New Regulation for Employers of the Hotel and Lodging Industry

A new safety regulation to prevent industrial injuries suffered by housekeeping workers for the hotel and lodging industry went into effect on July 1, 2018. The intent of this new regulation is to control the risk of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders to housekeepers in hotels and other lodging businesses. The regulation entitled Hotel Housekeeping Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention, requires employers in the hotel and lodging industry to complete an initial workplace evaluation by October 1, 2018 and to identify and create procedures to address hazards for housekeeping workers.

Employers must have a written Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention Program (MIPP) in place and specific to housekeeping. The MIPP must establish the following:

• A system for communicating with the housekeeping staff safety and health information including a process to encourage housekeepers to inform the employer of hazards at work.

• A procedure to conduct workplace evaluations to evaluate and identify housekeeping hazards.

• A process to investigate musculoskeletal injuries of housekeepers that will serve as a tool to identify measures to prevent injuries in the future.

• A method to identify and correct hazards.

• An ongoing training program for all supervisors and housekeepers.

What this means for you:

Employers in the hotel and lodging industry must comply with the new regulation and complete an initial workplace evaluation by the October 1, 2018 deadline. Employers must also create a written Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention Program that meets the regulations criteria. Additional information on the new housekeeping regulation can be found at:

https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/Hotel-Housekeeping-Musculoskeletal-Injury-Prevention.html