However, housekeeping is still one of the most strenuous jobs in the hospitality industry. Housekeepers are required to do tasks such as lifting large mattresses, pushing carts that are fully loaded, and doing deep bending motions over and over again, which causes considerable stress to the body and, in most cases, causes back pain, shoulder injuries, fatigue, and absenteeism (loss of work days).
As hotels focus more on staff’s health and ergonomics (how to fit the job to the employee), the use of bed lifts is one of the best housekeeping tools available. While others assist with one task only at a time, bed lifts allow employees to complete all of the physical labour that takes place in every single hotel room.
Why The Atkinson BedLift Stands Out Among Housekeeping Tools
Bed lifts eliminate manual mattress edge lifting—one of the highest-risk and most repetitive housekeeping tasks—delivering outsized ergonomic benefits.
Among common housekeeping tools such as carts, mops, and vacuums, bed lifts are unique because they target a task that combines heavy load, awkward posture, and repetition. Housekeepers routinely lift and maneuver mattresses weighing 80–120 lbs multiple times per shift to change linens or clean underneath beds. This exact combination is strongly associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in hospitality.
Key risks of manual bed lifting include:
- Back and shoulder strain from lifting or tilting mattresses to tuck sheets
- Repetitive stress from handling corners and fitted linens under load
- Cumulative fatigue that slows productivity later in the shift
How a BedLift change the equation:
Bed lifting systems are installed beneath existing bed frames and raise the entire bed—mattress included—to a comfortable working height using a pedal or button. This gives housekeepers full access for bed making and under-bed cleaning without bending, twisting, or forceful exertion.
Why BedLifts outperform other tools:
- Dramatically reduces back and shoulder strain compared to manual methods
- Make it easier to consistently and reliably clean under beds and increase the hygiene and inspection process.
- Provide a standard method for maintaining bed support for all staff, regardless of strength or experience.
Unlike cleaning tools or carts, which are only suitable for very specific tasks, Bed Lifting Tools are used in each guest room every day, and therefore provide substantially more ergonomic benefit for every employee and greater long-term value.
How BedLifts Improve Housekeeping Efficiency
Less physical strain leads to faster cleaning, steadier performance, and more predictable room turnover.
When heavy lifting is removed from the bed-making process, housekeeping workflows improve immediately:
- More time-efficient bed-making process: It takes Housekeepers just seconds to set beds versus several minutes each to set the same bed if they were lifting the mattresses before they were setting them on the frame, which allows them to focus time on the bathrooms and room inspections.
- Less overall fatigue during the shift: It is apparent that Housekeepers feel less physical strain due to not exerting themselves multiple times lifting heavy mattresses; thus, they can remain active during the shift until its end, without tiring as much.
- More standardised procedures: Bed lifting technologies allow for uniform working heights for all Housekeepers, allowing them to work with less variability associated with the size of the individual who is handling the bed, as well as his/her respective amount of strength and work experience.
- Room Readiness Improvements: The ability to clean faster and more thoroughly will create a faster turnaround time for getting guests ready. This reduces stress for front-desk customers and can support early booking and/or same-day sales.
The cumulative time savings from implementing bed lifting technology throughout a hotel are considerable, providing a way to save money on labour, operate more efficiently, and enhance the guest experience.
Atkinson BedLifts as a Long-Term Ergonomic Investment
Because they are used daily in every room, bed lifts deliver compounding safety and efficiency benefits over many years.
Unlike consumable tools or equipment used only in certain areas, bed lifts become a permanent upgrade to housekeeping operations:
- Daily impact in every guest room: Each cleaning cycle benefits from reduced strain and faster bed handling.
- Built for commercial use: Designed to withstand thousands of lift cycles with minimal maintenance.
- Supports injury reduction and retention: Lower physical strain helps reduce absences, overtime, and turnover—critical in an industry where housekeeping turnover can be high.
- Complements other ergonomic tools: Bed lifts work alongside ergonomic carts, adjustable tools, and anti-fatigue mats to create a comprehensive safety strategy.
Because the benefits accumulate over time, bed lifts often deliver one of the strongest returns among ergonomic investments, with improvements in safety, productivity, and staff satisfaction continuing year after year.
Conclusion
For all the ergonomic cleaning equipment available, bed lifts rank highest due to the fact that they remove the most strenuous and sore-based activity that a housekeeper performs within any guestroom. In addition to providing immediate relief from discomfort for staff, they also increase the efficiency with which a housekeeper cleans guestrooms and provide sustainable savings.
If hotels are committed to protecting their housekeeping teams while enhancing daily operational efficiencies, bed lifts should not be viewed simply as an additional cleaning tool; they should be considered a strategic ergonomic enhancement.
Looking to improve housekeeping safety with smarter tools? Explore ergonomic bed lifting solutions designed for hotel environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bed lifts address manual mattress handling—a high-force, high-frequency task performed in every guest room. That combination makes their ergonomic impact greater than tools used less often or for lower-strain tasks.
Yes. By removing the need to lift heavy mattresses, bed lifts significantly reduce strain on the back, shoulders, and wrists—key contributors to housekeeping MSDs.
Typically, several minutes per bed during making and under-bed cleaning. Across a full shift, this can translate into meaningful labor savings and smoother room turnover.
Absolutely. Spring-assist models provide cost-effective solutions for smaller properties, while electric systems scale well for larger or higher-volume hotels.
Most bed lifting systems are designed to retrofit standard platform beds, box springs, and frames without requiring bed replacement.
Disclaimer: Ergonomic benefits are based on hospitality industry research and safety guidelines. Results vary by property size, workflow, and implementation.
