Abstract
Work related musculoskeletal disorders are frequently reported for persons employed in occupational cleaning. For effective prevention it is necessary to identify work conditions that represent a biomechanical and physiological overload for the different structures and segments of the body. The literature shows that cleaning work is associated with high muscle load levels. Repetitive muscular work of the upper extremities and high levels of dynamic and static force are apparent in cleaning tasks. Surface EMG recordings from the trapezius, deltoid and infraspinatus muscles during wet cleaning of surfaces above floor level and floor cleaning with various mopping systems show high loads for the shoulder muscles. In light of scientific knowledge, interchanging cleaning tasks does not seem to introduce sufficient variation in the load profile of the shoulder muscles. The overall strategy for improving work conditions in cleaning work is to introduce variation either by job enlargement or by frequent rest periods.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.