On July 1, 2013, a global boycott of Hyatt hotels ended
after nearly a year of protesting when the hotel chain reached an agreement
with UNITE HERE, the union of hospitality workers in the U.S. and Canada. The
boycott was in response to widespread evidence of harmful working conditions
for hotel housekeepers, including reports of extensive ergonomic and
musculoskeletal injuries.
The boycott shed light on the need to protect hotel
housekeepers from a variety of safety and health risks. According to Ray Wood,
Sr. Director of Global Safety and Security for Marriott Vacations Worldwide,
housekeeper safety is an issue Marriott is addressing with a comprehensive
program. In fact, at Marriott’s headquarters, an experienced specialist works
exclusively to identify methods for making housekeeping safe, effective and
economically sound.
“It’s so much cheaper to prevent these [incidents] than to
pay for them,” says Wood about the ergonomic and musculoskeletal injuries often
suffered by maids.
Some of the strategies Marriott has implemented include
preventing slips and falls by providing appropriate footwear to workers and
consistently training housekeepers through demonstrations of how to complete
tasks like making beds and cleaning bathrooms without causing strains and
sprains.
Marriot has also found safer equipment to utilize, including
lighter weight carts that are easier to maneuver than carts traditionally used
by housekeepers and brushes with 3 ft. extensions for cleaning bathtubs to
prevent the back strain often caused by leaning over to scrub bathtubs that are
built into walls. Brushes are also provided for cleaning drinking glasses to
prevent finger strain that results from cleaning glasses with washrags.
Additionally, Marriott safety professionals regularly review vacuum cleaners to
ensure that they are using the safest models.
To stay aware of new safety and health concerns to
housekeepers, Marriott’s loss prevention team frequently interviews
housekeeping staff about safety issues, giving them the opportunity to voice concerns.
Click here for more about the Hyatt boycott and the
agreement with UNITE HERE.