Cleaners -The situation of cleaners and ways for improvement

Introduction

Although the cleaning sector is developing into an important part of the European economy, cleaners continue to face a range of adverse conditions: undervaluation of the profession and internalised stigma, strenuous manual work, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), exposure to a wide variety of chemicals and biological hazards, high risk of accident (e.g. slips, trips, falls from ladders, sharps), communication issues (subcontracting, different places of work, high percentage of immigrants), as well as violence, isolation from working alone or out of hours and other psychosocial hazards. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach that actively…