The construction industry is a field in civil engineering which involves setting building structures on the earth's surface. Site survey is usually taken to know the exact surface on which the construction process (Gal, Lyytinen & Yoo, 2008) . Setting out the superstructure and substructure always take various stages. Different people usually take place in the construction process on which the usually put their skills together to come up with the best decisions. The construction industry is a wide field that uses manpower and machines depending on the nature of work.
A construction industry can be a large or small sector depending on the value of the output. It is one of the industries that play a great role in the development of a country. The activities which take place in the construction industry should be environmentally friendly and biodegradable. Different countries have stable their construction industry to become a high-class sector. The construction process involves establishing new structures or repairing. The type of work ranges from residential, nonresidential or infrastructure. The land on which the construction structures lay should be stiff enough to carry heavy loads. Also, the structure should be tough to withstand forces and lateral pressure from internal or external sources.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
During the construction process, several economic stresses usually occur that directly affect the workers. This stresses usually occur depending on the skillfulness of the worker and the strictness of the supervision. Handling constriction material mainly cement always affect the hands of the workers and can cause health disorders. Mainly many diseases which affect the workers are multifactorial and can be prevented. Gender discrimination, nausea, headache and sexual harassment among women is another stress affecting the workers. Also, different reports of workers receiving less payment has been reported on various occasions. This is a major problem affecting the workers and its control is not easy to be dealt with.
Musculoskeletal morbidity is one of the illnesses that affect the workers in their daily activities. Over 33% of reported cases of MSD affect about 70% of construction workers. A report was conducted in the USA construction workers and it was found that MSD affects workers between the ages of 16-30 years of age. According to this report, this disorder mainly affects woman mostly those who work for long hours. On the final analysis, the statistics show that many injuries in the construction industry are mainly caused by MSD and affect about half the population of workers in the world. MSD is a major disaster which has been fought by workers with no final solution.
The construction industry is a very involving sector having its employees handle heavy machinery and equipment that exposes them to high risk of musculoskeletal disorder and continue trauma disorder. The operations under this industry are characterized by static postures, vibrations, excessive force, awkward postures, and extreme temperatures. The health hazards caused by long term effects in working under risky conditions that affect the industry. Due to this reduced productivity, the industry has implemented measures that have enhanced the quality of their operations as well as improved the working conditions of the workers. Control measures have been taken and an insight of identifying new hazards has also been taken into account.
To mitigate these, elimination of hazards has been a key factor whereby machineries posing threat to human life have been cut out and replaced with more safe equipment, for instance, the replacement of gas-operated forklift with an electric operated forklift. Manual jobs have also been improvised such that a job that required manpower to carry heavy loads has been actualized through an engineering control that applies the use of slip-resistant surfaces, machine guards, covers and back up alarms in moving objects.
Administrative controls has also been a measure in controlling and prevention of ergonomic stressors. Under administrative control, labor practices have been improvised to accommodate risk-free work practices. A strategy that reduces employees' exposure to health hazards was employed and was realized through a plan that increased the number of workers working at the same site doing the same roles in shifts. A personal initiative in the prevention of muscular-skeletal disorder is also encouraged as it involves having protective wear .it is however rated as the least effective due to its dependence on other measures. A failure of machinery would mean exposure to a hazard and therefore personal protective equipment will not guarantee the safety of the worker.
The evaluation process under the ergonomic process is guided by safety principles as well as health programs focusing on MSD as well as CTD. Evaluation assessment involves an endless involvement in corrective action procedures to improve the effectiveness of the process. The evaluation process involves three steps which are hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk control. Hazard identification is a significant step in realizing a risk-free working environment before the hazards result in health complications. This step involves different methods that include direct inspection, hazard checklist, and considerations on material safety information sheets.
Although health hazards may have a long term effect and might not be identified almost immediately, risk assessment is an important part of the evaluation process. This step involves workers' participation in the provision of information on the hazards they face on the ground as well as their concerns and ideas in solving the risks they face. The workers are encouraged to give an immediate report on MSD symptoms which means a lot in reduction of progressive symptoms as well as mitigation of serious injuries.
The last step in the evaluation progress is risk control that focuses on the prevention of health effects caused by the hazards. Risk controls entail five principles in eliminating hazards as per the ergonomics awareness. These principles include elimination of hazard, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. With the three-step taken into consideration the ergonomic process with be able to achieve its set goals. A success in this process will be marked by streamlined operations through improvements in working conditions, reduced disorders, improved quality and increased productivity.
The construction industry involves a set of tasks to initiate and complete a project that are characterized by different risk factors. Improved communication with employees to a great extent helps curb these health hazards. The industry has a duty in creating awareness on possible hazards that keeps the workers informed of safety issues. Discussions on ways to improve the safety measures, programs and concern should also be given priority.
References
Gal, U., Lyytinen, K., & Yoo, Y. (2008). The dynamics of IT boundary objects, information infrastructures, and organisational identities: the introduction of 3D modelling technologies into the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. European journal of information systems , 17 (3), 290-304.
Bodhare, T., Valsangkar, S., & Bele, S. (2011). An epidemiological study of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among construction workers in Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh. Indian journal of community medicine: official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine , 36 (4), 304.
Driessen, M. T., Proper, K. I., Anema, J. R., Bongers, P. M., & van der Beek, A. J. (2010). Process evaluation of a participatory ergonomics programme to prevent low back pain and neck pain among workers. Implementation Science , 5 (1), 65.
