1. ERGONOMICS ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Ita Leyden
Consultant Ergonomist and Forensic Engineer
CMG Construction Health & Safety Conference October 2nd 2019

2. Overview Ergonomic risks in construction industry.
Introduce effective tools to identify ergonomic risk factors
Examples of control measures for construction industry

3. First step… Need to recognise risk factors exist
Construction workers
Employers
Work together towards controlling and eliminating risk factors

4. Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs)
Caused by job activities and conditions, like lifting, repetitive motions, and work in confined areas – typical in construction:
Carrying heavy loads
Working on knees / restricted spaces
Twisting hands or wrists
Stretching to work overhead
Use of poorly designed tools
Use of vibrating tools or equipment

5. Trade specific hazards
Risks
Excavation Work
Exposure to whole body vibration from earthmoving equipment
Ergonomic problems from poor seat and cab design
Working in awkward postures

6. Trade specific hazards
Risks
Structural Steel Work
Awkward postures
Repetitive motions
Use of pneumatic tools
Crane operators exposed to whole body vibration

7. Trade specific hazards
Risks
Plumbing Work
Cramped work conditions
Overhead work conditions
Welding associated with injuries due to poor design of welding gun

8. Trade specific hazards
Risks
Electrical Work
Using tools with poor ergonomic design leading to wrist injury
Back issues due to straining while pulling cables

9. Ergonomics of Masonry Work
>1000 forward bending movements/shift – low back disorders
Frequent work above shoulder height
Exposure to extremes of temperature
Use large trowels to increase efficiency
Wear gloves which can reduce the effective grip on trowels
Restricted/cramped spaces
High production rate

10. Improvements
Develop information and training on trade-specific ergonomic practices, including work pacing.
Plan and organize sites to facilitate access, reduce unnecessary materials handling, and avoid work in constricted spaces that force workers into awkward postures and twisting movements.
Use height-adjustable mortarboards to reduce forward bending. Similarly, keep platforms for stocking brick and block no lower than knee-height.
Work with manufacturers to develop more ergonomically favorable bricks and blocks

11. Brick sizes 390mm x 90mm x 90mm 240mm x 70mm x 80mm
Approximately a 50% increase in relative risk of injury to the upper extremity and only a 5% increase in productivity
Construction Safety Association of Ontario research – Aug 2000

12. Assessment Tools MAC – Manual Assessment Charts
ART – Assessment of Repetitive Tasks
RAPP – Risk Assessment for Pushing and Pulling
RULA – Rapid Upper Limb Assessment
REBA – Rapid Entire Body Assessment

13. HSE MAC Tool
MAC was developed to identify high-risk manual handling.
Not appropriate for some manual handling operations (pushing and pulling).
Not designed to access risks associated with workplace upper limb disorders.
MAC
Lifting
Team handling
Carrying

14. How to complete a MAC assessment
1. Observe task (videoing may help).
2. Select the appropriate type of assessment
(Lifting, Carrying or Team handling).
→ If a task involves lifting and carrying, consider both.
3. Follow the appropriate assessment guide and flow chart to determine the level of risk for each risk factor.
4. Enter the colour band and corresponding numerical score on the MAC Score sheet.
5. Identify which risk factors need to be examined. G
Low level of risk A
Medium level of risk R
High level of risk P
Very high level of risk

15. Score Sheet

16. Flow chart for lifting operations

17. Assessment guide for lifting operations

18. Assessment guide for lifting operations

19. Assessment guide for lifting operations

20. Assessment guide for lifting operations

21. Sample Completed Score Sheet
Prioritise action by addressing the task with the highest total score first.
The total scores do not relate to specific action levels. 13 17 9

22. HSE ART Tool

23. Task description

24. Risk factors

25. Stage A : Frequency and repetition
Rapid or prolonged repetition may not allow sufficient time for recovery

26. Stage B : Force Handling heavy objects
Fast movement or excessive force generated by the muscles of the body
Local compression and stress from items that come into contact with parts of the upper limb
Impact or shock

27. Stage C : Awkward postures
Awkward posture: a part of the body is used well beyond its neutral position
Static postures: a part of the body is held in a particular position for extended periods of time without the soft tissues being allowed to relax.

28. C1. Head / neck posture

29. Step 3 : Score sheet

30. What the scores mean ?
Help prioritise those tasks that require the most urgent attention; and
Help check the effectiveness of any risk reduction measures put into place.
The colours assigned to the risk factors help identify where to focus risk reduction measures.
Exposure score
Proposed
Exposure level
0 – 11
Low
Consider individual circumstances
12 – 21
Medium
Further investigation required
22 or more
High
Further investigation required urgently

31. RAPP Type A assessment –wheeled equipment
Type B assessment – non wheeled equipment

33. Weight

34. Posture

35. RAPP Score sheet

36. RULA
Use of the RULA worksheet

38. REBA
Use of the REBA worksheet

40. Interventions

41. Fastening Tools that Reduce Stooping
Use an auto-feed screw gun with an extension that allows an upright posture.

42. Motorized Concrete Screeds

43. Rebar tying tools

44. Skid plates for concrete hoses

45. Tool selection
Source: NIOSH Easy Ergonomics: A Guide to Selecting Non-Powered Hand Tools

46. Tool selection