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u.s.
DepartmentofLabor
OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministrationWashington,D.C.20210Replytotheattentionof:
APR25
2012
Thomas
J.
Pritzker,CHB-CEOHyattCorporationHyattCenter71SouthWackerDriveChicago,IL60606DearMr.Pritzker:ThisletteristoinformyouofthefindingsrelatedtotheOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration~sc(OSHA)inspections.
that
wereconductedinresponsetocomplaintsrelatedtoergonomicriskfactorsatHyattHotelsinIllinoisandTexas.ThisletteralsorespondstotheJanuary17,2012,letterfromRobWebbChiefHumanResourcesOfficer,HyattHotelsCorporation(Hyatt),requestinganAlliancewithOSHA,andreferencesapreviousletterfromOSHAtoMr.WebbfromDecember6,2011.
OSHAInspectionsFindings
ThecomplaintsallegedthathousekeepersWereexposedtoconditionsthatcanincreasethyriskofdevelopingmusculoskeletaldisorders(MSDs).On-siteevaluationswereconductedontheroutinetasks(generalroomcleaning,bathroomcleaning,andbedmaking)performedbythehousekeepers.OSHAidentifiedthepresenceofergonomicriskfactorsassociatedwithhousekeepingtasks,buttheconditionsdonotmeettheevidentiarythresholdrequiredtociteunderthegeneraldutyclause.Consequently,ageneraldutyclausecitationforergonomichazardswillnotbeissuedasaresultoftheseinspections.
In
general,
OSHA
observedtaskspresentingriskfactorssuch
as:
repeatedheavyliftingandcarrying,bending,twisting,elevatedandextendedreachespushingandpulling,andforcefulgripping.Asummaryofthefindingsfromourinspectionsfollowedbypossibleresponsiveactionsarelistedbelowforyourconsideration.GeneralRoomCleaning:Generalroomcleaningtasksthatmaypresentriskfactorstoworkersincludethefollowing:pushingcarts,movingitemsofvaryingweightsuchaslinensandfurniture,cleaningsurfacesandwindows,transferringsoiledlaundryandroomtrash,andvacuuming.
 
-2-
BathroomCleaning:Bathroomcleaningincludesthefollowingtasksthatmaypresentriskfactors:cleaninganddryingthetubandshowerwalls,mirrors,thetoiletandfloor,removingandrestockingbathroomlinens,cleaningorreplacingtheshowercurtains,andreplenishingexpendablesupplies.MakingaBed:Bedmakingtasksthatmaypresentriskfactorsincludetheprocessofchangingbedlinensdependentuponroomsize,layout.typeofbed(s)(e.g.,king,double,roll-away,Murphy),thelinensused,thebedmakingmethodsusedattheparticularhotel,andwhethertheroomisoccupiedorisvacantduetoarecentguestcheckout.Observationsindicatethatservicinganoccupiedroomislessphysicallydemanding
than
servicingarecentlyvacatedroom.InterventionStrategiestoAddressHousekeepingStressors:
o
Reducethequantityandseverityofelevatedandextendedreaches-byprovidinglong-handledoradjustable-lengthtoolsfordusting,mopping,andcleaningtasks,providingalightweightstepstoolorladderforelevatedtasks,andplacingexpendablesupplies,onthesinkcounterinsteadofinthetubarea;
o
Minimizetheforceexertedtopushandpulltoolsandsuppliesaroundtheworkspacebyprovidingmotorizedcarts,lighter-weightvacuumswithbetterhandgripdesign,performingscheduledmaintenanceoncartsandvacuums,andorganizingtheworkinamannerthatminimizestraveldistancebetweenrooms;
o
Reducethe'quantityandseverityoftorsobending,lifting,andcarryingbyminimizingplacementofsoiledlinensonthefloor,reducingtheweightanddistancethatlaundryiscarried,organizingthework
in
amannerthatminimizestraveldistancebetweenrooms,modifyingthebedmakingprocesstominimizemattresscomerlifting(e.g.,usefittedsheets,allowbedlinenstoextendtotheside,andtuckalllinensinonemotionattheendoftheprocess),andensuringthereisadequateclearancebetweenbeds,walls,andfurnituretominimizeawkwardpostureswhenliftingmattresscomers;
o
Minimizecontactstresstoworkers'bodiesbyprovidingcushioningsuchaskneepadsforkneelingtasks;and
o
Reducesignificantliftingtasksforhousekeepersbydesignatingworkerteamsorhousementoconductdeeproomcleaningsandothercleaningthatrequiresthemovingoffurniture.
In
addition,thebedmakingprocessshouldbeevaluatedtoensureminimumexposuretoriskfactors,andschedulingstandards(credits)shouldbedevelopedthatfullyconsiderhoteloccupancylevelvariations.Employeesshouldbeconsultedonevaluationsofpotentialriskfactorsandoninterventionalstrategies.
 
-3-ObservationsRelatedtoOtherTasks:Employeesassignedtolaundryroomsorbanquet.facilitiesmaybeexposedto
many
ofthesameriskfactorsashousekeeperssuchas:bending,
twisting,
extended
and
elevatedreaches,
and
liftingheavyloads.OSHAoffersthefollowing-guidancetoreduceriskfactors:raisethelaundry
from
thefloor(e.g.,byproviding
a
tableunderthelaundrychute),provideiceandlaundry
tubs
withadjustableheightcapabilities,providetubdumpers,minimizeliftingduringlaundrysorting{e.g.•byplacingitems
in
theproper.receptacleduringinitialsorting),trainemployeestominimizetheamountoflaundryliftedatonetime,rotateemployeesbetweenliftingandnon-liftingjobs,designwaterfillingstationsforglassesandicecontainersusedbybanquetserversnearwaistheight,andreducerepetitive,elevatedreachingbyprovidinglightweightstoolsorladdersforaccessinguppershelvesofbanquettransportcarts.Again,employeesshouldbeconsultedwhenevaluatingandaddressingriskfactors.Wehaveprovidedreferencestostudiesandpublicationsattheendofthisdocumentwhichmaybeusefulinyoureffortstoaddresstheseissues.Recordkeeping:WewouldalsoliketotakethisopportunitytomakeyouawareofOSHA'srecordkeepingrequirementsforjob-relatedinjuriesorillnessesrelatedtocontractedorseasonalemployeesunderdirectsupervision
of
Hyatt.
If
suchemployeesareinjuredorbecome
ill
onthejob,thenthoseinjuriesandillnessesmustbeenteredonHyatt'sOSHA300log,iftheymeetoneormoreofthegeneralrecordingcriteria,per29CFR1904.7.
OSHAAllianceProgram
WithregardstoHyatt'sproposaltoformanOSHA-
Hyatt
Alliance,weare-happytodiscussthepossibilityofaformalcooperativeagreement.ThroughtheAllianceProgram,OSHAworks
with
groupscommittedtoworker
safety
andhealthtopreventworkplacefatalities,injuries,andillnessesbydevelopingcomplianceassistancetoolsandresources,sharinginformationwithworkersandemployers,andeducatingworkersandemployersabouttheirrightsandresponsibilitiesundertheOccupationalSafetyandHealthActof1970.OSHAbelievesthatanAlliancecouldaddressergonomicriskfactorawarenessinthisindustry,aswellastheneedforcomplianceassistancematerials.Alliancesarealsoaforumforemployersandworkerstoworktogethertoidentifyandsolveworkplacesafetyandhealthissues.Toachievethis,Allianceswithemployersandemployergroups(e.g.,tradeassociations)rnustalsoincludeworkerrepresentatives.Duetotheirvestedinterest
in
improvedsafetyandhealthwithinyourindustry,OSHArequiresthatemployeerepresentatives,suchasUNITEHERE,'beinvitedtoparticipateinAlliancediscussions.
.
.
Inyourletteryoualsoproposetoconductanergonomicsstudyas"thecenterpieceofthisAlliance."Aspreviouslystated
in
OSHA's
December6,2011,lettertoRobWebb,OSHAsuggestsHyattcontacttheNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)topursue
this
studyoutsidetheauspicesofanAlliance.NIOSHisthegovernmentagency
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