Apprentice path · Stage 19: Habits that outlast you · Lesson 65

Keep the work area clear

The state you leave the floor in is part of the work, because the hazards you create are mostly for other people.

Why this matters on the job

Offcuts, open bins and blocked panels do not hurt the person who left them. They hurt whoever walks through next, and whoever needs to reach that panel in a hurry.

How to think about it

  1. Control trip hazards and loose materials as you go.
  2. Keep access to equipment unobstructed.
  3. Protect other people from the work area.

Worked through

The one that matters most is access to equipment. A panel with material stacked in front of it is fine right up until somebody needs to get to it fast, and that is exactly the moment nobody has time to move anything. The same goes for the route through: a clear floor is not tidiness, it is the difference between walking out and falling over.

Check yourself: The offcuts are only small pieces of wire and you will sweep at the end of the day. Fine?

Answer: No. Move discarded wire pieces into the proper container instead of leaving them underfoot.

They are underfoot for everyone between now and the end of the day, including people who did not put them there and are not looking for them.

Watch out for: Thinking of it as cleanliness. It is hazard control: trip hazards, blocked access and an unprotected work area are three separate risks to other people, and you are the only one in a position to remove them.
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Written from the owner's poster for this lesson. Nothing added beyond what the poster states.

Written for Texas apprentices as free study material. The Texas apprentice licence is an application, not an exam (Occupations Code 1305.161), and nothing here counts as apprenticeship hours or continuing-education credit. VoltMark is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NFPA, PSI, TDLR, or any state or local licensing authority. Always follow your employer's safety programme and your supervising electrician.