Work organisation and gender among hospital cleaners in Quebec after the merger of ‘light’ and ‘heavy’ work classifications

Abstract

In Québec, Canada, cleaning tasks were once divided into ‘light’ or ‘heavy’ cleaning, assigned respectively to women and men. These categories are being merged; in principle, both genders are assigned the same tasks. Activity analysis using observations and interviews examined work activity of male and female cleaners in two hospitals. In one hospital, work activity could be compared before (time 1) and after the work reorganisation (time 2). Some gender segregation of tasks appeared to have persisted at time 2, in both hospitals. Some route assignments contained components that were difficult for all cleaners, especially women of average strength. Only about one-third of the recommendations for improvement made at time 1 had been carried out by time 2, 12 years later. In a low-status job, it may be hard to meet equality, health and efficiency goals because commitment to improving equipment and worksite design may be lacking.

Practitioner Summary: Current attempts to desegregate jobs should be accompanied by attention to physical job demands in order to protect employee health and access to equal employment. The study also shows the need to follow up ergonomic interventions, particularly in low-status jobs such as cleaning, where recommendations can be forgotten.

Keywords:

• cleaning
• ergonomics
• gender
• hospital
• work organisation

Notes

1. Ça devient brillant, ça donne le coup d'œil.

2. Sales clerk, counter food server, cleaner, secondary school teacher, cook, auditor or accountant, professions in computer sciences and director of retail sales.