Magazine 3 - Preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders

The occupational safety and health of cleaning workers

This report provides an overview of the most important issues related to occupational safety and health (OSH) for cleaning workers in terms of working conditions, risks and prevalence of exposures and health outcomes, and identifies information gaps and challenges. Cleaning includes a broad range of activities performed in different work environments across all sectors. The risks to which cleaners are exposed therefore depend on the tasks they perform and the premises they work in. As most of the cleaning work is performed as contract cleaning, employers sometimes face difficulties in controlling the OSH conditions in the "host companies" where their staff work. Accessing information on occupational accidents and diseases remains challenging as cleaning workers are spread over different sectors and it is therefore difficult to put monitoring systems in place. In addition, a significant part of the cleaning workforce is undeclared, especially in private households, which also complicates data collection. Studies on work-related diseases indicate that MSDs, respiratory diseases, including asthma, skin diseases and mental ill health are the most common work-related health effects found in cleaners, and suggest a higher prevalence of health problems in cleaning workers than in other sectors.

The human-machine interface as an emerging risk

Interaction with – and dependence on – technology is increasing in almost all fields of work. Given that a poor human-machine interface can have serious consequences in terms of occupational accidents and diseases, including stress, its proper inclusion in design equipment and workplace is of utmost importance. Based on a literature survey and a small expert survey, this report explores how the human-machine interface influences occupational risks, describing who is exposed, and giving some examples of what can be done to reduce the risk.

E-fact 45 - Checklist for preventing bad working postures

A good posture is one that is comfortable and in which the joints are naturally aligned — the neutral body posture. Working with the body in a neutral position reduces stress and strain on the muscles, tendons, and skeletal system, and therefore reduces the risk of workers developing MSDs. This checklist includes questions on working postures of the back and neck, arms and hands, legs during sitting and standing tasks. It also gives examples of the type of action at a technical, organisational and individual level that can be put in place to prevent or reduce the risks caused by awkward postures.