Is worker involvement an ergonomic solution for construction intervention challenges: a systematic review

ABSTRACT

Construction workers have been subjected to work-related injuries and illnesses from a long time. The nature of their job, heavy handling and high production expectation are often correlated with their injury outcome. However, due to the dynamic nature of construction industry, the highly cyclical nature of the work and dependence on seasonal labour, the industry lacks an expected emphasis on implementing ergonomic or safety solutions. This article summarises those challenges faced while an appropriate intervention is foreseen.

KEYWORDS:

• Construction hierarchy
• construction hazards
• participatory intervention
• intervention barriers
• intervention facilitators

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Priyadarshini Dasgupta

Priyadarshini Dasgupta, ScD, an assistant professor at Marshall University, did her doctoral studies in the Department of Work Environment at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. During her doctoral research, she has focused on exposure assessment research in construction industry, implemented and evaluated solutions in the real construction sites. Currently she is involved in assessing the adoption of evidenced intervention tools for the construction. At Marshall University, she teaches courses on ergonomics, safety technology and occupational safety and health from a global perspective at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Michael Sample

Michael Sample, works in Liberty Mutual Insurance and has provided technical safety solutions to reduce occupational risk associated with workplace environments for 15 years. He also developed policy and procedures for Fortune 100 companies to reduce their risk and liability exposure. Currently, he is holding the position of a course director at the Research Institute for Safety at Liberty Mutual Insurance.

Bryan Buchholz

Bryan Buchholz, PhD, is a professor of occupational biomechanics and ergonomics in the Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell. His research efforts focus primarily on the development of biomechanical models that provide a better understanding of the pathomechanics of work-related musculoskeletal disorders so that effective interventions may be perfected. His continuing work on the development of biomechanical models of the human hand for evaluation of its prehensile capabilities and the design of tool handles has expanded since his initial work on his doctoral dissertation. He is also interested in the development of ergonomic exposure assessment tools, especially those employing bioinstrumentation. Buchholz is part of the Construction Occupational Health Project and involved in an initiative to understand and help control work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the construction industry. He has also been involved in ergonomic exposure assessment in the fishing industry.

Maria Brunette

Maria Brunette, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, is an industrial and systems engineer engaged in Global Public Health research. Her work focuses on applying human factors and socio-technical systems theory to the design of effective and culturally relevant work and health systems with the goal of improving the physical, mental and social well-being of marginalized, resource-poor communities. Brunette's research studies are all anchored in the community-based participatory research (CBPR) platform.