The Employer Perspective on Sustainable Employability in the Construction Industry

Tonnon, Susanne; Veen, Rozan van der; Westerman, Marjan J.; Robroek, Suzan J W; Ploeg, Hidde P. van der; Beek, Allard J. van der; Proper, Karin I.

doi:10.1097/jom.0000000000000913

Cited by 15 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…First, although physical capacity declines as a natural process of aging (Hamberg-van Reenen et al 2009; Soer et al 2012), some studies among older employees in physically demanding occupations have found that capacity is maintained with age (Gall and Parkhouse 2004; Schibye et al 2001; Torgen et al 1999). Second, the recommendation of lowering occupational physical demands with age is not always followed (Aittomaki et al 2005; Burr et al 2017; Jarvholm et al 2014; Jebens et al 2014; Tonnon et al 2017). Third, both decreases and increases in relative physical strain with age have been reported (Brighenti-Zogg et al 2016; Gupta et al 2014; Jebens et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical capacity, occupational physical demands, and relative physical strain of older employees in construction and healthcare

Merkus

Lunde

Koch

et al. 2018

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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PurposeTo assess age-related differences in physical capacity, occupational physical demands, and relative physical strain at a group level, and the balance between capacity and demands at an individual level, for construction and healthcare workers.MethodsShoulder strength, back strength, and aerobic capacity were assessed among construction (n = 62) and healthcare workers (n = 64). During a full working day, accelerometers estimated upper-arm elevation, trunk flexion, and occupational physical activity as indicators of occupational physical demands. Simultaneously, normalised surface electromyography (%sEMGmax) of the upper trapezius and erector spinae muscles, and normalised electrocardiography (percentage heart rate reserve (%HRR)) estimated relative physical strain. Differences between younger (≤ 44 years) and older (≥ 45 years) workers, as well as the moderating effect of age on the associations between capacity and demands, were analysed per sector.ResultsCompared to younger workers, older workers had similar strength and lower aerobic capacity; older construction workers had similar demands while older healthcare workers had higher demands. Compared to younger workers, older employees had unfavourable muscle activity patterns; %HRR had a tendency to be lower for older construction workers and higher for older healthcare workers. Among construction workers, age moderated the associations between shoulder strength and arm elevation (p = 0.021), and between aerobic capacity and occupational physical activity (p = 0.040). Age did not moderate these associations among healthcare workers.ConclusionsIn both sectors, the level of occupational physical demands and the higher relative physical strain in older employees require addressing to promote sustainable work participation among an aging population.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00420-018-1377-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical capacity, occupational physical demands, and relative physical strain of older employees in construction and healthcare

Merkus

Lunde

Koch

et al. 2018

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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“…These perceptions echo those of Dutch blue collar construction workers surveyed about sustainable employability, who ranked highly the need to reduce physical job demands [34]. Although this was also frequently mentioned by a parallel survey of Dutch construction employers, only one in five had actually listed reducing physical workloads as being “on the company agenda”, citing cost, time and client demands as barriers [33]. Interventions aimed at planning, administrative controls and engineering assistive devices, along with improved approaches to temporary as well as permanent workplace accommodations, are widely seen to benefit workers entering the trades, as well as those attempting to continue to work at older ages.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…As previously found among blue collar construction workers and construction employers [33,34], participants identified opportunities for career pathways to enable construction workers to reduce physical demands. Both individual unions and NABTU offer an array of continuing education and training programs to foster the acquisition of management, training, or safety skills.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Both the 2004 National Academies of Science report and a 2009 “Healthy Aging for a Sustainable Workforce” conference report advocated for primary prevention through the enforcement of existing safety and health regulations for all workers, additional research into work modifications that could address ergonomic and other hazards, and more targeted policies to provide supports to older workers specifically [31,32]. In the Netherlands, Tonnon and colleagues have explored concerns about sustainable employability in the construction industry among both workers and employers [33,34]. However, although the challenges to older workers in the construction industry have been well documented, interventions, where they exist, remain scattered and piecemeal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Building a Sustainable Construction Workforce

Sokas

Dong

Cain

2019

IJERPH

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The average U.S. construction worker is aged 42.6 years, and will not be eligible for full Social Security retirement benefits until age 67. Delayed retirement is largely driven by economic need, but construction workers face considerable challenges in remaining on the job. This study explores trade-specific age trends within the construction industry, and the experiences of building trade unions with aging membership. A mixed-methods approach used trade-specific age statistics from the Current Population Survey and key informant interviews with labor leaders, in order to identify union experiences and interventions. Mean and median ages for all subgroups in construction increased from 2003 to 2017. Immigrant construction workers were significantly younger than workers who were born in the U.S. (41 vs. 43, p < 0.001). Union workers were older than non-union workers (42 vs. 39 in 2017, p < 0.001); the age differential between self-employed and wage-and-salary workers was wide (49 vs. 40, p < 0.001). Union leaders described barriers, such as age discrimination and the loss of previously available light tasks, as well as current and potential solutions through union contract language requiring the inclusion of older workers, or establishing limits for lifting. Other solutions included career pathways for training and safety, with their attendant limitations; mentoring/pairing opportunities with apprentices; and the potential opportunities and training needs for site management positions.

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“…: worker is not open to change and little willingness of the worker if there is no work disability. The participation of workers also seems important in improving sustainable employability, since a passive attitude was considered as a barrier for sustainable employability in the construction industry [30]. Another important factor for implementing preventive measures for the employer is the acquisition of more knowledge about the risk factors, since the employer plays an important role in generating these risk factors [29].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing implementation of interventions in agriculture for occupational upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders: Results of an expert panel

Bosch

Molen

Frings‐Dresen

2018

WOR

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BACKGROUND:Upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSD) is reported worldwide as the second-largest occupational musculoskeletal disorder in agriculture.OBJECTIVE:The objective of the study is to identify facilitators and barriers for employers and workers for implementing interventions to reduce work-related risk factors associated with occupational UEMSD in the agricultural sector, according to health and safety consultants.METHODS:An expert panel was used comprising nine health and safety consultants from the Dutch agricultural sector.RESULTS:Facilitators and barriers for employers and workers were categorized in the following themes: knowledge, skills, attitude, culture, costs, loss of income, facilitation and employability. There were no differences in facilitators and barriers between UEMSD.CONCLUSIONS:Facilitators and barriers for implementing preventive interventions in agriculture were on organizational level, like diversity in choice of preventive devices, and personal level such as willingness if there is no work disability.

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The Employer Perspective on Sustainable Employability in the Construction Industry

Abstract: Implementation of measures aimed at reducing physical load and the promotion of personal development are needed.

Cited by 15 publications

References 21 publications

Physical capacity, occupational physical demands, and relative physical strain of older employees in construction and healthcare

Physical capacity, occupational physical demands, and relative physical strain of older employees in construction and healthcare

Building a Sustainable Construction Workforce

Optimizing implementation of interventions in agriculture for occupational upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders: Results of an expert panel

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