Improving working conditions in the cleaning sector to better protect employee health

More occupational accidents and diseases than in other sectors

A higher level of health insurance claims is observed In the cleaning sector, where workplace accidents and the rate of recognised occupational diseases are more frequent and more serious than in all other sectors. The occupational diseases observed mainly include musculoskeletal disorders, which are nearly twice as frequent as among all employees in France taken together. Dismissals on grounds of inability to work are also twice as common. These findings have been corroborated by various national surveys and studies that document a higher incidence of poor general health among these workers than in other sectors.

A sector largely dominated by women and job insecurity

To better understand the origin of health problems and identify possible preventive measures, ANSES analysed all the professional, economic and legal determinants associated with cleaning work, as well as the socio-demographic characteristics of workers, based on reference statistics and scientific studies. The expert appraisal focused on non-specialised cleaning activities, i.e. the cleaning of offices and building lobbies, including sanitary facilities. The cleaning of private homes was not included in the scope of the appraisal.

These workers are employees of both the public sector and private companies, some of which are cleaning service providers. In 2020, outsourced workers accounted for 35% of the public sector workforce and 65% in the private sector. 

Around three-quarters of cleaning workers are women, with an average age of 45; they are often immigrants or of foreign origin. Often forced to work part-time, they tend to earn low monthly wages. These workers frequently have several employers and often work on multiple sites.

Multiple risks exacerbated by organisational and socio-economic factors

Cleaning workers are exposed to a wide variety of health risks due to the very nature of their work, which involves physical exertion as well as exposure to chemicals and biological agents such as bacteria and viruses. Added to this are other risks more specifically related to the organisation of work, in a sector characterised by isolation, irregular hours, a fast work pace, and invisible labour.

This combination of physical, organisational and socio-economic constraints compounds the negative health effects of this occupational activity.

Cleaning activities are increasingly being outsourced, leading to a deterioration in working conditions. In the private sector, the proportion of outsourced employees almost tripled within nearly 40 years, rising from 23% in 1982 to 65% in 2020. As a result of this trend, the number of hours dedicated to cleaning tasks has decreased, from 33 hours to 25 hours per week. This means that cleaning workers are subject to both an acceleration of their work pace and a reduction in monthly income, and can be forced to compromise between efficiency and quality of work. 

Specific measures to better protect the health of these workers

In the conclusion of its expert appraisal, ANSES recommends taking the following measures to step up risk prevention in cleaning activities:

• as a priority, implementing a prevention campaign specifically focusing on musculoskeletal disorders, which are the main cause of occupational diseases in the sector;
• promoting daytime work in order to limit isolation, invisible labour and irregular hours;
• facilitating access to prevention tools for cleaning workers by tailoring them to their specific needs. 

For cleaning activities that are outsourced, the Agency recommends the following, as a priority:

• reminding companies that use such services of their obligation to comply with labour legislation;
• strengthening the responsibilities of companies that use these services, to enhance their involvement and cooperation with service providers. To this end, ANSES suggests that it may be appropriate to apply the provisions in force for temporary work, in which the user company is responsible for the conditions under which the work is performed;
• considering changing the methods used to calculate contribution rates for “workplace accidents/occupational diseases” in order to share the cost between service providers and user companies. 

Lastly, the Agency encourages the production and dissemination of knowledge specific to the challenges of professional cleaning activities, in order to lift the veil of invisibility currently masking these activities.