Some California work industries have more injury risks than others, and the hotel industry is one that contains numerous injury hazards. Hotel housekeeping, in particular, is highly dangerous, and so much so that hotel housekeepers now suffer more on-the-job injuries than anyone else working in the service sector.
Per UNITE HERE, hotel workers, in general, already face a work injury rate that is 40% higher than that of all others who work in service. Yet, injury rates are significantly higher among those whose job it is to clean hotel rooms, and this is due in part to the fact that cleaning hotel rooms involves intense physical labor.
How often hotel housekeepers experience injuries
A survey of about 600 Americans employed as hotel housekeepers showed just how dangerous this type of work is. More than 90% of those employed as hotel housekeepers said they have experienced pain related to their work environments. Another 66% said they had to take pain medication to make it through their work days. Also, two-thirds of those working as hotel housekeepers said their work-related pain was serious enough to warrant visits to their physicians.
What hotel housekeepers are most at risk of injury
Hotel housekeeping often involves heavy lifting and time spent on your hands and knees, both of which exacerbate injury risks. However, some housekeepers are more prone to on-the-job injuries than their peers. For example, female hotel housekeepers are 50% more likely than male ones to suffer a work injury, and Hispanic housekeepers are twice as likely as white housekeepers to suffer an on-the-job injury.
As a growing number of hotels and resorts face ongoing staffing challenges, the number of housekeepers experiencing work injuries may continue to climb.