Abstract
Objectives. To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in hospital cleaners. Methods. Injury data on all hospital employees were extracted from occupational health records and compared. Additionally an interview-based modified Nordic Questionnaire (response rate 98.14%) was conducted. Results. The mean total injury rate for cleaners was 35.9 per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE), while that for other employees was 13.64 per 100 FTE. Slips/trips/falls and MMH contributed 4.39 and 2.37 per 100 FTE among cleaners and rest of the hospital employees, respectively. The most common type of injury was strain while the most common cause of injury was a striking object. Conclusion. The cleaners have higher injury rates and morbidity as compared to other employees of the hospital. The lower back was most commonly affected.
Highlights
In United States, about 595,800 establishments make up the healthcare industry
The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) key indicators of the labor market suggest that wages for work such as performed by cleaners is low in comparison to most other occupations [3]
This study explores information about incidence rates among hospital cleaners categorized by various factors such as type of injury and source of injury
Summary
In United States, about 595,800 establishments make up the healthcare industry. According to the American Hospital Association, in 2009, there were over 11,000 hospitals in the United States [1]. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses for Journal of Environmental and Public Health cleaners; there is no record of these among cleaners specific to hospitals. It is apparent from the review of literature that little work has been done on the cleaning workers specific to hospitals. This study explores information about incidence rates among hospital cleaners categorized by various factors such as type of injury and source of injury It investigated prevalence rate of musculoskeletal symptoms among the hospital cleaners
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