The physical demands of manual cleaning of endoscopes

Manual cleaning of endoscopes is a physically demanding task, and reprocessing staff regularly experience discomfort from leaning over sinks, scrubbing and standing for long hours. This physical strain can compromise the effectiveness of endoscope reprocessing, potentially putting patients at risk.

A survey of 341 endoscope reprocessing staff showed that over 75% of respondents experience fatigue or discomfort as a result of cleaning endoscopes.¹ The most affected areas of the body were the lower back, neck, and shoulders. This is not only an issue for the wellbeing of individual staff, but for the effectiveness of manual cleaning more broadly – 64% of respondents reported that their physical discomfort made manual cleaning both more challenging and less effective. Uncomfortable heights of work surfaces and small, restrictive cleaning areas were highlighted as potential contributors to this issue.