Ergonomic challenges in housekeeping and how to solve them

“The goal of ergonomics is to reduce occupational risk factors, prevent injuries, reduce the occurrence of slips, trips, and falls as well as reduce soft tissue injuries and musculoskeletal disorders caused by sudden or sustained exposure to force, vibration, repetitive motion, and awkward posture.”

When we talk about ergonomics, many of us think of specially designed desk chairs, tilting computer screens, or even non-conventional keyboards. But ergonomic design and equipment isn’t just necessary for people who sit at a desk all day – It’s more than that, especially in the hotel industry. If repetitive tasks and physical strain are the ingredients for potential injury, hotels can be a hotbed of problems. Ergonomics can be the difference between happy, healthy staff or a high number of employees who quit in pain.

Housekeeping – an essential department for the running of any property – sees a large portion of the issues. According to  research, housekeeping staff are still the most at risk, with around five times as many injuries found in housekeeping staff than other job, such as bellman, cook, server, or dishwasher. Since then, much has improved, but there is still a long way to go. It’s not just housekeeping, though. There are issues in the kitchens, too. Carrying heavy items, slipping on wet floors, or even just repetitive stirring of a pot on a hot stove can make working in a kitchen unpleasant and, at its most serious - a health risk.

The real cost of these injuries goes well beyond dissatisfaction at work, though. It can include high turnover of employees and worker compensation claims. Hence significant costs can be saved if properties invest in the right equipment and practices, while also boosting productivity, job satisfaction and improved service delivery.

4 Ergonomic Challenges in Housekeeping

Here are some of the typical ergonomic issues that hospitality workers face and their impacts.

Repetitive tasks
Hospitality employees often perform repetitive actions like carrying trays, dishes and luggage. These activities typically involve handling items of varying sizes and weights, which can cause a range of musculoskeletal disorders, including back strain, shoulder injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome. The repetitive nature of these tasks can worsen these conditions over time, which in turn negatively impacts worker health and productivity.

Heavy lifting
Everyday duties frequently involve lifting and moving heavy items such as laundry bags, supply crates, or pushing loaded carts. These tasks demand considerable physical effort; without proper lifting techniques or ergonomically designed equipment, the risk of musculoskeletal injuries increases significantly.

Poor tools and supplies
The discomfort and pain experienced by hospitality workers are often due to poorly designed or inadequate cleaning supplies, carts and other equipment. If these tools do not meet the varied needs of users, they can lead to discomfort and pain — ultimately affecting employee health and well-being but also their performance and overall operational efficiency.

Awkward Postures
Jobs such as cleaning rooms, making beds and serving customers frequently require employees to bend, stretch, or twist their bodies into uncomfortable positions. These awkward postures can strain muscles and joints, and potentially lead to chronic pain and long-term health problems if not properly addressed. Working under these conditions regularly can result in increased fatigue, reduced job satisfaction and higher absenteeism rates.

Overcoming these challenges

Hotels must invest, for example, in Housekeeping carts that are engineered for easy maneuverability, minimising the need for excessive force, thus reducing the risk of back and shoulder injuries. Their design should ensure optimal height and reach, which allows easy access to supplies without awkward bending or stretching.

Providing lightweight microfiber cloths, mops and vacuum cleaners with ergonomic handles can significantly reduce the impact of repetitive and excessive strain on wrists.

Furthermore, some practical changes in cleaning processes will need to be considered, For instance, having two housekeepers working together or alternating bedroom and bathroom duties when servicing guestrooms will effectively cut the repetition in half and it makes the process more efficient.

Additionally, consider the following steps:

Educate all staff on ergonomic ways to complete tasks.

Encourage staff to lift heavy items together to minimize strain.

Rotate staff to different jobs to rest overused body parts.

Provide mechanical equipment for lifting items that cannot safely be lifted manually.

Eventually, it all comes down to  looking at the bigger picture when it comes to ergonomics – there’s a good economic case for it, so hotels just need to commit to the investment to get long-term gain.

Source: External

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