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MSDs in the hotel industry : Chambermaids and valets, a back-breaking job

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major issue in the hotel sector. Affecting the vast majority of front-line workers, particularly chambermaids and valets, these pathologies are often the result of difficult working conditions.

In a context where the hotel industry is a pillar of tourism, how are these behind-the-scenes workers affected by MSDs, and what solutions can be envisaged to improve their working conditions? Moovency takes a look at the subject.

The hotel industry in figures

The hotel industry is a key sector of the tourism economy, offering comfort and service to millions of travellers every year. But behind the scenes, thousands of people work to ensure that the service provided to our customers is beyond reproach.

📊Some key figures for the hotel industry in France

  • 16,850 establishments and 652,000 rooms in France.
  • 170,191 jobs in 2021.
  • 217.4 million overnight stays in 2023, making hotels the leading form of collective tourist accommodation in France.
  • A wide range of occupations, from hotel manager to receptionist, including cooks, housekeepers, sommeliers, linen room attendants, maintenance technicians and, of course, chambermaids and valets, the essential cogs in the hotel operation.

While the hotel sector is dynamic and constantly evolving, the issue of working conditions remains a major challenge. Behind the image of hospitality and service, some professions, such as chambermaids and valets, are exposed to a high level of physical exertion, which is often underestimated.

MSDs in the hotel industry: general overview

The impact of working conditions on the health of hotel employees is considerable, as shown by these data from the French National Health Insurance Fund (Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Maladie, CNAM):

680,000 workdays lost per year

42% of accidents are related to manual handling

39% of accidents are caused by falls

ON AVERAGE:

67 days off per workplace accident

254 days off due to occupational illness

Percentage of MSDs in the sector93%

93%

MSDs account for 93% of occupational illnesses in this sector, compared with an average of 87% in other sectors. These figures illustrate the complexity of the problem of MSDs in the hotel industry, a difficulty for employers that comes on top of those of recruiting and retaining employees in this sector.

Focus on the profession: chambermaids and valets

Chambermaids and valets are responsible for the upkeep and cleanliness of a hotel’s bedrooms and communal areas. Much more than a simple cleaning job, their role is essential as it contributes directly to the image and comfort of the hotel. Based on work instructions and the daily schedule, the main tasks are as follows:

 

  • Preparing equipment: replenishing the cleaning trolley with cleaning products.
  • Cleaning the rooms:
    • Airing and removing dirty linen.
    • Dusting furniture, vacuuming and washing floors.
    • Putting beds back in order (for check-in and occupied room)
    • Replenishment of hygiene products and convenience accessories.
  • Cleaning communal areas: corridors, lounges, stairs, lifts, etc.
  • Responding to customer requests:  for linen, additional products or other requests.

Depending on the density of the periods (for example: full hotel in high season) or the vagaries of the clientele, the workload can intensify considerably. In this context, chambermaids and valets have to pick up their pace, putting more emphasis on certain tasks, while respecting the time allowed to complete the tasks, linked to demanding constraints.

Increased tasks difficulty

This constant pressure, combined with the physical demands and constraints of the job, can lead to a number of occupational hazards:

Awkward postures and movements are at the root of the risks:

  • Prolonged standing, frequent walking and trampling;
  • Crouching positions to clean certain areas ;
  • Repetition of cleaning movements;
  • Excessive strain on the back when handling loads (bags of laundry, mattresses, hoovers, etc.);
  • Frequent moving of heavy equipment: cleaning trolleys, furniture, etc.

With aggravating factors, often linked to work organisation:

  • High work rates and tight deadlines, sometimes with limited breaks;
  • Lack of task rotation and teamwork;
  • Atypical working hours;
  • Equipment that is sometimes unsuitable;
  • Poorly designed, unsuitable working environments (stairs, narrow spaces making work more difficult);
  • Stress and tension due to unforeseen circumstances, interruptions and demands.

What are the health risks?

These sometimes unsuitable working conditions lead to illnesses and accidents, such as back and joint pain, falls from a height or on a level, and chemical and psychosocial risks. When a chambermaid or valet does her or his job, she or he puts daily strain on the back, shoulders, elbows and wrists. The most common MSDs associated with the profession are low back pain, tendonitis and carpal tunnel.

These risks have a human and economic cost for employees and employers alike: premature physical wear and tear, loss of employment and the challenge of retraining, frequent work stoppages, difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, increased contributions for occupational illnesses.

💡The arduous nature of the job of chambermaids and valets has been at the heart of social demands for several years. In 2021, an emblematic strike by chambermaids highlighted these issues.

Given these facts, what preventive measures should be taken for chambermaids and valets?

Working differently: sustainable prevention

Faced with the risks associated with being a chambermaid or valet, it is essential to put in place an effective and sustainable prevention strategy. The aim? To improve working conditions, protect employees’ health and guarantee a better quality of service in the hotel sector. Several levers of action can be mobilised to reduce MSDs, limit the arduousness of the work and improve employee safety.

Assess the risks: take stock of the environment and the way work is organised.

Adapt the equipment and design of the environment: opt for motorised trolleys, lighter, more manageable cleaning equipment and adapt the furniture to human constraints (height, weight and volume of furniture).

Adapt the organisational workload:

  • Facilitate postural alternation and task rotation;
  • Facilitate mutual aid or working in pairs for greater comfort and variety of roles;
  • Reducing the number of rooms to be done according to age (senior plan) and according to the arduousness.

Strengthening internal communication: improving the flow of information, both on the organisational side (planning, anticipating workloads and managing contingencies) and on the reporting of problems (malfunctions, faulty equipment, first signs of discomfort).

Involve employees: as part of a participative approach, raise awareness of occupational risks and train employees in how to prevent them.

Moovency supports you

At Moovency, we support companies and their employees in implementing prevention strategies tailored to the realities on the ground. Our team of ergonomists, all of whom are IPRPs, are available throughout France to train your employees in the risks of MSDs.

Equipped with our Kimea solution, they can analyse your activity in a fun and educational way, train your teams and support you in setting up and monitoring your prevention initiatives. By visualising the biomechanical risk of MSDs in real time, Kimea will enable you to provide your teams with visual and concrete support for an issue that can sometimes seem theoretical and remote to teams in the field. Add to this the expertise of our ergonomists, who will integrate all the risk factors into their work, and you’ll have a 360° analysis of your activity, backed up by recommendations and an action plan. Because no-one should have to choose between their health and their work!

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