Capacity Assessment for the work of a hotel housekeeperCapacity Assessment for the work of a hotel housekeeper

Abstract

Professional cleaning, primary developed by women, involves not only a huge physical load due to strenuous postures and repetitive tasks, but it also implies an important mental load aggravated by the lack of social recognition. The main goal of the study is to assess a cleaning lady's work ability and to establish, if possible, the corrective measures to be taken from an occupational physiotherapist point of view. Material and method: an interview, an observation of the performed tasks and the analysis of two questionnaires (Work Ability Index and Occupational Stress Questionnaire) were used to evaluate the working tasks. Results: without external advisement, the cleaning ladies of the hotel have organized a sort of job distribution to share and to divide the physical workload. Any-way, bedmaking is the most strenuous physical task. The worker seems to cope with the mental workload within an Optimus working environment. Her work ability has been considered as very good and quite close to excellent, so the corrective measures should try to support those abilities. Conclusion: despite the positive general assessment, it would be very suitable to establish an exercise program to prevent further musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limbs and to keep an Optimus health status. The main reason is to avoid the possibility of a progressive deterioration of her health status considering the worker's age.