Search Results (3)

Hotel room cleaners frequently report job-related pain, with high rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorder injuries established for this group of workers. Surprisingly, there is limited published research documenting the impact of interventions to reduce ergonomic-related injury risks specific to hotel room cleaners’ job tasks. In this study focused on hotel bathroom-cleaning and furniture-dusting tasks, twelve experienced hotel room cleaners used their standard method and a risk-reduction method—a tool with a handle that could extend, to perform these tasks. The female study participants’ average age was 45.3 (SD 8.7) years with an average of 10 years of work experience as cleaners (range: 0.8–26.0 years). Trunk kinematics and a low back injury risk assessment were measured using the Lumbar Motion Monitor. All study metrics were significantly reduced when cleaning tasks involved use of adjustable, long-handled tools (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that commonly available cleaning and dusting tools with extendable handles can significantly reduce low back injury risk among hotel room cleaners and potentially reduce injury risk to other body parts known to be the site of musculoskeletal disorders in this workforce. The study findings suggest that cleaning or housekeeping jobs in other industries where these same tasks are performed could benefit from use of extended-handle tools like those investigated here. Full article

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain of hotel housekeepers (HHs) and to describe the work conditions and perception of health in this occupational group in the Balearic Islands, Spain. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study with HHs of the Balearic Islands, performed in primary care. Random sample of HHs who worked during the 2018 season. We collected information on sociodemographic variables, job characteristics, workload, pain, perceived health, and physical activity. After participants signed the informed consent form, we conducted a face-to-face interview in the primary care centre and accessed the participants’ electronic health records. Results: 1043 HHs aged 43.3 ± 10 years and with 10.7 ± 9.1 years worked as HHs were included. 51% (95% CI: 48–54%) reported chronic pain, mainly in the lower back 28.7% (95% CI: 25.9–31.5%), hands/wrists 23.7% (95% CI: 21.1–26.4%), neck 21.6% (95% CI: 19.1–24.3%), shoulders 19.9% (95% CI: 17.4–22.4%), and back 17.8% (95% CI: 15.4–20.2%). Pain was associated with older age, more years worked, more beds made/day and difficulty in pushing the housekeeping cart. More than half HHs reported that they did not incorporate occupational risk prevention measures (ORPMs) into their routine; 17.3% (95% CI: 15.1–19.7%) HHs considered their health as poor or very poor. Perception of health was worse in HHs with chronic pain. Conclusions: A high percentage of HHs of the Balearic Islands reported chronic pain, a low compliance with ORPMs and compared to women of the same sociodemographic profile they perceive a worse health status. Full article

Tourism is the main economic sector in the Balearic Islands (Spain) and hotel housekeepers (HHs) are a large occupational group, in which stress is becoming a major issue. This study aims at exploring in-depth factors perceived as stressors by HHs and key-informants, and their effects on work-life balance (WLB). A qualitative design with phenomenological approach was used, conducting six focus groups with 34 HHs and 10 individual interviews with key-informants. Results were analyzed adopting the job demands-resources model and a gender perspective. High demands, e.g., work overload, time pressure, physical burden…, lack of enough resources and little control, derived from role conflict, unexpected events…, were the most important factors explaining HHs’ stress. Additionally, this imbalance was perceived as leading to health problems, mainly musculoskeletal disorders. Working schedule was mentioned as a facilitator to WLB, whereas an imbalance between job demands and resources led to work-home conflict, preventing them from enjoying leisure time. Multiple roles at work and at home increased their stress. HHs experienced their job as invisible and unrecognised. Regarding practical implications, our recommendations for hotel organization include reducing workload and increasing resources, which would improve the job demands-resource balance, diminish negative mental and physical outcomes and improve WLB. Full article