Title: Comparison of grip force at the hand-handle interface during the use of housekeeping spray bottles

Authors: Majed Zreiqat; Luz S. Marin; Wanda Minnick; Amber Vaughan; Christopher Shultz

Addresses: Department of Safety Sciences, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1010 Oakland Avenue, Indiana, PA, USA ' Department of Safety Sciences, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1010 Oakland Avenue, Indiana, PA, USA ' Department of Safety Sciences, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1010 Oakland Avenue, Indiana, PA, USA ' Department of Safety Sciences, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1010 Oakland Avenue, Indiana, PA, USA ' Department of Safety Sciences, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1010 Oakland Avenue, Indiana, PA, USA

Abstract: Housekeeping tasks are characterised by awkward hand postures, repetitive movements, and forceful exertion. Using the right tools to perform work-related tasks can minimise these associated risk factors. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of spray bottle type on the hand's kinetics during the performance of a typical surface cleaning task as well as the user's perception of comfort, ease of use, level of fatigue and trigger force. Three different commercially available plastic spray bottles (traditional with a trigger sprayer, a handheld pressure pump, and a motorised battery-operated sprayer) were evaluated experimentally using 20 subjects. The study results showed that the motorised spray bottle, overall, induced the least accumulative grip force (CGF) in comparison to the other two bottles. The index finger was found to be the greatest contributor to the CGF for both the motorised and traditional spray bottles, while the thumb was the prominent contributor for the pump spray bottle.

Keywords: cleaning tools; hotel housekeepers; carpal tunnel; risk factors; pressure mapping.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFE.2023.133571

International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 2023 Vol.10 No.3, pp.265 - 282

Received: 08 Sep 2022
Accepted: 02 Apr 2023
Published online: 21 Sep 2023 *

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