Apartment communities can become the home of danger.

From electrical shock and sharp objects to safety concerns that a staff member might encounter when responding to late-night emergency calls, maintenance technicians frequently work in somewhat hazardous environments.

Add to these dangers the threats that are just waiting to occur because of not knowing any better or just laziness and difficult situations can ensue. Here are things of which to be aware:

Storage Store chemicals properly. This includes pool chemicals, which should be stored off the floor. In particular, chemicals like soda ash and sodium bicarbonate, which are sold in laminated paper bags, should be kept on a pallet or wood up off of the concrete floor.

Concentration Follow instructions for mixing concentrated products to ensure that they are mixed in proper ratio. When it comes to chemicals, it is completely wrong to think that "if a little is good, a lot is better." 

For example, if window cleaner is supposed to be mixed in a ratio of one part chemical to four parts water; mixing it half and half will not make the windows brighter. In reality, it will probably leave aggravating and ugly streaks behind.

Mixing When mixing any chemicals, the rule is "NEVER add water to a chemical... ALWAYS add a chemical to water." This is because, in some cases, water is used to activate a chemical reaction. If you have a chemical that begins to activate with the first drop of water, the action is immediately at its highest concentration; instead, diluting the chemical in standing water will slow the reaction to safe levels because the concentration will slowly increase in the container.

Never Assume In situations where a chemical is a possible solution to a service request, such as a clogged drain, do you assume that a drain opener was not used? Even if a resident has tried to use "Liquid Solv-it-All," they will not tell us when asked, as they don't want to take responsibility for any potential damages. Instead, treat every occurrence of standing water as a potential hazard. To ensure that an improper mixture doesn't occur, use another, non-chemical means of unclogging the plug. A snag tool or plunger often will solve the problem.

Lastly, review company policies regarding chemical emergencies. Knowing what to do when an accident happens can minimize damage and danger to residents, other team members and the property. 

If a spill occurs, the community can save money from liability and fines by ensuring and documenting proper clean up.