California bill proposes to outlaw flat sheets on hotel mattresses....bwahahahaa (mattress, hotels)

[azoria]

To wit:

BILL NUMBER: SB 432 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator De Le�n FEBRUARY 16, 2011 An act to add Section 6714 to the Labor Code, relating to workplace safety.

.......(1) The use of a fitted sheet, instead of a flat sheet, as the bottom sheet on all beds within the lodging establishment. For the purpose of this section, a "fitted sheet" means a bed sheet containing elastic or similar material sewn into each of the four corners that allows the sheet to stay in place over the mattress.

AND

"....Because this bill would create a new crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program."



New crime....using flat sheets on beds.... of course this will require more prison space for the criminals convicted of subjecting the unwitting public to flat bedsheets.

Too funny for words. You people are so sqrewed by your state government. What a scream.


SB 432 Senate Bill - INTRODUCED

California Outlaws Flat Sheets | Right Wing News

[18Montclair]

I realize your trying to say that California is especially weird when it comes to making laws, but you'd be surprised at some of the stupid laws in all 50 states:
50 Stupid Laws From 50 States

[esmith143]

In case you were wondering, the logic here is as follows. In order to change a flat sheet, the housekeeper may need to lift the mattress. Mattresses may weigh over 100 pounds, and each housekeeper has to clean 20-30 rooms per day. In combination with other factors, this leads to a statistically significant increase in injury rates (particularly, lower back injury rates) among hotel housekeepers, compared to other service sector workers.

Mandating that all hotels use fitted sheets (which can be changed without lifting the mattress) would reduce the injury rates.

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by azoria

To wit:

Too funny for words. You people are so sqrewed by your state government. What a scream.

I am sure your grandparents complained similarly about the 40 hour work week law

And your parents complained about the new seat belt law..

[TimC2462]

Originally Posted by esmith143

In case you were wondering, the logic here is as follows. In order to change a flat sheet, the housekeeper may need to lift the mattress. Mattresses may weigh over 100 pounds, and each housekeeper has to clean 20-30 rooms per day. In combination with other factors, this leads to a statistically significant increase in injury rates (particularly, lower back injury rates) among hotel housekeepers, compared to other service sector workers.

Mandating that all hotels use fitted sheets (which can be changed without lifting the mattress) would reduce the injury rates.

As someone who is in the hospitality industry, I'd be interested to see the statistic you are citing from.

Housekeepers do not need to lift the entire mattress up. They can simply lift one corner at a time to tuck in the flat sheet as they go around the bed. On average, a housekeeper can clean anywhere from 12 to 20 rooms. I'd be hard press to believe that they can clean up to 30 rooms a day in an 8 hour shift. That usually means 16 minutes of allotted time per room, unless they work in a motel that shows little regard for cleanliness and sanitation for the next incoming guest.

Housekeepers should be trained to work efficiently to prevent injury, but we don't need a legislation that bans flat sheets, especially when they are created by a lawmaker that is very misinformed.

[esmith143]

Originally Posted by TimC2462

As someone who is in the hospitality industry, I'd be interested to see the statistic you are citing from.

Housekeepers do not need to lift the entire mattress up. They can simply lift one corner at a time to tuck in the flat sheet as they go around the bed. On average, a housekeeper can clean anywhere from 12 to 20 rooms. I'd be hard press to believe that they can clean up to 30 rooms a day in an 8 hour shift. That usually means 16 minutes of allotted time per room, unless they work in a motel that shows little regard for cleanliness and sanitation for the next incoming guest.

Housekeepers should be trained to work efficiently to prevent injury, but we don't need a legislation that bans flat sheets, especially when they are created by a lawmaker that is very misinformed.

I am citing directly from the bill analysis. From some googling, it seems that 15 to 20 is most common, but 30 room quotas also exist in some places.

SB 432 Senate Bill - Bill Analysis

Also see here

As injuries soar, Sacramentans offer help to Hyatt's housekeepers » peoplesworld

and here

http://www.sustainableproduction.org...rt.pdf#page=31

I doubt that training housekeepers to prevent back injury would be cheaper than simply phasing out flat sheets and replacing them with fitted sheets over time.

[jeffredo]

I worked in hotels in Yosemite as a front desk clerk during the summer while in college. We were cross-trained to clean rooms when the need arose and I didn't have to hoist the mattress around to slide a flat sheet between it and the box springs. If you have to, you're doing it the wrong way.

[Ceece]

There is nothing wrong with evaluating this kind of thing from time to time. Nobody can argue that mattresses have changed a lot over the years. My mom put a foam topper on hers and tucks her sheets under that rather than the mattress itself. This is one of those things that sounds so silly unless you have to work with it yourself. The hotel chain cited admits their mattresses now weigh over 100 lbs and that is NOT something people had to deal with 20 years ago.

[Bulldogdad]

The legislators need to get their head out of their collective asses on this one. What a monumental waste of time.

However what is wrong with fitted sheets? Cost I am assuming

Making my own king size bed I can see where it would cut down on time to use the fitted sheets.

[Ceece]

Originally Posted by Bulldogdad

The legislators need to get their head out of their collective asses on this one. What a monumental waste of time.

However what is wrong with fitted sheets? Cost I am assuming

Making my own king size bed I can see where it would cut down on time to use the fitted sheets.

I'm not sure it's a waste of time if it's a problem for a significant number of workers. Not sure it needs to be a LAW however if the hotels can come to the same conclusion on their own. Unfortunately these days nobody wants to do anything unless they have to.

But I'm sure it's a matter of cost. With flat sheets you can use them for top and bottom, with fitted it's one more type of sheet to purchase.