Comparisons of Trunk Motions and Low Back Injury Risk between Alternative Hotel Room Cleaning Methods.

Hotel room cleaners frequently report job-related pain, with high rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorder injuries established for this group of workers. Surprisingly, there is limited published research documenting the impact of interventions to reduce ergonomic-related injury risks specific to hotel room cleaners' job tasks. In this study focused on hotel bathroom-cleaning and furniture-dusting tasks, twelve experienced hotel room cleaners used their standard method and a risk-reduction method-a tool with a handle that could extend, to perform these tasks.

On-the-ground health and safety experiences of non-union casino hotel workers: A focus-group study stratified by four occupational groups.

Objectives: To understand the health- and safety-related experiences of specific occupations among non-union casino hotel employees to identify processes leading to worker health and safety risks.

Methods: Using purposive, criterion sampling, 61 workers participated in 13 recorded focus groups (FGs). A semi-structured topic guide addressed work-related health and safety impacts, workplace hazards, and management responses, among others.

Occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities among workers in the services sector industries: 2003 to 2007.

Objective: Provide descriptive statistics and discuss priorities for injury and fatality risks among services sector workers.

Methods: Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data for 2003 to 2007 were analyzed to identify occupational injury and fatality risks for services sector industry groups.

Results: Many services sector industry groups experienced, on average, greater than one occupational fatality per week, and survey of occupational injuries and illnesses days-away-from-work rates in excess of those for all US workers.

Occupational injury disparities in the US hotel industry.

Background: Hotel employees have higher rates of occupational injury and sustain more severe injuries than most other service workers.

Method: OSHA log incidents from five unionized hotel companies for a three-year period were analyzed to estimate injury rates by job, company, and demographic characteristics. Room cleaning work, known to be physically hazardous, was of particular concern.