Should I Ensure my Cleaner has a DBS Check?
Cleaners carry out an invaluable job, if this is working in a business, it may involve emptying office bins, public bins, keeping toilets clean and hygienic, hoovering, cleaning glass windows and doors, and mopping floors etc. They ensure that places meet hygiene standards and give a welcoming appearance and are pleasant environment for other staff. Imagine how customers would feel if they walked into a business that had litter strewn in the floor, and food crumbs on the carpets or surfaces, and smeary marks on the glass; it wouldn’t give a good impression of your business, it wouldn’t look professional, well-kept, and respectable. Other cleaners may work in people’s homes, for a variety of reasons to assist people who don’t have the mobility to clean themselves, or perhaps simply don’t have time due to working long hours. This article explores why it can be a good idea to have DBS Checks for cleaners.
Safety, Trust and Honesty
If you’re hiring a cleaner for your business, or home, you may in the past have relied upon an application form, interview, and references. Whilst these are all valuable, they still don’t tell you whether an individual has a past criminal history. If the cleaner belongs to a company, you may have taken the time to research company reviews, and while again this is some useful indication, the company owner and business, isn’t the same as the member of staff who is cleaning for you. They are either in your business, with all the sensitive data/products there, or in your home with your prize possessions. They’ll be in close proximity to your staff or to your family and it’s important that they are safe, trustworthy, and honest. The majority of cleaners will be incredibly honest, hardworking, and simply working as hard as possible to provide for themselves and families. But, giving anyone access to your home or business, it makes sense to run DBS Checks to ensure they are trustworthy first.
What will a DBS Check Look for?
A DBS Check will look for unspent convictions, this is for if someone has committed a crime, but has not yet finished the allocated rehabilitation period for the crime. Presumably if an applicant for your cleaning job had unspent convictions for theft, burglary, or violent crimes, then you would not want to hire them as a cleaner in your home or business.
If the cleaner is self-employed then you can ask them to provide you with a Basic DBS Check, which they can request themselves. If the cleaner works for a cleaning company, then you can ask that company if it is their policy to conduct DBS Checks on their employees. Not all companies will do DBS Checks, but the more reputable ones will and asking this question will give you greater legal support if the cleaner then behaved in an unscrupulous manner.
Ensuring that the person who cleans your home or business, has a sound background, is a sensible move to do. It’s better to have that reassurance that there is nothing untoward in their past that they are hiding.
