Title: Janitors, Custodians, and Housekeepers Module 4: Musculoskeletal Hazards
1Janitors, Custodians, and Housekeepers Module
4 Musculoskeletal Hazards
2This module
- Will demonstrate that janitors, custodians, and
housekeepers may complete many different tasks. - Is one in a series of modules that will discuss
hazards janitors, custodians, and housekeepers
may encounter. - Will cover musculoskeletal hazards and provide
tips for prevention - Module 1 will cover chemical hazards from
cleaning products - Module 2 will cover physical hazards
- Module 3 will cover exposure to biological
hazards - Module 5 will cover removing graffiti
- A stand alone module entitled Working Alone in
Safety may also be of interest - Provide sources of additional information.
3Janitors may do a variety of tasks
- Vacuuming
- Sweeping and Mopping
- Waxing floors
- Cleaning bathrooms
- Dusting furniture
- Moving furniture
- Emptying trash
- Restocking supplies
- Wiping counters
- Scrubbing
- Unstopping drains/ repairing faucets
- Mowing lawns
- Removing stains
- Heating/Air conditioning
- Ventilation
- Insect control
- Maintaining and cleaning doors and windows
- Delivery/Pick up of items
- Extra security
- Weather emergencies
- Lab spills
- Helping with disabled cars
- Minor repairs
- Painting and carpentry
4Janitors work in a variety of buildings
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Universities
- Laboratories
- Factories
- Offices
- Restaurants
- Stores
- Nursing Homes
- Clinics
5Musculoskeletal and repetitive motion injuries
can occur from
- Overexertion (Heavy or awkward lifting)
- Awkward postures (bent back, kneeling)
- Repetitive movements (ex. Scrubbing)
6Preventing musculoskeletal injuries
- The following slides will provide ideas for
preventing injuries when doing the following - Moving and storing items
- Filling and emptying liquids from containers
- Using hand tools
- Handling laundry, trash, and other bags
- Cleaning small items in large sinks
- Loading or unloading laundry
- Wet cleaning and mopping
- Vacuuming or buffing
- General cleaning
7Use carts to store and transfer supplies
- When moving cleaning supplies, equipment, and
maintenance tools use carts. - Carts make it easier and quicker to access and
store items.
8Use carts to store and transfer supplies
- Things to remember with carts
- Keep the most frequently used and heavy items
within easy reach between hip and shoulder
height. - Cart wheels should be made of a material that is
compatible with the floor surface in your
facility. - Cart handles that are vertical, with some
horizontal adjustability will allow all employees
to push at elbow height and shoulder width.
9Use carts to store and transfer supplies
- Carts should have wheel locks.
- Handles that can swing out of the way may be
useful for saving space or reducing reach. - Heavy carts should have brakes.
- Balance loads and keep loads under cart weight
restrictions. - Ensure stack height does not block vision.
10When using carts and other equipment
- Push equipment, rather than pull, when possible.
- Keep arms close to the body and push with whole
body and not just arms. - Remove unnecessary objects to minimize weight.
- Avoid obstacles that could cause abrupt stops.
- Take defective equipment out of service.
- Perform routine maintenance on all equipment.
11Use of spring loaded carts
- Spring-loaded carts automatically bring linen
within easy reach. - Remember
- These carts speed process for handling linen
- They also reduce wear on linen from excessive
pulling - Select a spring tension that is appropriate for
the weight of the load - Carts should have wheel locks and
height-appropriate handles that can swing out of
the way - Heavy carts should have brakes
Spring loaded cart
12Use buckets with floor drain arrangements
To fill and empty liquids from large containers
- Use buckets with floor drain arrangements
- Reduces risk of spills and slips
- speeds process
- reduces waste
- Ensure that casters don't get stuck in floor
grate - Use hose to fill bucket
- Use buckets with casters to move mop bucket
around. - Ensure casters are maintained and roll easily.
13Select and use properly designed hand tools
- Properly designed hand tools
- Speeds process
- Enhances tool safety
- Reduces waste
- Handles should fit the grip size of the user
- Use bent-handled tools to avoid bending wrists
- Use appropriate tool weight
14Select and use properly designed hand tools
- Use trigger bars rather than single finger
triggers - Select tools that have minimal vibration or
vibration damping devices - Have regular maintenance program for tools to
keep blades sharp and edges and handles intact - Always wear the appropriate personal protective
equipment
Trigger bar
15Equipment and practices for handling laundry,
trash and other bags
- Use handling bags that have side openings
- They allow for easy disposal without reaching
into and pulling bags up and out. - Bags should be able to slide off the cart without
lifting. - Limiting the size and weight of bags
- Provide handles to further decrease lifting
- Use garbage cans that have a frame
- instead of a solid can to prevent plastic
bags from sticking to the inside of the can. - An alternative is to use products on the inside
of the garbage can that prevent the bag from
sticking.
16Equipment and practices for handling laundry,
trash and other bags
- Limit the size of the container to limit the
weight of the load employee must lift and dump. - Place receptacles in unobstructed and easy to
reach places. - Chutes and dumpsters
- Position to minimize lifting. Installing chutes
and dumpsters at or below grade level It is best
to lower the to dumpster or chute rather than
lift materials to higher levels - Provide automatic opening or hardware to keep
doors open. This minimizes twisting and awkward
handling.
17Cleaning small objects in a deep sink
- Place an object such as a plastic basin in the
bottom of the sink to raise the work surface - OR
- Remove objects to be washed into a smaller
container on the counter for scrubbing or soaking
and then replace back in the sink for final rinse - Store inserts and containers in a convenient
location to encourage consistent use
18Loading and unloading laundry
- Front-loading washers and dryers
- Speeds process for retrieving and placing items
- Minimizes wear-and-tear on linen
- Washers with tumbling cycles separate clothes,
making removal easier. - For deep tubs, a rake with long or extendable
handle can be used to pull linen closer to the
door opening. - Raise machines so that opening is between hip and
elbow height of employees.
19Loading and unloading laundry
- If using top loading washers, work practices that
reduce risk include - Handling small loads of laundry
- Handling only a few items at a time
- Bracing your body against the front of the
machine when lifting - If items are knotted in the machine, brace with
one hand while using the other to gently pull the
items free. - Ensure that items go into a cart rather than
picking up baskets of soiled linen or wet
laundry.
20Cleaning work methods and tools
When using water or liquid cleaning products
- Avoid lifting heavy buckets or lifting large,
full bucket from sinks. - Use a hose or similar device to fill buckets with
water. - Use wheels on buckets that roll easily and have
functional brakes. - Ensure that casters are maintained.
- Use rubber-soled shoes in wet areas to prevent
slipping.
21Mopping
- Frequently change mopping styles when mopping
- push/pull
- figure 8,
- rocking side to side
- This alternates stress on muscles
22Vacuuming and buffing floors
Both vacuum cleaners and buffers should
have Lightweight construction Adjustable handle
heights Triggers (buffer) long enough to
accommodate at least the index and middle
fingers Easy to reach controls Technique is
important for both devices including Use of
appropriate grips Avoiding tight grips and for
vacuuming, by alternating grip.
23Vacuuming and buffing floors
- The use of telescoping and extension handles,
hoses and tools can reduce reaching for low
areas, high areas and far away areas - Maintain and service the equipment and change
vacuum bags when ½ - to 3/4 full
- Vacuums and other powered devices are preferred
over manual equipment for moderate-to-long
duration use - Heavy canisters or other large, heavy equipment
should have brakes
24For all cleaning
- Use spray bottles and equipment that have trigger
bars rather than single finger triggers - Avoid using the ring and little fingers
- Alternate leading hand
- Avoid tight static grip and
- Use padded non-slip handles
25For all cleaning
- Use chemical cleaners and abrasive sponges to
minimize scrubbing force. -
(Ventilation of rooms, goggles, and gloves may be
necessary when chemicals are used.)
- Use kneepads when kneeling
- Avoid bending and twisting
- Use extension handles, step stools, or ladders
for overhead needs
26For all cleaning
- If possible, clean objects at waist level rather
than bending over them. - Examples
- Push wheelchairs up a ramped platform to perform
cleaning work - Raise beds to waist level before cleaning
- When sweeping or dusting use flat head dusters
and push with the leading edge sweep all areas
into one pile and pick up with a vacuum.
27Resources used for this overview
- OSHA Hospital eTool
- http//www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/housekeep
ing/housekeeping.html - International Labor Organization - International
Hazard Datasheets on Occupation - http//www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safew
ork/cis/products/hdo/htm/cleaner.htm
28Additional Resources
- WISHA Core Safety Rules (WAC 296-800)
- http//www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/rules/corerules/defaul
t.htm - (Basic safety and health rules needed by most
employers in Washington State) - Workplace Safety and Health
- http//www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/default.asp
- WISHA Ergonomics Ideas Bank
- http//www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/KeepSafe/ReduceHazard
s/ErgoBank/default.asp - Cleaning Fact Sheets
- http//www.wrppn.org/Janitorial/factsheets.cfm
29WISHA Consultation Services
- Safety Health program review and worksite
evaluation - By employer invitation only
- Free
- Confidential
- No citations or penalties
- Letter explains findings
- Follow-up all serious hazards
- For additional assistance, you can call one of
our consultants. Click below for local LI office
locations - http//www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Basics/Assistance/Con
sultation/consultants.asp
30 - Thank you for taking the time to learn about
safety and health and how to prevent injuries and
illnesses.