Ergonomic Interventions for the Home Building Industry

Abstract

Workers on framing carpentry crews in the home building industry are exposed to many of the recognized occupational risk factors for low back disorders. The focus of the current project was the design, fabrication and evaluation of a set of engineering controls designed to reduce the exposure to these risk factors. A biomechanical evaluation of the work activities of the workers on a framing crew was performed using the CABS methodology which employs three well-established low back stress assessment tools. From this evaluation a prioritized list of high-risk activities was developed. An iterative, participative engineering development process was employed to develop efficacious, cost-effective engineering controls. Described in this paper are three of these solutions: an extension handle for a nailgun, a pneumatic wall lift and a vertical material lift. A description of the impact that these tools had on low back stress and productivity are presented.