Ergonomics in Construction: The Great Forgotten
Although it is becoming less common, when people talk about Occupational Risk Prevention in the construction sector, everyone associates it with Safety and, occasionally, Hygiene or Health Surveillance. While it is true that many advances have been made in this regard, Ergonomics, along with its “partner,” applied Psychosociology, remains the great forgotten, or at least, the last on the list.
This situation is quite curious since, traditionally, the population identifies construction work as the heaviest, that is, those involving the greatest physical load and overexertion. In fact, according to the 6th European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), Construction is among the activities with the highest exposure to ergonomic risks, as can be seen in Image 1.
Are employers and workers aware of the existence of ergonomic problems in construction? Generally yes, but often, the risks associated with physical load are not correctly identified, or it is directly thought that ergonomic measures on site are impossible to implement. How many times have we heard… “that can’t be done on site”?
In the following lines, we will try to identify the most common ergonomic problems in construction and some general recommendations that must be considered and integrated both in specific risk assessments and in the health and safety studies and plans for construction sites.
On this occasion, we will not address psychosocial risks. We will talk about them in future articles. However, it is worth noting their importance in the construction sector as well.
What is Ergonomics
First of all, we will provide a brief reminder of what we mean by Ergonomics. Ergonomics is the set of techniques and knowledge whose mission is to adapt the environment, in this case the work environment, to people. The aim is to ensure that it is not the people who adapt to the work environment and, in that process, are exposed to certain health damages. Manual handling of loads, repetitive movements, awkward postures, or environmental conditions are circumstances that can cause such health damages.
As we have mentioned, Ergonomics focuses on people and therefore, in the design or adaptation of the work environment, the reactions, capacities, and skills of workers must be taken into account, with the aim of achieving optimal conditions of comfort and productive efficiency.
Ergonomic risks in construction
In the previous paragraphs, we have already introduced some relevant aspects of the main risks related to Ergonomics in Construction. These will normally be related to the following situations or risk factors:
Awkward postures:
Extreme postures of the spine and joints performed in construction work are a major risk factor for areas of the body such as the back, neck, arms, and legs, especially if they are sustained over time.
Situations derived from the presence of materials on the ground or located in hard-to-reach places with intermediate obstacles are common in construction work, as are tasks near the ground that cause awkward kneeling or squatting postures.
To prevent the aforementioned risk situations, work surfaces near the ground should be avoided by using portable work tables or platforms. It will also be very useful to maintain the workplace in orderly and clean conditions, as well as to plan tasks properly.
Inappropriate postures during machinery handling are also common in construction. Training and the purchase of work equipment that complies with regulations and undergoes proper maintenance will allow for an appropriate spinal curvature during driving.
Manual Handling of Loads
Handling loads is another classic in Construction since large quantities of heavy materials are often lifted and transported, frequently with the added complication of doing so in workplaces with irregular surfaces.
Again, work planning that provides for proper purchase, storage, and distribution of materials throughout the workplace is essential. This will avoid inappropriate heights, unnecessary lifting, and long distances in manual transport. Planning should include necessary breaks. To address the risks of load handling, it will be fundamental to provide adequate training in this area. However, we must not forget that technical measures should be adopted whenever possible to eliminate or minimize the manual handling of loads.
Repetitive movements:
There are multiple tasks in the construction sector with a high rate of repetitiveness, which combined with other factors associated with physical load can seriously increase risk levels.
Process automation will help us eliminate repetitive tasks. This can be done by progressively replacing manual tools with electric ones. In some cases, and always conditioned by other aspects such as professional categories, rotations in different tasks can be implemented to reduce the physical load.
Environmental Conditions
Certain environmental factors in construction will largely determine the aspects to be considered in the design or adaptation of the workstation. Damage derived from physical agents such as vibrations from work equipment and tools like grinders and jackhammers.
On the other hand, tasks performed outdoors involve certain situations of intense heat or cold from which it will be necessary to protect oneself and which we cannot influence. Exposure to high temperatures is of particular importance, as in situations of physical load it can produce fatigue, dizziness, and muscular problems.
For heat, it will be convenient to plan tasks avoiding outdoor work during the central hours of the day. Using light and breathable clothing, taking periodic breaks, and maintaining proper hydration by drinking water frequently will be some of the preventive measures that will help avoid risks derived from exposure to high temperatures.
Heat loss due to low temperatures can also generate risk situations. Therefore, warm clothing must be worn for certain tasks, which often increases the discomfort of movements.
