HOSPITALITY RISK FACTORS & BEST PRACTICES - LAUNDRY

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1 Responsibilities of commercial laundry staff can include washing, drying, steaming, ironing, and chemically treating fabrics for use in hospitals, hotels, and other settings. Laundry can be heavy, treated with chemicals, and the work environment can be hot and humid. Work area set up, proper tools, staff training, machine maintenance, and good body mechanics are essential for laundry staff safety. This handout covers general hazards and controls for 3 major activities or tools in commercial laundry operations. 1) Bins, Bags and Carts 2) Washing and Drying 3) Sorting and Folding Activity or Tool: Bins, Bags, and Carts 1) Risk Factors: a) Awkward Postures: i) Pushing bin can create awkward upper body postures ii) Lifting laundry from bins and carts can create awkward postures b) Excessive Force i) Carts and bins with broken, dirty, or improperly sized casters will need added force to move ii) Lifting of overstuffed or improperly stowed bags can generate unnecessary forces on the body c) Repetitive Actions i) The nature of laundry work is repetitive 2) Controls: a) Modify Bins Not all bins are created equal. Bins should not be purchased solely on the basis of capacity. The facility layout, height of equipment, frequency of use, and even flooring must be considered when purchasing new carts or bins. Many existing carts can be modified to better fit the user and the space. i) Bottoms (1) Install spring loaded or false bottoms (a) Spring-loaded bottoms will reduce awkward bending when removing laundry by raising the load as more weight is taken from the top. These will not substantially reduce the capacity of the bin. They will need to be maintained on a regular basis in order to ensure their proper function. Cleaning and lubricating the raising mechanism on a frequency established by the manufactured should be sufficient. (b) False bottoms will reduce the force necessary to push the cart and the awkward postures when removing laundry by raising the height of the bottom and limiting the overall capacity of the bin. MEMIC 2015 Page 1 of 6

2 ii) Castors (1) Install larger casters to decrease the force needed to push the cart and to raise the height to reduce awkward pushing postures (2) Purchase and configure castors for the surfaces and facilities they will be used in (a) 2 swivel and 2 fixed for long mostly straight pushing (b) 4 swivel for short straights and small busy spaces requiring a lot of maneuvering (3) Maintaining castors on a regular basis (frequency will depend on use and location) will reduce the chance they will stick or become harder to push and steer. iii) Design: (1) Lower one side of bin to reduce bending when removing laundry (2) Install handle to encourage proper trunk posture when pushing b) Modify Bags Laundry bags can be a help and a hazard. Purchase or modify laundry bags to reduce the force necessary to lift, carry, and empty them. i) Size: (1) Purchase bags (a) that will not allow for more than lbs. of wet laundry (b) That will fit easily when filled appropriately into the available bins (2) Modify existing bags to reduce their capacity (a) Sew the lower third of the bag closed (b) Sew the bag into a funnel shape to reduce the capacity and make unloading easier ii) Design: (1) Purchase bags with or add to existing bags handles on the bottom and side for easier two hand lifting (2) Ensure the bags can be easily opened and closed iii) Material (1) Plastic bags that can be easily torn open will facilitate easier unloading. However, unless they are recycled, they are not a green resource MEMIC 2015 Page 2 of 6

3 iv) Develop Policy and Procedure (1) Create a policy about loading and overstuffing bags. The policy should reflect maximum and optimum loading levels based on the bag assize and a 25lb maximum for any bag. (2) The staff should be trained on the policy and how to evaluate their own bags. (3) Compliance should be regularly observed and evaluated through random weighing. c) Position of linen on cart: (1) Place heavier folded items or bags of clean linen toward the middle rack of the cart (2) Keep frequently accessed items in the power zone between shoulder and waist height (3) Place lighter, less frequently accessed items higher or locate them closer to the floor d) General considerations: (1) Push don't pull bins and carts (2) Organize space to suit volume and flow (3) Use 2 hands to lift laundry bags (4) Support your upper body when leaning over to lift (5) Avoid lifting from ground/floor level MEMIC 2015 Page 3 of 6

4 Activity or Tool: Sorting and Folding Sorting and folding in commercial laundry operations can carry significant risk to the worker if not managed properly. The size, weight, and volume of the linen processed by itself can be challenging for the worker to manager. Add to those the repetitious nature of the movements necessary to process the linen and it becomes apparent why sorting and folding can be tough work. Risk Factors: a) Awkward postures i) shoulder, trunk, upper body, wrist and elbow postures b) Repetitive motions i) Grasping, lifting, reaching, bending c) Excessive force i) Lifting heavy bedding and oversized linen d) Prolonged standing at folding stations e) Chemical and BBP exposure 2) Controls: a) Engineer the space i) Place anti fatigue mats at each work station ii) Use adjustable tables to accommodate different worker heights (1) Tables should be adjusted to just below elbow height for folding (2) If tables cannot be adjusted, raise tables to fit the average taller worker and provide a removable safe work platform for shorter workers iii) Use folding arms to support laundry to be folded iv) Install automated folding machines b) Administrative Controls i) Rotate job tasks to decrease repetitions (1) Workers should be trained and rotate through all tasks in the laundry space to reduce excessive repetitions of the same motion ii) Power grip rather than pinch grip while picking up laundry (1) Using a power grip rather than the pinch grip can reduce the necessary force it takes to handle the laundry. MEMIC 2015 Page 4 of 6

5 iii) Awkward posture avoidance: (1) Avoid holding laundry up high with your arms (a) Keep elbows low or by your side. (2) When folding large pieces, (a) Keep arms low and use a clean bin or table to support the piece (b) Practice team folding c) Policies and Procedures i) Develop policies and procedure that ban sorting and moving laundry from floor level. ii) All laundry must be placed in a container or bag that facilitates lifting from knee level and above or the use of a laundry hook/rake. d) Mechanical assistance i) Laundry should be moved within the facility in bins or carts, never in bundles or bags by hand. ii) Tilt tables or tilting carts can assist with loading washers and dryers, and getting dry laundry onto the folding tables without excessive bending or reaching. iii) Use laundry hooks or rakes to get laundry from the far back of the washer/dryer, sorting table, or bottom of the bin. e) Chemical and Pathogen Safety i) Use of latex or nitrile gloves, aprons, and safety glasses can help prevent contact with harsh chemicals and bloodborne pathogens if present. ii) Read, understand, and know the location of the Safety Data Sheets (SDS - formerly MSDS) for the chemicals you will be working with and around. iii) Ensure proper ventilation in the laundry space MEMIC 2015 Page 5 of 6

6 Activity or Tool: Washing and Drying 1) Risk Factors: a) Awkward postures i) shoulder, trunk, upper body, wrist and elbow postures when reaching into and pulling laundry out of the machines b) Repetitive motions i) Grasping, lifting, reaching, bending c) Excessive force exerted when pulling laundry out of the machine. 2) Controls: a) Engineer the space (if possible) i) Raise the machines off the floor making loading and unloading easier ii) Install tilting machines iii) Ensure machines are no deeper than inches for small laundry operations b) Administrative Controls i) Bin Placement (1) Use a bin that is at or lower than the level of the opening of the machine (2) Place the bin to the side of the machine (a) This will ensure room enough to stand directly in front of the machine, limiting reaching and twisting over laundry bins. ii) Use specialized tools (1) Tools such as laundry hooks and rakes can help prevent reaching into or awkward bending to reach laundry at the back of the machines iii) Limit load sizes when possible (1) Overloading washers and dryers can increase the work necessary to untangle and pull out each item. iv) Use the correct size bin (1) Purchasing and labeling bins that are the same load size as the washer can limit overloading v) Proper body mechanics (1) Train workers in proper bending and lifting techniques (a) Support upper body with opposite hand when reaching into a machine or over a cart or table c) Chemical and Pathogen Safety i) Use of latex or nitrile gloves, aprons, and safety glasses can help prevent contact with harsh chemicals and bloodborne pathogens ii) Read and understand the Safety Data Sheets (SDS - formerly MSDS) for the chemicals you will be working with and around iii) Ensure proper ventilation in the laundry space (a) Use room ventilation is present (b) Open doors and windows MEMIC 2015 Page 6 of 6