THE BASICS – WHAT IS HOUSEKEEPING 

Sweeping, dusting, scrubbing, mopping and polishing of floors, tubs, showers, sinks, mirrors, walls and fixtures.

• Making beds
• Vacuuming
• Loading, unloading, pushing, and pulling linen carts
• Removing and supplying linen and other supplies in the rooms
• Collecting and disposing of trash
• Moving furniture

MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM 

Muscle strains, sprains, and tears are among the most common injuries for hotel/motel housekeepers on the job. These musculoskeletal injuries may result in temporary or permanent disability. Hotel Housekeeping Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention regulation.

Is the first occupationally specific ergonomics standard, and requires hotels, lodges, inns, and to protect the health and safety of hotel housekeepers such as:

• Having a written MIPP program that is updated every year.
• Conducting annual assessments of every housekeeping task.
• Training housekeepers, supervisors and managers every year, and new ones upon hiring in the requirements of the Standard and findings from the onsite assessments.
  

MAIN RISK FACTORS OF HOUSEKEEPING 

The Main Risk Factors For Repetitive Motion Injuries (RMIs) In Housekeeping Are:

• heavy physical workload and excessive bodily motions which are a high risk for back injuries
• forceful upper limb motions in awkward positions which are a high risk for neck or shoulder and arm injuries

Space limitations require workers to use many uncomfortable postures. These are:

• standing or walking
• stooping
• squatting
• kneeling
• stretching
• reaching
• bending
• twisting
• crouching
  

A housekeeper changes body position every three seconds while cleaning a room. If the average cleaning time for each room is twenty-five minutes, a housekeeper assumes 8,000 different body postures every shift.

Forceful movements while using awkward body positions include lifting mattresses, cleaning tiles, and vacuuming every shift. Housekeeping is a physically demanding and very tiring job. It can be classified as “moderately heavy” to “heavy” work because the energy required is approximately 4 kilocalories per minute (4kcal/min).

TRAIN HOUSEKEEPERS 

Training should explain the health hazards of improper lifting and give recommendations on what a worker can do to improve lifting positions. Training should also emphasize the importance of rest periods for the workers’ health and explain how active rest can do more for keeping workers healthy than passive rest. 

OTHER HAZARDS FOR HOUSEKEEPERS 

Hotel housekeepers are exposed to chemical, biological and physical hazards including:

• Exposure to chemicals in cleaning products, including skin reactions or respiratory illnesses.
• Exposure to biological infectious diseases from soiled linens, uncapped needles and/or bodily fluids.
• Slips, trips and falls.
• Fatigue and other health problems from shift work or long hours of work.
• Working alone.
• Workplace violence.
• Manual handling of vacuums, carts.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR HOUSEKEEPERS

• Know potential hazards of your workplace and the activities you perform.
• Learn and use safe lifting techniques.
• Wear proper protective equipment when handling cleaning products.
• Wash your hands frequently — an important step in preventing infection.
• Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment for the task.
• Wear shoes with non-skid soles.
• Know emergency contact numbers and keep them immediately available.
• Keep carts in good repair, check wheels and weight distribution of supplies.
• Use long handled tools such as dusters and mops to avoid bending and stretching.
• Review safety data sheet (SDS) for cleaning products and follow instructions for safe use and storage.
• Provide training on bloodborne pathogens and practices to follow if needles or bodily fluids are encountered in the hotel room. Have a sharps disposal container on the cart for needles and sharps.

FINAL WORD

Reducing the injury risk in the hotel/motel industry is a team effort. Encourage your workers to bring new ideas to the safety process. They’ll appreciate the opportunity to participate.