BACKGROUND: There are roughly 3.8 million cleaning workers in the United States. The cleaning workforce is largely composed of women, immigrants, and ethnic minorities who receive low wages and have low education levels. They are exposed to physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial hazards. METHODS: Qualitative methodology was used to investigate how Latino immigrants experience work as building cleaners. A grounded theory coding approach was used to analyze focus group data from 77 participants. RESULTS: Three major themes were identified: economic vulnerability, psychosocial stressors, and health and safety effects. Although workers are aware of the safety hazards associated with their jobs, they believe their immigration status limits employment opportunities leading them to accept poor working conditions. They work through injuries and cope psychologically through minimizing negative health impacts and normalizing work-related injuries and illnesses. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that interventions for these workers should recognize the hostile organizational and psychosocial contexts within which immigrants often work.
BACKGROUND: There are roughly 3.8 million cleaning workers in the United States. The cleaning workforce is largely composed of women, immigrants, and ethnic minorities who receive low wages and have low education levels. They are exposed to physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial hazards. METHODS: Qualitative methodology was used to investigate how Latino immigrants experience work as building cleaners. A grounded theory coding approach was used to analyze focus group data from 77 participants. RESULTS: Three major themes were identified: economic vulnerability, psychosocial stressors, and health and safety effects. Although workers are aware of the safety hazards associated with their jobs, they believe their immigration status limits employment opportunities leading them to accept poor working conditions. They work through injuries and cope psychologically through minimizing negative health impacts and normalizing work-related injuries and illnesses. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that interventions for these workers should recognize the hostile organizational and psychosocial contexts within which immigrants often work.
Authors: Marie B Jørgensen; Charlotte D N Rasmussen; Isabella G Carneiro; Mari-Ann Flyvholm; Kasper Olesen; Dorte Ekner; Karen Søgaard; Andreas Holtermann Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2011-01-04 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: David Vizcaya; Maria C Mirabelli; Josep-Maria Antó; Ramon Orriols; Felip Burgos; Lourdes Arjona; Jan-Paul Zock Journal: Occup Environ Med Date: 2011-05-10 Impact factor: 4.402
Authors: Victoria Porthé; Emily Ahonen; M Luisa Vázquez; Catherine Pope; Andrés Alonso Agudelo; Ana M García; Marcelo Amable; Fernando G Benavides; Joan Benach Journal: Am J Ind Med Date: 2010-04 Impact factor: 2.214