%0 Journal Article
%T Epidemiology of occupational injury among cleaners in the healthcare sector
%J Occupational medicine
%D 2008
%A Alamgir, H.
%A Yu, Seungdo
%V 58
%N 6
%P 393-399
%X BACKGROUND: The cleaning profession has been associated with multiple ergonomic and chemical hazards which elevate the risk for occupational injury. AIMS: This study investigated the epidemiology of occupational injury among cleaners in healthcare work settings in the Canadian province of British Columbia. METHODS: Incidents of occupational injury among cleaners, resulting in lost time from work or medical care, over a period of 1 year in two healthcare regions were extracted from a standardized operational database and with person-years obtained from payroll data. Detailed analysis was conducted using Poisson regression modeling. RESULTS: A total of 145 injuries were identified among cleaners, with an annual incidence rate of 32.1 per 100 person-years. After adjustment for age, gender, subsector, facility, experience and employment status, Poisson regression models demonstrated that a significantly higher relative risk (RR) of all injury, musculoskeletal injury and cuts was associated with cleaning work in acute care facilities, compared with long-term care facilities. Female cleaners were at a higher RR of all injuries and contusions than male cleaners. A lower risk of all injury and allergy and irritation incidents among part-time or casual workers was found. Cleaners with>10 years of experience were at significantly lower risk for all injury, contusion and allergy and irritation incidents. CONCLUSIONS: Cleaners were found to be at an elevated risk of all injury categories compared with healthcare workers in general.<p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Oxford University Press
%@ 0962-7480
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqn028