Construction Health Hazard Control Innovations: A Web-Based Intervention to Change Perceptions

ABSTRACT

A theory-based intervention strategy to improve perceptions of construction health hazard control innovations was developed and tested in the following trades: masonry (n = 90), concrete (n = 52), and asphalt roofing (n = 105). A web-based intervention was designed to target constructs of the Prevention through Design Adoption Readiness Model (PtD ARM) and included information about the health impacts of construction health hazards; side-by-side videos of both conventional and innovative tools; information about control effectiveness, productivity, and task performance. The interventions were evaluated using a pre-test/posttest, within-subjects experimental design, with control groups. Posttest data were collected immediately, three months, and six months following the intervention. A validated survey instrument was used to collect data regarding dependent variables: health knowledge (HK), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived impacts on productivity (PU), perceived worker susceptibility to health effects (SUS), perceived health-effect severity (SEV), adoption readiness (AR), and actual use (AU). Open-ended questions generated qualitative data regarding benefits and barriers to adoption of the innovations and were analyzed using Content Analysis. Gain-score ANOVA found significant improvements in PEOU and PU in all intervention groups. In addition, significant improvements in HK, risk, and AR were found in the asphalt roofing intervention group.

KEYWORDS:

• safety
• health hazards
• prevention through design
• innovation adoption

Acknowledgments

This work made possible through grant funding from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. Funding support from National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) cooperative agreement OH 009762. All rights reserved. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CPWR or NIOSH.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).