Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among construction workers in the United States from 1992 to 2014

Wang, Xuanwen; Dong, Xiuwen Sue; Choi, Sang D.; Dement, John M.

doi:10.1136/oemed-2016-103943

Cited by 83 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 29 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…The findings in this report are consistent with those of recent studies indicating that the rate of overexertion-related WMSD claims rise and then fall with increasing age (7,8). This pattern has at least two explanations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Workers’ Compensation Claim Rates and Costs for Musculoskeletal Disorders Related to Overexertion Among Construction Workers — Ohio, 2007–2017

Kaur¹,

Wurzelbacher²,

Bushnell³

et al. 2021

MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep.

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Overexertion is a leading cause of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among construction workers. Nearly 90% of construction jobs require manual handling of materials for approximately one half of the worker's time (1). In 2015, overexertion from lifting and lowering materials caused 30% of WMSDs among construction workers; overexertion involving pushing, pulling, holding, carrying, and catching materials caused an additional 37% of WMSDs (1). This study examined the rate and cost of WMSD claims from overexertion among Ohio construction workers during 2007-2017. Workers' compensation claims related to overexertion that were submitted to the Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation (OHBWC) by workers in the construction industry for injuries and illnesses occurring during 2007-2017 were analyzed. Rates and costs of allowed claims were measured by age group. Workers aged 35-44 years experienced the highest claim rate: 63 per 10,000 full-time employees (FTEs) for WMSDs from overexertion. However, claims by workers aged 45-54 years and 55-64 years were more costly on average and resulted in more days away from work. Ergonomic design improvements and interventions are needed to ensure that the majority of construction workers can safely perform jobs throughout their careers. Age-specific WMSD prevention and risk communication efforts also might be helpful.From 1985 to 2015, the average age of construction workers increased from 36 years to 42.5 years (2). As workers age, they become more susceptible to losing muscle mass and strength (3). These and other age-related physical changes can affect workers' ability to perform physically demanding tasks, their vulnerability to WMSDs, and their ability to recover from WMSDs. As the U.S. workforce grows older, understanding the age-specific health and safety needs of workers is critical, especially in hazardous and physically demanding industries such as construction.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Workers’ Compensation Claim Rates and Costs for Musculoskeletal Disorders Related to Overexertion Among Construction Workers — Ohio, 2007–2017

Kaur¹,

Wurzelbacher²,

Bushnell³

et al. 2021

MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep.

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“…The high prevalence rate of work-related injuries and illnesses among seasonal workers can be due to the occasional substitute and the use of less experienced young workers with lower wages as well as less responsibilities for the provision of occupational health services by employers. In this study, as in other studies (Boschman et al, 2013[9]; Holmström, 1992[16]; Siu et al, 2004[29]; Wang et al, 2017[34]), musculoskeletal disorders (53, 3 %) were the most prevalent work-related illnesses among construction workers. This finding is consistent with the fact that workers have reported ergonomic factors (85.3 %) including prolonged standing and inappropriate working postures as the most harmful factors in their workplace.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…The construction workers are exposed not only to hazardous equipment, machinery and situations but also to work-related diseases due to workplace health problems such as harmful factors including physical factors (noise, vibration, thermal stress), chemical factors (aerosols, gases and vapors) and ergonomic factors (manual handling, improper body positioning, exerting excessive strength and repetitive movements) (Bhuiyan et al, 2016[6]; Van der Molen, 2016[33]; Wang et al, 2017[34]). However, limited studies have been conducted on the prevalence of work-related diseases among construction workers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of self-reported work-related illness and injuries among building construction workers, Shiraz, Iran

Jazari

Jahangiri

Khaleghi

et al. 2018

EXCLI Journal; 17:Doc724; ISSN 1611-2156

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“…The construction industry is a challenging domain from the perspective of occupational health and safety. In addition to non-fatal and fatal accidents at the construction work site (Winge & Albrechtsen, 2018) musculoskeletal disorders are decreasing workers' ability to work effectively (Wang et al, 2017). The adoption of complex ergonomic solutions at construction sites is not simple and requires time and the involvement of a wide range of different stakeholders (Dale et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

IoT-based safety monitoring from the perspective of construction site workers

Häikiö

Kallio

Mäkelä

et al. 2020

IJOOES

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Occupational safety and health is traditionally a challenging area in the labor-intensive construction industry as accidents at work and non-ergonomic work conditions lead to absences and premature retirement of construction workers. Recently, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its accompanying technologies (e.g. wearable technologies) has enhanced interest in the occupational safety and health of construction work. The level of technology acceptance among construction workers is a crucial element in the adoption of these technologies. The main objectives of this study are to enhance understanding about construction workers’ attitudes towards IoT-based data-intensive work safety and wellbeing solutions and to identify factors that can promote technology adoption. Data for the study was collected through an online survey of 4385 construction workers. Based on the survey data it seems that construction workers would accept the sharing and utilizing data collected from them in the worksite environment if it could help identify employee personal health risks or promote personal and colleagues' occupational safety. Respondents were most concerned about privacy and security regarding wearables in the workplace. It can be concluded that user acceptance and trust building are key components in the adoption of IoT-based occupational safety and health solutions. Future studies should investigate methods for actively involving construction workers in the design and development process of IoT-based work safety solutions and examine technological solutions that promote trust building among construction workers.

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Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among construction workers in the United States from 1992 to 2014

Abstract: Construction workers continue to face a higher risk of WMSDs. Ergonomic solutions that reduce overexertion-the primary exposure for WMSDs-should be adopted extensively at construction sites, particularly for workers with a higher risk of WMSDs.

Cited by 83 publications

References 29 publications

Workers’ Compensation Claim Rates and Costs for Musculoskeletal Disorders Related to Overexertion Among Construction Workers — Ohio, 2007–2017

Workers’ Compensation Claim Rates and Costs for Musculoskeletal Disorders Related to Overexertion Among Construction Workers — Ohio, 2007–2017

Prevalence of self-reported work-related illness and injuries among building construction workers, Shiraz, Iran

IoT-based safety monitoring from the perspective of construction site workers

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