FACTS

Floor maintenance involves using powered machinery and concentrated chemicals. Due to these two factor there are the following potential hazards of floor buffers.

• Moving parts – rotation, force
• Awkward posture
• Repetition of movement
• Noise
• Vibration
• Duration of task
• Slip/trip/fall
• Back injury
• Abrasions
• Sprains/strains
• Electrocution/ shock
• Slippery floor
• Exposure to chemicals
• Dust

STATS

• According to information available from the Consumers Product Safety Commission, on average more than 375 people per year were treated at hospitals for floor buffer injuries.
• Between 54 and 79% of all cleaners who work with floor buffer report having to make frequent or continuous repetitive movements, and more than half reported always having to be physically active with the whole body. Male workers reported having to use high forces in their work frequently and are more likely to work with vibrating hand tools than women.
• In a survey of interiors cleaners who work with floor buffer, 74% reported experiencing muscular aches, pains and discomfort in the last year. Medical advice for these aches and pains had been sought by 52% of those affected. The main body areas of concern were low back (46%), neck (33%), knees (24%), right shoulder (23%) and right wrist/hand (22%).
• According to the latest HSE statistics, the most common type of non-fatal accidents is slips, trips and falls (29%). Cleaners who work with floor buffer are at an increased risk of slips and trips as a result of working directly with wet floors, spillages and trailing cables from cleaning machinery.
• The most common work-related injury for cleaners is caused by manual handling. A joint survey carried out by UNISON and the Health & Safety Executive found that 20 % of cleaners using floor-buffing machines, mops and vacuum cleaners needed time off work because of aches and pain caused by using the equipment.