Pub Date : 2014-03-07DOI: 10.2174/1876216601405010001
Emilia R. Kohlman-Rabbani, A. Shapira, A. R. Martins, B. Barkokébas
Airborne dust can be hazardous to workers' health, especially when polymorphic crystalline forms of silica are present, which, depending on their concentration, specificity, and exposure time, can cause respiratory illnesses. In the majority of cases, the presence of some types of dust on building construction sites can be verified visually or through their effects, such as allergic reactions in workers and residents who live nearby. Construction workers are exposed to many raw materials and production processes that produce diverse types of dust, which propagate through the work envi- ronment and the neighborhood surrounding the construction site. The objective of this study was to quantitatively assess the exposure to dust of construction workers in Brazil, a country considered to be representative of the developing world and emerging economies. A preliminary study, conducted at several building sites to identify hazards, consisted of a sur- vey of dust-generating construction materials, processes, and equipment. Nine activities that expose workers to dust were identified, of which six were chosen for further analytical study: mortar/concrete mixing, worksite cleaning, tile cutting, plastering, woodcutting, and wall/ceiling surface sanding for paintwork. The first three activities were analyzed for the presence of free crystalline silica in the total and respirable fractions; of these, the tile-cutting activity presented the high- est exposure to silica concentration. Of the other three activities, paintwork and woodcutting exhibited total dust expo- sures equaling 368% and 159% of the international recommended limits, respectively. This study presents relevant infor- mation to help fight dust exposure on building construction sites and support the need to conduct quantitative dust analy- ses for workers in this sector in order to determine effective protection measurements.
{"title":"Characterization and Evaluation of Dust on Building Construction Sites in Brazil","authors":"Emilia R. Kohlman-Rabbani, A. Shapira, A. R. Martins, B. Barkokébas","doi":"10.2174/1876216601405010001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1876216601405010001","url":null,"abstract":"Airborne dust can be hazardous to workers' health, especially when polymorphic crystalline forms of silica are present, which, depending on their concentration, specificity, and exposure time, can cause respiratory illnesses. In the majority of cases, the presence of some types of dust on building construction sites can be verified visually or through their effects, such as allergic reactions in workers and residents who live nearby. Construction workers are exposed to many raw materials and production processes that produce diverse types of dust, which propagate through the work envi- ronment and the neighborhood surrounding the construction site. The objective of this study was to quantitatively assess the exposure to dust of construction workers in Brazil, a country considered to be representative of the developing world and emerging economies. A preliminary study, conducted at several building sites to identify hazards, consisted of a sur- vey of dust-generating construction materials, processes, and equipment. Nine activities that expose workers to dust were identified, of which six were chosen for further analytical study: mortar/concrete mixing, worksite cleaning, tile cutting, plastering, woodcutting, and wall/ceiling surface sanding for paintwork. The first three activities were analyzed for the presence of free crystalline silica in the total and respirable fractions; of these, the tile-cutting activity presented the high- est exposure to silica concentration. Of the other three activities, paintwork and woodcutting exhibited total dust expo- sures equaling 368% and 159% of the international recommended limits, respectively. This study presents relevant infor- mation to help fight dust exposure on building construction sites and support the need to conduct quantitative dust analy- ses for workers in this sector in order to determine effective protection measurements.","PeriodicalId":93824,"journal":{"name":"The open occupational health & safety journal","volume":"11 10 1","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68123201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2014-01-01DOI: 10.2174/1876216601103010031
Lu Yuan, Bryan Buchholz, Ann Marie Dale
Construction workers, especially carpenters, have a significant number of complaints about knee disorders. Thus, it is desired to identify incident cases of knee disorders and to examine the distribution of specific knee disorders. Clinically sensible algorithms were developed to investigate the medical claims data from the union health plan for carpenters in St. Louis. As a result, 4,900 incident cases of knee disorders were identified among 23,245 medical claims during 1998-2008 and the incidence rate was approximately 153 per 10,000 FTEs (Full-time equivalents). The distribution of knee disorders was 33.1% for acute, 37.1% for subacute, and 29.8% for chronic of the total cases. The majority of carpenters among the total incident cases were Outside Journeymen, who had a much higher percentage of osteoarthritis (32.6% of their total cases). However, it was also noteworthy that Floor Layer Journeymen were diagnosed with more bursitis (32.1%) and Outside Apprentices had a higher percentage of ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament) or PCL (Posterior cruciate ligament) sprain (13.6%) and fracture (10.9%). These results describe the characteristics of knee disorders among union carpenters and provide fundamental health outcome information for further study of knee disorders and occupational risk factors.
{"title":"Knee Disorders Among Carpenters in the St. Louis Area.","authors":"Lu Yuan, Bryan Buchholz, Ann Marie Dale","doi":"10.2174/1876216601103010031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1876216601103010031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Construction workers, especially carpenters, have a significant number of complaints about knee disorders. Thus, it is desired to identify incident cases of knee disorders and to examine the distribution of specific knee disorders. Clinically sensible algorithms were developed to investigate the medical claims data from the union health plan for carpenters in St. Louis. As a result, 4,900 incident cases of knee disorders were identified among 23,245 medical claims during 1998-2008 and the incidence rate was approximately 153 per 10,000 FTEs (Full-time equivalents). The distribution of knee disorders was 33.1% for acute, 37.1% for subacute, and 29.8% for chronic of the total cases. The majority of carpenters among the total incident cases were Outside Journeymen, who had a much higher percentage of osteoarthritis (32.6% of their total cases). However, it was also noteworthy that Floor Layer Journeymen were diagnosed with more bursitis (32.1%) and Outside Apprentices had a higher percentage of ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament) or PCL (Posterior cruciate ligament) sprain (13.6%) and fracture (10.9%). These results describe the characteristics of knee disorders among union carpenters and provide fundamental health outcome information for further study of knee disorders and occupational risk factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":93824,"journal":{"name":"The open occupational health & safety journal","volume":"3 1","pages":"31-38"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/1b/87/nihms-1792431.PMC9377645.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40716192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-11-29DOI: 10.2174/1876216620131205002
Onwuka Okorie, R. Larson, O. Motter, M. Thiese
This screening survey was conducted to assess the concentrations of select airborne contaminants in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center Dental Laboratory. Airborne concentrations were measured for the following contaminants: ni- trous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and airborne particles or particulate matter (PM). The PM was measured and classified by the aerodynamic diameter of the particulates; specifically as PM0.3, PM0.5, PM1.0, PM2.0, PM5.0 and PM10.0.The gases were measured with a Miran Sapphire, portable infrared analyzer. The particulates were measured using the Fluke 983 Particle Counter. Using these instruments, area monitoring was conducted for concentra- tions of gases and aerosols as a result of releases from dental activities such as waxing and grinding of dental models. All area monitoring samples were collected within approximately one foot of the breathing zone of dental workers. The re- sults of this survey found the air quality in the dental laboratory was within the regulatory limits for these agents. How- ever, the concentration of SO2 was found to exceed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLV) on more than one occasion. This was potentially due to room ventilation inade- quacies. It is recommended that the dental laboratory's ventilation system be modified and operated to assure more effec- tive dilution and removal of air contaminants.
{"title":"Use of Direct Reading and Short Term Sampling of Indoor Air Quality in a Veterans Affairs Dental Clinic Laboratory for Select Air Contaminants","authors":"Onwuka Okorie, R. Larson, O. Motter, M. Thiese","doi":"10.2174/1876216620131205002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1876216620131205002","url":null,"abstract":"This screening survey was conducted to assess the concentrations of select airborne contaminants in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center Dental Laboratory. Airborne concentrations were measured for the following contaminants: ni- trous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and airborne particles or particulate matter (PM). The PM was measured and classified by the aerodynamic diameter of the particulates; specifically as PM0.3, PM0.5, PM1.0, PM2.0, PM5.0 and PM10.0.The gases were measured with a Miran Sapphire, portable infrared analyzer. The particulates were measured using the Fluke 983 Particle Counter. Using these instruments, area monitoring was conducted for concentra- tions of gases and aerosols as a result of releases from dental activities such as waxing and grinding of dental models. All area monitoring samples were collected within approximately one foot of the breathing zone of dental workers. The re- sults of this survey found the air quality in the dental laboratory was within the regulatory limits for these agents. How- ever, the concentration of SO2 was found to exceed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLV) on more than one occasion. This was potentially due to room ventilation inade- quacies. It is recommended that the dental laboratory's ventilation system be modified and operated to assure more effec- tive dilution and removal of air contaminants.","PeriodicalId":93824,"journal":{"name":"The open occupational health & safety journal","volume":"4 1","pages":"8-15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68123258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-08-23DOI: 10.2174/1876216620130730001
J. Boschman, H. Molen, J. Sluiter, M. Frings-Dresen
Background: Actively searching for musculoskeletal complaints and reduced physical work ability is a key element in a job-specific workers' health surveillance programme for construction workers. The aims of this multiple-case study were 1) to explore the added value of physical performance tests in such a programme among bricklayers and su- pervisors and 2) to assess if and how these tests facilitate the recommendation of job-specific preventive actions in addi- tion to information gathered by questionnaires. Methods: Musculoskeletal complaints and reduced physical work ability were evaluated by means of a questionnaire and physical performance tests. These tests were designed in such a way that they closely resembled activities in the real working situation. Job-specific activities were performed and individual working posture and working technique were ob- served by an ergonomist. Results: The present multiple case study consists of a qualitative analysis of the information gathered during a job-specific workers' health surveillance. We included four participants: two bricklayers and two construction supervisors. We found that the information gathered during the tests supplemented the information from the questionnaire. Furthermore, the tests seemed of added value in the assessment of musculoskeletal complaints and reduced physical work ability and in observ- ing working posture and working technique. Conclusions: Standardised physical performance tests, based on a simulation of relevant job activities, are of added value in evaluating and gathering knowledge about construction workers' individual physical work ability. These tests provide the opportunity to observe restrictions in task performance, working posture and technique and to recommend job-specific preventive interventions when necessary.
{"title":"Evaluating Individual Physical Work Ability: Examples from the Construction Industry","authors":"J. Boschman, H. Molen, J. Sluiter, M. Frings-Dresen","doi":"10.2174/1876216620130730001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1876216620130730001","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Actively searching for musculoskeletal complaints and reduced physical work ability is a key element in a job-specific workers' health surveillance programme for construction workers. The aims of this multiple-case study were 1) to explore the added value of physical performance tests in such a programme among bricklayers and su- pervisors and 2) to assess if and how these tests facilitate the recommendation of job-specific preventive actions in addi- tion to information gathered by questionnaires. Methods: Musculoskeletal complaints and reduced physical work ability were evaluated by means of a questionnaire and physical performance tests. These tests were designed in such a way that they closely resembled activities in the real working situation. Job-specific activities were performed and individual working posture and working technique were ob- served by an ergonomist. Results: The present multiple case study consists of a qualitative analysis of the information gathered during a job-specific workers' health surveillance. We included four participants: two bricklayers and two construction supervisors. We found that the information gathered during the tests supplemented the information from the questionnaire. Furthermore, the tests seemed of added value in the assessment of musculoskeletal complaints and reduced physical work ability and in observ- ing working posture and working technique. Conclusions: Standardised physical performance tests, based on a simulation of relevant job activities, are of added value in evaluating and gathering knowledge about construction workers' individual physical work ability. These tests provide the opportunity to observe restrictions in task performance, working posture and technique and to recommend job-specific preventive interventions when necessary.","PeriodicalId":93824,"journal":{"name":"The open occupational health & safety journal","volume":"4 1","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68123213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2011-12-02DOI: 10.2174/1876216601103010057
R. Gambhir, Gurminder Singh, Sumit Sharma, R. Brar, Heena Kakar
Dentists, as well as other dental personnel are constantly exposed to a number of specific occupational hazards. These cause the appearance of various ailments, specific to the profession, which develop and intensify with years. In many cases they result in diseases and disease complexes, some of which are regarded as occupational illnesses. Relying on relevant literature, the present paper discusses occupational hazards like stressful situations, latex hypersensitivity, al- lergic reactions due to various dental materials, exposure to radiation (ionizing and non-ionizing), percutaneous exposure incidents (PEI), hazard due to nitrous oxide gas, as well as factors leading to the musculoskeletal system diseases and dis- eases of the peripheral nervous system. Awareness regarding these occupational hazards and implementation of preven- tive strategies can provide a safe working environment for all the dental personnel. There is also a need for continuing dental education programs in dentistry so that dentists can update themselves with the latest and newer techniques and materials.
{"title":"Occupational Health Hazards in Current Dental Profession- A Review","authors":"R. Gambhir, Gurminder Singh, Sumit Sharma, R. Brar, Heena Kakar","doi":"10.2174/1876216601103010057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1876216601103010057","url":null,"abstract":"Dentists, as well as other dental personnel are constantly exposed to a number of specific occupational hazards. These cause the appearance of various ailments, specific to the profession, which develop and intensify with years. In many cases they result in diseases and disease complexes, some of which are regarded as occupational illnesses. Relying on relevant literature, the present paper discusses occupational hazards like stressful situations, latex hypersensitivity, al- lergic reactions due to various dental materials, exposure to radiation (ionizing and non-ionizing), percutaneous exposure incidents (PEI), hazard due to nitrous oxide gas, as well as factors leading to the musculoskeletal system diseases and dis- eases of the peripheral nervous system. Awareness regarding these occupational hazards and implementation of preven- tive strategies can provide a safe working environment for all the dental personnel. There is also a need for continuing dental education programs in dentistry so that dentists can update themselves with the latest and newer techniques and materials.","PeriodicalId":93824,"journal":{"name":"The open occupational health & safety journal","volume":"28 1","pages":"57-64"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68123158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2011-12-02DOI: 10.2174/1876216601103010065
T. Driscoll, M. Wagstaffe, N. Pearce
Background: A number of countries have a list of occupational disorders for use in workers' compensation processes and decisions. These lists have two potential uses - to formally recognise that a disorder may be related to work (and so be potentially compensable), or to formally identify disorders that are likely to be related to work and so can be considered to have arisen from work if sufficient relevant exposure can be confirmed. However, many of these lists have shortcomings. Objectives: The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the concepts and approaches that should be taken into ac- count when developing a list of occupational disorders that can be accepted for fast tracking of the compensation claim. Results and Conclusions: A list of occupational disorders to be used as a schedule for compensation purposes is best based on a combination of specific disorder-exposure combinations, unless the number of potential exposures linked to a particular disorder, or the number of disorders linked to a particular exposure, make it impractical to list them all. For in- clusion in a schedule it is desirable that there is strong evidence of causal link between the occupational exposure and the disorder; there are clear and repeatable criteria for diagnosing the disorder; and the disorder comprises a considerable pro- portion of the cases of that disorder in the overall population or an identifiable subset of the population.
{"title":"Developing a List of Compensable Occupational Diseases: Principles and Issues","authors":"T. Driscoll, M. Wagstaffe, N. Pearce","doi":"10.2174/1876216601103010065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1876216601103010065","url":null,"abstract":"Background: A number of countries have a list of occupational disorders for use in workers' compensation processes and decisions. These lists have two potential uses - to formally recognise that a disorder may be related to work (and so be potentially compensable), or to formally identify disorders that are likely to be related to work and so can be considered to have arisen from work if sufficient relevant exposure can be confirmed. However, many of these lists have shortcomings. Objectives: The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the concepts and approaches that should be taken into ac- count when developing a list of occupational disorders that can be accepted for fast tracking of the compensation claim. Results and Conclusions: A list of occupational disorders to be used as a schedule for compensation purposes is best based on a combination of specific disorder-exposure combinations, unless the number of potential exposures linked to a particular disorder, or the number of disorders linked to a particular exposure, make it impractical to list them all. For in- clusion in a schedule it is desirable that there is strong evidence of causal link between the occupational exposure and the disorder; there are clear and repeatable criteria for diagnosing the disorder; and the disorder comprises a considerable pro- portion of the cases of that disorder in the overall population or an identifiable subset of the population.","PeriodicalId":93824,"journal":{"name":"The open occupational health & safety journal","volume":"3 1","pages":"65-72"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68123167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2011-11-04DOI: 10.2174/1876216601103010048
Ingegerd Skoglind-Öhman
The aim of this study was to gain understanding and knowledge of experiences from a participative approach, inspired by action research. A qualitative analysis with inspiration from phenomenography was used. Data were collected by observations in real world work situations in care receivers own home environment, by questionnaires and interviews among home care staff, collaborating professionals and informal carers. The findings contribute to an understanding of the complexity between person, environment and task. The study points out that participation for reaching safe work perform- ance is essential regardless if the assistant is employed personnel or an informal carer, and regardless if the matter con- cerns movement and transfers or personal care.
{"title":"Experiences from a Participatory Ergonomics Project Among Home Care Personnel, Informal Carers and Unit Leaders in a Swedish Municipality","authors":"Ingegerd Skoglind-Öhman","doi":"10.2174/1876216601103010048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1876216601103010048","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this study was to gain understanding and knowledge of experiences from a participative approach, inspired by action research. A qualitative analysis with inspiration from phenomenography was used. Data were collected by observations in real world work situations in care receivers own home environment, by questionnaires and interviews among home care staff, collaborating professionals and informal carers. The findings contribute to an understanding of the complexity between person, environment and task. The study points out that participation for reaching safe work perform- ance is essential regardless if the assistant is employed personnel or an informal carer, and regardless if the matter con- cerns movement and transfers or personal care.","PeriodicalId":93824,"journal":{"name":"The open occupational health & safety journal","volume":"3 1","pages":"48-56"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68123113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2011-08-22DOI: 10.2174/1876216601103010018
Tariq Sami Adbelhamid
Workers' safety and health is a primary concern in the construction industry due to the significant number of occupational injuries and fatalities experienced. Previous research indicates that such injuries and fatalities are multi-causal, and one of which may be workers drifting towards hazard. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to quantify the ability of construction workers to identify hazards such that this drifting can be minimized. The paper is not reporting on a specific finding regarding hazard identification ability amongst the population of workers surveyed in the research. Rather, it is a foray into a new method that augments assessment of hazard identification abilities of workers. This research applied a hybrid model, Fuzzy Signal Detection Theory (FSDT) to quantify workers' ability to identify occupational hazards. Data was collected using a survey designed to assess construction workers' perceptions of safety specific to the risk of fall accidents for structural steel workers. An eighteen-question survey was based on standards set by national safety agencies in the United States and on a mix of conditions that were with no violation, a complete violation, and a partial violation. Both the conventional Signal Detection Theory (SDT) and FSDT were used for analysis and the results were compared. The comparison of results indicated that the FSDT model provided a richer framework to study worker hazard perception on a construction site. The methodology is expected to provide guiding framework for similar studies. Increasing data collection of the type presented in this paper will enable refinement and revision of construction occupational safety and health regulations by national agencies.
{"title":"Quantifying Workers’ Hazard Identification Using Fuzzy Signal Detection Theory","authors":"Tariq Sami Adbelhamid","doi":"10.2174/1876216601103010018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1876216601103010018","url":null,"abstract":"Workers' safety and health is a primary concern in the construction industry due to the significant number of occupational injuries and fatalities experienced. Previous research indicates that such injuries and fatalities are multi-causal, and one of which may be workers drifting towards hazard. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to quantify the ability of construction workers to identify hazards such that this drifting can be minimized. The paper is not reporting on a specific finding regarding hazard identification ability amongst the population of workers surveyed in the research. Rather, it is a foray into a new method that augments assessment of hazard identification abilities of workers. This research applied a hybrid model, Fuzzy Signal Detection Theory (FSDT) to quantify workers' ability to identify occupational hazards. Data was collected using a survey designed to assess construction workers' perceptions of safety specific to the risk of fall accidents for structural steel workers. An eighteen-question survey was based on standards set by national safety agencies in the United States and on a mix of conditions that were with no violation, a complete violation, and a partial violation. Both the conventional Signal Detection Theory (SDT) and FSDT were used for analysis and the results were compared. The comparison of results indicated that the FSDT model provided a richer framework to study worker hazard perception on a construction site. The methodology is expected to provide guiding framework for similar studies. Increasing data collection of the type presented in this paper will enable refinement and revision of construction occupational safety and health regulations by national agencies.","PeriodicalId":93824,"journal":{"name":"The open occupational health & safety journal","volume":"3 1","pages":"18-30"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68123094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2011-08-22DOI: 10.2174/1876216601103010008
M. Nussbaum
After a few recent years of economic challenges, the construction industry sector continues to grow internationally [1], providing jobs in affluent and developing countries as populations increase and infrastructures expand. Additionally, as demands for rebuilding and repair increase in the aftermath of natural, human-caused, and technologicallyinduced disasters, construction work will continue to be a relatively higher-growth sector compared to other industry sectors. Consequently, these factors contribute to the need for large numbers of workers who can complete construction projects rapidly while under a variety of resource constraints.
{"title":"Health & Safety in Construction","authors":"M. Nussbaum","doi":"10.2174/1876216601103010008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1876216601103010008","url":null,"abstract":"After a few recent years of economic challenges, the construction industry sector continues to grow internationally [1], providing jobs in affluent and developing countries as populations increase and infrastructures expand. Additionally, as demands for rebuilding and repair increase in the aftermath of natural, human-caused, and technologicallyinduced disasters, construction work will continue to be a relatively higher-growth sector compared to other industry sectors. Consequently, these factors contribute to the need for large numbers of workers who can complete construction projects rapidly while under a variety of resource constraints.","PeriodicalId":93824,"journal":{"name":"The open occupational health & safety journal","volume":"3 1","pages":"8-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68123356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2011-08-22DOI: 10.2174/1876216601103010039
T. Smith-Jackson, S. Artis, Yu-Hsiu Hung, H. N. Kim, Caleb T. Hughes, B. Kleiner, A. Nolden
According to a 2006 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report, approximately 90% of construction companies employ 20 or fewer workers; of these, 30% specialize in residential construction. Contractors with 10 or fewer employees are exempt from OSHA reporting requirements, unless a fatality occurs or an injury/illness leads to lost workdays for three or more employees (29 CFR 1904.1, Subpart B). This qualitative case study was conducted to understand character- istics and work patterns to develop a clearer understanding of the natural context of work, especially given the underre- porting of safety information by small construction companies. A prospective study was conducted in which construction workers logged critical incidents for four weeks. Definitions and examples of critical incidents were given to workers, along with a data logging notebook with structured questions. Workers could report the events immediately upon occur- rence or after the workday ended. A total of 102 critical incidents were reported. Content (axial coding) and cluster analy- ses were used to analyze the logs and to extract important descriptors and patterns. Results were used to characterize in- jury types, antecedents, time-of-day, and family-work involvement. Descriptions regarding the training-, resource-, and planning-related practices of small construction workers focused on the unique challenges that impose barriers and con- straints on safety climate.
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