Influence of work organization and environment on health and productivity outcomes among construction apprentices: a Total Worker Health® approach [2019]

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dale, Ann M. ; Evanoff B ; Kelly K ; Rohlman D ; Strickland J
• Description:
  Introduction: Construction is a hazardous industry, with well-recognized risks of traumatic injury and high physical demands. Other threats to construction workers' health and well-being occur from work organization and work environment factors, including precarious employment, long commutes, long work hours, and employer policies regarding health and safety. These non-traditional hazards have been associated with injury and illness, psychosocial stress, and unhealthy behaviors including poor diet and smoking. The cumulative impacts of both traditional and non-traditional hazards on the health and well-being of construction workers are largely unknown. Methods: We conducted annual surveys among apprentice construction workers to identify relationships between four study domains: work organization and environment, health behaviors, health outcomes, and work outcomes. Results: 963 baseline surveys were completed and returned by apprentice construction workers (90% response rate, mean age 28). Preliminary analyses examined associations between work organization factors and four self-reported outcomes: lower work ability, lower productivity, higher rates of missed days of work due to injury, and use of prescription pain medication. We found that all four outcomes were associated with high job demands, low supervisor support, and low job security. Other factors associated with one or more outcomes included low job security, mandatory overtime, low coworker support, and low foreman supervision of safety. Compared to commercial construction workers, those in residential construction reported higher use of pain medication and higher rates of missed days due to work injuries. One year follow-up data from 901 workers are now being analyzed; we will present results of relationships between the four study domains. Discussion: Cross-sectional data highlight non-traditional worksite health risks, and suggest potential interventions to improve heath behaviors and outcomes among construction workers. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Mental Health Nervous System Occupational Health Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Construction workers; TWH; Total Worker Health; Worker safety; Work organization; Work environment; Mental health; Cross sectional studies
• ISSN:
  1351-0711
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Iowa ; Missouri ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  76
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20065901
• Citation:
  Occup Environ Med 2019 Apr; 76(Suppl 1):A10-A11
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction ; Services
• Performing Organization:
  University of Iowa
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20060901
• Source Full Name:
  Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 27th Epidemiology in Occupational Health (EPICOH) conference, April 30-May 2, 2019, Wellington, New Zealand
• Supplement:
  1
• End Date:
  20260831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7eb71817f571e3e0a98cf9ffe7b2edcc77ec456a7ab6bc327ec41ce15ceb21571e14c3329e9044dd25d425b46a08ef169c9f1f142a6113560d2c86c332f00dc7
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/249594/cdc_249594_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 68.86 KB ]