Housekeeping And House Cleaner Injuries At Work

Housekeepers at hotels, businesses, and private residences often spend a significant amount of time on their feet and in awkward positions in order to perform the tasks of their job. The locations of these kinds of jobs can vary significantly, with some workers performing cleaning jobs in health care settings, others in hotels and other commercial spaces, and some in domestic locations. Doing housekeeping or cleaning work in any of these places can involve injury risks, and many housekeepers and cleaners sustain injuries on the job. Injuries and illnesses can result from accidents like slips and falls while working, repetitive motions involved in cleaning (like mopping or kneeling), and exposure to substances that can be harmful. Many cleaners are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits in the aftermath of a workplace injury or diagnosed occupational disease, and our Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation lawyers can help.

Types of Industries Where Housekeepers and Cleaners Work 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the most common industries that employ housekeepers and cleaners include: travel accommodation, medical and surgical hospitals, nursing care facilities, retirement communities and assisted living facilities, recreational vehicle parks, drycleaning and laundry services, management and technical consulting services, securities and commodities businesses, and general services to buildings and dwellings. In other words, housekeeping and cleaning work takes place in many different kinds of businesses and spaces, and different industries can come with distinct injury risks.

The following are just some examples of injuries that housekeepers or cleaners can sustain on the job:

• Sprains;
• Strains;
• Broken bones;
• Exposure to chemicals or hazardous substances;
• Chemical burns;
• Overuse injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome caused by gripping;
• Knee injuries;
• Back and neck injuries;
• Skin rashes and disorders;
• Eye injuries; and
• Joint injuries and disorders.

Common Job Duties of Housekeeping Cleaners and Maids 

What types of job duties are common for housekeepers or cleaners? You might think this information is obvious, but housekeepers, cleaners, and maids perform more job duties than you might think. The following are some of the most common work duties:

• Scrubbing;
• Sanitizing;
• Making beds;
• Changing linens;
• Vacuuming;
• Sweeping;
• Washing clothes or dishes;
• Dusting; and
• Removing trash.

How to Seek Compensation for a Housekeeping or Cleaning Injury

 If you work as a housekeeper or cleaner or maid, and if you were recently injured on the job or diagnosed with a work-related illness, you could be eligible to seek workers’ compensation benefits. How can you seek benefits? First, report your injury to your employer within 30 days from the date of the injury or your diagnosis. Make sure you seek medical attention quickly — you can see any doctor for initial, emergency treatment, but then you will need to see an approved provider. Then, get in touch with a lawyer who can help you. You could receive medical coverage, wage-replacement benefits, and potentially more.

 Contact Our Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Lawyers 

Were you injured on the job while working as a housekeeper or cleaner, or as a maid? You should get in touch with an experienced Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation attorney at the Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A. to learn more about your options for benefits.

Sources:

bls.gov/oes/current/oes372012.htm

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0440/0440.html