“PATH”: A Modified Work Sampling Method to Collect Ergonomic Hazard Data in Construstion Work

Details

• Personal Author:
  Alexeeva E ; Buchholz B ; Lee DM ; Moir SM ; Paquet V ; Punnett, Laura ; Wegman, David H.
• Description:
  Construction work imposes ergonomic hazards on its work force. Little effort has been made to charcterize construction work and quantify the hazardous exposures due to the highly dynamic work environment, unstable employment (i.e., being called on "as needed" basis by different contractors and sub-contractors), and the relatively low level of repetition involved in the work. PATH (Poasture Activity, Tools and Handling analysis), a work sampling-based method, was developed as an accurate and time-efficient method of collecting large amonuts of data to charcterize and quantify ergonomic hazards in heavy and highway construction. Modified work sampling was chosen as the first level of analysis so as to significantly reduce the analysis time that is often required in continuous video analysis methods and to estimate cumulative exposer over the course of a whole day (versus biomechanical models that better quantify peak exposures associated with specific actions but do not incorporate frequency or duration of exposure). Instantaneous information was recorded using a posture coding system for four major body parts [a modification of the Ovako Working Posture Analyzing System (OWAS)] and a checklist format covering work tasks/activities,tools/equipment, and types of grasp used. Work samples were taken at one-minute or 45 second intervals during real-time observation of workers. Observations were preceded by dialogue with construction site supervisors and workers to obtain background information such as job titles and trades of observed workers, specific phase of work being performed.and accurate descriptions of workers' tasks and tools used. Data analysis provides information which can be used to quantify exposures such as: percentage of work time spent performing specific tasks and in at-risk postures, overall and subdivided by type of grasp or tool used. Results can be used to describe the ergonomic stressors presented in specific construction processes and operations, and to target tasks for more detailed analyses. Duplicate real-time coding was performed by a second observer and by the original observer using videotape, to examine reproducibility of the results. This reliability has been further compared between body parts and between trades. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Ergonomics Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Construction Workers Injury Prevention MSD Musculoskeletal Disorders Occupational Exposure Posture
• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20056870
• Citation:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 21-27, 1994, Anaheim, California. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 1994 May; :10
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1994
• Performing Organization:
  Center to Protect Workers' Rights
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19920930
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 21-27, 1994, Anaheim, California
• End Date:
  19950929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:574215fadea0e23712926709630de8de1a91f9a8adaa16578d53178a4dfd00ce5ab804a85c3a198ddbff59570853d052d546f1cf48f9a905f9f1b304c9de94b7
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/214368/cdc_214368_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 294.11 KB ]