EXAMEN

The perception of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) has significantly evolved since the COVID-19 pandemic. New cleaning practices have been introduced, which have had consequences for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and the working conditions of cleaning agents in public spaces and businesses. Not only has their workload increased, but these agents are also on the front line regarding exposure to emissions from the intensive use of cleaning products. This exposure is compounded by other occupational risks, including musculoskeletal disorders, as well as the precariousness of their employment and the low perceived value of their work. The new practices also affect the exposure of the occupants of these spaces.

The EXAMEN project aims to assess and propose mitigation solutions for the exposure of cleaning agents to air pollutants, considering all factors related to their working conditions.

Research Questions:

1. What contaminants do cleaning activities (including reinforced measures) expose cleaning agents and occupants to?
2. What are the exposures and associated risks? For cleaning agents? For the occupants of cleaned spaces? And how can poly-exposures be accounted for in risk analysis?
3. What solutions can effectively reduce these exposures while ensuring the hygiene of the premises?
4. What conditions (training, data access, employer involvement, etc.) are necessary to change practices and reduce exposure for both agents and occupants?
5. How can changing practices help abandon a fatalistic attitude and change the perception of work value(upskilling)?