ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

For three years a team of industry experts has been gathering material on cleaning ergonomics and conscious cleaning. In the latest of their exclusive articles for ECJ, Helge Alt from Puhastusekspert in Estonia and Tarja Valkosalo of Propuhtaus Finland (who have been involved since the start) explain that it is the responsibility of the employer and the operative to ensure ergonomic, healthy working practices for staff.

Environmental, Social, Governance or ESG principles, sustainability is a major concern for cleaning services. The greatest resource of a cleaning services are the people who clean. In Europe, one of the biggest challenges is the ageing of the working age population. Many studies have shown that the average physical capacity of cleaning workers is low.

However, the physical condition of a cleaner is important to avoid overburdening oneself. Mental condition is also important, as cleaning services are a customer service activity and may involve stress. Studies show that the mental strain is increasing every year.

Musculoskeletal disorders, such as neck, back and wrist problems, are the main ailments of cleaners. According to the European Agency (2020), injuries and ailments are caused by the impact of various risk factors (see the graphic). The more factors involved, the greater the risks - as illustrated in the graphic.

Nobody wants to get sick because of work, but unfortunately it often happens. An international survey carried out as part of the ErgoClean project was thought-provoking. Responding from 267 cleaners in 4 countries, 93 per cent of cleaners felt pain in some part of their body.
With age, the ailments increase, with the associated increase in sick days. Ergonomic principles in cleaning are critical.

It is the responsibility of the company to ensure ergonomic, healthy working practices and to educate its employees. It is the responsibility of the cleaning staff to work in a healthy and ergonomic way in their daily work. In this way it is possible to achieve an important contribution to promote the health of their employees and save on sick leaves. Here is important to provide continuous and effective training in the cleaning company.

In the international Erasmus+ project Ergo Clean, we developed 20 training films, picture guides and training principles for teaching cleaners to work ergonomically. Materials are based on research and experiments. By using them, companies can contribute to the health of their workers, saving on sick days.

Materials are available free of charge on the project website ErgoClean.