Improving Ergonomics for Aging Workers in the U.S. Construction Industry

摘要

The purpose of this study was to identify ergonomic injury trends among construction workers as they relate to the age and activity of the worker. This study analyzed workers' compensation cases in a major highway interchange reconstruction in the Midwestern United States. Findings from this study indicated that the age groups with the most injuries were 21-25 and 41-45, making up about one-third of all injuries reported. Data was also collected at the time of the injury regarding the type of work being performed as was relates to the individual trade of the injured worker. Results showed that the majority of the ergonomic injuries were due to overexertion, followed by motion/position and slip/trip associated with manual material handling activities. Sprains and strains due to manual material handling were the most prevalent types of injury. Injuries sustained by body part in each age group showed that younger workers were to the hand/fingers, whereas older workers (>40 years old) had increased injuries to the back, knee, and foot/ankle. Proactive preventative ergonomic interventions should be undertaken to sustain such older workers. Understanding the ergonomic risks and hazards in the specific construction trade/sites could help identify training and intervention requirements to meet the challenges facing aging workers in the building and construction industry.