Avoiding Repetitive Motion Injuries By: Brett Haney Choosing the right mop size is as important as selecting the right type of mop for the job. Brett Haney is president of Microfiber Wholesale, a distributor of microfiber cleaning products. Brett is the third generation of Haneys involved in the development and distribution of cleaning products. MicofiberWholesale. com focuses on providing high-quality products for cleaning professionals and information on how to use them. Haney can be reached at Brett@ MicrofiberWholesale.com. Using the proper mopping equipment and techniques can greatly reduce the instances of repetitive motion injuries. Image courtesy of Microfiber Wholesale. T for more info Visit www.cmmonline.com and type in search keyword: Ergonomics . For more information on related products, visit www.cmmonline.com , select DIRECTORY from the main navigation bar, and enter keyword: Mops . There are lots of opportunities to develop repetitive motion injuries (RMIs) in the cleaning industry. As the name implies, RMIs are injuries to the body caused by repeatedly performing a physical task. Common RMIs include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and bursitis, and these RMIs often put productivity at risk. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, RMIs lead to an average of 18 lost work days per injury. Also, once a worker suffers an RMI the likelihood that they’ll be reinjured is high. A Common Cause One of the most common causes of RMIs in our in-dustry is mopping. It’s easy to understand why traditional wet mop-ping methods would cause RMIs. The most common sizes of wet mops weigh be-tween 16 and 24 ounces; these mops can triple in weight when wet. That wet mop is attached to a 5-foot-long mop handle and is then swung around by a person who is often reaching away from their body and arching his or her back. The employee is also expected to bend over to wring out the mop periodically and empty gallons of soiled cleaning solution from the mop bucket. Then he or she is asked to repeat this task for hours on end, day after day. Even so, there are surefire ways to limit the occur-rence of RMIs caused by mopping. It’s absolutely necessary to match the mop to the job and match the mop to the person. Let’s look at matching the mop to the job first. There are essentially two types of wet mopping common to our industry: Regular maintenance and cleaning up spills. Regular Maintenance Regular maintenance is more likely to cause injury because it usually involves mopping a large area, and it’s often done daily. 22 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • December 2013
CMM – Archives December 2013: 22
