Ergonomics in Cleaning -

Restaurants
Human factors project – fall semester 2018
Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1

Method: ...................................................................................................................................................... 1

Discussion, analysis and results .................................................................................................................. 2

Code of ethics……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2

Analysis .................................................................................................................................................... 2

Cleaning windows ................................................................................................................................ 2

Mopping floors .................................................................................................................................... 4

NIOSH lifting equation. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...6

Discussion and results ............................................................................................................................. 8

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 12
Introduction
Ergonomics and human factors are applicable in jobs in approximately all workplaces. One of these jobs is
cleaning in restaurants. Cleaning restaurants involves several tasks which, if not done properly, can affect a
person’s health. In this project, the daily cleaning tasks performed by employees will be observed to point
out the risk factors affecting them and the degree of their impacts. Based on these results, risk controls will
be recommended along with a recommendation for an action plan to reduce risks and threats. A
comprehensive analysis will be conducted to summarize the existing ergonomic problems in the selected
work area along with suggested solutions and improvements. The main scope of this project will be
occupation accidents and diseases, work-related diseases and challenges and needs for further research and
action.
The cleaning sector is categorized as on the high-risk sectors. Accidents in the cleaning sector happen more
frequently than in others. In general, the main causes of accidents in the cleaning sector are "slips and falls",
"manual material handling" and "moving objects". According to statistics published by the European Agency
for Safety and Health at work, men are more often in higher-risk cleaning jobs such that 57% of accidents
were males. The most common work-related health problems in the cleaning sector are Muscuskelatal
Disorders (MSDs), skin diseases and respiratory diseases. The main issue is lack of/poor training for
employees and lack of easy-to-access information.
The main aim of this project is to provide an overview of the most important health-related issues in the
selected workplace for cleaning employees. This is to be done with regard to working conditions, exposures
and health outcomes.
The main objectives of the project include the following:

 Identification of risk factors in the workplace

 Investigation and analysis of the ergonomic issues in the selected area by applying PREFeR design
principles
 Selection of appropriate risk controls which could be applied to minimize risks
 Identification of the professional code of ethics for the cleaning sector

Method:
This investigation was carried out as follows. First, the area/ workplace was determined to be one of the
restaurants in Amman. The task being studied is the cleaning activities which are done by employees in
restaurants. Before proceeding with the study, the code of ethics and the standards for cleaning were
determined from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work in order to be able to identify the
nonconformities to the standards. The tasks to be studied were identified and two tasks, cleaning windows
and mopping floors, were chosen to be studied and analyzed by applying the risk factors which were studied
throughout the Human Factors course. The posture, repetition, environment, force and rest design
principles are presented in each of the two tasks in a detailed manner.

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Discussion, analysis and results
Ergonomic analysis and investigation of any selected workplace should always include the five risk factors
studied throughout the course, i.e. posture, repetition, environment, force and rest design principles. This
section presents the risk factors which were observed in the area, along with suitable and applicable risk
controls which could be applied to minimize health-risks.

Code of ethics:

The code of ethics which the study was based on is the occupational safety and health of cleaning workers
published by the European Agency for safety and Health at Work. There are ethical responsibilities imposed
on a person or engineer responsible for either managing the cleaning sectors or designing proper tools,
equipment and facilities. The person must make sure that the existing work environment does not harm the
workers nor decrease efficiency.

Employees should be provided with the following:

 suitable PPE’s (when necessary)

 rest breaks
 administrative training
 adjustable tools
 lifted loads should not exceed 23 kg and width should not exceed 75 cm
 duration of work shouldn’t exceed 8 hours under normal conditions
 periodic breaks of 30 minutes

Analysis

1- Cleaning windows
Cleaning windows is a task which exists in almost all facilities, especially in glassed facilities like restaurants,
companies, hospitals and towers. Thus, it's important to make sure you train your staff to use a
proper cleaning technique. Understanding and addressing the ergonomics of cleaning can prevent injury,
reduce fatigue, and increase efficiency. Also correct cleaning is vitally important, especially for those with
existing neck injuries as well as the elderly. Poor technique takes a toll on the long-term health of the spine
and actually requires more energy than using a good technique.

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Posture:

Make sure you do not have to stretch too far when you´re cleaning your windows. Make short movements,
because this will make it less stressful for your shoulders and neck. Use a stepladder or a step for a higher
window. Make sure it is stable. Work alternately with your right and left hand and be sure not to work too
high above your heart or just use a telescopic pole.

Incorrect Correct

Repetition and Rest:

Do not do this task too repetitively as it may be stressful for the body. This task
does require repetition; however, the employee must make sure that is done
with propper posture and at a steady pace. The task can then be performed until
the windows are clean. In some cases, a cleaning task is performed over a long
period of time without alternating tasks or breaks; this is against the code of
ethics. An alternative would be for workers to rotate between the areas to clean,
thus achieving variation in their work without having to change the overall
cleaning plan of the premises. Periodic rest breaks should always be taken while
cleaning, especially in large spaces with large windows which require
tremendous effort and time.

Environment:

You must be aware of the room temperature since it can affect the task of cleaning. For example, at cold
temperatures muscle flexibility decreases and at hot temperatures it can lead to heat stress. Thus, an
adequate room temperature should be selected which is about 19 to 23 degrees Celsius. According to the code
of ethics, it is the employer’s responsibility to provide a suitable environment for employees.

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Force:

Try not to hold heavy tools while cleaning windows because

more muscles are needed in this activity; you will get tired very
fast and a lot of stress will become concentrated in the
shoulders. As mentioned previously, a stepladder, stool or step
must be used so you don’t have to lift the weight of both your
hand and the cleaning tool above your shoulder level. This will (1 kg)g
cause a decrease in blood pressure to the hand which means
that less blood will reach the hands. This could have terrible
impacts in the long run.

2- Mopping floors
Mopping floors is a cleaning necessity in all restaurants. It demands muscle exertion and so it can injure the
workers performing it if it is not performed properly. The repetitive and laborious movements required by
mopping floors is influenced greatly by the mobility and strength of the worker, the size and weight of
equipment and the way the worker has been trained. To reduce the possible injuries caused by mopping, the
five risk factors must be analyzed, and controls must be put in place.

Posture:

The wrong posture when mopping floors is shown in the figure below. When you bend your trunk forward
or twist your spine, spinal fractures occur. Limiting these movements decreases the chances of spinal
fractures. It takes more energy to perform this task the wrong way because the arms are used for pushing
and pulling which affects the back. Our bodies are not designed to be in such an awkward posture for any
length of time. It's easy to injure a disc, muscle or other soft tissue while hanging over stooped like this for
an extended period of time. According to the department of labour, this awkward posture can lead to carpal
tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, rotator cuff injuries, epicondylitis (of the elbow), muscle strains, and lower back
injuries. The code of ethics states that adjustable tools should be provided in such situations.

Incorrect Correct

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Steps for mopping correctly

 Keep your back straight. Posture is important for preventing injury.

 Use the mop close to your body; avoid extending the mop or your arms out away from your body.
Usually when people extend their arms when mopping they have a tendency to arch their back.
 Switch your grip. If possible, alternate which hand is high and low on the mop handle.
 Use a mop handle that’s comfortable in your hand. Use a wood mop handle with a thicker such as a
1-1/8” diameter handle that is more comfortable to hold than a smaller diameter handle.
 Use a mop bucket and wringer that have an ergonomic design. Bending over to wring out a mop can
cause injury. We recommend the Ergonomic Mop Bucket & Wringer. A 6’ tall person can completely
wring out a mop without bending over using this bucket.
 Use floor drains to empty your mop bucket rather than lifting up to a sink. If floor drains aren’t
available, bail the bucket out with a smaller bucket until it’s light enough to safely lift to the height of
the sink.

Repetitions and Rests:

Repetition is typical and expected when mopping floors, especially when mopping large spaces. As long
as you’re following the previously mentioned steps of mopping correctly, then it does not pose any risks.
To comply with the code of ethics, you should take some rest breaks when mopping a large area. For
example, mopping one section/floor then taking a break then continuing with periodic rest breaks
between sections.

Environment:

1- Cleaning chemicals:
Chemicals used in cleaning products cause breathing problems (Respiratory system). Itchy skin, rashes and
burns. It also affects the eyes by making them itchy. Employees should be provided with suitable PPE’s.

2-Wet floors:
When flat surfaces are wet, they get slippery causing accidents of tripping and falling which may end in
breaking bones (Skeletal system).

Forces:

In mopping, the forces are concentrated on the spine, but performing in the right posture will cause the force
to be concentrated on the legs and arms instead of the back which leads to risks of upper-limb
musculoskeletal disorders. Any weights being lifted should not exceed 23 kg.

Heavy weight mops exert more forces. Therefore, choosing the right weighted mope should be taken into
consideration

Wet mops exert more forces than dry mopping. Thus, employees which perform wet mopping should pay
more attention to material handling methods.

Lifting buckets exerts high static loads on the arms and upper back. As mentioned previously, a person
should use floor drains to empty a mop bucket rather than lifting up to a sink. If floor drains aren’t available,
bail the bucket out with a smaller bucket until it’s light enough to safely lift to the height of the sink.

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Niosh lifting equation

NIOSH lifting equation helps determine if an object or weight is unsafe to lift over a standard 8 hour work
day. There are 10 steps you can take to determine if your lift is safe.

The NIOSH lifting equation was used to determine whether it is safe or not to lift a bucket to the height of a
sink.

RWL=LC*HM*VM*DM*AM*FM*CM

 Load lifted: 6 Kg
 Load constant: LC=23 kg
 Horizontal multiplier: H= 50 cm
HM= (25÷H) = (25÷50) =0.5

 Vertical multiplier: Vo=0, V=87 cm

VM=1-(0.003*|V-75|) = 1-(0.003*|87-75|) = 0.964

 Distance multiplier: D=V=87

DM=0.82+(4.5÷D) =0.82+(4.5÷87) =0.8717

 Asymmetric multiplier: A=0º

AM=1.0-(0.0032*A)=1.0-(0.0032*0)=1.0

 Frequency multiplier:
The frequency in this task is 1 lift per 60 minutes over an 8 hour work day. This means that the frequency
of the lift is 0.13 lifts/min and the work duration is between 1 and 2 hours. The vertical location is greater
than 75 cm (30 in), then from the frequency multiplier table we can find that FM= .095

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Coupling multiplier:
The classification of the couplings is good, and vertical location is greater than 75 cm, then from coupling
table we can find that CM=1.0

RWL:
RWL=LC*HM*VM*DM*AM*FM*CM
= 23*0.5*0.964*0.8717*1.0*0.95*1.0
= 9.18
Lifting index:
LI= (weight of load lifted)÷ RWL)
= 6÷9.18 = 0.654

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 Discussion and results

The work area being studied in this project contains several ergonomic risk factors in many of the tasks
performed in it on a daily basis. The two tasks chosen and studied contain several obvious risk factors which
were analyzed and studied above.
It is essential in any human factors study that after the work area is studied and analyzed, possible solutions
and risk controls should be suggested in order to minimize the existing risks to ensure the safety of all
workers and employees. Of course, another reason to make sure that risks are minimized is to minimize
liabilities for employers.

Risk Control
Most Effective
Eliminate Hazard

Engineering Control

Personal Protection Equipment

Administrative Control
Least Effective
Warning Sign

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The table below summarizes the study conducted along with the suggested solutions.

First Activity – Cleaning Windows

Activity/ Task Risk factors Possible solution Type of control

Reaching overhead long handled tools Engineering control

Adjustable handle lengths, cleaning heads as

Cleaning windows Bent wrists, repetitive motion and high grip forces light as possible (e.g. microfiber), battery Engineering control
powered scrubbers

Posture Provide ergonomics training for employees Administrative

Use reliable stepladders Engineering control

Train employees about proper use of ladders

Standing on ladder Falling over Administrative
and how to evenly distribute body weight

Periodic maintenance of stepladders and

Engineering control
ladders

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Second Activity – Mopping Floors

Type of
Activity/Task Risk Factors Risks/ Consequences Possible solution
control

Train employees about propper posture Administrative

Bending Negative impacts on the spine

Engineering
Use long-handled mops
control

Movements in the lower arms, elbows

Train employees about propper posture and
and wrists leads to structural changes Administrative
ergonomics
in carpal tunnel region
Movement controlled by wrist,
Mopping requires high forces. This combination
of repetitive movement and high
Repetitive
forces can lead to MSDs in hand/wrist
motions
area.
"Figure" eight mopping (i.e. moving the Periodic rest breaks Administrative
mop in
a figure eight pattern across the floor)
leads to a higher oxygen consumption
level compared to back and forth
mopping

Slipery floors Slips and trips Warning signs Warning sign

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 combination of repetitive movement
Wringing twisting wrists and high forces can lead to MSDs in Train employees Administrative
hand/wrist area.

Adjustable, light-weight equipment,

Engineering
wheeled
control
buckets
High static load on the upper arm and
Lifting bucket Posture
back muscles
Train employees on propper material
Administrative
handling techniques

rashes and skin diseases such as

Skin contact Wear gloves
eczema
Using cleaning
PPE
chemicals
Eye contact eye irritation Wear goggles if necessary

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Conclusion

To sum up, this project consisted of selecting a work area and analyzing the risk factors present. All
five of the risk factors were considered in this study. The objectives of this study were achieved since
the risk factors were determined and risk controls were introduced. The risk controls were
introduced such that they are in compliance with the code of ethics.
This study mostly addressed issues relating to posture while performing cleaning tasks. It is
necessary to implement the suggested solutions in order to provide and maintain a healthy working
environment which protects both the employee and employer from any risks or liabilities.
If a person would like to pursue a career in health and safety, there are several available certifications
and courses they could sign up for. These certificates include:

1- NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC)

The NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC) in Occupational Health and Safety is
an internationally recognised qualification that will provide you with a broad understanding of
key health and safety issues.

2- The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP)

The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) is recognized as one of the leaders of
high-quality credentials for health, safety, and environmental (HSE) professionals.

3- The National Association of Safety Professionals (NASP)

The National Association of Safety Professionals (NASP) is a non-profit membership
organization providing training, consultative services, and third-party certifications that
validate knowledge, skills and abilities in the area of workplace safety.

4- OHSAS 18001/ISO 45001 Occupational Health and safety lead auditors

Certification.
This is a certificated training course (CQI/IRCA Certificated Course 1857 -PT 251) to introduce
a person to:

 The new ISO standard for occupational health and safety management systems –
requirement
 Standard specific changes arising as a result of the ISO 45001:2018 requirements

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