Risky business!

By Dr. Neal Seymour

October 13, 2010

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Carpet cleaning and restoration services are labor intensive and physical.

As with any physical activity, there exists a risk of work-basis injuries which cause havoc on the activities that generate your income.

Many times, for an owner/operator, an injury may spell the difference between income and no income.

Many times, the actual future of keeping one''s business alive hinges on the ability to overcome injuries related to our industry.

Let''s take a look at how work-related injuries affect your business and what you can do to overcome their negative impacts.

Before we get too far, we need to understand which types of injuries are involved in carpet cleaning and restoration.

They can essentially be broken down into two distinct categories: Physical and chemical.

Physical: Rotator cuff

A major debilitative physical injury related to our industry involves the rotator cuff and involves both tears in the rotator cuff or shoulder bursitis, also known as rotator cuff tendonitis.

Insurance data suggests that these injuries ultimately affect more than 71 percent of carpet cleaners who work more than 10 years in the industry.

These cleaners seek medical attention for shoulder pain from "moving the wand." The repetitive back-and-forth nature of wanding causes lateral pressure on the shoulder bursa, which eventually becomes impinged.

This essentially means that there is inflammation of a particular area in the shoulder joint.

When one moves the wand, there is lateral inside and outside twisting of the shoulder in a complex motion which makes several bones, muscles and ligaments operate contrary to each other.

Tendons slide back and forth and are protected by the bursa. Inflammation causes a lack of space for the tendons to operate and the resulting "pinching" causes the pain.

This all sounds terribly technical.

What it essentially means is that the majority of carpet cleaners have sought medical attention for rotator cuff injuries and that more than 24 percent eventually give up their business due to total debilitation of their shoulder.

Too many times, a cleaner suffers the symptoms of a rotator cuff injury but does nothing to have it corrected.

The most prescribed treatments are non-surgical and include cortisone injection and physical therapy, as well as taking anti-inflammatory medicines.

The major problem with injections of this nature is that repeated cortisone injection causes a weakening of tendons.

There are times in which conservative treatment methods do not work.

Surgery to correct shoulder bursitis is called subacromial decompression. Rotator cuff tear surgery is usually more complex.

What is the downside for the operator who has these surgeries? There is usually total immobilization for two weeks, followed by up to six months of physical therapy.

During this period, the patient is definitely not "moving the wand."

Most operators would agree that being out of commission for six months would be devastating.

Physical: Back injuries

We know that, with constant lifting, bending and moving, etc., the back takes a beating in our industry.

Again, this is a major work-related injury that affects more than 82 percent of carpet cleaners who have worked more than 10 years in the industry.

Too often, back problems are the culprit that takes a person totally out of our industry.

Repetitive movement causes muscle fatigue or injury.

The exertion of too much force on your back also causes injury.

The lifting or movement of objects — such as furniture or a wand — causes a marked increased risk of back pain or injury.

You''ve probably felt it… a pain that radiates down your legs or arms or a numbness, weakness or tingling in your arms or legs.

This is your vertebrae in a traumatized state. Your spinal cord runs down through your vertebrae, through the soft, gel-like center. Your nerves can become pinched when problems reduce the amount of space in your spine.

Hours of poor posture have been proven to lead to debilitating back injuries.

Documented back injuries in our industry have been related to the number of years of repetitive motion.

Older cleaners who have been operating for several years will eventually have to plan to get off the truck or move away from the operation side of the business. The use of anti-inflammatory medicines and cortisone injections are quite often used as conservative treatment. It is the physical nature of the job which eventually causes the pain.

In many cases, back problems will heal on their own, as long as the repetitive motions causing the problem are eliminated.

This essentially means you must completely stop what you are doing. Moving the wand and furniture goes by the wayside.

In more serious cases, surgery is required to fuse or remove disks in the back. Again, recovery from these surgeries means a carpet cleaner could be out of commission for three to six months.

Physical: Carpal tunnel

These injuries are caused by the repetitive operation of activating a wand solution trigger and eventually affect nearly 40 percent of carpet cleaners who have been in the industry for more than 10 years.

We don''t notice it, but an operator is constantly compressing and releasing their hand muscles — quite often on a single hand which is regularly used on a carpet wand.

Studies have shown that compression and decompression of the hand and wrist muscles during wanding can occur once every three square feet of cleaning, and rotational twisting of the wrist can occur six times every three square feet of cleaning.

The carpal tunnel is essentially a channel in the palm side of the wrist which has tendons running through it.

The median nerve runs right through this tunnel. Repetitive motion or pinching of the median nerve can lead to aching, tingling, burning, numbness or pain in the hand and fingers and can spread up your arm.

Splints and cold compresses are often used as non-surgical treatments.

In severe cases, carpal tunnel release surgery is performed to cut the carpal ligament to make more space for nerves and tendons.

Recovery can take two to three months. During this time, one is not moving the wand, moving furniture or rolling hoses.

Chemical: Severe acute respiratory illness

It has been reported that severe acute respiratory illness linked to the repeated use of chemicals in the workplace affects more than 33 percent of such users. That includes carpet cleaners.

All too often, we are not taking proper precautions with our presprays and other chemicals.

Even with the "greening" of our industry and the responsible elimination of certain chemicals, the increased use of complex chemical polymers still causes a potential health risk.

There have been reported instances in which carpet cleaners have had their throat passages completely constricted by severe reactions to chemicals.

Most carpet cleaner medical care dealing with chemicals comes from chemical irritant contact dermatitis resulting from contact with detergents, surfactants, extremes of pH and organic solvents.

Severe acute respiratory illness has been reported from the use of aerosolized chemical irritants. Many cleaners do not notice that they are spraying chemical fogs and walking through them.

Prolonged contact with aerosolized chemical irritants can eventually cause chemical pneumonitis or polymer-fume fever, which has been linked to more than 15 percent of medical claims in our industry.

Signs of this are mucous membrane irritation, coughing, chest tightness, headaches and fatigue.

Doctors have advised that sprays containing polymers or solvents should only be used in well-ventilated areas.

Many cleaners who suffer severe acute respiratory illness become permanently disabled and not able to work.

Chemical: Skin irritants

The most prevalent chemical sensitivity injury in our industry is tied to chemical irritants to the skin.

Contact dermatitis conditions relating to chemical usage affects more than 40 percent of those who have been in our industry for more than 10 years.

These chemical irritants affect the barrier properties of the epidermis and can remove the fat emulsion and remove water-binding mechanisms in the skin.

Alkalies, which are prevalent in many cleaning chemicals, can cause a severe skin reaction. Reaction can involve a red rash, blisters, welts or hives or itchy, burning skin.

You know that feeling when you have a high-pH chemical on the hand? The skin be comes very smooth and "shiny."

The reaction is that the top layer of your skin has actually been chemically "peeled."

Even the capability of tear ducts to function has been affected by chemical skin irritants.

Cures for this condition usually involve the removal of all irritants from the patient.

This essentially means that one cannot be around the chemicals which cause the irritation.

Chemical: Farmer''s Lung

Many times, carpet cleaners are involved in mold remediation. Upwards of 10 percent of technicians involved in mold remediation may eventually seek medical treatment for a non-infectious allergic disease called "Farmer''s Lung."

This is caused by inhaling mold spores, and it disrupts the function of the lungs.

This is a highly-debilitating illness which puts one out of commission for a long period of time.

We must remember some estimates indicate that up to 250,000 mold spores can fit on the head of a pin, and mold spores can attach themselves to airborne dust particles.

An unprotected mold remediation technician can inhale up to 750,000 dust-borne mold spores per minute.

Mold settling in the lungs causes toxins to be produced, which eventually causes permanent scarring of the lung tissue.

The result is a pneumonia-like symptom. This condition has no cure.

Reduce your injuries

What can you do to reduce these types of work-related injuries?

The percentages of injuries and resulting medical care are high because an owner/operator or technician often does not take adequate measures to prevent the injuries in the first place.

Let''s look at how you can work to lessen or prevent these debilitating injuries in your business.

Prevent rotator cuff injuries

For hot water extraction, the use of a rotary extraction tool will greatly reduce the repetitive motion injury of the rotator cuff and shoulder.

Let the electric motor-driven tool make the wet and dry passes to reduce the punishment on your shoulder.

If you are using a wand, the use of friction-lessening glides will greatly reduce the repetitive motion strain.

If you are an owner/operator, look to expanding your business with other technicians who can use the cleaning tools — taking the physical strain off your shoulder.

A helper can take a great physical load off you and increase your speed and productivity.

Prevent back injuries

Lessen the force you exert on your back that causes muscle fatigue.

The use of rotary tools and wand glides will make a big difference to your back.
•Use furniture lifters to lift heavy furniture — for placing of tabs, etc.
•Learn to lift correctly using knees rather than a curved back.
•Lift intelligently — know what you can safely lift.

Don''t put off medical diagnosis. If you have chronic pain, get it looked at so it can be treated before it becomes a serious downtime injury.

Prevent carpal tunnel injuries

Use a soft-touch type of wand valve to lessen strain on hand close and release motions.

Use a rotary cleaning tool which may require less on-off valve action.

Go ergonomic… this means using ergonomically-designed wands which have different valve and trigger locations and configurations.

Use rotary extraction tools with adjustable handles and ergonomic grip positions so that operation does not put strain in the wrong place.

Look for an ergonomic design that does not cause shoulder "roll-in."

Use ergonomically-designed valves, which reduce the stretch of the hand to activate; this will decrease hand and wrist muscle flex.

Use ergonomically-designed valve trigger handles which are designed for finger placement to reduce finger slipping due to perspiration.

For upholstery tools, look to ergonomically-designed tools which have pull-back handles. This greatly reduces repetitive wrist separation.

Prevent chemical sensitivity injuries

Do not aerosolize irritating chemicals where they can easily be drawn into the nostrils or eyes.

If aerosolizing is required, make sure you wear personal protection equipment (PPE).

Wear gloves! Do this especially when you are handling chemicals, such as mixing or even applying spotters and upholstery cleaners.

Gloves are not for "wimps." They are for intelligent and safe cleaning personnel.

Prevent mold-related injuries

Always wear PPE when you are in a mold environment.

Remember that "Farmer''s Lung" and other respiratory illnesses related to mold work is something you can anticipate and avoid.

The dreaded downtime

If you are an owner/operator, injury downtime has the potential to financially wipe out your business.

We''ve seen that downtime from physical injuries such as back problems, rotator cuff injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome can run up to six months.

This is time that one is probably not earning any money.

Even if you survive that length of downtime, there are times that continued repetitive motion after recuperation can lead to sustained injuries in a vicious merry-go-round of pain.

This means that one is vulnerable to continued injuries that could bring down one''s business.

We''ve seen that debilitating conditions such as mold-related allergic diseases have no cure and could require the operator to remove oneself from the "hand''s-on technician" aspects of the mold remediation business altogether.

Work safe… work smart

As we''ve seen, there are definite possibilities of industry-related injuries which could bring your business down.

By using your head and working "smart" you can overcome the physical and financial impact which injuries can bring to your business.

Make your plans now to overcome any difficulties which could come your way.

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Dr. Neal Seymour is a speaker, trainer, writer and recognized authority on legal, business and technical operations matters relating to the carpet cleaning and restoration industry. He holds degrees in both engineering and law and has extensive experience as a corporate lawyer and businessman.