Washington State Janitors' Workload Study

Recorded on April 21, 2021

With the Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety

Webinar Navigation

Washington State Janitors' Workload Study

About the Webinar: 

Cleaning activities are typically not the primary business line of the organizations they serve. These services are often contracted out, which can lead to working conditions being overlooked. This webinar will explore workload issues among commercial janitors and custodial staff. Learners will also discuss the development of a workload calculator designed for managers and work schedule planners of commercial janitorial firms to better allocate workers, manage the workload of custodial staff, and to improve working conditions.

Learning Objectives

  1. Recognize workload issues among commercial janitors and custodial staff

  2. Describe approaches in workload quantification and define workload measures

  3. Discuss the development of a workload calculator to support schedule planning and better manage the workload of janitors and custodial staff

Instructor: Stephen Bao, PhD, CPE

Stephen Bao is a certified professional ergonomist (CPE in USA and CCPE in Canada), senior epidemiologist and ergonomist at Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. He is also an affiliated professor at the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health of University of Washington and an adjunct professor at the Master of Engineering Management of the Saint Martin’s University. As a senior research ergonomist and epidemiologist, he has performed numerous projects primarily in real workplaces to study relationships between workplace factors and musculoskeletal disorders, develop job assessment tools, and evaluate workplace ergonomics interventions. With an engineering background, Stephen promotes solutions that can be integrated in industrial processes and machine/product designs to enhance productivity and improve work efficiency. He has done many ergonomics consultations with a wide range of industries. As a seasoned instructor, Stephen has taught many targeted audiences including ergonomists, health and safety specialists, engineers, production workers, and university students. Stephen serves as an editor for Ergonomics and a senior editor for Ergonomics in Design.

Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety