Bernold, L E; Lorenc, S J and Davis, M L (2001) Technological intervention to eliminate back injury risks for nailing. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 127(3), pp. 245-250. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
"Ergonomics" is derived from the Greek words "ergon," meaning work, and "nomos," meaning natural laws. Thus, one can interpret ergonomics as the "natural laws of work." As documented in the literature, ergonomics has long been ignored by management and workers in construction alike. Unfortunately, a sore back in the evening is not always the effect of healthy hard work at the jobsite made apparent by the staggering cost of workers' compensation. Occupational back injuries result in more lost workdays than any other illness, secondly only to the common cold. In addition, manufacturers of construction tools have started to redesign their products because of liability concerns. This paper describes an effort that considers the health epidemic of back injuries as an opportunity. The basic premise is to apply the "natural laws of work" in a scientific manner to reach and treat the root of the problem and not its symptoms. Pneumatic nailing of subfloors is used to explain that back pain and the risk of back injuries for the average construction worker can be decreased, while at the same time maintaining short-term productivity and increasing long-term productivity.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | injury, redesign, compensation, ergonomics, construction worker, illness, back pain, liability, productivity, meaning, manufacturer |
| Subjects: | dispute resolution, liability law, health conditions and diseases, design methods, sociology, management, practitioner, occupational health and safety management |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Research Practice, Legal Issues, Design Practice, Health and Safety, Roles and Professions |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 PC |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here