Occupational exposures among domestic and industrial professional cleaners.
Authors
Arif-AA; Hughes-PC; Delclos-GL
Source
Occup Med 2008 Oct; 58(7):458-463
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite being a large part of the workforce, cleaners remain a relatively understudied occupational group in the USA. AIMS: The aims of this focus group study were to identify and characterize occupational exposures, symptoms and job tasks among domestic and industrial professional cleaners. METHODS: Twelve focus group sessions were conducted in Lubbock, TX, and Houston, TX. Participants were asked about their job tasks, type of products they use to clean, bodily symptoms, job training and work environment. RESULTS: Out of 99 attendees, 79 domestic and industrial cleaners participated actively in the focus group sessions. Three general themes emerged regarding cleaning professionals' work experiences: (i) job training, (ii) chemical exposure and use and (iii) competence. Domestic cleaners demonstrated significant skills deficit across each of these three themes as compared to industrial cleaners. Domestic cleaners reported more frequent exposure to respiratory irritants and sensitizers and also reported adverse respiratory symptoms as compared to industrial cleaners. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this qualitative study are consistent with earlier findings from quantitative studies placing domestic cleaners at risk of exposure to chemicals that are respiratory irritants and/or sensitizers.
Keywords
Chemical-cleaning; Chemical-hypersensitivity; Chemical-properties; Chemical-reactions; Dry-cleaning-industry; Exposure-methods; Inhalants; Irritants; Occupational-exposure; Occupational-hazards; Occupational-health; Occupational-respiratory-disease; Quantitative-analysis; Respiratory-hypersensitivity; Respiratory-irritants; Statistical-analysis; Training; Work-analysis; Work-environment; Worker-health; Worker-motivation; Work-operations; Work-performance; Workplace-studies; Work-practices
Contact
Ahmed A. Arif, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
Document Type
Journal Article
Email Address
aarif@uncc.edu
Identifying No.
Grant-Number-R03-OH-008136
Source Name
Occupational Medicine
Performing Organization
Texas Tech University, Health Sciences Center
