Exposure to harsh chemicals and repeated bending can take its toll.

Today’s post is the continuation of a 2-part series which comes to us from our colleague Edgar Romano at Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP in New York.

As we shared with you last week, hotel housekeeping may not seem dangerous, but it can be grueling physical labor.

A recent study published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reported that tasks including dusting, vacuuming, changing linens, making beds, and scrubbing bathrooms may lead to a range of injuries. Some of the most common ones include:

  • Neck, back and leg injuries caused by repeated bending over and pushing carts
  • Respiratory problems due to exposure to mold and other contaminants
  • Respiratory and skin problems caused by the use of chemical cleaners
  • Slips, trips and falls caused by wet or slippery floors

The good news is there is a lot that can be done to prevent these injuries. For example, the California State Senate recently passed legislation requiring hotels in California to provide room cleaners with long-handled mops, reducing the time they spend bent over while working. They also mandated the use of fitted, rather than flat, bed sheets, reducing the need to lift heavy mattresses. Injuries among hotel room cleaners are not a necessity of doing business. Small changes can make a big difference.

If you know someone who works as a hotel room cleaner, make sure they don’t ignore persistent pains, as repetitive stress injuries can worsen over time, particularly if left untreated.

Edgar Romano is a Senior Partner in the Workers’ Compensation Department at Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP in New York where he is actively engaged in litigating workers’ compensation claims. He has lectured extensively to labor unions and medical providers. Edgar is President of the Workers Injury Law and Advocacy Group and is on the Board of Directors of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Bar Association. He is a member of the Leader’s Forum of the American Association of Justice and Vice-President of the Workers’ Compensation Section. Mr. Romano serves on the Advisory Committee of the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring Program at Mt. Sinai Hospital. He is listed in “Who’s Who in American Law” and was selected as a Super Lawyer for 2010 in the area of Workers Compensation by Super Lawyers magazine.