Evaluation of a Participatory Ergonomics Program in Construction

Background and Objectives: Rates of musculoskeletal injuries among workers in construction remain high. Participatory ergonomics (PE) is an approach to engage workers and employers in identifying and implementing injury prevention solutions. When evaluated by decreased symptoms or injuries, PE has shown mixed results. Better evaluation of PE efficacy requires measurement of short-term and intermediate impacts. In this presentation we will: 1) describe this PE study implemented in groups of construction workers; 2) present short-term (learning), intermediate (actions), and long-term results; and 3) discuss multi-level factors for improving the implementation and dissemination of PE based on our identified barriers to implementation in construction. Methods: We recruited 96 workers from seven contractors in three trades. We trained workers in ergonomic problem identification and implementation of task-specific solutions. We evaluated our program using mixed methods including data from...