Muskuloskeletal Disorders or MSDs are soft tissue injuries that affect many construction workers. Globally MSDs are the largest category of workplace injuries and account for 30% of all US worker’s compensation costs. MSDs affect all the parts of the body that are responsible for movements such as the muscles, the…
The dust generated on construction sites can have adverse health effects on construction workers. Different activities on construction sites can generate different types of nanoparticles and ultrafine particles that can lead to serious respiratory diseases such as silicosis and lung cancer. To prevent these diseases the NIOSH recommend that workers…
Construction workers who are using spray or who are power sanding wood sealant are inhaling zinc nano particles that may have negative consequences on their health. To avoid long-term injuries and illnesses a recent study found that the use of a local exhaust ventilation reduces exposure to nano particles by…
The traditional way of building slab form work entails many risks of accidents and injuries to construction workers. The formwork is built on site, usually out of timber and plywood and concrete is poured into it. Several risks of accidents and injuries are associated with this operation such as: Serious injury…
Many construction workers who have been over exposed to silica dust developed lung cancer, silicosis as well as pulmonary and kidney disease. The danger of exposure to silica dust was first highlighted by the US government in 1930 but the first rule related to silica exposure time was released in 1971 when…
Personal injury attorneys representing construction workers that have been injured at work understand too well the economic consequences of such accidents. When a worker is injured he will not only have direct costs such as medical expenses but also indirect ones such as lost wages and fringe benefits as well as…
Among all construction workers, sheet metal workers have one of the highest risks of personal injury. Some of them are injured so badly that they are permanently disabled. A recent study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine provides an Analysis of Permanent Work Disability Among Construction Sheet Metal…
Construction workers that are exposed to vapors, gases, dusts and fumes are at increased risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) according to a study that was recently published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. The study looked at 834 cases of older construction workers with COPD and analysed their lifetime work…
Nano-enabled construction products usage has been expanding fast but little is know about the potential health dangers of these products for construction workers who are exposed to them. Because manufacturers are not obligated to disclose that their products contain nanoparticles it makes it even more difficult for contractors and construction…