The health of Mainers is in the balance while cleaning homes and businesses.
In our office we see a lot of Mainers in professional housekeeping careers, as well as homemakers who work their butts off cleaning maine homes, businesses and their own spaces too. Injuries in housekeeping know no gender. They strike everyone equally. The most common housekeeping injuries appear to be musculoskeletal injuries, particularly those caused by slips, trips, and falls.
What are the most common examples of injuries in the housekeeping workforce?
1. Musculoskeletal injuries are consistently mentioned as a major concern in the housekeeping industry. According to one source, hotel housekeepers have the highest rate of musculoskeletal injuries among service sector employees[7]. Most housekeepers aren’t salaried. If they don’t go to work, they don’t get paid. Addressing injuries quickly is the best way to get back to work quickly.
2. Slips, trips, and falls are frequently cited as a leading cause of injuries:
– One source states that “falls, slips, and trips” contribute to 20.5% of injuries for hotel housekeepers, making it the main preventable cause of injury[13]. If you don’t feel like your legs are connected to your brain, a chiropractor can help with this.
– Another source indicates that 15% of all accidental worker deaths are attributable to slips, trips or falls, many of which are linked to poor workplace housekeeping[15].
– Slips and falls of course lead to changes in movement, resting, and body structural integrity that can lead to serious disability. It’s important to remember that the fall you had may feel ok for now, but it may have set the stage for BIG issues later on.
3. Other common injuries mentioned include:
– Sprains and strains from repetitive motions, lifting, bending, etc.[9]
– Back injuries, particularly lower back pain[4][12]
– Shoulder and neck pain[4]
4. The physically demanding nature of housekeeping work, involving tasks like making beds, cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming, and pushing carts, contributes to the high risk of these injuries[1][2][12]. Some of the back pack style vacuum cleaners can be really heavy.
5. Relationship Stress: We would be neglectful if we left out those who feel like they spend their whole lives cleaning up after others. It’s hard mentally and physically to work so hard to keep things clean only to have them messed up again the same day. It puts stress on parental relationships as well as marriages. Mental stress leads to physical and chemical stress, which makes us more vulnerable to illness and injury. It hampers our recovery from illness, and it can lead to relationship breakdown. All things that should be considered.
6. Prevention: Warming up with movement, light exercise that gets your heart rate up like walking, or even stretching could help you prevent injuries while cleaning. It’s much better to prevent injuries than to have to deal with them. Anytime you can prevent them for free, on your own, and with little effort, LIFE IS GOOD!
In summary, while while people in housekeeping face various injury risks, musculoskeletal injuries – especially those resulting from slips, trips, and falls – appear to be the most common type of housekeeping injuries.
Dr. Lou Jacobs has been a chiropractor and acupuncturist in Portland, Maine for over 22 years. He’s worked with individuals as well as companies and business owners in the housekeeping industry. He also works with moms and dads who feel like they spend their entire lives cleaning up after others. His office may be reached by calling (207) SPINAL -1. For an extensive video collection visit Dr. Lou on YouTube where he has over 125,000 subscribers and over 666 videos!
Citations:
[1] https://www.choelawfirm.com/blog/common-injuries-in-the-housekeeping-field/
[2] https://thesimplescrub.com/workplace/preventing-hotel-housekeeper-injuries/
[3] https://safetymattersweekly.com/weekly-safety-meeting-housekeeping-safety/
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136138/
[5] https://www.plaxenadler.com/2022/04/15/the-risks-of-working-in-housekeeping-and-cleaning/
[6] https://www.illinoisworkerscomplawyer.com/blog/2023/08/understanding-the-risks-for-housekeeping-staff/
[7] https://www.rubbermaidcommercial.com.au/blog/hospitality/3-housekeeping-tasks-that-can-cause-injury-and-how-to-perform-them-properly/
[8] https://www.work-fit.com/blog/injury-free-hotel-housekeeping
[9] https://www.cmattys.net/blog/2021/09/most-common-types-of-injuries-suffered-by-hotel-workers/
[10] https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/dosh_publications/housekeeping-musculoskeletal-injuries-factsheet.pdf
[11] https://www.labornotes.org/2010/12/hyatt-housekeepers-job-hurts
[12] https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/occup_workplace/hotel_housekeeping.html
[13] https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/Hotel-Housekeeping-Musculoskeletal-Injury-Prevention-dr4.pdf
[14] https://www.rakenapp.com/features/toolbox-talks/3-poor-housekeeping-hazards
[15] https://www.safetynow.com/spring-cleaning-seven-statistics-on-housekeeping-and-workplace-safety-2/
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Dr. Lou Jacobs
Maine License Number CR1364
New Hampshire License Number 1143
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Jacobs Chiropractic Acupuncture Center, PA
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