storage of workwear in sectors with an increased risk of soiling or contamination.
This involves strictly separating potentially soiled workwear (“black”) from clean personal clothing (“white”). The aim is to prevent germs, dirt or harmful substances from being transferred to personal clothing or clean areas.
The separation can be achieved spatially – for example, through separate changing areas – or by using lockers with separate compartments. In particularly sensitive areas, changing airlocks are also used to clearly structure the process of changing clothes.
Areas of application
Black-and-white systems are primarily used in environments where particularly high hygiene and safety standards apply, for example in:
Food processing
Healthcare, hospitals and care homes
The pharmaceutical and chemical industries
Laboratories and electronics manufacturing
The fire service and certain sectors of heavy industry
Practical implementation
Lockers: Double lockers or changing room lockers with partition walls are often used to implement the separation of black and white laundry. Ventilated doors or perforated metal panels also ensure air circulation and help clothes to dry.
Accessories and fittings: Additional fittings can further improve hygiene and organisation. Labels or locker tags make it easier to identify the compartments. Design features such as plinths, built-in benches or sloping roofs are also useful in many workplaces:
A plinth prevents dirt from accumulating under the locker.
A bench makes it easier to change into work or safety footwear.
A sloping roof reduces dust build-up and makes it easier to clean the lockers.
In this way, changing room lockers and locker systems support the hygienic separation of work and personal clothing, whilst also contributing to tidiness, safety and efficient workflows within the workplace.
What are the requirements for changing rooms in the workplace?
Where employees are required to wear workwear or protective clothing, employers are obliged to provide suitable changing facilities.
Key minimum requirements are:
Separation of the sexes: Changing rooms must be provided separately for men and women or allow for separate use.
Sufficient space and privacy: The rooms must be sufficiently large, easily accessible and provide privacy. In addition, there must be sufficient free floor space to allow employees to change without hindrance.
Seating and lockable lockers: Seating must be provided for changing. Furthermore, employees must be able to store their clothing in lockable and ventilated lockers.
Separation of work and personal clothing: If workwear or protective clothing is likely to become heavily soiled or contaminated, it must be stored separately from personal clothing, for example by means of two separate changing rooms, an airlock system or lockers with separate compartments or partitions.
Further recommendations for hygienic changing rooms
In addition, adequate ventilation, hygienic cleaning and a practical layout are important, particularly in workplaces that operate on a shift basis or have a large number of employees.
What measures can be taken to improve hygiene in the workplace?
A clean and well-organised workplace protects staff, customers and equipment. Hygiene in the workplace can be effectively improved through targeted measures:
Regular cleaning: Toilets, kitchens and work surfaces should be cleaned daily. Frequently touched surfaces such as keyboards, telephones, door handles and desks should also be disinfected regularly. A professional cleaning service can help to ensure that workplace hygiene standards are consistently maintained.
Storing workwear hygienically: Workwear should be stored separately from personal clothing, ideally using the ‘black and white’ principle. Suitable changing room lockers or cubbies for workwear prevent dirt or germs from being transferred to clean clothing. In addition, workwear and protective clothing should be changed and cleaned regularly, for example via in-house laundry systems or external cleaning services.
Provide hygiene supplies: Disinfectants, disposable gloves, paper towels and handwashing facilities should be clearly visible and easily accessible. Signs providing guidance on correct handwashing and infection control help to promote hygienic behaviour in the workplace.
Improving ventilation and air quality: Regularly airing out rooms or using air purifiers reduces germs in the indoor air and improves indoor air quality.
Establish organisation systems: Work equipment, materials and personal belongings should be clearly organised and labelled in designated storage cupboards. Labels or locker tags make it easier to identify items and prevent mix-ups.
Raise staff awareness: Training on hand hygiene, changing clothes, handling workwear and what to do if unwell helps to ensure that hygiene rules are consistently implemented in the workplace.
Check equipment regularly: Lockers, doors, locks and shelves should be checked and cleaned regularly to ensure they can be used hygienically at all times.
In short: the combination of clear organisation systems, well-thought-out cleaning and maintenance plans, and trained staff is the most effective way to ensure long-term hygiene in the workplace.
Additional measures in sensitive areas
In sectors with particularly high hygiene requirements – such as food production, laboratories or the healthcare sector – further measures are often implemented, for example hygiene airlocks or separate changing areas, which enable a controlled change of clothing and work areas.
What role do cabinets play in workplace hygiene?
Equipment cabinets and lockers are key elements in maintaining good hygiene in the workplace. They keep things tidy, allow for the safe storage of clothing and work equipment, and help to prevent contamination.
- Separating clean and soiled clothes: Specially designed black-and-white lockers allow work clothes and personal clothing to be stored separately. This effectively prevents contamination.
- Safe storage of work equipment: Storage cupboards and linen cupboards provide a secure place for tools, workwear, cleaning products or personal belongings. Organised storage reduces mess, prevents items from being misplaced and makes day-to-day work easier.
- Structure and organisation within the company: Clear compartments, dividers or labels on lockers improve organisation and prevent items from being mixed up. This supports efficient workflows and ensures greater tidiness in changing rooms and work areas.
Materials and construction:
Many changing room lockers and storage units are made of robust steel. This construction is particularly durable, hard-wearing and easy to clean. Steel lockers are therefore a tried-and-tested solution for changing rooms, workshops or cloakroom areas where high hygiene standards apply.
Space-saving double lockers:
In workplaces with limited space, double-decker lockers offer a practical solution. They allow several people to use a small area and separate street clothes from workwear into separate compartments or compartments arranged one above the other. This makes them particularly suitable for care homes, companies operating on a shift basis or facilities with changing users.
Products to improve hygiene in the workplace
For the hygienic separation and organisation of work and personal clothing in changing rooms.
Space-saving storage solution for cleaning equipment and cleaning accessories.
To keep things tidy and ensure the safe storage of tools and other materials.
Toilet paper and disinfectant for first-class cleanliness, comfort and protection.
To improve air quality and effectively reduce the levels of germs, bacteria and viruses in indoor spaces.
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