Workplace hygiene is how clean and healthy your shared work environment is, and the habits and facilities that keep it that way. It covers three things: the condition of the premises (washrooms, kitchens, desks, floors, bins), the facilities you provide (soap, hand drying, clean drinking water, a hygienic place to eat), and how people behave (washing hands, cleaning up after themselves, staying home when unwell).
A clean workspace isn’t just about appearances. It affects how people feel at work, how easily illness moves around a team, and whether you’re meeting your work health and safety (WHS) obligations.
Shared surfaces such as door handles, taps, fridge handles, keyboards and lift buttons are touched by many hands every day. Good hand hygiene is one of the simplest ways to break that chain: NSW Health advises cleaning your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub. That only works if soap, hand drying and clean washrooms are there when people need them.
Hygiene and safety overlap. Spills, overflowing bins and clutter in walkways create slip and trip hazards. NSW guidance says spills on floors should be cleaned up immediately and waste should be regularly removed.
A tidy, clean space is easier to work in. People spend less time looking for things, meeting rooms are ready to use, and nobody has to clean the kitchen before making a coffee. These benefits are hard to measure, but most people notice quickly when they’re missing.
Clients, patients, tenants and job candidates judge a business partly by its reception, meeting rooms and washrooms. A clean workplace tells them the details are looked after.
In NSW, SafeWork NSW’s Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities explains how to meet WHS duties for workplace facilities. Key points include:
The code doesn’t set a single cleaning frequency for every workplace. It says workplaces and facilities should be cleaned regularly, taking into account the type of work, the likelihood of contamination, the number of workers and shiftwork. That’s why a written cleaning schedule matters.
Codes of practice also carry more weight than they used to. SafeWork NSW says that since section 26A of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 commenced on 1 July 2026, codes are the minimum performance standard. A business must either follow the code or manage the risks in a way that is equivalent or higher.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current code and regulation with SafeWork NSW for your workplace.
Some areas carry more hygiene risk than others, so they need more attention in your cleaning schedule. The frequencies below are a common starting point for a typical workplace; adjust them for your headcount, hours and risks.
| Area | What to focus on | Suggested starting frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Washrooms | Toilets, basins, taps, door handles, floors; restock soap, paper and sanitary disposal | Daily, more often in busy sites |
| Kitchens and break rooms | Benchtops, sinks, fridge handles, microwave, kettle and tap handles; empty bins | Daily; fridge cleared weekly |
| High-touch points | Door handles, light switches, lift buttons, stair rails, shared phones and printers | Daily |
| Shared desks and hot desks | Desk surfaces, keyboards, mice, chairs | Daily, or between users |
| Meeting rooms | Tables, chairs, remotes, whiteboard areas; remove food and cups | After use and daily |
| Floors | Vacuum or mop high-traffic areas; spot clean spills straight away | Daily for high traffic |
| Bins and waste | Empty, clean and line bins; keep waste areas tidy | Daily for kitchen bins |
Cleaning and sanitising aren’t the same thing, and some areas need both. Our guide to the difference between cleaning and sanitising explains when each applies.
Workplace hygiene works when everyone knows their part.
| Who | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| The business (employer) | Provide and maintain clean facilities: toilets, hand-washing supplies, drinking water, eating areas. Set a hygiene policy and a cleaning schedule. Consult workers. If cleaning is contracted out, agree a written scope and check it’s delivered. |
| Staff | Wash hands, especially after using the toilet and before eating. Clean up their own dishes and spills. Keep personal desks tidy so they can be cleaned. Report broken facilities or empty dispensers. Stay home when unwell where possible. |
| The cleaning team | Clean to the agreed scope and frequency. Restock consumables if that’s in the scope. Use chemicals safely, following their safety data sheets. Report damage, hazards or recurring problems. |
Outsourcing the cleaning doesn’t outsource the duty. Safe Work Australia notes that WHS duties can’t be transferred, so you and your cleaning contractor need to share information about who is doing what. If you’re deciding whether to use a contractor at all, see what commercial cleaning includes and when outsourcing makes sense.
A workplace hygiene policy doesn’t need to be long. One or two pages is usually enough. Include:
Consult your staff when you write or change the policy, and keep it somewhere everyone can find it.
Sometimes the hygiene problem is a person rather than the premises. These conversations are uncomfortable, but avoiding them usually makes things worse for everyone, including the person concerned.
A clear, general hygiene policy makes these conversations easier because the expectations are already written down.
For day-to-day practical tips – desks, kitchens, meeting rooms, hot desks and what to ask of your cleaner – see our office hygiene tips.
No law sets one frequency for every workplace. The SafeWork NSW code asks for regular cleaning based on the type of work, the risk of contamination, headcount and shifts. Washrooms, kitchens and high-touch points usually need daily attention, and low-traffic areas less often. Write the frequency for each area into your cleaning schedule.
The SafeWork NSW code says toilets used by female workers should have a hygienic means of disposing of sanitary items. In practice this is usually a sanitary disposal unit that is serviced on a set schedule. Agree in writing who arranges that service: you, the building manager or your cleaning or hygiene contractor.
Only as a last step after a fair process. That process starts with a private conversation, a clear standard and time to improve. The Fair Work Ombudsman describes unfair dismissal as dismissal that is harsh, unjust or unreasonable. Rule out medical, disability, religious or cultural causes first, and get employment advice before taking formal action.
If you’re not sure your current cleaning matches the checklist above, B&K Services can walk through your site with you for free. We cover Sydney, Wollongong and the Illawarra, and Nowra and the Shoalhaven. We’ll agree a written scope covering what’s cleaned, how often and who is responsible, which gives you a clear record of the split between your business and your contractor. Our teams complete WHS induction and safe chemical handling training before they start on a site, and we carry out scheduled quality checks once the service is running.
Request a free site inspection or call 1300 136 954.