Regional discomfort questionnaires were administered to apprentice carpenters at three month intervals for a duration of six months following an ergonomics awareness training as part of apprenticeship school. Reports of frequent musculoskeletal discomfort were reported by between 20 and 29 percent of carpenters for each of the nine body regions with the exception of higher levels for the lower back. Severity ratings and frequency of discomfort were highest for the lower back and hands/wrists. There was no significant difference in reports of musculoskeletal discomfort among the baseline and follow-up questionniares (p > 0.05). The lower back was the only body region showing a decrease in the ratings of discomfort severity during follow-up. Further study of training effects on work methods and discomfort are recommended.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CohenHJensenR (1984), “Measuring the Effectiveness of an Industrial Lift Truck Safety Training Program”, Journal of Safety Research, 15, pp. 125–135
2.
CookT.M.ZimmermanC.L. (1992), “A symptom and job factor survey of unionized construction workers”, KumarS., ed., Advances in Industrial Ergonomics and Safety IV, Taylor and Francis
3.
Eastern Iowa Construction Alliance/University of Iowa Joint Project on Reduction of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses Through Ergonomic Intervention, (1991) Final Report, Phase 1, (unpublished)
4.
Ergonomics for Carpenters, United Brotherhood of Carpenters Health and Safety Fund
5.
FellnerDAzaroffB (1984), “Increasing Industrial Safety Practices and Conditions Through Posted Feedback”, Journal of Safety Research, 15, pp. 7–21
6.
FiedlerF, (1987), “Structured Management Training in Underground Mining- Five Years Later”, Proceedings: Bureau of Mines Technology Transfer Seminar, Pittsburgh, PA, Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9145, pp. 82–94
7.
GotschAWeidnerC, (1994), “Strategies for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Training Programs”, Occupational Medicine, 9(2), pp. 171–188
8.
HellmanCBuddMBorysenkoJMcClellandDBensonH, (1990), “A Study of the Effectiveness of Two Group Behavioral Medicine Interventions for Patients With Psychosomatic Complaints”, Behavioral Medicine, Winter, pp. 165–173
9.
HolmstromELindellJMoritzU, (1992), “Low Back and Neck/Shoulder Pain in Construction Workers: Occupational Workload and Psychosocial Risk Factors, Part 1”, Spine, 17 (6), pp 663–671
10.
HolmstromELindellJMoritzU, (1992), “Low Back and Neck/Shoulder Pain in Construction Workers: Occupational Workload and Psychosocial Risk Factors, Part 2”, Spine, 17 (6), pp 672–677
11.
MattilaMHyodynmaaM, (1988), “Promoting Job Safety in Building: An Experiment on the Behavior Analysis Approach”, Journal of Occupational Accidents, 9, pp. 255–267
12.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, (1990), Ergonomics Program Management Guidelines for Meatpacking Plants, US Department of Labor (OSHA) Document Number 3123
13.
RobinsTHugentoblerMKaminskiMKlitzmanS, (1990), “Implementation of the Federal Hazard Communication Standard: Does Training Work?”, Journal of Occupational Medicine, 32, pp. 1133–1140
14.
SaarelaKSaariJAaltonenM, (1989), “The Effects of an Informational Safety Campaign in the Shipbuilding Industry”, Journal of Occupational Accidents, 10, pp. 255–266
15.
SchurmanSSilversteinBRichardsS, (1994), “Designing a Curriculum for Health Work: Reflections of the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers-General Motors Ergonomics Pilot Project”, Occupational Medicine, 9(2), pp. 283–304
16.
ShanavazHAbeysekeraJJohanssonA, (1993), “Solving Multi-Factorial Work Environment Problems Through Participation”, The Ergonomics of Manual Work, MarrasWKarwowskiWSmithJPacholskiL Ed., London: Taylor and Francis, pp 499–502
17.
SedgwickADaviesMSmithD, (1994). “Changes over Four Years in Musculoskeletal Impairment in Men and Women”, Medical Journal of Australia, 161, pp. 482–486
18.
TanKFishwickNDicksonWSykesP, (1991), “Does Training Reduce the Incidence of Industrial Hand Injuries?”, Journal of Hand Surgery, 16B(3), pp. 323–326
19.
University of Iowa (1994), Symptom and Job Factor Survey of Unionized Construction Workers, Preliminary Findings, November, 1994
20.
VojteckyMSchmitzM, (1986), “Program Evaluation and Health and Safety Training”, Journal of Safety Research, 17, pp. 57–63
21.
WickJWeigeL, (1995), “A Strategy for Providing Ergonomics Awareness Training and Identifying Individuals in Need of Ergonomics Intervention in Office Environments”, Advances in Industrial Ergonomics and Safety VII, BittnerAChampneyP Ed., London: Taylor and Francis, pp. 369–373
