Dutta, A (2020) An in-depth investigation of the effects of work-related factors on the development of knee musculoskeletal disorders among construction roofers. PhD thesis, West Virginia University, USA.
Abstract
Construction roofers have the uppermost likelihood of developing knee musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Roofers spend more than 75% of their total working time being restricted to awkward kneeling postures and repetitive motions in a sloped roof setting. However, the combined effect of knee-straining posture, roof slope and their association to knee MSDs among roofers are still unknown. This dissertation aimed to provide empirical evidence of the effects of two roofing work-related factors namely, roof slope and kneeling working posture, on the development of knee MSDs among construction roofers. These two factors were assessed as potential to increase knee MSD risks in roofing by evaluating the awkward knee rotations and heightened activation of knee postural muscles that might occur in sloped-shingle installation. Moreover, a novel ranking-based ergonomic risk analysis method was developed to identify the riskiest working phase in the slopedshingle installation operation. In addition, a data fusion method was developed for treating multiple incomplete experimental risk related datasets that would affect the accuracy of risk assessments due to human and technology-induced errors during experimental data collection. The findings revealed that roof slope, working posture and their interaction have significant impacts on developing knee MSDs among roofers. Knees are likely to have increased exposure to MSD risks during placing and nailing shingles on sloped roof surfaces. The established data fusion method has been proven feasible in handling up to 40% missing data in MSD risk-related datasets. The contributions lie in enhanced understanding of the physical risk exposures of roofers' knee MSDs and creation of the ranking-based ergonomic analysis method and the fusion method that will help improve the MSD risk assessment in construction. In the long run, these outcomes will help develop new knee joint biomechanical models, effective interventions, and education and training materials that will improve the workplace to promote health and safety of roofers.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Dai, F |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | accuracy; education; health and safety; risk analysis; risk assessment; safety; training; roofer; risk analysis |
| Index terms: | slope, health and safety, risk assessment, roof, exposure, placing, roofer, evidence, accuracy, education and training, risk analysis, roofing, dataset, investigation, dissertation, data fusion, interaction |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, practitioner, data science, concrete and cementitious materials, professional education, health safety and environment, financial risk, professional development, behavioral psychology, research dissemination and communication, design practice, geotechnical engineering, data management, public and environmental health, evaluation and assessment methods, environmental hazards |
| Topics: | Education, Engineering Principles, Cost Management, Digital Applications, Health and Safety, Design Practice, Information Management, Research Practice, Sustainability, Roles and Professions, Construction Materials |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
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