Creating the Climate for Ergonomic Changes in Construction

Background and Objectives: Construction workers have high rates of WMSDs, yet we hear from all levels of the industry that construction work is just hard and there is simply no way to avoid wear and tear on workers' bodies. This study was designed to find out the current attitudes and perceptions that contractors, unions and workers have about ergonomics and what its status is in practice and in their safety mindset. Methods: We conducted 50 individual key informant interviews, taking an average of 45 minutes, with contractor representatives and union staff and 4 focus groups with workers. Each group was asked questions addressing understanding about and attitudes toward ergonomics, obstacles to addressing WMSD hazards, and ways to overcome those obstacles.

Results and Discussion: Both contractor and union reps indicated high levels of concern about WMSDs. Workers cared deeply about the impact WMSDs have on their lives and their ability to continue working. All three study groups shared the belief that construction today is driven by production; neither workers nor the contractors were interested in using new tools and techniques that may hamper their productivity. Fear of losing their job motivated workers to keep quiet and work through symptoms; the current economy was seen as exacerbating this problem. Respondents also reported limited availability and accessibility of tested and effective tools, equipment and processes. We will describe additional results and an overall synthesis that can inform a social marketing campaign.