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Gesundheitszirkel Reinigungsdienst Praxisbeispiel für Gesundheitsförderung und Integriertes Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement

Aim: Parallel to the changes in work towards the predominance of a service-oriented society and faster and more flexible work forms, the management of health at work has also changed. The classical management of occupational safety, oriented towards the prevention of accidents, has given way to modern and more extensive concepts of prevention and the lasting promotion of health. Using the employees in the cleaning service of a hospital as an example, a model for the promotion of general and occupational health was drawn up which included tools for personnel management and work organization and demonstrated the synergistic effects of this on job satisfaction and health. Methods and collective: The increase in health complaints in the 100 or so employees of the cleaning service of a hospital led to the implementation in 1999 of a “health circle for the cleaning service“ (Gesundheitszirkel Reinigungsdienst). The health circle combined the methods and goals of occupational safety and health with those of health promotion and personnel management. A series of measures developed in the “health circle for the cleaning service“ (e. g. training in ergonomic cleaning techniques, fitness and relaxation exercises, discussions about absence from work) were consistently carried out. Furthermore, a strategy for the sustainability of the aims of the health circle was developed (e. g. fitness brochure with a cleaning lady as the photo model). A questionnaire was given to the participating employees of the cleaning service before and after implementation of the measures. Results: Acceptance of the measures for health promotion was particularly high among the employees of the cleaning service. The fitness brochure was also evaluated very positively by the employees. Absence from work and health complaints decreased as a result of the intervention. In the meantime, the “health circle for the cleaning service“ has been used as a model for other problematic areas in the enterprise. Conclusions: The “health circle for the cleaning service“ and the measures developed are an example of an integrated company health management programme which combines methods of general and occupational health promotion with tools of personnel management and work organization. This integrated company health management system surpasses classical occupational safety management systems by far, is a trend setter, and is in accordance with the principles of the manual “Guidelines on occupational safety and health management systems“ of the International Labour Organization (ILO) passed last year.