Janitors and Cleaners

Prior to the Industrial Revolution, the proprietors of shops and stores assigned the cleaning and maintenance of business premises to an employee or else did the work themselves. With the development of vast manufacturing plants, towering skyscrapers, and large hospitals and schools, however, the services of a special worker or workers were required to complete these tasks. The postwar population explosion and resultant building upsurge spurred the demand for even more of these workers. Today, large staffs of janitorial employees are required for the cleaning of establishments ranging in size from small offices to enormous manufacturing plants. Some companies employ an outside cleaning service company to provide these services on a contract basis, creating another base of employment for workers in the industry.