Browsing by Subject "Janitors"
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Item Health And Injury Study Of Janitorial Service Employees(2018-07) Green, DeirdreINTRODUCTION: Janitorial service work is typically labor-intensive and demands heavy workloads. Despite the exposures to numerous occupational risks and resulting high injury occurrences, there is a lack of research addressing the burden of injuries and associated risk factors in this population. The aims of this study were to: 1) Determine the injury incidence and severity of injury occurrences in janitors and identify associated risk factors; 2) Analyze the effects of workload exposures on injury occurrence. Our central hypothesis was that, based on the varying occupational exposures, injury incidence and severity in this population is high, and that an increased workload contributes to these elevated injury occurrences. Additionally, conversations with local janitors highlighted a need for education on workers’ rights and responsibilities for reporting injuries; thus, a final aim of this study was to: 3) Evaluate and improve janitors’ knowledge of workers’ rights and responsibilities for assessing and reporting work-related injuries through an intervention. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted to collect data among janitors in the SEIU Local 26 from May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017. Injury- and exposure- related data were collected through specially designed questionnaires while workload data were collected using both fitness tracker bracelets and questionnaires. Upon completion of this study, the varying workloads and other exposures experienced by janitors were analyzed to determine their potential relations to injury occurrences. Additionally, an intervention study was implemented and a potential change in workers’ perceived barriers for reporting injuries was identified between the two six-month reporting periods. RESULTS: A total of 390 janitors participated in the study (response rate = 33%); among them, 34% reported experiencing at least one injury. The most common injury reported was pain (66%), and 16% of injury cases resulted in hospital admittance. The most common body parts injured involved primarily the back and lower extremities. There was a significant increase in risk based on age, ethnicity, shift start time and depression. Of the janitors, 37% reported an increase in workload over the study period. Adjusted analyses indicated a significant relation between change in workload and duration of sleep and occupational injury. Through analyses of workload and injury, stratified by sleep quality, there was a significant association among those with sleep disturbances. At baseline, in the intervention and non-intervention groups, approximately 25% reported perceived barriers to reporting an injury to their employer. Reported barriers included “fear,” “reporting takes too long,” “being unsure of the reporting process,” and an “understanding that injuries are a part of the job.” At follow-up, among the intervention group, there was an important reduction (24% to 12%) in having perceived barriers for “reporting an injury to your employer.” CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of specific risk and protective factors are extremely important. They serve as a basis for further in-depth studies. In the long term, these study findings will serve as a basis for development of interventions that can be used to generate policies and interventions for safer working environments among janitors.Item Safe Workload Ergonomic Exposure Project(2018-08) Schwartz, AdamAbstract Background: In 2016, there were 2,384,600 people employed as janitors. Their work, involving a reportedly high physical workload, appeared to place them at risk for days away from work with a rate 2.7 times higher than all other occupations. A Minnesota union identified to researchers at the University of Minnesota a concern relevant to a possible relation between the daily workload and adverse occupational outcomes among a population of janitors. Objective: To determine if there is a relation between exposures of ergonomic workload, mental workload, job satisfaction, stress, physical fitness, and the outcome of injuries in janitors, and to assess the relations between exposures of physical (ergonomic) and mental workload and the outcome of stress in a population of janitors. Methods: Following an initial focus-group discussion among janitors, which identified common and hazardous tasks potentially leading to occupational injuries, a specially designed self-administered questionnaire was developed, pre-tested, and distributed to the janitors. Questions addressed various exposures, including workload, and comprehensive information regarding injury occurrence over two six-month sequential periods (May 2016-October, 2016; November 2016-April 2017). Quantitative ergonomic analyses were performed on a sub-group of janitors (n=30); these included data collection to identify Borg Perceived Exertion (Borg) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) scores. Descriptive, multivariable with bias adjustment analyses were conducted on the resulting data Results: Eight tasks were found to be common for janitors. All average REBA scores for the tasks were identified in the high-risk category. The task of repeatedly emptying small trash cans (<25 pounds) was significantly related to injuries. Average Borg scores fell between the very light perceived exertion and somewhat difficult perceived exertion categories. Multivariable regression analyses indicated that age-sex-standardized ergonomic workload, measured by task frequencies and REBA or Borg scores, were positively related to injury occurrence. A decreased risk of injury was associated with both increased job satisfaction and increased physical fitness. A highly suggestive increased risk of injury was associated with increased mental workload. Multivariable regression identified a relation between ergonomic workload and stress. A risk of stress was identified for mental workload. Conclusions: This research increases understanding of the relations between occupational exposures and the outcomes of injury and stress among janitors.