subject: How Ergonomics Affects Your Cleaning Business [print this page] The word ergonomics had become much popular in office buildings today, yet cleaning businesses seem to have not acted on this issue yet. Understanding ergonomics and working with ergonomically designed products and processes in your cleaning business can help in avoiding injuries and help your staff do their job better and more efficiently.
The US Department of Labor revealed on a statistics that in all kinds of labor in America, a cleaning personnel is of the most likely person to be injured on the job. Janitors are often affected by muscle and joint pains as well as other work related injuries. These injuries are a result of the constant strenuous activity placed on cleaning workers. These problems and injuries occur when workers use awkward positions and postures that are sustained for long periods of time. These jobs include washing heavy mops, cleaning floors and walls, lifting heavy trash barrels. These activities can strain the neck, back, shoulder and wrists. And as more repetitive the work is, the problem also intensifies for the workers.
What is an ergonomic product? These are actually products designed to fit the worker rather than to physically force the worker to fit in the equipment. The main objective of using ergonomic products in your cleaning business is to lessen stress on the body. Moreover, ergonomic products and performing cleaning task with it can minimize injuries.
*Introducing ergonomic equipments and techniques in your cleaning business process can help your workers away from injuries and increase their productivity. When you decide to buy a vacuum cleaner, b sure that the handle is lightweight, with brush assisted movement to help lessen stress and make vacuuming easier. The vibrations of a vacuum can cause injuries at it affects arms and wrist, when buying vacuum, make sure it has large wheels to cut down vibrations.
*You may not be aware of it but fatigue may also be caused by noise. To increase productivity, search for quieter machines so there will be less noise and more effectivity.
*Mops and buckets should be light and easy to carry. Consider a microfiber flat mop because they are lighter and easier to handle than the more tradition string mops.
*Textured grips and ergonomically designed handles should be considered with sprayers to that they will fit into your users hand.
*Cleaning workers should also be trained on the proper performance of their cleaning tasks. This will reduce injuries and to help you thing of what to put into your program, here are some suggestions
*Workers should move their feet side by side when mopping floors to avoid upper body strain.
*Cleaners should stand upright and practice looking up when cleaning as opposed to the continuously looking down the surfaced that need to be cleaned. Looking up for sometimes will help stretch the neck and workers can have breaks at regular intervals.
*Workers should not bend their backs, use the knees instead.
*To reduce hand and wrist stain, workers should handle tools and equipments with a relaxed grip.
*When transporting heavy trash, use carts. Bags needs to lifted and put into dumpsters not tossed or thrown.
The use of ergonomics in the cleaning industry had been slow to improve, but businesses starting to include ergonomics on their procedures are sure to have major advantage over competing cleaning firms.
