THE IMPORTANCE OF ERGONOMICS
What is the role of ergonomics in professional cleaning and how do we ensure that the health of operators is safeguarded?
Our experts answer.
How important is it that a floor cleaning system should be easy to use for the operator?
Supplying functional and easy-to-use tools can make a difference in qualifying a cleaning service and safeguarding operators’ health.
Quality of work is a pivotal point for Filmop, being the first Italian production company to believe in the value of ergonomics: since our origins, we are been constantly committed to designing and achieving practical solutions and technical measures to improve daily cleaning activities and operators' working conditions.
What could be the outcome if a product or system is neither user-friendly nor intuitive?
The adoption of continued inadequate postures represents one of the main risk factors in the onset of illnesses affecting the musculoskeletal system: a simple gesture such as adjusting the telescopic handle to the operator’s height helps prevent them, resulting in a great benefit in terms of psychophysical well-being.
Extensive wrist flexion-extension repeated over time is another risk factor: assuming this, equipping operators with ergonomic equipment helps to safeguard their health by avoiding intense and repetitive strain. Ergonomics also influences cleaning results: using an uncomfortable product or system leads to more strain and decreased productivity, together with worse performance.
Are floor cleaning systems generally easy to use? Or do they require extensive training and experience?
Regardless of systems’ ease of use, it is always essential that all cleaning operations are performed exclusively by trained personnel, equipped with suitable equipment. The more complicated a tool is, the more extensive training is needed.
Filmop equipment is designed to be extremely user-friendly: our range featured a highly ergonomic design and scrupulous attention to detail, thus facilitating operators’ training and ensuring a correct use of equipment.
How do you make sure that floor cleaning systems are ergonomic, intuitive and user-friendly for the operator?
The possibility of human error during cleaning operations increases with the difficulty in using a tool; therefore, one of the main goals is undoubtedly to design it to reduce errors to a minimum. Likewise, poor ergonomics leads to the onset of occupational diseases over time, so this aspect must never be underestimated when designing. Some technical features can make a difference too: a handle that can be lengthened or shortened adapting it to the task to be performed and to the operator’s height avoids muscle pain.
What floor cleaning systems does your company offer that are particularly user-friendly? What makes them easy to use?
When dealing with cleaning systems, an innovative design can overcome the limits of traditional products. This is well known by our R&D department, which has developed a system that excels in terms of functionality and usability: the ErgoSwing version of the telescopic handle is enhanced with two special twist grips that, together with the ergonomic fitting of the mop holder, facilitate the "S" movement ensuring less strain. The analysis of the ErgoSwing system conducted by a specialized consulting company found the maintenance of correct posture during floor cleaning operations and a significant reduction in wrist flexion and extension movements compared with traditional systems, resulting in less strain and higher productivity.
Is ease of use a high priority in today’s floorcare systems? Or are other factors more important?
Not only ease of use, floorcare systems should also ensure high performance and impeccable cleaning as well as lower consumption of cleaning solution which means greater sustainability.
The main goal of Filmop has always been to design the best cleaning systems, respecting health, and the environment: this important assumption has allowed us to develop a wide range of innovative solutions, ergonomic and sustainable at the same time.
