Janitors carry out physically demanding work in high-paced environments each day, and these demands have only increased with industry pressures and competitive bidding that result in cheaper cleaning contracts and reduced staff. In California, the union that represents janitors, SEIU-USWW, has raised concerns about the increased workload and resulting injuries their members have experienced since the mid-2000s. In their experience, production rates based on square footage for cleaning have nearly doubled. The union notes that in 2015, it was common for a single janitor to clean as much as 50,000 to 60,000 square feet a night. Excessive workload is a work organization hazard that can result in sprains and other injuries, especially in an industry that involves high musculoskeletal loads as in the janitorial industry. Excessive workload is also a key contributor to job stress.
This report summarizes findings from six focus groups conducted with 59 janitors in the summer of 2016. Five groups were conducted with union janitors in Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Diego and San Jose, and one was conducted with non-union janitors in Los Angeles. The primary objectives of this study were to better understand:
a) the impact of increased workload on the physical and mental health of janitors;
b) janitors’ concerns with respect to workload and their health and safety at work;
c) janitors’ experiences with changes in workload in recent years; and
d) the extent and types of changes janitors have experienced
English PDF: https://www.dir.ca.gov/CHSWC/Reports/2017/Janitor_Report_LOHP_3-10-17.pdf
