The drive for a more comfortable direction of travel

Driving between cleaning contracts is something that managers and operatives do every day, so making the journey as comfortable as possible is extremely important if health and well-being is to be enhanced. Ashley Hoadley of Darwin Clayton discusses the ergonomics of driving.

Cleaning operatives are well-travelled professionals – not just with regard to the amount of steps physically taken when delivering services within buildings, but also in terms of the miles they drive between assignments. It’s the same, or even more applicable, to managers, who are constantly on the move between customer sites, carrying out spot checks and assessments, or attending client/staff meetings.

This means that people employed in the cleaning industry can clock up a significant amount of mileage – and this runs a number of risks. Lower back, shoulder and neck discomfort can be caused, and exacerbated, by an incorrect driving position. Musculoskeletal problems such as these develop gradually over time, and they can have a severely negative effect for contract cleaning companies. Physical discomfort and pain, and the distress this causes, obviously affects the individuals concerned most severely. However, this has a knock-on effect for their employers, as absence caused by these conditions can disrupt services, lowering the standards delivered, leading to a dip in client satisfaction.

It would, therefore, be wise for cleaning contractors to address these risks – for the benefit of their employees and their customers. To this end, Darwin Clayton is working in partnership with leading risk management specialists, Cardinus, to deliver a unique package of risk management solutions to our clients, and Terry Cloke, a senior ergonomist at Human Applications, has provided us with some valuable advice on these issues.

He states that a small correction in the driving position can often result in a large improvement in driving comfort, and offers some tips to help this happen – the first and foremost being to adjust your seating position correctly:

• Start with the seat backrest upright, the seat fully forward and fully pushed back. Then raise the seat height for a clear view of the instrument panel and the road ahead.
• Next, slide the seat forwards so that the clutch pedal can be comfortably depressed without any twisting of the hips.
• Check that the seat supports at least half the length of the thighs and adjust seat tilt if the seat has this facility.
• If available, adjust the lumbar pad on the backrest to give good support in the lower back.
• Adjust steering wheel height and reach so hands rest comfortably in ten-to-two position, arms bent slightly at the elbow. Adjust head restraint to support the back of the head (not back of the neck). The seatbelt should lie across the top of your shoulder and never rub against your neck or fall onto your arm.
• Finally, check the adjustment of the rear view mirror and door mirrors, and check for any blind spots.

Many cleaning contractors have their own fleets of vehicles which operatives use, and when choosing a good vehicle, the position of the centre of the steering wheel relative to the seat and the foot pedals is crucial.

The steering wheel should be centrally located relative to the seat and the foot pedals; and should fall approximately mid-way between the clutch and the brake pedals. This will prevent the need to twist the shoulders or the hips, helping to prevent discomfort.

By raising awareness of these issues, and providing information to help employees adjust their driving positions, contract cleaning companies can boost the well-being of their operatives, ensuring that they arrive at their place of work in top condition, and ready to deliver the standards of cleaning that their clients demand.

For more information on motor fleet insurance solutions call Darwin Clayton on 01892 511144, email info@dcuk.co.uk or visit www.darwinclayton.co.uk

Published in Tomorrow’s Cleaning – July 2014